International church and civil society experts on human rights and environment to speak at the UN
Church and civil society experts on environment and human rights from Switzerland, South Africa, Germany, Sri Lanka, Canada and Sweden will discuss future steps and strategies in support of more action at the UN Human Rights Council on the right to water.
Organized by the Ecumenical Water Network, the panel discussion “The human right to water – Civil society perspectives and prospects”, will take place on
Tuesday, 18 September 2007, 2 pm,
at the Palais des Nations, Room XXIV
The church and civil society input coincides with the presentation at the current session of the Human Rights Council of a study on human rights obligations regarding access to water and sanitation prepared by the High Commissioner on Human Rights.
Participants at the panel discussion are:
- Asa Elfstrom (Chair), Senior Advisor on water and development, Church of Sweden.
- Geoff Davies, Former Bishop of Umzimvubu and Director of Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute, South Africa.
- Rasika Mendis, Center On Housing Rights and Evictions, Sri Lanka.
- Christian Courtis, International Commission of Jurists, Switzerland.
- Anil Naidoo, Director Blue Planet Project, Canada.
- Michael Windfuhr, Human Rights Director Bread for the World, Germany.
The panel discussion is open to press; there will be time allocated for questions and answers.
Media contact: Maike Gorsboth 076-459-7727
Ecumenical Water Network website: