Water Resources and the Right to Water in International Law: Sustainable Management of Transboundary Waters in Central Asia

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the international legal framework for the human right to water and mechanisms for sustainable management of transboundary water resources in the context of the Central Asian region. The relevance of the study is determined by the increasing impact of climate change, melting glaciers, growing water scarcity, and the persistent imbalance of interests between upstream and downstream states in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya river basins. The purpose of this work is to analyze in-depth the formation of the right to water in the international legal context, to study the key principles of international water law and their significance for regulating transboundary water relations in Central Asia, with a particular emphasis on the interests of the Kyrgyz Republic. The methodological basis of the study includes formal-legal, comparative-legal, systemic, and institutional approaches, as well as an analysis of international treaties, acts of UN bodies, the practice of the International Court of Justice, and regional mechanisms for water cooperation. The study established that the right to water operates at the intersection of international human rights law, international environmental law, and the law of international watercourses, which requires an integrated approach to its regulation. It is substantiated that effective transboundary water resource management requires adherence to the principles of equitable and reasonable use, prevention of significant transboundary damage, cooperation, information exchange, and consideration of the interests of future generations. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for further development of international legal and institutional mechanisms for water cooperation in Central Asia, which is critical for ensuring regional stability, environmental security, and the realization of the population’s right to water.