People's Health Movement: The right to water as a health justice issue

Grassroots activism to oppose the privatization of water systems and widespread corporate contamination and degradation of common water sources is growing in the United States and around the world.

Health activists understand access to sufficient safe water is an important determinant of health. Despite this, the health “voice” has largely been missing from the emerging water movement until recently. The People's Health Movement (PHM) has joined with other international networks involved with the Right to Water, to contribute a health perspective, encourage participation of health activists, and ensure that health becomes a fundamental organizing principle in these international advocacy efforts.

PHM's framework for Right to Water activities includes: • opposing the privatization of water systems; • advocating public and participatory social stewardship of water supplies; • defending our common water resources from overuse, contamination and source degradation, and; • lobbying for a United Nations Convention on Water as a Human Right.

The presentation will explore this framework, review current activities of the People's Health Movement, and discuss the current successes and challenges facing health activists working on the Right to Water as a health justice issue.