ADDRESSING SANITATION CHALLENGE IN POOR URBAN AREAS THROUGH SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES, GENDER INTEGRATION AND SUPPORTIVE POLICY FRAMEWORK
Report on End of Project Workshop
Held at
Lake Naivasha Country Club, Kenya
On
2-3 April, 2012
Table of Contents
1. Introduction 3
2. Official Opening of the Workshop 3
2.1 Remarks from Mayor of Masaka 3
2.4 Official Opening 4
2.5 Participants Introduction and expectations 4
2.6 Objectives of the workshop 5
Workshop Proceedings : Day One: 2nd April 2012 5
3. Project Background and Findings 5
3.1 Key Findings on Sanitation Technologies 6
3.2 Key Project Findings on Gender in urban Sanitation 6
3.3 Key Project Findings on Policy in urban Sanitation 7
3.4 Key Socioeconomic issues in Urban Sanitation 7
3.5 Sanitation Models for the Urban Poor 8
4. Field Visit to the project site 8
4.1 Feed Back on Field Visit 10
4.1.1 Communal Facility 10
4.1.2 Plot Based Facilities 10
4.1.3 General Comments 11
5.0 Good practices on the ground 11
5.1 Schools sanitation - Aqua Privy in Ssenyange Education Centre 11
5.2 Sludge Management for Urban Poor settlement 12
5.3 Experiences from Nyendo Ssenyange Division: 12
6.0 Group recommendations for policies, technology and environmental management 13
7.0 Recommendations 16
8.0 Conclusion and closing 16
1. Introduction
The end of the project workshop of the IDRC supported project was conducted on 2nd and 3rd of April 2012 at the Lake Naivasha Country Club. The workshop brought together 44 Participants from Kenya and Uganda, drawn from government, Municipal Council, Public health, Ministry of water, NGOs, local & community leaders among others.
The purpose of the end of project workshop was to disseminate the key research findings to stakeholders at different levels – Government (policy), implementers and practitioners in the water and sanitation sector. The workshop also provided an opportunity to share experiences, good practices and lessons learnt.
The workshop was facilitated by the Institute of Environment and Water and NETWAS Uganda. It adopted an inductive and participatory approach to the workshop proceedings including plenary presentations, discussions and group work.
2. Official Opening of the Workshop
Richard Rono started the workshop with a warm welcome to the participants. Annabell provided a background of the project noting that the main aim was to contribute to the global, regional and national efforts to meet the MDGs on water and sanitation in the region. Annet Najjuko graced the day with a word of prayer and the official opening began.
2.1 Remarks from Mayor of Masaka
His worship, the Mayor of Masaka, Mr. Kayemba Godfrey Afaayo was given an opportunity to address the participants briefly. He gave greetings from Masaka and hoped for fruitful discussions to come up with some solution to the prevailing sanitation challenges.
2.2 Remarks from IDRC Representative.
Dr Francois Gasengayire, the senior program officer at IDRC was also given a change to make brief remarks. He welcomed all present and gave a brief background on how the project came about. He noted that sanitation was critical, given the grievous consequences of lack of or poor sanitation to families and government alike.
He pointed out a number of questions which the project sort to address and expressed his eagerness to listen to what the project has come up with in terms of key findings and lessons learnt. He also hope that different stakeholders, policy makers, NGOs and communities present would do something to tackle the sanitation challenge as a result of learning brought about by the workshop.
2.3 Key Note Address
The key note speaker was Mr Samuel Kingori, the District Public Health Officer (Naivasha).
He noted that due to overpopulation and environmental problems in urban areas brought about by rural urban migration, poor sanitation is a major challenge that needs to be addressed sustainably. We need sound, affordable and locally based solutions to water and sanitation problems.
He pointed out some poor agricultural and environmental practices that have lead to water scarcity and poor water quality. To address problem of water and sanitation we require appropriate, environmentally friendly, sustainable and affordable technology as well as good solid waste management. There is need to Increase water access equitably so as to lower the disease burden and improve life expectancy.
Mr. Kinjori (DPHO Naivasha) as he gives the key note address (Below Left)
His Worship, Mayor Warothe (Naivasha) officially opens the workshop (Above, Right)
2.4 Official Opening
The Workshop was officially open by the Mayor of Naivasha, His Worship Jonathan Warothe. He took the opportunity to welcome all participants to Naivasha. The Mayor thanked the project implementers and donor for three things i.e. a public toilet at Karagita, sanitation facilities for some vulnerable members of the community and community/public participation during the whole project process. He thanked WSUP for the work they have done to improve aces to water in Karagita. He noted the major water and sanitation problem in Naivasha is lack of proper planning which is aggravated by rapid population growth.
The Mayor hoped that the workshop would be informative and urged the participants to make use of feedback from the research in a progressive way. The Mayor declared the workshop officially open.
2.5 Participants Introduction and expectations
The participants who had attended the workshop were given an opportunity to introduce themselves and mention the organizations from which they came from. The participants were also given a chance to express their expectation of the workshop. The participant’s expectations are clustered herebelow;
- networking with likeminded professionals
- learn the best sanitation options/ solutions the project identified for urban poor settlements
- learn more on gender mainstreaming especially in planning, implementation, management of sanitation facilities especially for the urban poor
- identify policy issues in sanitation from Kenya due to the many challenges in urban sanitation.
- Looking forward to have Fun
- hear and share experiences of what transpired in the Kenya Naivasha perspective visa vie what happened in Uganda so that we are able to learn and share and relate and get the way forward.
- learn from research findings especially on how we can use the lessons from research and experience from participants to increase coverage on water and sanitation for the urban poor
Majority of participants (40%) wanted to hear more about the solutions that the research project came up with for addressing the poor urban sanitation challenge. Other participants wanted to learn more about integrating gender in sanitation, policy issues needed and networking and experience sharing with like-minded people.
2.6 Objectives of the workshop
Ms. Annabell presented the workshops main objective as follows
1. Share results and findings of the research and lessons learnt
2. Share experiences on what has worked and explore best possible ways of going to scale
3. Concretize recommendations for policy and practice
4. Networking with likeminded people and share experiences
Workshop Proceedings : Day One: 2nd April 2012
3. Project Background and Findings
Ms. Annabel Waititu began her presentation by posing a question to the participants. Where do you find the greatest sanitation problem - in rural or in urban areas? In response, there were diverse views with some participants feeling that the greatest challenge is in the rural because people are underserved, others views were that urban poor face a greater challenge.
Ms. Annabell then made her presentation of the project’s background, specific objectives and implementation process. She pointed out that the project targeted the urban because of the following;
• Half of the world’s population lives in towns and cities, and it is expected to increase to two-thirds over the next decades – by 2050 according to UN HABITAT.
• More than 50% of urban population live in the slum environment (UNICEF) where sanitation is appalling.
• Sanitation target is lagging behind and the poor urban are most affected, For example in Kenya
Access / Sanitation % / WaterUrban / 19 / 85
Rural / 48 / 49
Total / 42 / 57
· The urban environment and water catchment are most affected by poor and inadequate sanitation
· 5% of Africa’s GDP is spent on treating sanitation related diseases
· Inadequate sanitation perpetuates gender inequality
Selection of the target settlements was largely determined by the fact that there were already some partners on the ground – WSUP in Kenya and UN HABITAT in Masaka who were already implementing sanitation projects, who were willing to partner and who would eventually use the data and information generated during the research period. Noting that the project would not necessarily be the consumer of the same information it generated, partnership with a wide range of actors was a key component of this project.
3.1 Key Findings on Sanitation Technologies
Ronald Omnyoga from Kenya presented the project findings on, sanitation technologies in the project area, hydro-geological and ecological conditions, the main challenge and issues affecting the integrity of water sources. The key issues identified and were poor quality of facilities (design, materials, and technology); inadequate facilities (underserved); unresponsive designs to gender and user needs and concerns and poor management of facilities.
3.2 Key Project Findings on Gender in urban Sanitation
The major issues in relation to gender were unresponsive designs, poor hygiene, lack of privacy, safety and security problems, high cost of accessing or installing sanitation facilities and low participation of women and poor in decision making processes relating to water and sanitation.
She noted that in many situations, the project team found cases of sexual harassment including rape when girls are trying to use sanitation facilities. Hygiene and Privacy were key issue of concern to many women and children at all levels – household and school level. Many facilities are shared by many people and many households thereby compromising hygiene, dignity and convenience. Low investments on the poor and stereotypes that many water suppliers hold that poor cannot afford. They are already paying much more than the wealthier in the society.
Recommendations made include
- strengthening capacity for gender integration in water & sanitation,
- economic empowerment of poor women and men.
- increase focus on poor as viable customers and therefore increase household level sanitation facilities. if the poor are already paying much higher than the well to do in the society, it means they can afford
- address issues of exclusion and bring the local actors into the mainstream. For example, most facilities in the target town faced a major challenge of evacuation when they are full. The manual evacuators are always working behind the scenes (hiding because their job is perceived as dirty) where they are ridiculed and exposed to sanitation and hygiene diseases. Equipping such groups of people with skills and tools for work, and recognizing their contribution to sanitation would enhance safe sanitation in the poor urban settlements.
- Increasing access to water which in many cases shapes the choices of sanitation by especially women.
3.3 Key Project Findings on Policy in urban Sanitation
Trina Kyomugisha from the Ministry of Water and Environment in Uganda and Josiah Omotto from Kenya presented policy issues in sanitation. In Uganda, the legislation governing sanitation is the Public Health Act (PHA), enacted in 1964, and incorporated in the Laws of Uganda in 2000. There is no separate policy on sanitation although there is an Environmental Health policy 2005 (in line with the sanitation MOU-2001). Both Kenya and Uganda have many policies governing sanitation. Kenya has recently formulated a Environmental sanitation and Hygiene policy 2008. Sewerage issues are governed by the Water Policy 1999 and ACT 2002 in Kenya.
Mr. Omotto pointed out that sanitation is about humility, dignity and equity. The Key policy dimensions in Kenya are environmental governance, Economic governance, social well being and inclusive governance. In both Kenya and Uganda it emerged that there is poor sanitation governance as there is no single institution with comprehensive sanitation mandate, and marred with poor budgetary allocation to sanitation and weak implementation/enforcement.
Uganda has a Water and Sanitation sub-sector Gender strategy (2010-2015) that aims at mainstreaming gender in the WATSAN sector and in enhancing the capacity for gender mainstreaming in the sector. The strategy hopes to facilitate improved opportunities for women, men and other disadvantaged groups to access water and sanitation facilities and participate in their management. In Kenya on the other hand, there lacks a sector gender policy and strategy. However, the current constitution addresses issues of human rights to water and sanitation and gender equity, and can significantly contribute to gender equality in sanitation if effectively implemented.
3.4 Key Socioeconomic issues in Urban Sanitation
Mr. John Njoka was ushered to commence the afternoon session with a presentation on the social economic aspect in relation to the project. He defined Social Economics as everything about life and it has three pillars i.e. wealth and poverty, interaction issues and cultural issues. He underlined four important things when thinking about sanitation intervention in a community, one, understanding the situation/ community’s social economic characteristics- through surveys, community entry which involves key local stakeholders and gate keepers, sensitization and mobilization of community to help mange the expectation of the community and finally community based designs of the sanitation facility which helps to capture community priorities e.g. women, disabled, men, children e.t.c
Mr. Njoka also gave a brief profile of the communities such as poverty, low education, high cost of water & sanitation, mental and physical disability, high cultural context and high incidence of gender violence.
3.5 Sanitation Models for the Urban Poor
Ronald Omyonga and Daniel Mwesige shared on the sanitation models that were identified and tested in the project areas. Any selected design had to meet the gender, social and economic conditions stipulated. The process of identifying and selecting was inclusive and participatory. This was achieved through design clinics that enable participation of all stakeholders and users. The result was that various models were tested at household, community and schools levels. At household level plot based VIP toilets of different locally available materials and Ecosan were tested; an aqua privy toilet water installed at school and public water borne sanitation facility for communal use.