Everyone at the Universal Rights Group, members of the Board and the secretariat, were deeply saddened today to hear of the passing of Catarina de Albuquerque, a remarkable lawyer, diplomat, and human rights advocate, and an effervescent character who sprinkled her important work with light, kindness, and humour. Catarina was an active and much-loved member of the Board of Trustees of the Universal Rights Group, from the think tank’s establishment in 2014.
Catarina was one of the giants of of the international human rights community, and made extraordinary contributions to the realisation of economic, social, and cultural rights. In particular, her work transformed the global landscape of water and sanitation rights. Catarina was the first United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, and she was instrumental in securing the UN General Assembly’s recognition of these as fundamental human rights in 2010. Her tireless efforts later helped establish Sustainable Development Goal 6, dedicated to ensuring access to water and sanitation for all.
Previously, she served as a diplomat for the Government of Portugal for over a decade, before working as an independent expert for the Swiss Development Agency, the European Commission, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). She also chaired the negotiations on the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights from 2004 to 2008.
After completing her mandate as Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation in 2014, Catarina joined Sanitation and Water for All, and in 2018 was appointed its CEO.
She was awarded both the Human Rights Golden Medal by the Portuguese Parliament, and the Order of Merit by the President of Portugal in 2009.
On behalf of everyone at the Universal Rights Group, I would like to extend our condolences to Catarina’s family and friends. May she rest in peace.
Ahmed Shaheed
Chairperson
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