The private sector and sanitation for the poor: a promising approach for inclusive markets in Peru

Patricia Fuertes; Malva Rosa Baskovich; Mercedes Zevallos; Francois Brikke

doi:10.3362/1756-3488.2008.035

The private sector and sanitation for the poor: a promising approach for inclusive markets in Peru

Patricia Fuertes | Malva Rosa Baskovich | Mercedes Zevallos | Francois Brikke

The 'Alternative Pro-poor Sanitation Solutions in Peru' initiative model is a strongly market-driven approach, which advocates moving from viewing the poor as 'beneficiaries' to viewing them as 'customers'. While 'beneficiaries' have needs to be fulfilled by either the state or the municipality, with little concern for their visions and preferences, 'customers' have the right to choose among different alternatives; they are responsible for good decision-making and have the power to shape supply, bringing about new suppliers, thereby improving the sanitation status. This new approach to sanitation in Peru faces some important challenges; it implies a change of paradigm. Also, there is the challenge of maintaining the interest of the private sector when it takes time for consumers' attitudes and behaviour to change. It is too early to point to results; however this approach could be a good opportunity to find new ways to reach sustainable and high-quality sanitation services based on social inclusion, equality and solidarity.

Alternative Pro-poor Sanitation Solutions (APSS) (2008) Iniciativa Soluciones Alternativas para el Saneamiento, Water and Sanitation Program, Lima.

IMASEN (2007a) Sanitation Demand, Behaviour and Baseline Study in Peru, Water and Sanitation Program, Lima.

IMASEN (2007b) Presentación de resultados cuantitativos, Water and Sanitation Program, Lima.

INEI (2006) Compendio Estadístico 2006, INEI (National Institute of Statistics and Informatics), Lima.

Kar, K. (2003) Subsidy or Self-respect? Participatory Total Community Sanitation in Bangladesh, IDS Working Paper 184, Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK.

Macroconsult and IEP (2007) Oportunidades financieras para el desarrollo del mercado de saneamiento en el Peru, Water and Sanitation Program, Lima.

Obika, A., Jenkins, M., Howard, G., and Curtis, V. (2003) ‘Social marketing: can it increase demand and uptake of sanitation?’ Urban Poverty: Insights Development Research, id21, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.

Obika, A., Cotton, A.P., and Mkanga, M. (2005) ‘Creating demand for urban sanitation in sub-Saharan Africa’, Municipal Engineer Journal, 159 March 2006 Issue, pgs 29-35, Institute of Civil Engineers.

Rojas, R. and Sandoval, P. (2007) Estudio de la oferta de productos sanitarios de bajo costo en el Perú, Water and Sanitation Program, Lima.

Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) (2004) El saneamiento como negocio, COSUDE (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation), Lima.

WSP (2006) ‘Total Sanitation and Sanitation Marketing: New Approaches to Stimulate and Scale Up Sanitation Demand and Supply Project (TSSM)’ World Bank [Online] http://www.wsp.org/index.cfm?page=page_disp&pid=1585 [accessed 11 July 2008]. http://www.wsp.org/index.cfm?page=page_disp&pid=1585