Exploration of the impact of the lack of sanitation on women in the slums of Kampala, Uganda, 2011.
Massey, K. Sanitation and Hygiene Applied Research for Equity (SHARE)
The lack of substantive evidence concerning the connection between violence against women and lack of adequate sanitation demonstrated a need for further research.The aim of this qualitative study – conducted in Kampala, Uganda in 2011 – was to explore whether women are exposed to humiliation, violence and rape as a result of inadequate toilet facilities, and to examine the scope and impact of this association in order to inform future policy and programming.
The findings of this study demonstrate a firm link between a lack of access to adequate sanitation and women’s experiences of humiliation and violence. Additionally, they highlight the need for a broader definition of what constitutes inadequate sanitation. Analysis of the data revealed five key themes that can be considered as dimensions of inadequacy as perceived by the study participants, each of which contributes to a fuller understanding of how and why women in the study were impacted by toilets in their community. A more contextuallybased understanding of inadequate sanitation could contribute to the design and implementation of effective programme and policy solutions.
