Weel 2- Talks on Crap [human waste] and it's association with gender issues

Question: Have you every poohed on bare ground? When you had a conscious mind of course. If yes, did it have any coverage? Grass? Did you wash your hands afterwards?

As odd as these questions may be, in 2008, 2.6 billion people which is 40% of world's population had no access to improved sanitation facilities. (World Bank, 2010) Within that 2.6 billion, 17% of them practiced open defecation that is pretty much poohing onto the ground. Open defecation is  the riskiest sanitation practice of all.   Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest percentage of people with access to improved facilities, only 31% of its population. (World Bank, 2010)


(Picture from wide information, 2014. Access date: 2015-10-28)

As intellectual civilized human being, it is rather common to avoid talking about poos in public that is very understandable. However, inadequate sewage systems or treatment of human waste will not only cause a high level of water-borne diseases but also possibly contaminate drinking water. Pooh carries bacteria and germs, and can be easily carried by the person if he practiced unhygienic act, which might cause water-borne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis A and typhoid(Wide information, 2014). These diseases are the greatest cause of deaths for children under five years old and can be significantly reduced with the implementation of adequate sanitation.

How are these issues related to gender?
Sanitation especially a troubling issue for girls in education. Without access to toilets in schools, girls often hold until they leave school. Once they hit puberty and starts menstruating, the stress and fear will create barriers to girl's schooling (Sommer's, 2010). Difficulties for girls will occur if there is a lack of access to private toilets and sanitary products. Long school days will increase the possibilities of having leakages. If coupled with frequent harassment by boys in the school, menstruation can easily create stress on to girls. Many Kenya girls view 'menstruation as the most significant social stressor and barrier to schooling (McMahon et al, 2011).

How to tackle the issue of gender and sanitation?
It is necessary to understand that this problem is multi-dimensional and that improved sanitary towels, disposal bins/bags and safe toilet spaces along with efforts to deal with sexual harassment will improve girls’ overall education experience greatly.(Jewitt and Ryley, 2014) World Toilet Organisation is currently improving awareness amongst the public to consider gender issues in developing sanitation programs and policies. (Jewitt and Ryley, 2014)

In the end, I would like to post a Ted video on the importance of sanitation. Although this video talks specifically on sanitation issues in India, I think reflections can be made on Africa as well.

Reference:
Data.worldbank.org, (2010). 40 percent of world population do not use improved sanitation facilities | Data. [online] Available at: http://data.worldbank.org/news/40prct-wrld-pop-dont-use-imprvd-sanitation [Accessed 28 Oct. 2015].

Jewitt, S. and Ryley, H. (2014). It’s a girl thing: Menstruation, school attendance, spatial mobility and wider gender inequalities in Kenya. Geoforum, 56, pp.137-147.

McMahon, S., Winch, P., Caruso, B., Obure, A., Ogutu, E., Ochari, I. and Rheingans, R. (2011). 'The girl with her period is the one to hang her head' Reflections on menstrual management among schoolgirls in rural Kenya. BMC Int Health Hum Rights, 11(1), p.7.

Sommer, M. (2010). Where the education system and women's bodies collide: The social and health impact of girls' experiences of menstruation and schooling in Tanzania. Journal of Adolescence, 33(4), pp.521-529.

Wide Information, (2014). One Billion People Still Practise Open Defecation, Endangering Public Health: UN. [online] Available at: http://wideinformation.com/one-billion-people-still-practise-open-defecation-endangering-public-health-un/ [Accessed 28 Oct. 2015].