The right to drinking water in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Drinking water recognized as a fundamental human right by international and national legal instruments remains inaccessible for millions of people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) particularly in the peri-urban areas of Bukavu. Despite a robust legal framework - including the Congolese Constitution of 2006 and Law n°15/026 of 2015 on water - the effectiveness of these texts faces structural socio-economic and institutional challenges. This study explores the contradictions between the legal consecration of the right to water and its flawed implementation focusing on Bukavu a city emblematic of inequalities in access to essential services.Enriched by a rigorous methodological approach this work also proposes concrete avenues for strengthening non-jurisdictional control mechanisms and revising criminal sanctions in the event of infringement of the right to water. Beyond a precise diagnosis of the dysfunctions of the water distribution system the book is intended as an advocacy and reference tool for the development of public policies aimed at guaranteeing universal access to this vital commodity.