Assessing Sustainable Approaches to Sanitation Planning and Implementation in West Africa
Year: 2008
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The challenge of achieving global sanitation targets is that it requires application of both technology\nthat is appropriate and a supporting organizational structure. The interactions between the\ntwo begin during the planning/decision-making process and continue throughout the system lifetime.\nDuring the last decade, strategic planning frameworks have emerged in the water and sanitation\nsector that reflect a shift from traditional, top-down planning to a more participatory, bottom-\nup approach. Despite this shift and in light of the continuing challenge of achieving widespread\nsanitation in the world, it is necessary to question if a knowledge gap exists between the\nglobal sanitation frameworks and local stakeholder priorities. This licentiate thesis presents the\nfirst phase of a research project whose objective is to study the global models and compare them\nwith existing local planning and decision-making conditions. It focuses on establishing the global\ncontext with regard to strategic planning tools and perspectives on sustainable sanitation. In\ngeneral, there is close agreement on methodology and processes recommended by international\nplanning frameworks; however the use of the term “sustainable sanitation” is highly variable. In\ngeneral, the findings of this thesis show that improving sanitation conditions requires tools based\non participation, social marketing, and process approaches for planning, capacity development,\nand feedback. Continuation of this research will investigate the local context regarding current\nplanning practices and perspectives on sustainable sanitation in order to assess potential differences\nbetween the global and local context and make recommendations for improving adaptation\nof planning strategies for bringing sanitation to scale.
Author: Jennifer McConville
Language: English
Subfield: Waste Management and Disposal
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W49935863