Water: "Human Right" or "Basic Human Need?"

[Julene]

The 5th World Water Forum that was attended by representatives from 155 countries in Istanbul concluded on March 22, 2009 with disagreement on whether water is a "human right" or a "basic human need." While the words may seem trite to some, they are critical to the lives of millions of people around the world.
Shocking reports came to light at the conference including the below information:

"Reports released at forum conferences noted that 8 million annual deaths worldwide are attributable to water shortages, and that 1.1 billion people around the globe have no access to water."

We take water for granted in so much of the world. Whether water is definted a right or as a basic need could impact the financial ability to market water as a commodity in all parts of the world.

Read over the article and leave comments about what you learn! There was much debate about this conference, so share your thoughts on what is reported in this article.