wellbeing. Diarrheal disease is persistently one of the three leading causes of mortality among under-5 year children, and of morbidity among the general population (HMIS, 2014). This is largely attributable to lack of access to safe drinking water, poor sanitation and hygiene practices. Promoting environmental health and water sanitation is thus an important goal. Accordingly, Eritrea committed itself to achieve the MDGs of 72% access to water and 54% sanitation facilities by 2015 and invested substantially to achieve these goals. 155. Currently, the priority environmental health intervention is rural Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), in which villages are sensitized to make latrines (of their own choice) and make their village "Open Defecation Free (ODF)". The program also intends to expand to the urban areas of Asmara and the regional capitals. Other hygienic measures such a hand washing, use of safe water (Wash promoters), ventilation in the cooking quarters and raising consciousness on air and water pollution are also promoted. 156. EPHS (2010) data revealed that 70% of households in Eritrea (35 % urban and 90 % of rural households) are without toilet facility as compared to 74 % (39 %t in urban and 96 % in rural) without toilet facility in 2002. The trend improved at an annual increase rate of 1.4%, from 1995 to 2010 and projected to increase to 32% in 2015. CLTS approach is also broadened to promote access to sanitation and safe drinking water, food hygiene, personal hygiene and cleanliness of the home environment. Implementation of this approach has shown considerable progress in relation to WASH since 2008. As of July 2015, more than 911 villages were triggered and 663 villages declared open defecation free (ODF). This indicates that more than 24% of the total villages are free of open defecation. 157. Overall all the achievement in terms of the right to life and health is the progress achieved in life expectancy. Life expectancy at birth increased from 48 years in 1990 to 63 in 2013. This is partly due to the reduction in infant and child mortality and the reduction in adult mortality caused by malaria and other life threatening communicable diseases. The Human Rights to Water 158. The Ministry of land, Water and Environment is working towards the amalgamation of the main principle of sustainable development into the nation‟s development priorities and strategies and mitigate environmental degradations. Hence, reversing loss of water resources and improving the provision of sustainable water access for all citizens is a major task. In this regard, regulations and the management tools of the government including the Eritrean Water Law 162/2010, the Potable Water Regulation 42/1998, Water Policy Paper of Eritrea, Page 34 of 100

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