Sanitation and hygiene promotion for the urban poor - Recommendations from the East Africa Practitioners’ Workshop on Pro-Poor Urban Sanitation and Hygiene

Content - Summary

In March 2011, IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre in collaboration with the Rwandan Ministry of Health convened over 60 practitioners and researchers from East Africa in a workshop that discussed the progress and challenges faced by the sector in the promotion of effective pro-poor urban sanitation and hygiene. Supported by the German International Cooperation (GIZ), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), WaterAid and the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), a total of 22 papers and photo essays on the topic of urban sanitation and hygiene were presented and discussed.
Over the years, discussion on sanitation has often centred on rural areas where coverage is at its lowest. However, unprecedented population growth in the more recent years has brought to the fore the urgent need to address hygiene and sanitation conditions in urban slums and secondary towns. Based on the experience and perspectives of the workshop’s participants, this booklet contributes to filling the gap in current literature and practices in urban sanitation and hygiene in East Africa.
Based on group discussions, fifteen crosscutting issues that impact on sanitation and hygiene for the urban poor were identified. Of the fifteen issues, six were considered priority areas, namely: the promotion of pro-poor sanitation financing mechanisms; developing appropriate subsidy and incentive arrangements; introducing cost-effective, efficient and appropriate technological options; broadening stakeholders’ engagement; political will; and addressing the issue of urban sanitation and hygiene through the lens of sustainability and operation and maintenance (O&M) approaches. This booklet presents key recommendations that advance pro-poor urban sanitation and hygiene activities based on the six issues collectively identified as priority areas. This booklet is useful reading material for practitioners and policy-makers involved in urban sanitation and hygiene promotion at different levels. While centred on experiences in East Africa, this booklet also provides important insights into similar programme work elsewhere.

Bibliographic information

IRC (2011). Sanitation and hygiene promotion for the urban poor - Recommendations from the East Africa Practitioners’ Workshop on Pro-Poor Urban Sanitation and Hygiene. IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, the Netherlands

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English Sub-Saharan Africa Urban informal settlements (slums)

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