Mathare's Sanitation Struggle

Introduction

Following on from my previous blog, we can see how women and girls are at danger when they collect water or openly defecate. Open defecation is prevalent across Africa (as seen in Figure 1) , with Eritrea having the highest number of people openly defecating (67%), followed by Chad (64%). These women are often violently confronted by men at the water point queues, water fetching paths and open defecation routes. This blog will explore some of these dangers, as well as looking at possible solutions. It will look at the right to sanitation in an ‘endangered’ manner. 

Figure 1: People practising open defecation in Africa (% of population) WHO/UNICEF 2019

Problems of inadequate WASH facilities 

Poor sanitation facilities creates discomfort and insecurity for millions of women in Africa. Women often leave before dawn or after nightfall to maintain privacy. When women wait till dark to use the toilet, they drink less during the day, resulting in health problems such as chronic constipation and urinary tract infections. The journeys in the dark, all alone, also increase the risk of gendered violence. What makes it worse, is that even when get they get to the destination, there is still the fear of rape as the communal toilets do not have locks and proper lighting for sufficient use. 36% of women living in Mathare reported to being raped when using toilet or bathing using shared facilities.

The never ending cycle of poverty

The sad reality is that violence against women is endemic to Nairobi’s slums. Many women face it, but because of the shame and stigma surrounding the topic, many don't come forward to speak about their experiences. This often leads to the assaulters being unpunished, keeping women vulnerable. In this way, we can see that poverty is both a consequence and a cause of violence. The women who experience any form of violence, also experience income loss, as their inability of being productive, getting a good job and raising a stable family is severely reduced. In addition, those in abusive relationships, often find it harder to escape this cycle and leave their abuser, leading to increased violence behind closed doors. 

 

Are there any solutions?

There is not one universal solution but there are different ways which can drastically help. Most women in Mathare suggested that consistent water, lighting and security would be the first step in improving WASH facilities, as well as installing more gender specific toilets. Currently there are no toilets just for women, but instead one side is labelled ‘men’ and one ‘women’ (as seen in Figure 1) which sometimes causes confusion and can decrease privacy, whilst increasing vulnerability to violence. 

Figure 1: Public toilets in Mathare

Women felt it was their collective responsibility in renovating and cleaning the facilities and stressed the importance of education for residents, landowners and local groups to overcome community challenges. Education can also increase the social mobility and inclusion of the LGBTQ community, who may feel stigmatised by the gender specific toilets. It could increase awareness of installing gender neutral toilets which ensures the safety of all women, not only cis women.

Conclusion

For some, having a toilet near one’s bedroom seems like a necessity, for others, having a toilet in one’s home is a distant reality. It is clear that for the majority of women in Mathare, the lack of adequate sanitation has led to increased anxiety, a sense of powerlessness and stigmatisation. It is only by putting women’s sanitation needs at the top of the list, rather than including them as an afterthought, that any improvement would be made and any chance that SDG 6 will be achieved by 2030.