Today is World Water Day!
"Someone needs to explain to me why wanting clean drinking water makes you an activist, and why proposing to destroy water with chemical warfare doesn't make a corporation a terrorist." -- Winona LaDuke (Anishinaabekwe)
Today 785 million people do not have access to clean and safe water worldwide, and 1 in 10 don't have clean water close to home. Across the world, Indigenous Peoples are some of the most affected communities when it comes to accessing clean water, and are at the front lines protecting the waterways in their lands and territories.
In November 2002, the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights adopted General Comment No. 15 on the right to water. Article I.1 states that "The human right to water is indispensable for leading a life in human dignity. It is a prerequisite for the realization of other human rights." Comment No. 15 also defined the right to water as the right of everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable, and physically accessible, and affordable water for personal and domestic uses.
On July 28, 2010, through Resolution 64/292, the United Nations General Assembly explicitly recognized the human right to water and sanitation and acknowledged that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential to the realization of all human rights. The Resolution calls upon States and international organizations to provide financial resources, help capacity-building and technology transfer to help countries, in particular developing countries, to provide safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for all.
Moreover, Article 25 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states, "Indigenous Peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinctive spiritual relationship with their traditionally owned or otherwise occupied and used lands, territories, waters and coastal seas and other resources and to uphold their responsibilities to future generations in this regard." Water is a lifesource for all living things, and for Indigenous Peoples, water plays a critical role in their livelihoods, traditional customs and spirituality.
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Anishinaabe water activist Autumn Peltier, a teen, takes a powerful journey from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory to New York City as she prepares to speak in front of the United Nations in the hope of preserving the future of Indigenous communities.
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2. Learn how our Keepers of the Earth Fund Grant Partners are protecting their Water Sources
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On World Water Day, Cultural Survival would like to highlight some of its Keepers of the Earth Fund (KOEF) grant partners who are working hard in their communities to combat drought as a result of the climate crisis and increase awareness of water as a crucial resource.
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3. Read our past Cultural Survival Quarterly issues focused on water.
 
4. Listen to Indigenous Rights Radio interviews with Indigenous leaders about water issues in their communities.
Climate Change Takes Water And Milk From Mbororo People
In Mbororo communities in Chad, Indigenous women are the most affected by climate change because they are the ones collecting food, water, and traditional medicines for their families. Changes to their environment have caused increased hardship on the Mbororo who are pastoralist cattle headers, as they are forced to move more frequently to cope with increasing drought conditions.
Día Mundial del Agua
El Día Mundial del Agua se celebra cada 22 de marzo para recordar la relevancia de este líquido vital. Esta conmemoración tiene por objetivo crear mayor conciencia acerca de la crisis mundial del agua y la necesidad de buscar medidas para abordarla de manera de alcanzar el Objetivo de Desarrollo Sostenible No 6: Agua y saneamiento para todos antes de 2030.
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6. Learn about the MNI KI WAKAN (Water is Sacred): World Indigenous Peoples’ Decade of Water
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Read about the Mni Ki Wakan (Water is Sacred): World Indigenous Peoples’ Decade of Water Summit here.
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With your support, we are able to curate and distribute these informative resources to our community. Consider making a donation today so we can continue to support Indigenous Peoples worldwide!
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Cultural Survival advocates for Indigenous Peoples' rights and supports Indigenous communities’ self-determination, cultures and political resilience since 1972. We envision a future that respects and honors Indigenous Peoples' inherent rights and dynamic cultures, deeply and richly interwoven in lands, languages, spiritual traditions, and artistic expression, rooted in self-determination and self-governance.
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