Water is not only essential for survival, sanitation, and health, but it is also deeply embedded in cultural identity, heritage, and ancestral knowledge. The human right to water, recognised by the United Nations General Assembly and enshrined in multiple international instruments, provides a vital legal and moral framework for safeguarding both current and ancestral ways of life. Protecting access to water ensures the survival of cultural practices that rely on water for spiritual, communal, agricultural, and subsistence activities, particularly for Indigenous peoples, women, marginalised communities, and vulnerable populations.

This policy brief explores the interdependence of cultural heritage and the human right to water. It underscores how securing this right also supports environmental justice, gender equity, and sustainable development. It further outlines the threats posed by climate change, privatisation, pollution, and exclusionary policies, and recommends culturally sensitive water governance reforms that protect both rights and heritage.