The discrepancy between 'what is' and 'what should be'

In 2010, the UN General Assembly declared the right to safe and clean water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights. Yet, findings from the Competing for Water research programme suggest that all too often, people in need of water for domestic purposes lose out to powerful individuals and companies who claim access to water for productive purposes. The article analyses such discrepancies between 'what is' and 'what should be' in terms of the actual distribution of access to water and discusses the implications for the ways in which water access is governed. The article is published in Water Science and Technology: Water Supply

The article draws upon insights gained through a mapping of household poverty and access to water and water governance institutions in five districts in Mali, Zambia, Vietnam, Bolivia and Nicaragua:
Mali
Zambia
Vietnam
Bolivia
Nicaragua