The Peoples’ Water Forum (PWF) is a coordination platform of dozens of water justice networks representing organized communities, grassroots movements, environmental justice organizations, trade unions, faith-based groups, and members of the academic community, that work collectively to promote just, equitable, and sustainable distribution and governance of water worldwide. We foster collective action to amplify the voices of communities that uphold water as a global common good and as a fundamental human right.
As water defenders, the platform calls for transparent, inclusive, and democratic governance structures capable of addressing the pressing challenges of climate change and of preventing all forms of privatization.
The PWF and its members reaffirm the need for an intergovernmental framework that guarantees respect for, and effective monitoring of commitments related to water and sanitation, and we emphasize the importance of ensuring the free, active, and meaningful participation of right holders in decision-making processes and in the follow-up and implementation of such commitments.
A concerning appointment:
In September 2024, PWF received with concern the announcement by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, of the appointment of Retno L.P. Marsudi, from the Republic of Indonesia, as his Special Envoy for Water. Ms. Marsudi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, oversaw the 10th World Water Forum, held in Bali (Indonesia) in May 2024.
According to the Secretary-General’s office, Ms. Marsudi has been tasked with enhancing “international cooperation and synergies among various international water processes in support of the achievement of all water-related goals and targets, such as Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, implementing the UN system-wide strategy on water and sanitation, and preparing the agenda for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.
This raises a fundamental question: ¿why were these responsibilities entrusted to a newly created Special Envoy, rather than to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, whose mandate is grounded in international human rights law?
Key considerations
- Multistakeholderism and the marginalization of human rights mandates
The PWF has observed a progressive reduction in funding for human rights mandates. The PWF firmly believe that the SDGs and the United Nations Water Conference must be anchored in a human rights framework. We are deeply concerned about the apparent sidelining of human rights in favor of a multi-stakeholder model of global water governance.
Water and sanitation are fundamental human rights. Water is a common good, not a commodity. It must be accessible to all, without discrimination, under public and community control, and managed free from profit-driven interests. Personal and domestic uses of water, including hygiene, must take precedence over productive uses, such as those related to large-scale agriculture and industry.
- Independence of the Special Envoy mandate
The PWF recognizes and supports the leadership of countries of the Global South within the United Nations General Assembly. At the same time, we strongly affirm the importance of the political independence of the UN’s human rights mandates.
In light of Ms. Marsudi’s longstanding trajectory and close association with the Government of Indonesia, as noted in the Secretary-General’s announcement, the PWF calls for clarifications regarding the hierarchical structure, sources of funding, and political affiliations of the Special Envoy for Water. These clarifications are crucial given the implications for global water justice networks, particularly considering the events surrounding the 10th World Water Forum in Bali:
- Water justice networks affiliated with the PWF were silenced, intimidated, and prevented from organizing a counter-summit by a pro-government paramilitary group.
- Indonesian members of the PWF were forcibly confined within their hotel for three days by masked men who blocked the premises and prevented them from meeting with international organizations.
- In the months preceding the forum, meetings organized by the PWF in public venues—including the Indonesian Institute of the Arts—were cancelled, while local organizers were interrogated and intimidated by state intelligence agents.
These acts of repression have had lasting consequences. The Front Line Defenders Global Report 2024/2025 documents that water defenders in Indonesia have continued to face harassment and intimidation months after the forum.
Our Demands
In light of these considerations, The PWF reaffirms and presents the following requests:
- We call upon the UN Secretary-General and Member States to establish a human rights–centered mechanism on water within the United Nations, accountable to rights-holders and free from corporate interference.
- We urge the UN Secretary-General, Member States, and agencies working in the field of water to ensure transparency in UN water governance initiatives by disclosing information regarding key political appointments, resource flows, private sector participation, and decision-making processes.
- We request the UN Secretary-General to provide clarification on the following points:
- In what ways do the role and agenda of the Special Envoy for Water overlap with or conflict with those of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation?
- How will the Special Envoy for Water maintain independence and impartiality in the tasks assigned to her?
- How is the mandate financed?
- How will social participation and accountability be guaranteed, especially with the burgeoning communities of water end users often excluded in water governance and decision fronts?
- Will the meetings and interventions of the Special Envoy for Water be made public?
- We call upon the UN Secretary-General to direct the Water Envoy to consult with the PWF as a consultative body in all her actions that might compromise the right to water for all.
- We request a meeting with the UN Secretary-General in order to discuss in detail the issues outlined in this statement, as well as the requests it presents.
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List of entities adhering to this statement:
- Africa Water Justice Network
- African water commons collectives
- Alianza Verde
- Asociación Española de Empresas Gestoras de los Servicios de Agua Urbana
- Asociación Española de Operadores Públicos de Abastecimiento y Saneamiento
- Blue Planet Project
- Centro di Volontariato Internazionale
- CICrA Justicia Ambiental
- Coalición de Organizaciones Mexicanas por el Derecho al Agua
- Community Action Movement
- Confederación General del Trabajo
- Coordination Eau Bien Commun
- Corporación Ecologista y Feminista Penca de Sábila
- Corporate Accountability
- Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa
- Desarrollo Tecnológico y Servicios Comunitarios, EL PUENTE, S.C.
- Earth Thrive
- Eau Secours
- Eau Secours 31
- Ecologistas en Acción
- Ecumenical Water Network
- ENDA Colombia
- European Water Movement
- Federacion de Trabajadores del Agua Potable y Alcantarillado del Peru
- Foro italiano dei movimenti per l’acqua
- Forum for Civic Participation in Governance
- Forum for Civic Participation in Governance
- Forum Tamansari Bersatu
- Fundación Abril
- Fundación Nueva Cultura del Agua
- Help Initiative for Social Justice and Humanitarian Development
- Indonesia for Global Justice
- Instituto Mexicano para el Desarrollo Comunitario
- International Association for Engineering Without Borders
- Just Water Futures
- KRuHA – People’s Coalition for the Right to Water
- Observatório Nacional dos Direitos à Água e ao Saneamento
- Organization for Political Ecology Polekol
- Our Water Our Right Africa Coalition
- Pasraman Air
- Penca de Sabila
- Plataforma de Acuerdos Público Comunitarios de las Américas
- Plataforma contra la privatización de Canal de Isabel II
- Plataforma de Toledo en Defensa del Tajo
- Red Agua Pública
- Red Vigilancia Interamericana para la Defensa y Derecho al Agua
- Renevlyn Development Initiative
- Réseau Sénégalais pour la Justice de l’Eau
- Rongo Water Justice Working Group
- Sembada Bersama Indonesia
- Senegalese Water Justice Network
- Syndicat Autonome des Travailleurs des Eaux du Sénégal
- Sintracuavalle
- The Artivist Network
- The Right To Water Initiative
- Transnational Institute
- TRANZURI CBO
- Women Collective Kenya
- Women Collective Kenya/Nairobi Water Justice Working Group
- Women Support Women Community Network
- Voices for Water
- Xúquer Viu