Responding to the 'water crisis': the complementary roles of water governance and the human right to water

In recent years, the effects of climate change, population growth and ever higher levels of development around the world has prompted talk of a global 'water crisis'. One common response has been to consider the water crisis as a 'crisis of gevernance' not simply one of water scarcity. However, no clear consensus has been reached over the measures to be taken or the responsibilities that governments have towards their people when facing such a crisis. This article explores the term 'good water governance' and how the normative content of the human right to water can be used to define clear end goals for water governance reforms. It presents a framework using positive aspects from both water governance and the human right to water and concludes that such a framework can assist governments in planning, implementing and monitoring the measures necessary to address the critical issues that affect their communities' access to water.