challenges acknowledged ignorance continued: wash deprivation of excluded community

Challenges acknowledged Ignorance continued:

WaSH deprivation of excluded community

Md Khairul Islam and Aftab Opel WaterAid in Bangladesh

Asia Regional Sanitation and Hygiene Practitioners Workshop

31 January – 2 February 2012

Dhaka, Bangladesh

WaterAid Conference Room

27 December 2010

www.wateraid.org/bangladesh

Election Manifesto of AL

The arsenic problem will be tackled and measures will be taken to supply pure drinking water for all by 2011 and to provide sanitation facility in every house by 2013.11.2 Av‡m©wbK mgm¨v mgvavb K‡i 2011 mv‡ji g‡a¨ mevi Rb¨ wbivc` my‡cq cvwb Ges 2013 mv‡ji g‡a¨ cÖwZ evwo‡Z ¯^v¯’¨m¤§Z m¨vwb‡Uk‡bi e¨e¯’v Kiv n‡e|


Sanitation challenges

Only 54% population have access to improved sanitation in Bangladesh (25% shared latrines - unimproved) Less than 20% people practice improved hygiene (observation on hand washing)Unsafe sanitation cost Bangladesh US$ 4.2 billion each year -- equivalent to 6.3% of GDP (2007)


Types and patterns of exclusion


The extent of geographic exclusion

MICS 200920.17% sub-districts represent below the average sanitation coverage19.96% sub-districts represents worst sanitation coverage.21 sub-districts represents less than 10% improved sanitation coverage8 sub-districts represents less than 5% improved sanitation coverage


Geographic exclusion (cont’d)

GoB HtR strategy


The extent of social exclusion

28.8% slum households have access to safe sanitation22 out of 25 Hill Sub-districts show below the national average sanitation coverage3.5% households in selected tea-gardens have access to improved sanitation


Challenges (exclusion) acknowledged

GoB 2005 -- Pro-Poor Strategy for Water and Sanitation Sector in Bangladesh”, which stated that “there is a need for ‘direct attack on poverty’ as the benefits of growth are not distributed equitably”.SACOSAN 3 (2008) the government acknowledged that “the poorest of the poor have .......... the greatest difficulties to acquire their right of subsidized sanitation services. It therefore recommended for increasing public funding for sanitation improvement”


Challenges (exclusion) acknowledged (cont’d)

In 2009 (MDG Progress report), GoB acknowledged equity and exclusion to be major impediments to achieving many of the MDG goals. In 2010, SDP (2011 to 2025) emphasized targeted programmes for different vulnerable groupsIn 2011, SACOSAN - IV reconfirmed the issues



In 2011 Declaration of BanglaSanSpecial programmes for underserved areas especially the hill tracts, char, haor, coastal areas, islands, tea gardens, slums, Barind tract, disaster-prone and poverty-stricken areas will be taken and implemented on a priority-basis. Priority will be given to the demands of underprivileged populations, disabled persons, senior citizens, women and children in every sanitation-related programme. www.wateraid.org/bangladesh


In 2011 National Strategy for Water and Sanitation for Hard to Reach Areas of Bangladesh

“there are areas that received very little attention. Extreme poverty in these areas exacerbates the water and sanitation crisis. While the Government of Bangladesh has set its targets of achieving full coverage of water and sanitation by 2011 and 2013 respectively, these areas need special attention in different aspects of development”.www.wateraid.org/bangladesh

Ignorance continued - Fatal neglect to sanitation

Public sector budget allocations for WSS have increased steadily, from 2.3% in FY 2007 to 5.6% in FY 2011 – almost 3 foldsFY 2003/04 and FY 2009/10 - the total allocation was Tk 224,519 crore under 7 ADPs. Only 1.6% was spent over this 7 year period on 42 development projects that covered at least one component of sanitation. The allocation exclusively for sanitation (hygienic or improved latrine) purposes was only 0.2%


Ignorance continued …… Urban bias enhanced


Inadequate analysis even at the policy level ………

Budget speech (2009) say: “about 88 percent families are now using sanitary latrines. By next year we shall try to raise the use to 100 percent” Budget speech (2010) claimed: “we …… started a program to produce and set up around 5 lakh sanitary latrines. Another 1.9 lakh sets of sanitary latrine will be produced and installed in FY 2010-2011 Budget speech (2011) say:, “90.6 percent families in the country are using sanitary latrines. We are determined to ensure sanitation for all by 2013. Accordingly, as many as 1.58 lakh sanitary latrines have been produced and installed up to March, 2011”


Inadequate analysis even at the policy level ………

Budget Even if the claim of yearly production of sanitary latrines are correct it would take about TWENTY years to reach 100% coverage. On the other hand, if the progress was 2.6% over the past two years and the coverage figure in the budget document is correct, it would also take more than SEVEN years to achieve 100% coverage. www.wateraid.org/bangladesh

Ways forward

We need focused programmes targeting the excluded communitiesImmediate implementation of the HtR strategy Engage politically without being partisan – remind about the election manifesto in media, parliamentary caucus, planning cell, SWA HLM, etc.Any other thought – most welcome


Thank you!For further details please contact

WaterAid in BangladeshHouse 97/B, Road 25, Block A, Banani, Dhaka 1213, Bangladesh

Tel.: +880 2 8815757, 8818521, Fax: +880 2 9882577email: [email protected]


challenges acknowledged ignorance continued: wash deprivation of excluded community

Business