scholarly journals Beyond ‘improved’ towards ‘safe and sustainable’ urban sanitation: assessing the design, management and functionality of sanitation in poor communities of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. W. Jenkins ◽  
O. Cumming ◽  
B. Scott ◽  
S. Cairncross
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Dar Es Salaam ◽  
Design Management ◽  
Location Factors ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Residential Properties ◽  
Improved Sanitation

This study assessed sanitation access in rapidly expanding informal settlements in Dar es Salaam (Dar) against eight proposed indicators of hygienic safety, sustainability and functionality, and in relation to the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) ‘improved’ sanitation definition. Information was collected on toilet facility designs, management and functionality through a structured interview and observations at 662 randomly selected residential properties across 35 unplanned, low-income sub-wards of Dar. Trends in access and associations with sharing, occupancy, latrine replacement, income, education and location factors were considered through statistical analyses. Surveyed sub-wards were open-defecation free. While 56% of households used a facility that met the MDG improved technology definition, only 8% had a functional facility that could be considered as hygienically safe and sustainable sanitation. Safe, sustainable, functioning sanitation access was 2.6 times greater among the richest quintile than the two poorest quintiles. Very poor sanitation services among Dar's urban poor arise from widespread lack of access to hygienically safe pit emptying services, unhygienic designs and functionality problems (affecting 67, 55 and 29%, respectively). As new goals and targets beyond 2015 are discussed, these findings may have important implications for defining what constitutes ‘improved’ sanitation for poor populations living in unplanned informal settlements.

scholarly journals Sanitation for all: a Panglossian perspective?

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 718-729
Author(s):  
Priyam Das ◽  
Julia Crowley
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Central India ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Open Defecation ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Improved Sanitation ◽  
Basic Services ◽  
Development Goals

Abstract At the deadline for meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), 2.1 billion (109) people had gained access to improved sanitation and 95 countries were able to meet the MDG sanitation target. However, 2.4 billion still lacked improved sanitation facilities. India is among those countries where open defecation stubbornly persists. Despite decades of government spending on the construction of toilets, and the recent Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) to eradicate open defecation, toilet use remains a challenge. To draw attention to the deep deficits in sanitation services in smaller Indian cities, we explore what motivates sanitation uptake by the urban poor. Household survey data from 13 low-income settlements combined with interviews, focus-group discussions, and transect walks in three cities in central India allowed us to examine factors that influenced resource-constrained households' toilet ownership and toilet use versus open defecation. Our findings indicate that in urban settings, toilet ownership could, in fact, deter open defecation given the presence of other key conditions. Programs to build toilets under the SBM could, therefore, see favorable outcomes in cities provided there is a broadening of access to sanitation to include fecal sludge management. Our findings also underscore the importance of coproducing basic services.

scholarly journals Access to improved sanitation facilities in low-income informal settlements of East African cities

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Okurut ◽  
R. N. Kulabako ◽  
P. Abbott ◽  
J. M. Adogo ◽  
J. Chenoweth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
East African ◽  
Basic Sanitation ◽  
Improved Sanitation ◽  
Joint Monitoring ◽  
Sub Saharan

Throughout Africa, the population in urban areas is increasing rapidly, often exceeding the capacity and the resources of the cities and towns to accommodate the people. In sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of urban dwellers live in informal settlements served by inadequate sanitation facilities. These settlements present unique challenges to the provision of sustainable and hygienic sanitation, and there is insufficient information on access to improved facilities. This paper reports findings of a study undertaken in low-income informal settlements using a mixed methods approach to assess access to sanitation and identify the barriers to household uptake of improved sanitation facilities. More than half of the respondents (59.7%) reported using sanitation facilities that are included in the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme definition of improved sanitation. However, a high proportion of these facilities did not provide access to basic sanitation. Less than 5% of all the respondents did not report problems related to sustainable access to basic sanitation. The findings highlight the urgent need to develop specific and strategic interventions for each low-income informal settlement, to upscale the sustainable access and use of improved sanitation in urban centres.

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.

scholarly journals Low-income housing provision: between governmental interventions and informal settlements

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-50
Author(s):  
Hussaen Ali Hasan Kahachi ◽  
Alison Brown
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
City Planning ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Housing Provision ◽  
Low Cost Housing

Low-cost housing, so-called affordable housing, is an important subject as it affects many aspects of people's well-being and city planning. The urban poor, who form a respectable percentage of cities' residents in many developing countries, are the most affected segment by the availability and affordability of housing. Governments often try their best to provide affordable housing through housing interventions and programs. However, many low-income people end up in informal settlements including slums and squatter settlements. This research analyzes state-led low-cost housing initiatives compared to informal affordable housing in developing countries. The importance of this research is mainly associated with understanding how governmental housing initiatives and laws affect the housing preferences of the urban poor. The research starts by providing a brief background about the subject and its importance from the literature. The research uses mixed methods approach and a case study of Greater Cairo Region following the massive migration during the period between the 1980s and the 2000s to provide an in-depth understanding of the situation. The research then analyzes/discusses some housing initiatives, and uses both quantitative/qualitative data in order to explain potential malpractice and issues. Finally, the research will highlight the key findings and provide some recommendations for change/improvement.

Placemaking and the right to the city of urban poor: a case studyin Sanandaj, Iran

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 508-528
Author(s):  
Kayoumars Irandoost ◽  
Milad Doostvandi ◽  
Todd Litman ◽  
Mohammad Azami
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Right To The City ◽  
Social Production ◽  
Production Of Space ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Right ◽  
The City

Purpose This paper aims to present a critical analysis of placemaking by the urban poor based on the Right to the City, Henri Lefebvre’s influential theory regarding the production of space and placemaking. Design/methodology/approach This study reflects Lefebvre’s production of space and the right to the city theories and containing three main pillars including holism, the urban and praxis, and the use of spatial dialectics. Also, for collecting information in this research, along with scrutiny of documents and books, residents of the poor settlements of Sanandaj have also been interviewed. Findings In Sanandaj, urban poor who lack formal housing reclaim the Right to City by creating informal settlements. Such settlements, such as Shohada, Baharmast and Tagh Taghan, cover 23% of the city’s area but house 69% of the urban population. Originality/value This research seeks to understand placemaking in urban slums by low-income inhabitants using Henry Lefebvre’s critical theory of social production of space and the Right to the City. This case study examines the city of Sanandaj, Iran, where most residents are poor and live in cooperative informal settlements. It illustrates how the urban poor, as marginalized inhabitants, overcome the constraints of conventional planning and property ownership to creatively and cooperatively develop communities that reflect their needs. This indicates a schism between formal and informal sectors.

City Profile: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemma Todd ◽  
Ibrahim Msuya ◽  
Francis Levira ◽  
Irene Moshi
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Dar Es Salaam ◽  
Natural Increase ◽  
Capital City ◽  
High Rate ◽  
City Management ◽  
Location Factors ◽  
The Government ◽  
The City

Cities in Africa are experiencing fast urbanization with growing demand for basic services. The city of Dar es Salam, one of the fastest growing cities in the region and the world, is likely to guide the urban future in Tanzania. Dar es Salaam is the former capital city of Tanzania and retains its importance as most of the government offices were located. However, the whole process of complete relocation of government offices to the present capital city of Dodoma might affect the dynamics in Dar es Salaam in the near future. Nevertheless, it is the leading commercial centre and economic hub in Tanzania and is expected to be a mega city by 2030. The growth of the city is construed by both natural increase and high rate of migration. However, the city’s organic growth was affected by racial-based residential segregation under the colonial regime, whose imprints are evident to date. In this profile, an overview of Dar es Salaam’s colonial, post-colonial, social, economic and location factors that led to urbanization is provided. This profile highlights the previous, current and future challenges, and explores the pathways to enhance sustainability and transformation of Dar es Salaam to be a smart city. Poor implementation of master plans led to minimal guidance of city growth, but the current land and and human settlement policy emphasizes on sustainable approach in urban planning including low costs but sustainable settlements even for the urban poor. Such transformation requires government and city management to invest in better planning implementation, creation of database that will inform future planning, improvement in social services such as infrastructure, access to quality and affordable housing, water and electricity supply. This paper contributes to the existing literature on nature of cities in developing countries, which had been affected by colonialism and poor implementation of policies, and suggest ways in which cities can to become smarter and sustainable.

Funding gap will slow Egypt's slum redevelopment plans

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stable Relationship ◽  
Local Municipality ◽  
The Government ◽  
Slum Areas

Subject Egyptian government's new policy towards informal settlements. Significance Some 15 million of Egypt's 82 million population live in slum areas. Around 11 million are in Cairo, constituting around 63% of the city's population. The government has identified 1,300-1,750 slum areas, classified into unplanned settlements (97%) and unsafe areas (3%). The urban poor move here to avoid the high rent rates in the formal city, yet the informality of their settlements means they do not receive adequate state services, such as education and healthcare. The Sisi government aims to tackle informal settlements as part of its efforts to increase political stability by improving low income households' living standards. Impacts Improving slum areas will reduce the risk of urban protests. It would also establish a more stable relationship between the local municipality and the urban poor. The state will partially replace social services previously provided by some Islamist organisations. Government cooperation with the local private sector will increase. Resettlement policies will only succeed if coordinated with transport system upgrades or provision of jobs in the new locations.

scholarly journals Low-income women’s right to sanitation services in city public spaces: a study of waste picker women in Pune

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 249-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nupur Joshi
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Policy Discourse ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

While considerable existing literature has focused on the lack of sanitation services in informal settlements, this paper argues for the need for well-maintained sanitation services in city public spaces. Specifically, the paper describes the impact of a lack of sanitation facilities in public spaces and its linkages to waste picker women’s sense of safety and security. Drawing on the experiences of waste picker women residing in an informal settlement in Pune, it focuses on women’s everyday improvisations and negotiations to cope with the unavailability or inaccessibility of sanitation facilities while they traverse the city, picking and segregating waste, and the impact on their income, health and psychological well-being. The findings show that the policy discourse on sanitation needs to be expanded beyond a focus on informal settlements to include a public sanitation component.

scholarly journals Financing the inclusive city: the catalytic role of community savings

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne Shand ◽  
Sarah Colenbrander
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Shared Vision ◽  
Collective Decision Making ◽  
Marginalized Groups ◽  
Catalytic Role

Global conversations around financing urban development typically neglect the importance of coordinating the activities of different stakeholders behind a shared vision for their city. In particular, low-income and other marginalized groups must be seen as entrepreneurs and partners in service delivery to enhance the efficacy of resource use and to reduce poverty. This paper explores the creation of non-traditional business models and alliances to invest in informal settlements. It presents examples from India, Kenya, Pakistan, Thailand and Zimbabwe, where local authorities, commercial banks and other formal actors have co-financed and co-delivered urban plans, housing and infrastructure through collaborations with organized groups of the urban poor. These groups make three critical contributions: financial resources, detailed information on the composition of informal settlements, and capabilities for collective decision-making and action. These contributions are underpinned by the financial and social capital developed through collective saving, and enable the delivery of complex urban improvements at scale.

What determines consumption of nutritious foods by the urban poor in Africa?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine G. Kiria Chege ◽  
Stella Namazzi ◽  
Mercy M. Mutua ◽  
Kevin Omondi Onyango ◽  
Matthias Jager
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Nutrition Information ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Lower Probability ◽  
Probit Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Urban Informal Settlements

PurposeMalnutrition remains a big public health issue especially in developing countries. The purpose of this paper is to analyze factors that influence consumption of nutrient-rich foods among children aged 6–59 months and women of reproductive age (15–49 years) in the urban informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya, and Kampala, Uganda. This study uses multicomposite soft porridge as an example of a nutritious product.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional survey was conducted with 574 households from urban informal settlements in Kampala and Nairobi. A systematic random sampling approach was used to select respondents, and interviews were conducted on their sociodemographics, porridge consumption and purchase behavior. Probit regression models were used for the analysis.FindingsResults indicate that households with access to nutrition information are more likely to consume porridge with diversified ingredients, compared to households without nutrition information. Additionally, consumption of fortified porridge flour has a lower probability of consuming porridge flour with diversified ingredients.Practical implicationsThe evidence echoes the need for increased dissemination of nutrition information, which will trigger willingness to pay and consumption of nutritious foods. Further, it underpins the need for processor-level interventions to avail these foods at affordable prices for the benefit of low-income consumers.Originality/valueThis is among the first papers assessing factors that influence consumption of nutritious and diversified soft porridge by children aged 6–59 months and women aged 15–49 in the informal settlements of East Africa.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document