39^thsession of the UN Human Rights Council

Agenda item 3

Clustered interactive dialogue with

Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons

and Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation

Intervention by the Delegation of Ukraine

September 10, 2018

Mr. President,

We welcome this dialogue with both mandate holders; let me turn to Mr. Léo Heller.

We thank the Special Rapporteur for the presentation of his report and would like to draw attention to such aspect as respect of human rights to water and sanitation in the situation of armed conflict.

As a result of the continuing Russian military aggression against Ukraine in the Donbas region, the question of access to clean water there has become particularly acute. The Donetsk Filtration Station, which provides water supply to the towns and villages located along the contact line and in the adjacent area, has become a constant shelling target by the Russian military and illegal armed groups. The staff of the station suffers from repeated bombardment while local residents live under persistent threat of being cut from the essential services.

Every now and then, we keep hearing statements from the Russian occupation administration about the need to ensure the ecological safety of the region and restore the Donbas infrastructure. Yet, despite this rhetoric, they openly neglect the provisions of the Minsk agreements, create conditions for further escalation in the conflict zone and worsening of the humanitarian situation in the region. As a result, today 3.4M of people are in need of sustainable access to drinking water.

As regards the recent allegations of the Russian Federation on water supply to Crimea, they are a testament to the inability of the Russian occupation authorities to address in any satisfactory manner the essential needs of the local population.

In conclusion let me share your, Mr. Heller, call to respect the provisions of international humanitarian law in situations of armed conflict, including by granting safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access to those in need, and state again: Water is not a target!

I thank you.