Winning the race : sanitation in rapidly-growing towns : background paper for a learning and sharing session in Lusaka, Zambia on 10 and 11 November...

Africa is the continent urbanising most rapidly, which is making it harder for many African governments to provide essential services, sanitation included. Yet the majority of urban growth is not in ‘mega-cities’ but in the small and medium-sized towns of today. This is both a problem and an opportunity. It is true that rapidly growing towns have fewer resources and often little existing sanitation infrastructure. However, their small size and lower housing density also create significant opportunities for action. By being proactive about tackling sanitation it is therefore possible to forestall the problems we now see in the slums of larger cities. This note discusses the key actors in dealing with sanitation matters and the incentives that shape their action (or inaction). It highlights how smaller towns typically act as a bridge between rural and urban, which permits the development of new, original strategies. The note outlines how stakeholders should take responsibility, learn from others, and be proactive in
seizing the pragmatic opportunities that lie ahead. [authors abstract]

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