Afghanistan, Kabul: toilet tribulations

For Kabul’s estimated population of 4-5 million there are only 35 public toilets, according to the municipal authorities.

“We need at least 65 extra public latrines in Kabul immediately,” Nesar Ahmad Habibi, head of Kabul’s waste management authority, told IRIN, adding that the lack of government action and limited resources had prevented the construction of sufficient public toilets in the city.

“We have even sent proposals to the president’s office but to no avail,” he said.

Many people are forced to defecate and urinate in the open: “It’s not that we don’t want to use a latrine, it’s because there is no latrine,” said Arifullah, a local man.

“If you have a pain in your stomach and there is no toilet how long can you wait?” asked another man.

Only five of the 35 public toilets have facilities for the disabled – well below what is needed given the large number of disabled people resulting from three decades of turmoil.

People who use the latrines have to pay a small fee to cover maintenance and cleaning – 5-10 Afghanis [10-20 US cents], a sum that the large number of extremely poor people in the city would prefer to avoid paying.

A rapidly growing population, lack of modern sewage systems, significant waste management problems and the lack of public toilets in Kabul are causing environmental and health risks, according to experts.

No soap

“I don’t use the latrines because they are extremely dirty,” said Abdul Jamil, a young man. “There is also no soap to wash your hands.”

None of Kabul’s public toilets provide soap or hand-drying facilities.

Whilst hand-washing is crucial for disease prevention, soap is also not available in toilets in most Kabul schools, officials in the Ministry of Education said.

“Inappropriate latrines, open defecation and poor waste management cause serious diseases and damage the environment,” Hassan al-Sayed, country director of the French NGO Solidarités, told IRIN.

Waste management

In September 2008 Kabul Municipality said that up to 90 percent of the 3,000 tons of solid waste produced in the capital every day was managed and dealt with.

However, officials say waste management capacities have deteriorated sharply in the past year: “Now we collect only about 50 percent of the solid waste produced in Kabul on a daily basis,” said Habibi, citing dwindling resources, staff reductions and broken-down trucks as major problems.

“For waste management in Kabul we need 17,500 staff but we have only 3,000; and we need 2,500 trucks but we only have 119.”

Rapid population growth and unregulated housing developments have created serious social and environmental challenges in Kabul, according to government officials.

Al-Sayed, whose organization has been helping households in Kabul to build hygienic latrines, emphasized the importance of public awareness about sanitation and hygiene.

“What if there are hundreds of safe latrines but people don’t use them,” he said, adding that people should know the risks of open defecation and unsafe latrines.

Only 12 percent of Afghans have access to improved sanitation and less than 25 percent have access to safe drinking water, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Most Afghans use the traditional dry vault toilet systems which were ranked the worst toilets in the world by WaterAid’s State of the World’s Toilets 2007 report.

Source: IRIN, 16 Nov 2009

Stinking data: 600mn Indians have no toilets!

No one would ever call Radha Jagarya fortunate. The 45-year-old widow and her four children live on the pavement in an upmarket south Mumbai suburb, scraping a living by selling flowers to passing motorists.

But in terms of public toilet provision, the family is well-served compared with other areas, with an adequate communal block a five-minute walk away near the US Consulate and another under a busy road in the opposite direction.

In slum areas, where more than half of Mumbai lives, an average 81 people share a single toilet. In some places it rises to an eye-watering 273. Even the lowest average is still 58, according to local municipal authority figures.

Unsurprisingly, it is still common to see people squatting by roads and railway tracks or along the coast, openly defecating in the city that drives India’s economy and where some of the world’s richest people live.

The UN estimates that 600mn people or 55% of Indians still defecate outside, more than 60 years after the scrupulously clean independence leader Mahatma Gandhi first talked of the responsible disposal of human waste.

Jack Sim takes a very keen interest in such matters. As the founder and president of the World Toilet Organisation (WTO), he has made it his mission to improve sanitation across the globe.

For him, India has “a lot of work to do” to improve sanitation, not just because of its impact on health and the spread of diseases such as diarrhoea, which Unicef says kills 1,000 Indian children aged under five every day.

It also tarnishes the image of a country that likes to portray itself as an emerging world economic superpower, the Singapore businessman said on a visit to Mumbai, where he was promoting World Toilet Day on November 19.

In particular, Sim questioned whether the authorities in New Delhi were doing enough to provide adequate public toilet facilities for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, which will draw tens of thousands of foreign visitors.

“If you don’t have good toilets to welcome tourists, they don’t come and won’t go to all your beautiful sites,” he said.

Public toilet provision in Mumbai – and other cities – faces the same problem affecting housing, water and other basic services: supply cannot keep up with demand as India’s population explodes.

In March 2009, Mumbai’s municipal authorities said there were 77,526 toilets in slum areas and 64,157 more were needed. Work is in progress on only 6,050.

Yet the UN’s Mumbai Human Development Report 2009, published earlier this month, points out that even where public toilets exist, most have no running water, drainage or electricity, making them unhygienic and unusable.

Embarrassment means women and girls often wait all day until it is dark to go to the toilet, increasing their chances of infections and exposing them to violence or even snake bites as they seek out remote places.

Poor sanitation and the illnesses it causes cost the Indian economy Rs12bn ($255mn) a year, according to the health ministry.

Sim, who sees links between public lavatories and social development, wants the issue pushed up the political agenda, urging people to “talk more about toilets.”

“People go to the toilet more often than they have sex,” he said. “Everybody has to go.

“It needs to be a very nice experience. It needs to be safe, it needs to be hygienic, it must not cause problems to your health and we need to feel emotionally engaged with the toilet.”

Private sector involvement could help cut the number of people in India and other developing countries who have no sanitation – estimated at 2.6bn – while more schemes are needed to make open defecation socially unacceptable, he said.

In the northern state of Haryana, a successful “No Toilet, No Wife” campaign has been running, urging women to turn down suitors if they cannot provide them a house with a lavatory.

“Every problem is a business,” said Sim, adding there would be a benefit for the entire city and the country’s economy if every slum-dweller had access to proper sanitation.

“People who are healthy are able to produce more, they get out of poverty, they get into the middle class, they move up and consume more,” he said.

“Business is, I think, the fastest and the cheapest way… The private sector will come up with innovations. Let them compete to serve the poor.”

Source: AFP/Mumbai / Gulf Times, 27 Nov 2009

Ghana, Accra: Owning Latrines “Makes us Fat” – Local Community

Generally, the main perceived advantages of latrine ownership are proximity/easy access and privacy. For the people of Gozakope in the Dangme West District of the Greater Accra Region however, ownership of household latrines means all of these plus massive improvements in their health status.

Raymond Kotoka Lusu, Chairman, Water and sanitation (WATSAN) Committee of Gozakope, has said the introduction of the Community Led Total sanitation (CLTS) approach, which has led to the construction of latrines in various households in the small settlement, has improved health tremendously.

“We used to have diarrhea and stomach problems but now we are growing fat,” Lusu told members of the Ghana WATSAN Journalists Network (GWJN) who took a field trip to the area recently to know at first hand the state of water sanitation and hygiene issues (WASH), as well as, the state of interventions by the Professional Network Association (ProNet) Accra, a partner of WaterAid Ghana.

About a year ago, ProNet Accra introduced CLTS to the Gozakope community located in the Asutwuare Sub-district of the Dangme West District. Hitherto, the community engaged in “free range” defecation. Men, women and children alike defecated in the bush.

A defecation map showed that sometimes the indigenes “did their own thing” close to water bodies and on hills where it was very easy for water to run off into water bodies. Also, they had satellite refuse dumps scattered all around. Though, they experienced health hazards and its attendant problems, they appeared oblivious to the need for alternatives.

Derick Abandoh, ProNet Accra Officer in charge of Hygiene, said the organisation introduced the CLTS approach to the community because it saw evidence of open defecation. Besides, its research proved that there had not been any previous funding of any projects relating to WASH in the community.

Upon entry, ProNet officials took the community through pre-triggering (getting to know the community), triggering (mapping defecation routes), post triggering and the walk of shame (leading the community members to the defecation site and holding discussions at the scene). All of these were supposed to alert the community about the unpleasant outcome of defecating in the open.

The construction of the latrines was undertaken by the community members themselves, using locally available material and local labour. Some of them have estimated the construction cost to be between GH¢70 and GH¢100 [US$ 49-70].

According to the people, the latrines are helping to keep flies away, leading to fewer disease germs being spread from place to place and there is less fecal seepage into water bodies. The result has been that there have been fewer diseases – less diarrhea, less worms, less cholera, and less typhoid fever.

Lamisi J. Dabire, Communication and Campaigns Officer of WaterAid, Ghana, said “All these monies came from their own pockets; it shows their commitment.” She added, “We want to bring the self-help spirit in the community up.”

ProNet has also been working to improve water supply situation in the area [by] putting iron removal plants in some boreholes to make the water safe for use.

Source: Public Agenda / Peace FM Online, 23 Oct 2009

Asian sanitation data book 2008 – achieving sanitation for all

The overall city sanitation picture in Asia is not bright. Sanitation has not been given sufficient priority and certainly lags behind provision of drinking water. This is one of the findings of a survey of 27 cities published by the Asian Development Bank in the “Asian sanitation data book 2008“.

The first data book on sanitation for the Asia and Pacific region, this book features raw data and analyses on the sanitation situation in 27 cities. The cities are members of CITYNET and participants in the Water for Asian Cities Program of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT).

Of the 27 cities, 1 is in Bangladesh, 3 are in the People’s Republic of China, 4 are in India, 1 in Indonesia, 3 in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), 5 in Nepal, 3 are in the Philippines, 2 in Sri Lanka, and 5 in Viet Nam

Although the information collected was not complete for all cities, the book draws a number of conclusions from the data.

Based on the survey, the key findings are the following:

• Lack of sanitation and household wastewater treatment facilities is polluting ground and surface waters.
• Sustaining public health is an expected outcome of having adequate sanitation, but over half of the cities were unable to report key health statistics. Those that did reveal increasing diarrheal cases when the share of household wastewater increases.
• Far too many cities still have incidences of open defecation (ranging from 10%–40%) and sanitation coverage depends on private householders investing in toilets and septic tank systems.
• Although almost all cities are aware of their sanitation problems, only 40% of responding cities have sanitation plans, and few were able to provide information on capital expenditure and operations and maintenance costs.
• Most cities that provide sanitation services rely on government funding to pay for capital and operating costs, with only 10% indicating that sanitation fees and charges can cover their costs.
• Multiple agencies have responsibilities for some aspects of sanitation. However, local government seems to be the primary organization. These organizations were operating under at least several national laws and one local law. These institutional arrangements may frustrate action and reduce accountability.

The findings, despite qualifications about data quality, point to several priority actions that government and other stakeholders need to undertake:

• Initiate city sanitation plans, including setting targets for sanitation outcomes and coverage.
• Simplify institutional arrangements to strengthen accountability and avoid multiple-agency involvement that can cause delays in taking action; set in place a coordinating mechanism.
• Review operation and maintenance expenditures and cost recovery policies to ensure sanitation providers can sustain operations and extend services.
• Improve sanitation benchmark indicators and set in place a sanitation information management system that will be regularly updated to help planners and decision makers make investment and operations decisions.
• As significant investment is needed, consider sourcing funds from beyond government sources—such as the private sector and user fees, and other revenue-generating mechanisms.

ADB (2009). Asian sanitation data book 2008 : achieving sanitation for all. Manila, Philippines, Asian Development Bank. x, 134 p. : 2 fig., 27 tab. ISBN 978-971-561-808-3
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Nepal: opportunity to use toilet for the first time in 83 years

Silgadi: Haridatta Bhatta, 83, a resident of Nuwakot of Kalikasthan VDC-6 felt uneasy while using a toilet for the first time in his life. Bhatta, who has been practicing open air defecation, has used toilet for the first time in his life. Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH) has initiated to construct toilets in Nuwakot located 34 kilometers far from Silgadi, district headquarters of Doti district.

Bhatta shared that he felt very uneasy to use the newly constructed toilet in his house. Not only Haridatta, Ram Bahadur Bika, 49, has also similar kind of experience. Ram Bahadur, who used to defecate in the open, shared his experience, “I could not defaecate in the toilet in the first time.”

Not only Haridatta and Ram Bahadur, about 72 families in ward no. 6 of Kalikasthan VDC have constructed toilets after completion of the Nuwakot Drinking Water, Health Education and Sanitation Project launched in Mid-August 2008 with support of Nepal Water for Health. The project was completed at an investment of about Rs. 1.1 million including financial support worth Rs. 879,586 from NEWAH and local’s labour contribution worth Rs. 240,028.

Source: Gorkhapatra / NGO Forum, 25 Sep 2009

Nigeria: Katsina Campaigns Against Open Defecation

8 September 2009

Katsina — Katsina State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) has this week launched a triggering of “disgust and shame” campaign to fifty five communities to fight an indiscriminate and open defecation habits and scale up sanitation and hygiene delivery in the rural areas.

Executive Director of the agency, Abubakar Gege, who flagged off the program in selected communities in Bakori local government area of the state, said the campaign which covers nine selected local governments is aimed at sensitizing communities about the associated dangers of open defecation and the importance of household cleaning among others. Represented by the agency’s desk officer in collaboration with United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF), Aminu Dayyabu Safana said the campaign being conducted with other non governmental organisations (NGOs) is geared towards the certification of those communities as open defecation free (ODF) by 2010, under the national year of sanitation action plan. Aminu Dayyabu said the triggering concept allow communities to take charge of their environment under the community led total sanitation(CLTS) to ensure total elimination of OD practices, full coverage of latrine usage, increased hygiene and sanitation activities and reduction of sanitation related diseases amongst communities.

He commended the state government for the creation of facilitating wash departments in the local governments and ensuring adequate funding of the project while urging the communities to ensure household cleaning and hand washing at critical periods after defecation and before eating.

Source – http://allafrica.com/stories/200909090253.html

India – 72 per cent in rural Karnataka have no access to toilets

Bangalore, Jul 20 (PTI) As many as 72 per cent of people in rural Karnataka still resort to open defecation, around 63 per cent do not treat their water before drinking and majority of women do not have access to modern hygienic form of sanitary protection are some of the findings of a recent survey conducted by an NGO.

‘Ashwas’, a survey on ‘Household Water And Sanitation’, by the NGO Arghyam, released by state Governor H R Bharadwaj today revealed that 72 per cent people had no access to toilets. While 21 per cent had toilets outside the house, only seven per cent had toilets inside, it said.

Covering 17,200 households in 810 villages in 28 districts across the state, the survey was conducted between December 2008 and January 2009.

It said only five per cent of women used sanitary napkin.

Source – http://ptinews.com/news/184646_72-per-cent-in-rural-Ktk-have-no-access-to-toilets

Indonesia – Defecation outside toilets a common sight

Despite a government campaign promoting a healthier lifestyle and improved sanitation facilities, some people continue to defecate in rivers and in other open areas around their homes.

Residents are also frequently found dumping garbage just about anywhere. In the Jagir area of Wo nokromo, Pasuruan, East Java, the sight of people defecating in rivers has become commonplace, and can also be seen throughout the country.

One riverbank squatter in Surabaya, Siti Aminah, 45, for instance, prefers to answer the call of nature in a river, despite there being a public toilet nearby.

“I’m used to pooing in the river, ever since I was little. Despite the frequent campaigns for using public toilets and healthy lifestyles, pooing in the river is more pleasurable,” she said last week.

Siti is not alone in her filthy habits. Every morning, housewives living near the Surabaya River frequently defecate in the river before washing their clothes there.

The habit of randomly defecating is not only done by residents living along the banks of the Surabaya River, however. In a number of places, such as at a village located on the slopes of Mount Kelud in Blitar, East Java, the habit is also embraced by local villagers who prefer to defecate in the bushes and later cover it up with dirt, despite the availability of toilets there.

A youth figure in Kalibadak village in Blitar, Sunanto, 35, said defecating in the garden and around the house had been practiced since the Japanese occupation. A majority of villagers who work in plantations still carry it out until now.

“The public toilets are too far from their workplaces, so they prefer to do it in the open and later cover it up with sand,” he said.

Abdul Cholid, chief of Dlambah Dajah village in Tanah Merah district, Bangkalan, Madura, said hundreds of villagers defecated carelessly in the open.

But after the government built 350 latrines and the provincial administration conducted its campaigns, the habit was gradually dropped, he added.

“It takes time and hard work to get people to defecate in the toilet. The government built toilets around the village in 2004, but people only stopped defecating in the open from 2006,” Cholid said.

Apart from the government, the Kaliandra Sejati Foundation, which is working together with Leeds Metropolitan University in England, has been trying to change the habit, party by introducing the composting toilet, developed in Europe and considered environmentally friendly.

Rupert Bozeat, an associate senior professor of design at Leeds Metropolitan University, said composting toilets had been used in communities across England and Europe, and even at his family’s home in England.

“Besides being eco-friendly, the toilet is also sanitary and doesn’t emit smells, because the feces are separated from the water used to flush it. We don’t have to spend money pumping out the feces,” Bozeat told The Jakarta Post last Thursday.

He added compact feces separated from water were then flushed into a tank, whose capacity could be adapted for each family’s needs. The contents of the tank can then be used as organic compost for farming.

“The flushed water, which is channeled through a pipe, can be reused after going through the water treatment process. This can certainly minimize the water crisis,” Bozeat said.

He added that building such a facility only cost Rp 10 million, which included the Swedish-made Aquatron, to separate solid matter and liquid.

The cost of building a composting toilet is far more expensive than installing a septic tank, which costs an average of Rp 1 million.

Kaliandra Sejati Foundation community development officer Fathurohman said students at Leeds Metropolitan University were still setting up composting toilets at the Kaliandra Cultural and Natural Education Center in Dayurejo village in Prigen district, Pasuruan, and would introduce it to the public soon after completion.

Source – Jakarta Post

The taboo of poo – why are we so reluctant to talk about one of the biggest threats to human health?

Photo: Asian Geographic

Picture this: The setting sun is spreading a warm glow over your small rural village, but you are inside your house doubled over with intestinal pain. All you want is for darkness to fall so you can stagger out into the night, find a relatively secluded spot in the fields and void your bowels. You have been resisting the urge to defecate for most of the day as it is considered disgraceful in your community for a woman to be seen heeding nature’s call.

You sometimes suffer from urinary tract infections and constipation, and you have almost been bitten by scorpions and snakes while squatting in the open. You have even suffered sexual violence at the hands of unknown men under the cover of night. You fear for your own health and safety, and for that of your young daughter and disabled mother. Your life is tormented by the taboo of poo.

Read the full article by Sean Mooney for Asian Geographic, no. 65, issue 4/ 2009 and reproduced on the WSSCC web site here

Nepal: Students queue up to defecate

It is not a new issue to queue up for hours for drinking water in many places but it can be new for many that one has to stand in queue to defecate in the open place. Students [from] Bagh Devi Secondary School at Jyamdi of Kavre have to stand in queue for 10 to 15 minutes to defecate in the open. About 600 students study in the school but not a single toilet has been constructed in the school due to shortage of water.

School principal Bhairav Thapa said, “We teach the students to defecate in the toilet but the students are compelled to use open space as toilet due to lack of toilet in the school.” The school has urged the District Education Office to construct toilets and Shanti Janaadarsha Sewa Kendra working in drinking water sector to construct a tank for collecting rainwater. [Because of the water shortage], the school [...] has appointed two staff just to fetch water for the school.

Source: Bhim Gautam, Rajdhani / NGO Forum, 15 Apr 2009