When is shared sanitation acceptable in low-income urban settlements? A user perspective on shared sanitation quality in Kumasi, Kisumu and Dhaka
When is shared sanitation acceptable in low-income urban settlements? A user perspective on shared sanitation quality in Kumasi, Kisumu and Dhaka
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Date
2020
Authors
Dwumfour-Asare, Bismark
Vasco, Schelbert
Dario, Meili
Mahbub-Ul, Alam
Sheillah, Simiyu
Prince, Antwi-Agyei
Kwaku, Amaning Adjei
Mahbubur, Rahman
Sharika, Ferdous
Supta, Sarker
Journal Title
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Publisher
Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development
Abstract
Shared sanitation facilities (SSFs) have contributed considerably to sanitation access in many low income settlements. While many SSFs are of unacceptable quality, others have been found to be a
hygienically safe and a socially and economically viable sanitation option. Within its framework, the
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP), evaluating progress on the Sustainable Development
Goals, considers shared sanitation as ‘limited sanitation’. Overall, there is uncertainty about the criteria
to distinguish between unacceptable and acceptable quality of SSF. In our study, we used a user centred qualitative approach in low-income urban settlements in Kumasi (Ghana), Kisumu (Kenya) and
Dhaka (Bangladesh) and conducted 17 focus group discussions to evaluate how SSF users define the
quality of an SSF and which aspects they consider as essential priorities for good-quality SSF. In
descending order, the user priorities identified are: immediate water access, cleanliness, gender separated toilets, flush toilets, lighting for use at night, lockable/functional doors, tiling, handwashing
stations and privacy. This list can serve as input to the sanitation guidelines, local building codes and
the establishment of minimum national sanitation standards. SSFs that meet these minimal criteria
can then be promoted as an incremental step when individual household facilities are not feasible.
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Citation
Schelbert, V., Meili, D., Alam, M. U., Simiyu, S., Antwi-Agyei, P., Adjei, K. A., ... & Lüthi, C. (2020). When is shared sanitation acceptable in low-income urban settlements? A user perspective on shared sanitation quality in Kumasi, Kisumu and Dhaka. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 10(4), 959-968.