scholarly journals The Sanitation Ladder, What Constitutes an Improved Form of Sanitation?

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 1086-1094 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephine L. R. Exley ◽  
Bernard Liseka ◽  
Oliver Cumming ◽  
Jeroen H. J Ensink
Keyword(s):  
Sanitation Ladder

scholarly journals Moving up the sanitation ladder with the help of microfinance in urban Malawi

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Chunga ◽  
M. W. Jenkins ◽  
Jeroen Ensink ◽  
Joe Brown
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Stated Preference ◽  
Wealth Quintile ◽  
Local Market ◽  
Market Prices ◽  
Urban Settlements ◽  
Improved Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Ladder ◽  
Improve Access ◽  
Gain Access

Abstract We carried out a stated preference survey in Malawi to examine whether access to microfinance for sanitation would significantly increase the proportion of households upgrading to improved pit latrines or alternative improved sanitation technologies (urine diverting dry toilet, fossa alterna, pour flush). We presented a range of sanitation options at local market prices, initially without and then with a real microfinance option, to 1,300 households sampled across 27 low-income urban settlements in the two largest cities, Lilongwe and Blantyre. When we gave respondents a microfinance option, the proportion of households stating an intention to install improved and unimproved pit latrines decreased significantly, while the proportion stating an intention to upgrade to alternative improved sanitation technologies increased significantly. However, households in the lowest wealth quintile were more likely to state a preference for unimproved pit latrines, suggesting that the benefits of microfinance for sanitation may not accrue equally across wealth strata. Organisations seeking to improve access to safely managed sanitation by promoting alternative sanitation technologies would succeed if households have access to affordable alternative sanitation technologies and microfinance for sanitation. However, poorer households would need more affordable improved sanitation technologies, flexible microfinance options and possibly targeted subsidies to gain access to safely managed sanitation.

scholarly journals Descending the sanitation ladder in urban Uganda: evidence from Kampala Slums

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Japheth Kwiringira ◽  
Peter Atekyereza ◽  
Charles Niwagaba ◽  
Isabel Günther
Keyword(s):  
Sanitation Ladder

scholarly journals Getting a foot on the sanitation ladder: user satisfaction and willingness to pay for improved public toilets in Accra, Ghana

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 528-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Mariwah ◽  
Kate Hampshire ◽  
Constance Owusu-Antwi
Keyword(s):  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Low Income ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Waiting Times ◽  
Running Water ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Potential Market ◽  
Improved Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Ladder ◽  
Public Toilets

Rapid urban growth in developing countries has led to an increase in unplanned, high-density settlements dependent on public toilets for sanitation, yet we know relatively little about users' perceptions and concerns about such facilities. This paper seeks to explore user satisfaction and willingness to pay for improved sanitation services in Accra. Utilising a questionnaire, data were gathered from 245 users of public toilets in two low-income communities of Accra. 80.8% of users expressed overall dissatisfaction with the public toilets, the main areas of concern being: long queues and waiting times, unpleasant smells, dirtiness, concerns about security and lack of running water and soap. The majority of the respondents said that they would be willing to pay higher fees for improved services. Operators should take note of this and explore the potential market for building and maintaining high-quality public toilet facilities as a means to ending open defecation and getting on the first step on the sanitation ladder.

Monitoring sanitation performance: unpacking the figures on sanitation coverage

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muchaneta Munamati ◽  
Innocent Nhapi ◽  
Shepherd N. Misi
Keyword(s):  
World Health ◽  
Household Surveys ◽  
Development Goal ◽  
The World ◽  
Improved Sanitation ◽  
Joint Monitoring ◽  
Sanitation Ladder ◽  
Treatment And Disposal ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Sanitation Systems

An understanding of the sanitation situation is crucial for planning and evaluating effectiveness of sanitation interventions. Such knowledge is gained through monitoring sanitation performance. At the international level, sanitation monitoring is done by the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) of the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The JMP tracks progress made towards the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) sanitation target using information collected from household surveys. This article critically describes and reviews the JMP sanitation monitoring approach based on information from literature. The paper argues that while JMP methods have been useful in reporting sanitation progress, it has a number of weaknesses which have led to questions being raised on the sanitation coverage figures. Specifically, the JMP has been criticized for its usage of the term ‘improved’ sanitation and the technology-based sanitation ladder. It is argued that this approach does not monitor other components of sanitation systems such as storage, transport, treatment and disposal and/or re-use of human excreta. In addition, the sustainability of the sanitation systems is also overlooked. All these factors have led to an overestimation of sanitation coverage. A monitoring approach which considers the function of sanitation and sustainability of sanitation systems is therefore recommended.

scholarly journals The sanitation ladder – a need for a revamp?

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Kvarnström ◽  
J. McConville ◽  
P. Bracken ◽  
M. Johansson ◽  
M. Fogde
Keyword(s):  
Public Good ◽  
Functional Approach ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
The Public ◽  
Local Solutions ◽  
Sanitation Ladder ◽  
Sanitation Systems ◽  
Environmental Functions

The sanitation ladder is a useful tool that is being used to monitor progress towards the sanitation target of the MDGs. This tool could be even more useful if it can be refined to be based on the functions of sanitation systems rather than on a hierarchy of predefined sanitation technologies. This paper presents a seven-rung function-based sanitation ladder where the functions can be broadly divided into health functions and environmental functions. The proposed ladder is intended as an inspiration for nations, and the JMP, to move towards a function-based rather than technology-based monitoring of sanitation progress. A functional approach to monitoring of e.g. the sanitation target of the MDGs would require some major shifts in the monitoring methods used but it is argued that such an approach would: (i) actually monitor the public good, which is desired from a sanitation system; (ii) stimulate donors, governments and municipalities to think beyond the provision of certain sanitation technologies; (iii) allow for local solutions to the sanitation problem to be developed; and (iv) spur innovation within the sector.

A new approach to measure sanitation performance

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. P. P. Gunawardana ◽  
L. W. Galagedara
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Current Method ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Indicator Variables ◽  
Joint Monitoring ◽  
Sanitation Ladder ◽  
Questionnaire Surveys ◽  
Treatment And Disposal

Monitoring sanitation coverage using a more appropriate method will have added benefits in the sanitation sector compared with the tool currently deployed by the Joint Monitoring Programme – the sanitation ladder. Although the present sanitation ladder is a simple and generally accepted tool for monitoring it does not consider the environmental and public health risks associated with some sanitation technologies. This paper uses data gathered from three communities in Sri Lanka to illustrate the shortcomings of the current method compared with a new and more comprehensive methodology developed and known as the sanitation index for monitoring (SIM). Available literature, focus group discussions, questionnaire surveys, and field observations were used to select indicator variables and score levels for the new index. Indicator variables and score levels were defined under two categories to create two sub-indices namely the ‘latrine security and hygiene’ and ‘treatment and disposal’. Twelve combinations of two sub-indices provide the final sanitation index for each community. The new SIM correctly assesses the real situation with regard to performance of a range of sanitation technologies over the full sanitation value chain and has the potential to improve sanitation monitoring worldwide.

City sanitation ladder: moving from household to citywide sanitation assessment

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 481-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meera Mehta ◽  
Dinesh Mehta
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Urban Sanitation ◽  
New Thinking ◽  
Joint Monitoring ◽  
Sanitation Ladder ◽  
Treatment And Disposal ◽  
Level Performance ◽  
Level Monitoring

Monitoring sanitation has generally focused on basic access with its implicit links to health impacts. The new thinking on urban sanitation monitoring goes beyond the household level facilities to encompass wider dimensions of equity, public health and natural environment. This requires an assessment of the full value chain from the user interface to storage, conveyance, treatment and disposal or reuse. In developing country context, this also necessitates incorporating other sanitation dimensions beyond excreta management, especially management of greywater, storm water and solid waste as these are often interlinked on the ground. In this context, it is important to revisit the concept of the sanitation ladder, widely used by the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP), which has focused on household access. This paper suggests a framework for outcome-based citywide assessment of the full sanitation value chain across different sanitation sub-sectors. The ladder is redefined using a city sanitation score to assess city level performance. The suggested outcome-based assessment for different components of the value chain also provides a basis for city level monitoring of overall sanitation performance.

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