GENEVA / AMMAN (6 March 2014) – United Nations Special Rapporteur Catarina de Albuquerque will visit Jordan from 11 to 16 March 2014 to assess measures implemented by the State to prioritize and manage scarce water resources and wastewater, which are under increased pressure by the spike of conflict-related refugees.
“I will also look at the specific situation of potentially marginalized groups of people in terms of access to water and sanitation, including migrants, minorities, prisoners, refugees and those living in informal urban settlements,” said the independent expert charged by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor, report and advise on the realization of the human rights to water and sanitation worldwide.
Ms. de Albuquerque, who is visiting the country at the invitation of the Jordanian authorities, will meet with representatives from the Government, as well as from international organizations, civil society and communities in Amman and Mafraq.
She will also have a meeting with HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal, Chair of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation.
At the end of her first official visit to Jordan, the expert will share the preliminary findings of her visit with the media at a press conference on 16 March at 12:00 am, at the Le Meridien Hotel Amman.
Based on the information obtained during the week-long mission, the Special Rapporteur will present a comprehensive report to a forthcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council, which will include her final findings and recommendations to the Government of Jordan.
