Popular Water Assembly marks beginning of Alternative World Water Forum

The Popular Water Assembly marked the opening of the Alternative World Water Forum (AWWF) on Saturday (Mar. 17). The event began with a greeting by indigenous people of several ethnic groups across Brazil, after which a number of leaders of traditional peoples and communities talked about the violation of rights to water in their territories.

In attendance were Prosecutor General Raquel Dodge and Justice Herman Benjamin, of the Superior Court of Justice. Both agreed that water should be treated as a fundamental right.

Raquel Dodge mentioned the commitment of her administration with the topic. “Our defense under my administration at the Office of the Prosecutor-General is that of treating water as a fundamental right. The Brazilian Prosecution Office welcomes the union of society and shares the same thoughts and vision: that water is a fundamental human right bringing along with it crucial legal consequences.”

Justice Benjamin, in turn, stressed he was attending the event as a citizen and as a professor of environmental law. He also mentioned the importance of this forum as a place for representation.

“First, this is not an alternative forum, except in its name, because leaders from across Brazil are here, working on the issue of water, forests, indigenous people […]—issues  outlined by the Constitution, which is at the center of this debate,” Benjamin said.

FAME is an event parallel to the 8th World Water Forum, which also takes place in Brazil and is slated to end on Friday (23).

Starting Monday (19), the Alternative World Water Forum promotes activities at Parque da Cidade, and is expected to discuss such topics as access to water, climate change, health care and food security, water crises and environmental disasters.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira