Examination of States' Obligation to Water Security in International Law

The relationship between water and human beings has always had a dual nature. On the one hand, it is human and his life that is preserved by water and on the other hand, conservation of quantity and quality of existing fresh waters on the Earth depends on human activities. With intensifying water crisis in the world, attempts to eliminate it and establish a state of water security have become one of the major concerns of the international community. The main issue is that whether international law has been able to oblige States to provide water security? In this study, this issue is examined by using library data and descriptive- analytical method. Studies show that although international law has not addressed the issue of water security directly; but on the basis of general principles of international law, we can infer obligations and impose requirements on States and thus, remedy the vacuum on water security. This study maps out such principles in order to sketch a framework for the governing rules of water security in international law.