Community-led total sanitation, Zambia: Stick, carrot or balloon?
It is clear that there is a need for more effective strategies to increase sanitation coverage in rural areas, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. One such strategy which is expanding in the sub-continent is community-led total sanitation (CLTS). However, CLTS has been criticized for ‘shaming’ communities and individuals, for using coercion, for providing unsustainable incentives or rewards, for neglecting the most vulnerable and for the lack of agreed standards. Using the example of Zambia, this paper responds to those criticisms. If implemented in accordance with ‘pure’ CLTS principles, the approach enables large-scale community mobilization which acts as a springboard for other development activities. The driver for social change is neither humiliation, coercion nor external reward but a strong sense of pride and realization of self-potential. The focus is not on externally imposed ‘standards’ but on self-determination of what is appropriate and on communal responsibility.Bode, B., Haq, A., Ahmed, S., Aziz, M.B., Roy, A.D., Majumber, M. and Kar, K. (2006) From Dependency to Emancipation: Building Solidarity through Collective Action, CARE Bangladesh Social Development Unit.
Bryce, J., Boschi-Pinto, C., Shibuya, K. and Black, R.E. (2005) ‘WHO estimates of the causes of death in children’, The Lancet 365: 1147-52.
Choma District Council (2008a) CLTS Review Report, February 2008, Choma District Council, Zambia.
Choma District Council (2008b) CLTS Review Report, October 2008, Choma District Council, Zambia.
CSO (2006) Living Conditions Monitoring Survey, Central Statistics Office, Government of Zambia.
Kar, K. (2005) Practical Guide to Triggering Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK.
Kar, K. and Chambers, R. (2008) Handbook on Community-Led Total Sanitation, Plan International, Woking, UK.
Kar, K. and Pasteur, K. (2005) Subsidy or Self-respect? Community Led Total Sanitation: An Update on Recent Developments, IDS Working Paper 257, Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK.
Lancet (2008) ‘Editorial’, The Lancet 371: 1045.
MLGH (2007) National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (2006-2015), Ministry of Local Government and Housing, Government of the Republic of Zambia.
Robinson, A. (2008) ‘Why is the queue for the toilet so long? Practical hints on improving sanitation behaviour in rural areas’, Sanitation and Water Conference, October 2008, World Vision, Melbourne, Australia.
Sijbesma, C. (2008) ‘Sanitation and hygiene in South Asia: Progress and challenges’ summary paper of the South Asian Sanitation & Hygiene Practitioners’ Workshop in Rajendrapur, Bangladesh, 29-31 January 2008. In: Beyond Construction: Use by All: A Collection of Case Studies from Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Practitioners in South Asia, WaterAid, London, UK and IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, Delft, The Netherlands.
UNICEF (2008) Chief Macha's Toilet Revolution, Sanitation Briefing Note, UNICEF, New York.
United Nations (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations, New York.
United Nations (2003) ‘The human rights-based approach: Statement of common understanding’, developed at the Inter-Agency Workshop on a Human Rights-based Approach in the Context of UN Reform, United Nations, New York, 3-5 May 2003.
WHO/UNICEF (2010) Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water: 2010 Update, WHO/UNICEF, Geneva.
Bode, B., Haq, A., Ahmed, S., Aziz, M.B., Roy, A.D., Majumber, M. and Kar, K. (2006) From Dependency to Emancipation: Building Solidarity through Collective Action, CARE Bangladesh Social Development Unit.
Bryce, J., Boschi-Pinto, C., Shibuya, K. and Black, R.E. (2005) ‘WHO estimates of the causes of death in children’, The Lancet 365: 1147-52.
Choma District Council (2008a) CLTS Review Report, February 2008, Choma District Council, Zambia.
Choma District Council (2008b) CLTS Review Report, October 2008, Choma District Council, Zambia.
CSO (2006) Living Conditions Monitoring Survey, Central Statistics Office, Government of Zambia.
Kar, K. (2005) Practical Guide to Triggering Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK.
Kar, K. and Chambers, R. (2008) Handbook on Community-Led Total Sanitation, Plan International, Woking, UK.
Kar, K. and Pasteur, K. (2005) Subsidy or Self-respect? Community Led Total Sanitation: An Update on Recent Developments, IDS Working Paper 257, Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK.
Lancet (2008) ‘Editorial’, The Lancet 371: 1045.
MLGH (2007) National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (2006-2015), Ministry of Local Government and Housing, Government of the Republic of Zambia.
Robinson, A. (2008) ‘Why is the queue for the toilet so long? Practical hints on improving sanitation behaviour in rural areas’, Sanitation and Water Conference, October 2008, World Vision, Melbourne, Australia.
Sijbesma, C. (2008) ‘Sanitation and hygiene in South Asia: Progress and challenges’ summary paper of the South Asian Sanitation & Hygiene Practitioners’ Workshop in Rajendrapur, Bangladesh, 29-31 January 2008. In: Beyond Construction: Use by All: A Collection of Case Studies from Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Practitioners in South Asia, WaterAid, London, UK and IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, Delft, The Netherlands.
UNICEF (2008) Chief Macha's Toilet Revolution, Sanitation Briefing Note, UNICEF, New York.
United Nations (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations, New York.
United Nations (2003) ‘The human rights-based approach: Statement of common understanding’, developed at the Inter-Agency Workshop on a Human Rights-based Approach in the Context of UN Reform, United Nations, New York, 3-5 May 2003.
WHO/UNICEF (2010) Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water: 2010 Update, WHO/UNICEF, Geneva.
Bode, B., Haq, A., Ahmed, S., Aziz, M.B., Roy, A.D., Majumber, M. and Kar, K. (2006) From Dependency to Emancipation: Building Solidarity through Collective Action, CARE Bangladesh Social Development Unit.
Bryce, J., Boschi-Pinto, C., Shibuya, K. and Black, R.E. (2005) ‘WHO estimates of the causes of death in children’, The Lancet 365: 1147-52.
Choma District Council (2008a) CLTS Review Report, February 2008, Choma District Council, Zambia.
Choma District Council (2008b) CLTS Review Report, October 2008, Choma District Council, Zambia.
CSO (2006) Living Conditions Monitoring Survey, Central Statistics Office, Government of Zambia.
Kar, K. (2005) Practical Guide to Triggering Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK.
Kar, K. and Chambers, R. (2008) Handbook on Community-Led Total Sanitation, Plan International, Woking, UK.
Kar, K. and Pasteur, K. (2005) Subsidy or Self-respect? Community Led Total Sanitation: An Update on Recent Developments, IDS Working Paper 257, Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK.
Lancet (2008) ‘Editorial’, The Lancet 371: 1045.
MLGH (2007) National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (2006-2015), Ministry of Local Government and Housing, Government of the Republic of Zambia.
Robinson, A. (2008) ‘Why is the queue for the toilet so long? Practical hints on improving sanitation behaviour in rural areas’, Sanitation and Water Conference, October 2008, World Vision, Melbourne, Australia.
Sijbesma, C. (2008) ‘Sanitation and hygiene in South Asia: Progress and challenges’ summary paper of the South Asian Sanitation & Hygiene Practitioners’ Workshop in Rajendrapur, Bangladesh, 29-31 January 2008. In: Beyond Construction: Use by All: A Collection of Case Studies from Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Practitioners in South Asia, WaterAid, London, UK and IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, Delft, The Netherlands.
UNICEF (2008) Chief Macha's Toilet Revolution, Sanitation Briefing Note, UNICEF, New York.
United Nations (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations, New York.
United Nations (2003) ‘The human rights-based approach: Statement of common understanding’, developed at the Inter-Agency Workshop on a Human Rights-based Approach in the Context of UN Reform, United Nations, New York, 3-5 May 2003.
WHO/UNICEF (2010) Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water: 2010 Update, WHO/UNICEF, Geneva.
Bode, B., Haq, A., Ahmed, S., Aziz, M.B., Roy, A.D., Majumber, M. and Kar, K. (2006) From Dependency to Emancipation: Building Solidarity through Collective Action, CARE Bangladesh Social Development Unit.
Bryce, J., Boschi-Pinto, C., Shibuya, K. and Black, R.E. (2005) ‘WHO estimates of the causes of death in children’, The Lancet 365: 1147-52.
Choma District Council (2008a) CLTS Review Report, February 2008, Choma District Council, Zambia.
Choma District Council (2008b) CLTS Review Report, October 2008, Choma District Council, Zambia.
CSO (2006) Living Conditions Monitoring Survey, Central Statistics Office, Government of Zambia.
Kar, K. (2005) Practical Guide to Triggering Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK.
Kar, K. and Chambers, R. (2008) Handbook on Community-Led Total Sanitation, Plan International, Woking, UK.
Kar, K. and Pasteur, K. (2005) Subsidy or Self-respect? Community Led Total Sanitation: An Update on Recent Developments, IDS Working Paper 257, Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK.
Lancet (2008) ‘Editorial’, The Lancet 371: 1045.
MLGH (2007) National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (2006-2015), Ministry of Local Government and Housing, Government of the Republic of Zambia.
Robinson, A. (2008) ‘Why is the queue for the toilet so long? Practical hints on improving sanitation behaviour in rural areas’, Sanitation and Water Conference, October 2008, World Vision, Melbourne, Australia.
Sijbesma, C. (2008) ‘Sanitation and hygiene in South Asia: Progress and challenges’ summary paper of the South Asian Sanitation & Hygiene Practitioners’ Workshop in Rajendrapur, Bangladesh, 29-31 January 2008. In: Beyond Construction: Use by All: A Collection of Case Studies from Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Practitioners in South Asia, WaterAid, London, UK and IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, Delft, The Netherlands.
UNICEF (2008) Chief Macha's Toilet Revolution, Sanitation Briefing Note, UNICEF, New York.
United Nations (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations, New York.
United Nations (2003) ‘The human rights-based approach: Statement of common understanding’, developed at the Inter-Agency Workshop on a Human Rights-based Approach in the Context of UN Reform, United Nations, New York, 3-5 May 2003.
WHO/UNICEF (2010) Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water: 2010 Update, WHO/UNICEF, Geneva.
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