Sanitation experts at IRC have compiled the first version of a reference guide on low-cost sanitation for non-sewered service models, SanPack for short. Dr Christine Sijbesma and the IRC Sanitation team have collected materials that cover services for all stages of the sanitation life-cycle, from... Read more...
Developing the capacities of the staff (governmental and non-government) as well as the private sector is important part of governance. The full range of capacities needs to cover the full cycle of sanitation services. Read more...
Transparency (openness) and integrity (honesty) aim to counteract corruption. The Oxford Dictionary defines corrupt as having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain. Read more...
Governing non-sewered sanitation mostly involves local governments and government services, community or consumer organisations, the local private sector and NGOs. Read more...
Governance is the umbrella term for the processes by which decisions are made and implemented. It is the result of interactions, relationships and networks in and between the different sectors -government, public sector, private sector and civil society- for ensuring optimal services. Work to... Read more...
Examples of participatory assessment of baseline conditions and monitoring of progress come from Nepal and Mozambique, among others. They give community organisations and households valuable insights on how they are doing and what improvement is still needed. Read more...
An innovative methodology is the Methodology for Participatory Assessment or MPA. The MPA was originally developed by IRC and WSP to quantify qualitative performance evaluations of community-managed water services and sanitation services. The methodology uses scenario scales on which representative... Read more...
Monitoring is the collection, organisation and use of information about the current situation in comparison with the planned or expected situation. The information can be used for checking and control, for problem solving and planning and as management tool by community members, staff and programme... Read more...
The contents of toilet pits and septic tanks become a resource for the owners when it can be used or sold as fertiliser. Read more...
Toilets need maintenance if they are not to fall into disrepair. A 3-country study showed that households spent US$ 0- US$ 3 per toilet per year on maintenance. In more urban areas and for more expensive toilets this was up to US$ 20 per year. Read more...
In Kerala, local members of the ward water and sanitation committees visit each installed toilet three times: at completion, after one month and after three months. The visiting members look at the hygienic toilet and discuss use practices with the lady of the house. The assumption is that if... Read more...
Successful sanitation programmes depend on equitable participation of women and men. Read more...
At local level both small providers and consumers need access to financing mechanisms and information to make an informed choice. Read more...
Gender-specific analysis of the supply sector shows up different roles of men and women in the sanitation supply chain that otherwise remain invisible. Read more...
Supply services and marketing need to be adjusted to what users like and can pay. To expand their markets, local producers, shops and masons/construction enterprises must often widen their range of options, especially at the lower end, and market them more actively to poor households, and to the... Read more...
A gender approach that involves husbands and wives equitably in the whole process has led to better results. Read more...
Easy to use and low-cost leaflets and catalogues can inform potential customers. Conviction comes more from interpersonal interaction. Interactions can be with promoters, suppliers, relatives and peers, including those who have already installed a toilet. A participatory process with discussions on... Read more...
To choose the sanitation product or service that households want and can afford, couples (both men and women) need access to information on which they can base their choice. Read more...
Regarding the ‘enabling environment’ of the policies, laws, regulations and institutional and financial support, sanitation still faces a double challenge: the low priority for sanitation in comparison to water supply and economic development programmes reluctance of authorities to drop short-term... Read more...
Factors which trigger households to build and use toilets can be quite different from the messages that promoters spread. Read more...
