Clean water and sanitation 'human right'

The resolution adopted by the body expresses deep concern that an estimated 884 million people lack access to safe drinking water and more than 2.6 billion people do not have access to basic sanitation.

UN anti-poverty goals adopted by world leaders in 2000 call for the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation to be cut in half by 2015.

The non-binding resolution, sponsored by Bolivia, was approved by a vote of 122-0 with 41 abstentions including the United States and many Western nations although Belgium, Italy, Germany, Spain and Norway supported it.

Bolivia's representative said contaminated water causes more than 3.5 million deaths every year - more than any war.