The Right to Water in Jordan: From a Human Rights Perspective

Introduction

Water is the foundation of life and a pillar of human existence. It is not merely a natural resource to be managed from an economic or engineering perspective, but an essential element in ensuring human rights and human dignity.

Since the beginning of the new millennium, the United Nations has affirmed that the right to water goes beyond being a biological need and constitutes a legal and human rights entitlement that states must respect, protect, and fulfill.

General Comment No. 15 of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, issued in 2002, established a clear conceptual framework that considers access to sufficient, safe, and acceptable water a prerequisite for the enjoyment of other rights, such as health, food, and adequate housing (UN CESCR, 2002).

Jordan represents a particular case in this context, as it is classified among the five most water-poor countries in the world. Official statistics indicate that annual per capita water availability does not exceed 100 cubic meters, while the global water poverty threshold set by the United Nations stands at 500 cubic meters per person per year (Ministry of Water and Irrigation, 2023).

This harsh reality has been accompanied by mounting pressures resulting from rapid population growth, the hosting of large numbers of refugees, and climate change, which has led to declining rainfall levels, longer drought periods, and rising temperatures (World Bank, 2022).

The world is facing an escalating crisis of water scarcity as a result of the impacts of climate change and continued population growth. Estimates indicate that global demand for water will increase by 20% to 30% by 2050.

This increase will lead to a decline in per capita shares of renewable water resources, deepening the gap between supply and demand at the international level and creating unprecedented challenges for water security and sustainability (Jordan Strategy Forum, 2025).

As a result of all these factors, water scarcity in Jordan has become a multidimensional structural crisis, extending from the environmental sphere to the social, political, and human rights dimensions. Successive Jordanian governments have sought to address this crisis through major projects, such as the Disi Water Conveyance Project, which began operating in 2013 to supply the capital, Amman, with water; the National Water Carrier Project, which aims to desalinate water in Aqaba and pump it to different regions of the Kingdom; and future plans to expand water desalination using renewable energy (Muna Hindiyeh, 2024).

However, despite their importance, these projects have not addressed the root causes of the crisis, as structural challenges, including weak governance, the absence of equity in distribution, and increasing privatization, have continued to negatively affect the realization of the right to water.

From a socio-political perspective, Jordan’s water crisis cannot be understood in isolation from the country’s political structure and power balances. A study issued by the London School of Economics (2023) indicated that water management in Jordan is shaped not only by supply and demand equations or environmental considerations, but also by calculations related to social stability, tribal influence, and pressure from international donors.

Water is sometimes managed as a political tool rather than as a human right that must be guaranteed on the basis of justice and equality.

In addition, religious and moral discourse gives the issue of water in Jordan an ethical and spiritual dimension. The Holy Qur’an affirms in more than one verse that water is the origin of life: “And We made from water every living thing” (Al-Anbiya: 30). The noble hadith also states: “Muslims are partners in three things: water, pasture, and fire.” These texts affirm the shared and public nature of water and establish a foundation for the principle of justice and participation in its distribution (Al-Hayajneh, 2025).

In light of the above, this report seeks to shed light on the reality of the right to water in Jordan from a human rights perspective, based on three main axes:

The first axis: the conceptual and legal framework, which clarifies the roots of this right in international human rights law and in Jordanian national legislation.

The second axis: structural challenges and existing gaps, including natural scarcity, weak governance, geographical and social disparities, and the impact of privatization and tribal customs.

The third axis: alternatives and recommendations, based on international and regional experiences, which set out a roadmap for strengthening water justice in Jordan through policy reform, the constitutional recognition of the right to water, and enhanced international cooperation.

This report does not merely describe the current reality; it also seeks to provide an in-depth critical analysis, drawing on national and international references, policy papers, and recent academic studies. It also integrates environmental, social, legal, and religious dimensions within a comprehensive vision, making it a practical reference for researchers, policymakers, and civil society actors advocating for water justice.