Water-security capabilities and the human right to water

This chapter seeks to advance the lively debate on the human right by re-centering the approach on lived experiences of water. Attention to the community, household, and individual experiences of hydro-social relations provides clarity as to the societal consequences that circulate through the dynamic socio-economic change in water flows and its meaning in relation to everyday life. We draw on Martha Nussbaum’s capability perspective to present concepts and analytics associated with what we term a “water-security capabilities approach.” We illustrate how water security can be redefined in these terms, and most importantly, that a redefinition should shift from securing water as an object (as H2O) to securing water relations that recognize the wider dynamics through which water shape peoples’ lives and contributes to human flourishing and well-being.