Summary

Megaprojects are double-edged: they may contribute towards the enhancement of people’s livelihoods but may also impede the enjoyment of the human rights to water and sanitation.

In order to prevent and mitigate the risks arising from such projects and to ensure compliance with human rights, the Special Rapporteur is introducing a megaproject cycle framework for the realization of the human rights to water and sanitation, consisting of seven stages, each of them entailing impacts on access to water and sanitation, challenges and enabling factors to realize the human rights to water and sanitation.

He clarifies each stage of the megaproject cycle and provides a list of questions that constitute guidelines for accountable actors to implement their human rights obligations and responsibilities.