Women as a marginalised group in the realisation of the right to water: Gender inequalities in the context of the global water crisis

The recognition of the right to water has become increasingly prominent in international human rights discourse over the past two decades. UN General Assembly Resolution 64/292 and UN Human Rights Council resolutions recognise access to water and adequate sanitation as indispensable for human dignity. However, the effective enjoyment of this right shows serious inequalities, especially for marginalised groups such as women and girls. The situation of women in the exercise of their right to water is not only a social issue, but also a fundamental legal one, which faces a number of legal, institutional and structural challenges. This paper provides a legal analysis of how women's right to water is implemented in the light of international and regional human rights regimes. It focuses on key treaties like the ICESCR and CEDAW and examines institutional barriers, case law and soft law developments. The paper offers de lege ferenda proposals, including strengthening legal mechanisms and ensuring women's participation in water governance. Climate change, digitalisation and urbanisation are analysed as factors that exacerbate gender inequality in access to water. This paper aims to support a rights-based approach linking gender equality with the realisation of the right to water.