The Role of Water in Conflicts: Actor, Tool, and Victim; an Analysis from the Perspective of Human Rights Laws"

The historical evidence indicates that water resources and water infrastructure have been utilized as tools, objectives, or weapons in conflicts, disputes, and wars throughout various periods on different scales—local, national, regional, and even global. Despite the development and implementation of international humanitarian laws over the past centuries, it has not been able to sufficiently address and protect essential non-military infrastructures, especially water resources and related facilities. Consequently, the existing laws appear inadequate, sometimes ineffective, or lacking in adequate and suitable enforcement guarantees. As a result, the presented data suggests a rising trend of abuse and conflicts related to water, indicating shortcomings in the legal frameworks.This article examines the role of violence against water resources and associated systems within the framework of international human rights laws, reviewing and highlighting some past attacks and abuses from ancient times to the present. It also explores weaknesses and deficiencies in the current systems and proposes solutions for improving international frameworks to safeguard vital water infrastructures, drawing on the insights of expert opinions.