As I write this blog, meetings are being held in Copenhagen by diverse stakeholders to discuss issues around climate change. Meanwhile, the U.N. Independent Expert (IE) on the Human Right to Water has added her voice to the discussions by releasing a position paper titled "Climate Change and the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation." In the paper she speaks for the billion people worldwide who lack access to safe water and the 2.5 billion who lack access to sanitation.

So far, it seems the plight of these people has not been forefront on the minds of world leaders at Copenhagen. The IE therefore reminds the Conference of Parties-15 (COP-15) that "water is a key medium through which climate change impacts on human populations, society, and ecosystems, particularly due to predicted changes in its quality and quantity." She is worried that despite this obvious fact, "water has not been sufficiently considered in the climate change negotiations."

The IE's position paper remarkably demonstrates why it is very important for water and sanitation and the human rights obligations related to them to be top on the agenda of COP-15. Briefly, this is because climate change already impacts on the right to water and sanitation by causing floods, droughts, and changes in precipitation and temperature extremes. These changes impact the availability, quality, accessibility, and affordability of water and hence the human right to water in the following ways.

First, climate change increases the stress on water resources and intensifies the competition for water among different users. This affects the availability of water for personal and domestic uses. Second, increasing temperatures, changes in groundwater levels, floods, and droughts threaten water quality. Third, floods and drought will deteriorate existing water and sanitation infrastructure and affect accessibility of water. Lastly, increasing demand and competition over water as result of climate change will cause the price of water to rise and hence its affordability.

The IE notes that "the way that water is managed will be a critical component for the success of any efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change, in conformity with human rights obligations." She points out that "although climate change puts additional stress on water resources and reinforces the competition over limited resources, it does not render the realization of the human right to water and sanitation impossible." She advises governments to "set priorities in the way that basic needs are met" and to define a quantity of water sufficient for human dignity, life, and health.

Other measures she proposes include that governments ensure no discrimination in the distribution of water resources and services; that they undertake maximum efforts to realize the human right to water and sanitation within all available resources, and refrain from interfering with existing access; and that they ensure climate change intervention measures do not compromise safe, affordable, and acceptable water and sanitation in sufficient quantities for everyone.

We hope COP-15 is listening, and join hands with the IE in asking them to make water a priority in their negotiations and to recognize water as a human right in Copenhagen.

UUSC's second annual Rights Night, held Thursday, December 10, 2009, was a big success. On the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), we honored pioneering activist Mel King. A crusader, educator, organizer, and entrepreneur, King has devoted his life to organizing and advocacy for anti-poverty and urban renewal causes.

King was presented with UUSC's Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award for his commitment to social justice and human rights. Long-time colleague, friend, and fellow pioneer Gus Newport introduced King, and Boston City Councilor Sam Yoon delivered an impassioned keynote connecting King's work with the values embodied in the UDHR. The evening was opened and closed with rousing performances by the vocal group Foxx.

Rights Night attendees were asked to take action for the Gulf Coast by asking their congressperson to support the Gulf Coast Civic Works Act. If you haven't had the chance to do so, you can do it online through our website.

UUSC thanks everyone who attended Rights Night 2009! We also extend special thanks to the staff of the Media Arts Center of Roxbury Community College for helping us make the evening a big success, and to Altman & Altman, LLP, for standing with UUSC a second consecutive year as corporate sponsor.

And last, UUSC is delighted to announce the winner of the Rights Night raffle — for sharing her e-mail address with us, Susan Klimczak of Boston is the proud owner of a UUSC Human Right to Water water bottle and a handsome 2010 planner.

Please mark your calendars for December 10, 2010 — we'll be back with the third annual Rights Night, on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of the UDHR.

Read an article from the South End news about Rights Night.

UUSC partner the Center for Human Rights and the Environment (CEDHA - Argentina) has prepared for the climate change summit in Copenhagen with trainings and workshops for civil society and grassroots NGOs organized under the Climate Sustainability Platform. Demanding binding agreements, CEDHA and the other Platform organizers are presenting proposals to governments and NGOs about next steps on climate change.

CEDHA is working at the international level on negotiations, and with UUSC support, at the national and local level in Argentina. Through CEDHA's law clinic, students and staff are now working with legislators in Cordova to protect "strategic glaciers" from encroachment by mining development. The glaciers are the "tap" of the environment — the source of water for drinking and agriculture in Cordova. This model legislation is an innovative effort to reform existing environmental law to protect natural resources and human rights, such as the human right to water.

Learn more about what UUSC is doing to advance climate justice!

While the official COP 15 (Conference of the Parties — of the Framework Convention on Climate Change) negotiations are underway in the Bella Center in Copenhagen (see streaming video on the web), representatives from grassroots organizations and social movements from around the world are lifting up the banner of climate justice.

UUSC partner APRN (Asia Pacific Research Network) is in Copenhagen participating inside the Bella Center as an accredited NGO, and in the alternative forums.

Maria Theresa Nera-Lauron, or, as we know her, "Tetet," presented to UUSC staff, members, and volunteers when we conducted a series of climate change round tables in July 2009. Tetet called today from an Internet café set up at the Bella Center and sends us this message:

There are lots of discussions among the climate justice activists here of course. There is not a hopeful outlook about getting anything substantial at the end of two weeks. At best we will get a political document, but not substantial and not binding. Of note — a few days ago — the Philippines government did not include our chief G77 negotiator in the delegation. A lot of things changed after Sec. Clinton visited the Philippines 3 weeks ago. The Sudanese government now acts as the leader of G77.

The Bella Center — I must say is a corporate "heaven"; the UN FCC negotiations, very corporate friendly. There is really very token participation of civil society and citizens generally, relegated to observing the process. There is not real participation by civil society. This shows us that we must go back to our countries and engage our people, and our government, so that we can have some semblance of participation on the ground in climate change negotiations as we go forward.

We want to tell the members and staff of UUSC — there is a really a need to develop southern voices at the climate talks. The voices of ordinary people are not being heard here. UUSC support — more than appreciated — enabled us to provide some support for national assemblies that are happening to adopt the people's protocol. You gave us some elbow room to carry out the work we felt was important. National assemblies are taking place now in:

• Hong Kong
• Nigeria
• Mozambique
• Ethiopia
• The Philippines
• Kenya
• Zimbabwe

Some of the participants from earlier national assemblies are already here, of people gathering to ratify, however symbolic, the people's protocol, is an effort to put southern voices in the formal negotiations. We are very grateful for UUSC to allow us to use the support as we saw necessary. We've been getting some good press here — there was much bad media coverage about potential riots, violent protests.

But in the last few days while we are here southern voices are being heard by the Danish people. We are bringing the message that we came to Copenhagen for solidarity. The People's Movement on Climate Justice is participating in the alternative forum outside the official negotiations, and we are participating where and when we can inside. Tomorrow will be the first of a small action outside the Bella Center — an informational picket. Watch for video and pictures on IndyMedia.dk and peoplesclimatemovement.net. We also remember Human Rights Day while we are here — Happy birthday human rights!

Learn more about the 2009 Guests at Your Table!

Each year since 1975 involvement in Guest at Your Table has grown, strengthening UU connections to our shared principles and helping to challenge injustice throughout the world.

Today, nearly every UU congregation in the United States, and some around the world, participate in this important liturgical and annual family tradition. The Guests for 2009 include:

• Daw San and Moe Moe, courageous mother and daughter in Myanmar who partnered with UUSC to rebuild their lives and livelihoods after last year's deadly cyclone.
• Guadalupe Nuñez, a resident and water activist in Tonyville, Calif., who helped secure clean, affordable water for her community.
• Abdul Khan, a young man in Afghanistan who is a dedicated supporter of women's rights and children's rights.
• Jacinta, a tailor in Machakos, Kenya, who is a woman leader in the struggle to secure rights for informal traders and vendors in her country.

You can learn more about our 2009 Guests at Your Table, at www.uusc.org/myguests.

We anticipate a strong participation over the next several weeks. Kate and Lauralyn of Member Services are available to answer questions and assist as needed; contact them at volunteerservices@uusc.org.

I am happy to announce the publication of UUSC's 2009 Annual Report.

Our report offers highlights of UUSC's major programmatic and advocacy activities in 2009 and illustrates our work through compelling photography. It also provides year-end financial statements and recognizes outstanding member activists and UUSC local representatives. And of course, the annual report acknowledges the generous and vital support of UUs congregations and individuals like you.

Click here to download and view a PDF of the 2009 Annual Report.

To download PDFs of annual reports from past years, please visit our annual reports archive. You may also order copies of the 2009 Annual Report and other UUSC publications to help promote UUSC's human rights work in your congregation or community.

Happy reading!

In a widely watched legal case involving the human right to water, South Africa's highest court has ruled in favor of the city of Johannesburg, finding that the installation of prepaid water meters in Phiri, a low-income town in the city's Soweto area, was neither unlawful nor discriminatory. The court also declined to define how much water is sufficient for an individual's daily use, leaving this determination to the other branches of government.

The Constitutional Court of South Africa gave its verdict on October 8, 2009, closing the case that had been commenced by UUSC's partner, the Coalition against Water Privatization (CAWP), on behalf of persons challenging the installation of prepaid water meters in Phiri. They also challenged the limitation imposed by Johannesburg on free basic water to 25 liters person per day.

The Constitution of South Africa guarantees everyone the right to access to sufficient water. But the installation of pre-paid meters appeared to violate this guarantee: people who exhausted their allotment of free water before the end of the month had to pay for more water. If they could not afford to pay, water to their tap ceased to flow until the beginning of the next month, when a new free water allocation began. This practice proved especially burdensome to the residents of Phiri, which is home to many with low income who cannot afford to pay for more water after they run out.

Community members had hoped that the courts would come to their aid and tell the city to increase their free water allocation to at least 50 liters per person day. After all, their constitution says they have a right to access to sufficient water and 25 liters per person per day could hardly be called sufficient-it's hardly enough to take a bath and flush the toilet daily, not to talk of cooking, washing, and other personal water uses. Phiri residents also hoped the court would order the city to do away with pre-paid meters and return them to the good old days when they could turn on their tap any time of the day and take water as needed.

(Their efforts in court got off to an auspicious start when the trial court, the High Court of South Africa, ruled against the installation of prepaid meters and ordered the daily allotment of free water to be increased to 50 liters per person per day. The High Court's judgment was appealed by the city of Johannesburg, leading to a decision by the Supreme Court of Appeal that significantly weakened the trial court's ruling. Community groups represented by CAWP decided to appeal that ruling to the nation's highest court, which produced this disappointing judgment.)

In its ruling, the Constitutional Court declined to make the hopes of Phiri residents a reality. Although the Constitution of South Africa guarantees a right to access to sufficient water, the court proclaimed, "it does not confer a right to claim ‘sufficient water' immediately." This right, the court ruled, requires that the government take legislative and other reasonable steps to ensure its fulfillment, subject to available resources. And in the court's view, the steps taken by Johannesburg in this particular case are reasonable.

In addition to finding that the installation of prepaid meters was neither unlawful nor discriminatory, the court agreed with the city's argument that their introduction was justified because they stopped water loss. The city had argued that before the use of the prepaid meters, a great deal of water was lost due to leaking pipes, especially in the Phiri area.

The court also found that before the introduction of prepaid meters, people were not provided free water. But under the pre-paid meter system, they are guaranteed some amount of water for free. What is more, the court observed, the city has been even more generous in commencing a program in 2007 that provides persons in poor households an additional 17 liters per person per day or 4 kiloliters per household a month (indigent households have to register with the city before they can benefit from this program, a process that CAWP feels insults people's dignity).

Finally, the court ruled that it is not appropriately positioned to tell the government how much water is sufficient for an individual a day. That determination, it believes, is best made by law makers and the executive.

This decision is troubling for a number of reasons. South Africa is the first country in the world to guarantee the right to water in its constitution and to make it actionable in court. For the nation's highest court to declare prepaid water meters lawful sends a signal to other developing countries that it's permissible to introduce such limiting devices in their territories. Besides, the meters diminish human dignity by creating the impression that these people are not credit worthy. If saving water was the main reason for their introduction, couldn't the city have come up with another way of solving the problem, like repairing the leaking pipes?

Also, the ruling dampens the hope that perhaps domestic courts could help speed up action on the fulfillment of Economic and Social rights for the poor and other disadvantaged individuals. These rights, which are also provided for under South Africa's constitution, encompass access to water, housing, food, and health care.

So now the people of Phiri and CAWP are back to the drawing board. They have not lost all hope. They are determined to fight on. They will re-strategize and pursue new avenues to ensure everyone in South Africa has access to sufficient water — and UUSC will stand with them.

On October 24, 2009, UUSC partner Barakat will hold its second annual Walk for Literacy! The Cambridge-based nonprofit organized their first walk last year with support from UUSC, and the event was a great success. Local walkers helped raise $21,000 for literacy programs for girls and women in Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan (where Barakat works).

Again this year, UUSC will cosponsor the walk and UUSC staff will participate. Registration for the event opens at 9 a.m. that day, and walkers can choose to complete a 2.5- or 5-mile loop. If you're in the Boston area, find out more about the walk.

Last year, I participated with my colleagues Fatema Haji-Taki and Cristin Martineau (see us pictured at right). Barakat's Executive Director, Damon Luloff, had biked the route before dawn, drawing chalk arrows to guide us walkers.

The fall weather was perfect for following the scenic route, and there was a sense of solidarity and excitement among us walkers. Because of time constraints, we took the free van from a water stop back to the starting point, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch with other walkers. It was an enjoyable way to spend a Saturday morning!

UUSC’s work with Barakat includes a new initiative called Teacher Training for Human Rights. This innovative program trains Afghan schoolteachers in human rights and teaches them how to introduce these fundamental ideas in the classroom. By raising their awareness of children's and women's rights, students and teachers can begin to address these issues in their communities.

Money raised during by the walk helps support projects like this!

I hope you'll join me at the walk to support one of UUSC's amazing partners! Register today.

Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges. Now, if we are honest with ourselves, we need to admit that we are not living up to that responsibility…I say this not to sow fear, but to state a fact: The magnitude of our challenges has yet to be met by the measure of our actions.

These are some of the words that President Obama spoke today in his remarks before the U.N. General Assembly. As he went on to list all of the challenges that we meet in the world today, I felt both hope and trepidation.

I felt hopeful by the very fact that he was at this podium reaffirming our renewed engagement with the United Nations and, in particular, the United States’ joining the Human Rights Council.

I felt hopeful as he talked about the closing of Guantanamo Bay and the fact that he prohibited the use of torture by the United States.

I felt hopeful as he declared a U.S. commitment to confronting climate change and investing in clean energy.

As he laid out his four pillars - "non-proliferation and disarmament; the promotion of peace and security; the preservation of our planet; and a global economy that advances opportunity for all people” - I was hopeful because I was listening to our president speak in a way that reflected many of the values I hold dear.

I felt trepidation because as he talked about these challenges, I knew how hard facing them would be.

Obama listed challenges that our partners and allies confront everyday:

• Promoting a just peace in Darfur and ending the genocide
• Cultivating and supporting leadership of women in Iraq
• Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza
• Ensuring the human right to water 

At UUSC, we and our members stand in solidarity with program partners around the world working to promote justice. As I listened to his speech, I saw the faces and replayed the stories of some of our partners. We share small and large victories; we share stories of sorrow and hardship; we share our hopes and dreams; we share a world.

The trepidation I feel comes from my sense of responsibility to confront these challenges. As a staff member of a human-rights organization rooted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I was heartened to hear Obama quote the Preamble to the U.N. Charter — “to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women."

I know that at times the challenge to help our world live up to this promise seems insurmountable. I also know that collective action that is based on justice, solidarity, and partnership is key to success.

To quote President Obama, “Speeches alone will not solve our problems — it will take persistent action.” I hope that all who hear this speech will reaffirm their commitment to share in this responsibility. I am hopeful that we will.

Of course, it's really no surprise: the U.N. Fact Finding Mission on the Conflict in Gaza's 575-page report, detailing war crimes committed by both Israeli forces and Palestinian militants during last winter's conflict in Gaza, has aroused controversy.

Dubbed the Goldstone Report (after its lead investigator, Richard Goldstone), the report is drawing fire from Israeli sources for purportedly being biased from the outset against Israel. In fact, the Goldstone Report concludes that both Israeli forces and Palestinian militants committed serious war crimes and violations of humanitarian law during three weeks of fighting.

But at the same time — and this is just one part of it that's causing the uproar — the report concludes that Israel's attacks were not a response to rocket attacks from Gaza, as Israel claims. According to the report, Israel's attacks were a "furtherance of an overall policy aimed at punishing the Gaza population for its resilience and for its apparent support for Hamas." Put simply, one clear target of Israel's winter violence was "the people of Gaza as a whole."

The report goes on to talk about the devastating effects of Israel's blockade on Gaza, which preceded the assault and continues today. Read the report, or at least the conclusion, and do your own Internet search to see how it's being portrayed in the media — then judge for yourself. As U.S. taxpayers, lovers of peace and justice, and concerned global citizens, we all have a stake in the outcome of this debate.