Should we view sanitation as just another business? The crucial role of sanitation entrepreneurship and the need for outside engagement
Poor sanitation has recently been identified by the World Health Organization as the root cause of the majority of child deaths worldwide. Sadly though, progress on sanitation delivery currently lags well behind other Millennium Development Goals.In developed countries, sanitation is typically the role of the water utility. In developing countries however, the sanitation market is dominated by small private providers, usually very local in nature and often benefiting from little outside support.As such, private sanitation providers, from retailers to masons, from public toilet operators to latrine-emptying businesses, are of vital importance to medium- and lower-income communities. Unlike in the water sector, where there is much debate over private versus public provision, the key issue is how to combine a largely private system with an appropriate regulatory and supportive role from the public sector.This article discusses the situation from the perspective of sanitation professionals, suggesting concrete ways to strengthen the urban sanitation market and thus accelerate progress towards a key pillar of human development.Bartram, J., Haller, L. and Hutton, G. (2006) Economic and Health effects of increasing low-cost water and sanitation interventions. Geneva: World Health Organization.
Baskovich, M. (2009) Creating sanitation markets, powerpoint presentation. Water and Sanitation Programme, www.perusan.org www.perusan.org
Bereziat, E. (2009) Engaging sanitation entrepreneurs, Dakar case study, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Boseley, S. (2010) ‘Sanitation for all - but not for another 300 years’. The Guardian Newspaper, London, UK, 21 April 2010.
Eales, K., (2005) Bringing pit emptying out of the darkness: A comparison of approaches in Durban, South Africa, and Kibera, Kenya, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation [online] http://bit.ly/bvUfDk [accessed 1 August 2010]. http://bit.ly/bvUfDk
Kurokawa, K., Tembo, F. and te Velde, D.W. (2008) Donor support to private sector development in sub-Saharan Africa - Understanding the Japanese OVOP programme. Working Paper 290, ODI.
Morella, E., Foster, V. and Banerjee, S (2008) Climbing the ladder: The state of sanitation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Background Paper 13, Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic, World Bank, Washington, DC.
Mukherjee, N. (2009) Total Sanitation and sanitation marketing project: Indonesia country update, Water and Sanitation Programme.
OECD (2004) Accelerating pro-poor growth through support for private sector development. OECD DAC Network on Poverty Reduction.
Robinson, A. (2010) Sanitation Finance in Rural Cambodia: Review and Recommendations, Water and Sanitation Programme and ADB.
Salter, D. (2008) Identifying Constraints to Increasing Sanitation Coverage Sanitation Demand and Supply in Cambodia, Water and Sanitation Programme.
Schaub-Jones, D (2009) Supporting sanitation entrepreneurs in Lesotho - 20 years of experience, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Sijbesma, C., Xuan Truong, T. and Devine, J. (2010) Case study on sustainability of rural sanitation marketing in Vietnam, Water and Sanitation Programme.
Syagga, P., Mitullah, W. and Karirah, S. (2002) A rapid economic appraisal of rents in slums and informal settlements, Government of Kenya and UN-Habitat.
Traoré, E. et al. (1994) ‘Child defecation behaviour, stool disposal practices, and childhood diarrhea in Burkina Faso: Results from a case-control study’, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 48 (3): 270-75.
Tremolet, S (2010) Financing on-site sanitation for the poor: A six country comparative review and analysis, Water and Sanitation Programme.
UN-Water, WHO (2010) GLAAS 2010: UN-water global annual assessment of drinking water and sanitation: targeting resources for better results, WHO.
Valfrey-Visser, B. and Schaub-Jones, D. (2009) Engaging sanitation entrepreneurs: Supporting private entrepreneurs to deliver public goods, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Watkins, K. et al. (2006) Human development report 2006: beyond scarcity: power, poverty and the global water wars, UNDP.
WHO (2010) ‘The new GLAAS report’ on http://www.unwater.org/activities_GLAAS2010.html [accessed 28 August 2010] http://www.unwater.org/activities_GLAAS2010.html
Bartram, J., Haller, L. and Hutton, G. (2006) Economic and Health effects of increasing low-cost water and sanitation interventions. Geneva: World Health Organization.
Baskovich, M. (2009) Creating sanitation markets, powerpoint presentation. Water and Sanitation Programme, www.perusan.org www.perusan.org
Bereziat, E. (2009) Engaging sanitation entrepreneurs, Dakar case study, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Boseley, S. (2010) ‘Sanitation for all - but not for another 300 years’. The Guardian Newspaper, London, UK, 21 April 2010.
Eales, K., (2005) Bringing pit emptying out of the darkness: A comparison of approaches in Durban, South Africa, and Kibera, Kenya, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation [online] http://bit.ly/bvUfDk [accessed 1 August 2010]. http://bit.ly/bvUfDk
Kurokawa, K., Tembo, F. and te Velde, D.W. (2008) Donor support to private sector development in sub-Saharan Africa - Understanding the Japanese OVOP programme. Working Paper 290, ODI.
Morella, E., Foster, V. and Banerjee, S (2008) Climbing the ladder: The state of sanitation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Background Paper 13, Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic, World Bank, Washington, DC.
Mukherjee, N. (2009) Total Sanitation and sanitation marketing project: Indonesia country update, Water and Sanitation Programme.
OECD (2004) Accelerating pro-poor growth through support for private sector development. OECD DAC Network on Poverty Reduction.
Robinson, A. (2010) Sanitation Finance in Rural Cambodia: Review and Recommendations, Water and Sanitation Programme and ADB.
Salter, D. (2008) Identifying Constraints to Increasing Sanitation Coverage Sanitation Demand and Supply in Cambodia, Water and Sanitation Programme.
Schaub-Jones, D (2009) Supporting sanitation entrepreneurs in Lesotho - 20 years of experience, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Sijbesma, C., Xuan Truong, T. and Devine, J. (2010) Case study on sustainability of rural sanitation marketing in Vietnam, Water and Sanitation Programme.
Syagga, P., Mitullah, W. and Karirah, S. (2002) A rapid economic appraisal of rents in slums and informal settlements, Government of Kenya and UN-Habitat.
Traoré, E. et al. (1994) ‘Child defecation behaviour, stool disposal practices, and childhood diarrhea in Burkina Faso: Results from a case-control study’, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 48 (3): 270-75.
Tremolet, S (2010) Financing on-site sanitation for the poor: A six country comparative review and analysis, Water and Sanitation Programme.
UN-Water, WHO (2010) GLAAS 2010: UN-water global annual assessment of drinking water and sanitation: targeting resources for better results, WHO.
Valfrey-Visser, B. and Schaub-Jones, D. (2009) Engaging sanitation entrepreneurs: Supporting private entrepreneurs to deliver public goods, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Watkins, K. et al. (2006) Human development report 2006: beyond scarcity: power, poverty and the global water wars, UNDP.
WHO (2010) ‘The new GLAAS report’ on http://www.unwater.org/activities_GLAAS2010.html [accessed 28 August 2010] http://www.unwater.org/activities_GLAAS2010.html
Bartram, J., Haller, L. and Hutton, G. (2006) Economic and Health effects of increasing low-cost water and sanitation interventions. Geneva: World Health Organization.
Baskovich, M. (2009) Creating sanitation markets, powerpoint presentation. Water and Sanitation Programme, www.perusan.org www.perusan.org
Bereziat, E. (2009) Engaging sanitation entrepreneurs, Dakar case study, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Boseley, S. (2010) ‘Sanitation for all - but not for another 300 years’. The Guardian Newspaper, London, UK, 21 April 2010.
Eales, K., (2005) Bringing pit emptying out of the darkness: A comparison of approaches in Durban, South Africa, and Kibera, Kenya, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation [online] http://bit.ly/bvUfDk [accessed 1 August 2010]. http://bit.ly/bvUfDk
Kurokawa, K., Tembo, F. and te Velde, D.W. (2008) Donor support to private sector development in sub-Saharan Africa - Understanding the Japanese OVOP programme. Working Paper 290, ODI.
Morella, E., Foster, V. and Banerjee, S (2008) Climbing the ladder: The state of sanitation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Background Paper 13, Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic, World Bank, Washington, DC.
Mukherjee, N. (2009) Total Sanitation and sanitation marketing project: Indonesia country update, Water and Sanitation Programme.
OECD (2004) Accelerating pro-poor growth through support for private sector development. OECD DAC Network on Poverty Reduction.
Robinson, A. (2010) Sanitation Finance in Rural Cambodia: Review and Recommendations, Water and Sanitation Programme and ADB.
Salter, D. (2008) Identifying Constraints to Increasing Sanitation Coverage Sanitation Demand and Supply in Cambodia, Water and Sanitation Programme.
Schaub-Jones, D (2009) Supporting sanitation entrepreneurs in Lesotho - 20 years of experience, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Sijbesma, C., Xuan Truong, T. and Devine, J. (2010) Case study on sustainability of rural sanitation marketing in Vietnam, Water and Sanitation Programme.
Syagga, P., Mitullah, W. and Karirah, S. (2002) A rapid economic appraisal of rents in slums and informal settlements, Government of Kenya and UN-Habitat.
Traoré, E. et al. (1994) ‘Child defecation behaviour, stool disposal practices, and childhood diarrhea in Burkina Faso: Results from a case-control study’, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 48 (3): 270-75.
Tremolet, S (2010) Financing on-site sanitation for the poor: A six country comparative review and analysis, Water and Sanitation Programme.
UN-Water, WHO (2010) GLAAS 2010: UN-water global annual assessment of drinking water and sanitation: targeting resources for better results, WHO.
Valfrey-Visser, B. and Schaub-Jones, D. (2009) Engaging sanitation entrepreneurs: Supporting private entrepreneurs to deliver public goods, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Watkins, K. et al. (2006) Human development report 2006: beyond scarcity: power, poverty and the global water wars, UNDP.
WHO (2010) ‘The new GLAAS report’ on http://www.unwater.org/activities_GLAAS2010.html [accessed 28 August 2010] http://www.unwater.org/activities_GLAAS2010.html
Bartram, J., Haller, L. and Hutton, G. (2006) Economic and Health effects of increasing low-cost water and sanitation interventions. Geneva: World Health Organization.
Baskovich, M. (2009) Creating sanitation markets, powerpoint presentation. Water and Sanitation Programme, www.perusan.org www.perusan.org
Bereziat, E. (2009) Engaging sanitation entrepreneurs, Dakar case study, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Boseley, S. (2010) ‘Sanitation for all - but not for another 300 years’. The Guardian Newspaper, London, UK, 21 April 2010.
Eales, K., (2005) Bringing pit emptying out of the darkness: A comparison of approaches in Durban, South Africa, and Kibera, Kenya, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation [online] http://bit.ly/bvUfDk [accessed 1 August 2010]. http://bit.ly/bvUfDk
Kurokawa, K., Tembo, F. and te Velde, D.W. (2008) Donor support to private sector development in sub-Saharan Africa - Understanding the Japanese OVOP programme. Working Paper 290, ODI.
Morella, E., Foster, V. and Banerjee, S (2008) Climbing the ladder: The state of sanitation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Background Paper 13, Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic, World Bank, Washington, DC.
Mukherjee, N. (2009) Total Sanitation and sanitation marketing project: Indonesia country update, Water and Sanitation Programme.
OECD (2004) Accelerating pro-poor growth through support for private sector development. OECD DAC Network on Poverty Reduction.
Robinson, A. (2010) Sanitation Finance in Rural Cambodia: Review and Recommendations, Water and Sanitation Programme and ADB.
Salter, D. (2008) Identifying Constraints to Increasing Sanitation Coverage Sanitation Demand and Supply in Cambodia, Water and Sanitation Programme.
Schaub-Jones, D (2009) Supporting sanitation entrepreneurs in Lesotho - 20 years of experience, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Sijbesma, C., Xuan Truong, T. and Devine, J. (2010) Case study on sustainability of rural sanitation marketing in Vietnam, Water and Sanitation Programme.
Syagga, P., Mitullah, W. and Karirah, S. (2002) A rapid economic appraisal of rents in slums and informal settlements, Government of Kenya and UN-Habitat.
Traoré, E. et al. (1994) ‘Child defecation behaviour, stool disposal practices, and childhood diarrhea in Burkina Faso: Results from a case-control study’, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 48 (3): 270-75.
Tremolet, S (2010) Financing on-site sanitation for the poor: A six country comparative review and analysis, Water and Sanitation Programme.
UN-Water, WHO (2010) GLAAS 2010: UN-water global annual assessment of drinking water and sanitation: targeting resources for better results, WHO.
Valfrey-Visser, B. and Schaub-Jones, D. (2009) Engaging sanitation entrepreneurs: Supporting private entrepreneurs to deliver public goods, Building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Watkins, K. et al. (2006) Human development report 2006: beyond scarcity: power, poverty and the global water wars, UNDP.
WHO (2010) ‘The new GLAAS report’ on http://www.unwater.org/activities_GLAAS2010.html [accessed 28 August 2010] http://www.unwater.org/activities_GLAAS2010.html
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