Introduction and Overview
Welcome to my blog on Water and Sanitation in Africa!
I will be using this blog to reflect and build on my thoughts regarding issues related to the topic, as well as to hopefully gain a better understanding of how to further mitigate the situation. Themes I will cover range from the relationship between sanitation and taboo, governance and effective management, financial involvement, to evaluating various schemes that have been implemented. Water is at the core of sustainable development, as it represents and includes moving towards universal access in drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, addressing inequalities and challenges of water waste, quality, resource and ecosystem (UN Water, 2015). This connection to holistic areas of health, food, poverty, economic productivity, equity and access to education cannot be denied. Despite technologies, resources and capacities increasingly available globally, Africa is still on the fight to meet SDG goals 6 and 17, which are:
Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development (in the context of water and sanitation)
Africa loses 5% of its GDP due to poor coverage of water sanitation (ibid). These are fundamental, daily needs that should be covered by the appropriate party, whether the government or private providers. Driving forces of persistent water-sanitation concerns include rapid population growth, rise of urban slums and high-risk areas, inequitable economic development, as well as the limitations of being trapped in a poverty cycle and climate concerns. Management of water resources also do not see much support, with Africans rating government performance in handling water and sanitation as unsatisfactory (Walker and Logan, 2016), with public dissatisfaction increasing.
Having a safe and sufficient water supply, as well as available and clean sanitation is a basic human right. Unfortunately, the combination of unclean water and the lack of basic sanitation is a key factor in impairing efforts to end poverty and disease. A major concern with water and sanitation is its associated health burdens (UNDESA, 2014), such as diarrhoea and waterborne diseases like cholera. Lacking basic sanitation and the water necessary can result in open defecation, which is the primary cause of oral transmission of disease in children, and harmful unsanitary waste disposal (ibid). Even more people suffer from a lack of access to sanitation (UN Water, 2015)- majority of funding in countries focus on water coverage, but little for sanitation, and this is a hindrance for improved hygiene and health levels.
Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development (in the context of water and sanitation)
Africa loses 5% of its GDP due to poor coverage of water sanitation (ibid). These are fundamental, daily needs that should be covered by the appropriate party, whether the government or private providers. Driving forces of persistent water-sanitation concerns include rapid population growth, rise of urban slums and high-risk areas, inequitable economic development, as well as the limitations of being trapped in a poverty cycle and climate concerns. Management of water resources also do not see much support, with Africans rating government performance in handling water and sanitation as unsatisfactory (Walker and Logan, 2016), with public dissatisfaction increasing.
Having a safe and sufficient water supply, as well as available and clean sanitation is a basic human right. Unfortunately, the combination of unclean water and the lack of basic sanitation is a key factor in impairing efforts to end poverty and disease. A major concern with water and sanitation is its associated health burdens (UNDESA, 2014), such as diarrhoea and waterborne diseases like cholera. Lacking basic sanitation and the water necessary can result in open defecation, which is the primary cause of oral transmission of disease in children, and harmful unsanitary waste disposal (ibid). Even more people suffer from a lack of access to sanitation (UN Water, 2015)- majority of funding in countries focus on water coverage, but little for sanitation, and this is a hindrance for improved hygiene and health levels.
Hygiene is particularly important in tying together water and sanitation, and includes everyday actions like toilet use, hand washing, water treatment, food and menstrual hygiene, without which could undermine poverty reduction strategies and compromise human dignity (Wateraid, 2018). The State of Hygiene in South Africa report released by the World Health Organization in 2018 highlights the factors, barriers and key policies involved in sanitation and hygiene in the region, of which issues such as effective monitoring and evaluation, financial allocation and lack of infrastructure were presented. I aim to delve deeper into the relationship between sanitation and hygiene, and its place in Africa's development strategies, in future posts.
The link between water and sanitation, and development in Africa is clear. Improving situations in this field could open up a world of resources for other important development priorities, like education, proper jobs, and poverty alleviation. However, time spent collecting water results in a good $24 billion loss per year in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the good six kilometres that girls and women have to walk to collect water everyday reduces the amount of time that could have been spent in school or at work (ONE, 2015). It is estimated that more than half of the population have to leave their compound for water, 1 out of 5 leave their homes for a toilet, and 8% have no access at all to a toilet or latrine, even outside their compound (Walker and Logan, 2016). With such a chunk of their population having to spend time searching for basic human resources to live, it is no mystery what is infringing on their poverty reduction efforts. The dire link between water-sanitation and poverty will be explored further in relation to other economic, social and state affairs.
Improved access to safe water and sanitation can boost economic growth, alleviate poverty, and is fundamental to achieving the goals of improved health and education, greater food security, and environmental sustainability (ibid). It is crucial that urgent and effective methods are used to push for improved levels in Africa, especially in regions which are suffering the most. I hope to gain a balanced and deeper understanding of the water and sanitation situation in Africa through writing in this blog, and also to explore possible mitigation and solutions for this matter.
Comprehensive start!
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