“A gente tem acesso de favores, né?”. A percepção de pessoas em situação de rua sobre os direitos humanos à água e ao esgotamento sanitário

Priscila Neves-Silva, Giselle Isabele Martins, Léo Heller

The human rights to water and sanitation (HRWS) state that all human beings have the right to safe access to water and sanitation in a non-discriminatory manner. However, vulnerable populations frequently have these rights violated, which impacts their health and quality of life, exacerbating social exclusion as in the case of homeless people. In Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, 1,827 people were living on the streets in 2013. This study presents the evaluation of the conditions and perceptions of this population on their rights to water and sanitation access. It has been observed that access to both water and sanitation is precarious and that the normative content, as well as the human rights principles, are highly violated. In conclusion, we observed that this group suffers violations of HRWS and that these are associated with the violation of other rights such as the right to the city, dwelling and health. Such violations have negative impacts on the economic and social life of this group, increasing discrimination and exclusion. This study draws attention to the importance of encouraging the social participation of this group in the decision-making processes of water and sanitation management within the framework of HRWS, in its capacity to be a tool for social transformation, generating empowerment, promoting health, dignity and citizenship.