STRENGTHENING WOMEN’S ROLE FOR A SUSTAINABLE SANITATION TRANSFORMATION.
Author: Mekdim Hailu, Project Communication Manager, PSI Ethiopia; Metadel Tesfaye, Gender Advisor, PSI Ethiopia
In a world marked by uneven access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, women bear a significant burden. This underscores the urgent need for gender-inclusive and responsive WASH services. A recent UNICEF/WHO study reveals that, despite national sanitation data rarely disaggregating by sex, specific indicators address gender inequalities, making them sensitive to gender issues. For example, the construction of the SDG service ladder for sanitation recognizes gender inequalities related to the accessibility of sanitation services.
Alarmingly, 1.8 billion people fetch drinking water from off-premises sources, with women and girls primarily responsible in seven out of ten households. This stark reality emphasizes the importance of addressing gender disparities in access to essential resources. Tasked with managing household hygiene, women are directly affected by the consequences of inadequate sanitation facilities. Yet, numerous barriers hinder their participation in the sanitation business, including limited skills and resources, social stigma, and lack of support. In response to these challenges, USAID Transform WASH (Transform WASH) activity is committed to engaging women in market-based sanitation to create lasting and positive change.
Market-based sanitation (MBS) is a transformative approach that harnesses basic market principles to improve access to essential sanitation products and services. The MBS approach recognizes sanitation as a basic need and service that individuals are willing to invest in, just like any other commodity. Transform WASH aims to create a scalable and sustainable model for providing sanitation products and services to underserved communities. This involves partnering with the private sector, including sanitation service providers, product suppliers, and financial institutions, to develop and promote affordable and effective sanitation products and services. This approach holds promise for improving access to safe and sustainable sanitation services, particularly in low-income rural settlements where traditional methods have failed.
Recognizing women’s vital role as primary users and managers of household hygiene and sanitation practices, their active participation in market-based sanitation is crucial to achieving lasting sanitation results. Transform WASH has launched an initiative to actively engage women in market-based sanitation and train them as mason installers, sales agents, and retailers. In doing so, Transform WASH has shown that women can excel in the sanitation business even in traditionally male-dominated positions.
Involving women in the sanitation sector brings immediate benefits, leads to their economic independence, and empowers them to support their families, improving their overall socio-economic status.
Over the past seven years, this intervention has significantly improved access to sanitation. Thanks to the commitment of 480 trained local masons and business partners, we have facilitated the sale of over 180,176 sanitation products reaching more than 828,000 people. The remarkable significance of this achievement lies in the involvement of women, who make up 17% of the business partners involved. This is a noteworthy step towards the advancement of women in the sanitation sector.
To replicate and build on these positive changes, Transform WASH is developing positive social norms within the community that value and support women’s participation in business and entrepreneurship. Recognizing and valuing women’s contributions encourages active participation in activities that promote sanitation. Positive social norms can also help change attitudes and behaviors related to sanitation, leading to better practices and improved health outcomes. When women take control of their health and hygiene, they help reduce the spread of disease and improve sanitation in their communities. In addition, positive social norms in sanitation contribute to gender equality by providing a platform for women to participate in community decision-making and development processes. Besides promoting positive social norms, conducting gender-specific market analysis is critical to understanding women’s needs, preferences, and constraints in accessing sanitation services. This enables the development of market-based sanitation interventions that address women’s particular circumstances.
In closing, we understand supporting more women in the sanitation sector requires a multifaceted approach that includes developing positive social norms and considering women’s unique needs and preferences. By creating an enabling environment that recognizes women’s diverse roles in the community, we can leverage their skills as drivers of sustainable change through market-driven sanitation. Through collaborative initiatives, Transform WASH aims to empower women to improve their sanitation practices and contribute to creating healthier and more equitable communities.
