Definition
Access to basic services entails the right to housing, education, energy, and health, among other benefits of public interest which are essential to satisfy human needs and to guarantee a worthy life. Basic services ensure social justice and contribute to the equal treatment of all citizens. Such is the importance of access to basic services that it constitutes a key aspect to promote economic, social, and territorial cohesion and as a consequence sustainable development.
Access to basic services is based on the principles of universal access to goods and essential services as well as fundamental rights. Therefore, the state is obliged to regulate and assure the provision of quality services in the interest of promoting and reaching social well-being and the social protection of its population.
The Concept of Access to Basic Services
Access to basic services is a composite concept due to the two nouns it includes: (1) access and (2) services with the latter being...
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Reyes Plata, J.A., Galindo Pérez, M.C. (2019). Access to Basic Services: From Public Benefit Practice to a Sustainable Development Approach. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A., Brandli, L., Özuyar, P., Wall, T. (eds) Sustainable Cities and Communities. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71061-7_80-1
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