Munbackgroundpaper

Committee: Human Rights Council (HRC)
Topic: Addressing the Issue of Global Water Rights and Water Grabbing
Report of the Chairs
I. Theme of the Conference

Welcome to the first Model United Nations Conference hosted by the Austin High School
Model U.N. In recognition of the freshman year AGS class, the overarching theme of this
conference is water. We challenge you to look past your basic understanding of water and delve
deeper into the many global issues surrounding such an important resource. As we hope you
come to see during this conference, the dwindling global supply of water is causing a myriad of
economic, social, and political issues that will fall upon the shoulders of our generation much
sooner than we might anticipate. These problems cant be put off any longer and we look
towards the future leaders of the world to recognize this urgency and align as a global
community to find answers to these imminent problems.
II. Rationale
Water is defined by the U.N. as inalienable for all people. The U.N. specifically stated
"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,(1). Even with this basic human need recognized, an
estimated 1.2 billion people worldwide lack a sufficient source of drinking water. This is
becoming even more of a significant issue around the globe due to the exponential growth of
the worlds population, with no foreseeable end in sight. This leads to more people drawing from
the same water sources, depleting an irreplaceable resource even faster. As a result, a mad
scramble to acquire the remaining fresh water resources has begun on a global scale.
III. Background of Topic

The rights to global water resources is already affecting poorer populations that dont
have the ability to fight back against these corporate strong-arms of power. From Bolivia to
Kenya, countrys water rights have been bought without contest from them by large corporations
which have, in turn, raised water prices for the citizens, discriminated during the process of
water distribution - heavily favoring the wealthy - and have overused said water sources for
which local citizens have few or no ways to replace. Developed countries such as the United
States, France and the United Kingdom are supporting these activities due to the profits that
they receive and their view that it is better for citizens in the underdeveloped countries. In some
cases people have been forced to trek miles out of their way in order to obtain the water that
they need. However, this only serves to create a ripple effect, depleting water resources that
other people rely upon and when those people trek to find water, the process repeats itself. In
Bolivia, evidence of this was available as early as 2000 when the World Bank1 refused to renew
a $25,000,000 loan unless Bolivia privatized their water services (2). As Latin Americas poorest
country, Bolivia was forced to sell their water rights to a US corporation known as Betchel.
Immediately rates were raised and water was cut off for those who couldnt pay. Protests
ensued against these actions eventually escalating into a country-wide strike forcing Betchel to
lower water rates, although still higher than before privatization. Situations such as this
occurring around the globe go virtually unnoticed while innocent people are extorted for profit.
IV. Contemporary Evidence of the Topic

The worlds population is consuming water resources at an unprecedented rate. Freshwater
withdrawals, all around the globe, have tripled over the past 50 years and are only predicted to
grow more rapidly due to the ever increasing world population (3). In addition, industrial growth
in many richer nations is causing even more consumption of water available for human use,
taking nearly half of said water. This unending demand for more water is spurring the global
battle for water rights between large corporations and poorer countries.
These struggles for water rights are most prominent on the continent of Africa. In
countries such as Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia, local people are
being deprived of their water resources as the government is being forced to sell water rights to
corporations. The World Bank is ensuring that these sales are made, threatening other countries
with the withdrawal of aid and economic sanctions (2). The World Bank is even paying for these
deals themselves, covering up to 90% of the cost for these corporations. Corruption is running
rampant at this level, with retired presidents from the World Bank, and other corporations buying
water rights form underdeveloped countries, acting as current leaders of organizations such as
the World Water Council, an organization meant to protect water rights for all global citizens.
Thus, global citizens are being left in the dust as the organizations that are supposed to protect
them are turning a blind eye as all their water disappears. This is the case in Bolivia, as their
largest lake has just officially gone dry, leaving thousands without water. Other countries are not
1 The World Bank is a component of the World Bank Group, a series of five financial institutions
that provide loans and financial aid to underdeveloped and developing countries to help develop
infrastructure, education and other human needs. It is part of the UN but has its own governing
system consisting of leaders from every member country.
far behind, such as India whose population is growing at a massive rate, and Australia whose
extreme droughts leave less and less water each year.
V. References and Research Resources

(1) "Hrw, Decade, Water for Life, 2015, UN-Water, United Nations, MDG, Water,
Sanitation, Financing, Gender, IWRM, Human Right, Transboundary, Cities, Quality, Food
Security, General Comment, BKM, Albuquerque." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 01 Feb.
2016.
(2) Default, comp. "Global Water Grab." (2003): n. pag. Www.ratical.org. Polaris Institute.
Web. 1 Feb. 2016. <http://www.ratical.org/co-globalize/GlblH20grab.pdf>.
(3) "Water Consumed This Year." Water Consumption Statistics. United Nations, n.d.
Web. 01 Feb. 2016.
Other Resources:
http://www.iied.org/african-governments-signing-away-water-rights-for-decades
https://www.popularresistance.org/wall-street-mega-banks-are-buying-up-the-worlds-water/
http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/22/opinion/water-grabs-africa/
http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/human_right_to_water.shtml
http://www.lead-journal.org/content/07179.pdf
https://www.idfc.com/pdf/report/2011/Chp-5-Water-Rights-And-The-New-Water-Laws-In-
India.pdf
http://www.newsweek.com/race-buy-worlds-water-73893
http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2013/world/australias-water-markets-succeeding-yet-
severe-challenges-loom/
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/insight/right-water
http://mobile.opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/3274/Water
%20Grabbing%20for%20TWQ_final%20version-1.pdf?sequence=3
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=the
%20global%20politics%20of%20water%20grabbing
http://www.ratical.org/co-globalize/GlblH20grab.pdf
https://www.tni.org/en/publication/the-global-water-grab-a-primer
VI. Note to Delegates

Delegates,
It is a great privilege for us to be chairing the Human Rights Council at this years Austin
High Model U.N. We hope that you are looking forward to it as much as we are. Please prepare
before the conference and be ready to participate. Please feel free to contact us with any
questions you may have.
Best Regards,
-RyanCole and Bryce
RyanCole Weldon-Carroll ryancolewc@gmail.com
Bryce Perkins-Jechow bryceperkinsjec@gmail.com

Member States
1. United States of America*-

https://www.popularresistance.org/wall-street-mega-banks-are-
buying-up-the-w-orlds-water/
http://mobile.opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/3274
/Water%20Grabbing%20for%20TWQ_final%20version-1.pdf?sequence=3
2. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland-
3. South Africa-
4. Kenya-
http://www.iied.org/african-governments-signing-away-water-
rights-for-decades
http://mobile.opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/1234
56789/3274/Water%20Grabbing%20for%20TWQ_final%20version-
1.pdf?sequence=3
5. Ethiopia-
http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-stresses-nile-water-rights-ethiopia-dam-project-
191717687.html
1.pdf?sequence=3
http://www.wearewater.org/en/drinking-water-sanitation-and-hygiene-in-ethiopia_253215
https://thewaterproject.org/water-in-crisis-ethiopia
6. Ghana-
1.pdf?sequence=3
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01436597.2013.8438
52#aHR0cDovL3d3dy50YW5kZm9ubGluZS5jb20vZG9pL3BkZi8xMC
4xMDgwLzAxNDM2NTk3LjIwMTMuODQzODUyQEBAMA==
7. Democratic Republic of the Congo-
8. Egypt-
http://wtf.tw/ref/rulli.pdf
9. Mali-
rights-for-decades
10. France-
http://ucwosl.rebo.uu.nl/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Van-Dijk.pdf
11. China-
11. India-
https://www.idfc.com/pdf/report/2011/Chp-5-Water-Rights-And-
The-New-Water-Laws-In-India.pdf
13. Canada*-
1.pdf?sequence=3
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/maude-barlow/canada-eu-water-deal_b_4122048.html
https://watergovernance.ca/resources/factsheets/
14. Russian Federation-

14. Bolivia-
1.pdf?sequence=3
http://www.thenation.com/article/politics-water-bolivia/
https://nacla.org/blog/2013/6/5/water-wars-water-scarcity-bolivia%E2%80%99s-
cautionary-tale
16. Pakistan*-
16. Jordan*-
http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/westbank.htm
16. Syria*-
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/03/turkey-iraq-and-syria-
tus_n_276406.html
16. Australia-
16. Saudi Arabia
16. Mexico
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTWAT/Resources/4602122-
1213366294492/5106220-
1213804320899/10.2_Water_Use_Rights_Mexico.pdf
16. Sudan-
rights-for-decades
16. Peru*-
1.pdf?sequence=3
24. Germany-
https://www.popularresistance.org/wall-street-mega-banks-are-
buying-up-the-worlds-water/
*countries arent current members of the HRC

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Committee: Human Rights Council (HRC)

I. Theme of the Conference

III. Background of Topic

IV. Contemporary Evidence of the Topic

V. References and Research Resources

VI. Note to Delegates

RyanCole Weldon-Carroll ryancolewc@gmail.com

Bryce Perkins-Jechow bryceperkinsjec@gmail.com

1. United States of America*-

14. Russian Federation-

*countries arent current members of the HRC

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