The purpose of this study is to share experiences of good practices towards the realisation of the human rights to water and sanitation in four States of Central America: El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Such good practices have been, and are still being, implemented by different stakeholders in the water and sanitation sector. They range from NHRIs to civil members of a particular community. They are based on the information gathered through a workshop on “The realisation of the human rights to water and sanitation and SDG 6 in Central America”, which was organised by WaterLex in El Salvador between 24 and 26 April 2018 (The Workshop). For methodological reasons, the study has been divided by State. A brief introduction to the normative and institutional framework of each State is thereby provided, followed by the specific good practices of its different pertinent actors in water and sanitation provision.
This work adopts a broad approach to the term “practice” as encompassing any activity which promotes the full enjoyment of human rights in the field of water and sanitation or the comprehension of its rights and obligations in a manner compatible with the fundamental human rights principles. Hence, it may include very diverse practices such as legal and policy frameworks as well as implementation and accountability mechanisms. As such, a good practice can be expressed in terms of international treaties, legislation (at national, sub-national and local levels), regulations, policies, strategies, institutional frameworks, planning and coordination procedures, international cooperation policies, programmes, projects, campaigns, subsidies, financing mechanisms, tariff structures, operators’ contracts, complaints procedures and judicial and quasi-judicial decisions. They do not necessarily need to be best practices but good practices. Whereas they may not yet have achieved the goal to ensure universal, safe, affordable and acceptable access to water and sanitation, they constitute a step forward in that direction.