Onsite Sanitation in Urban Informal Settlements: Delivery modalities and implications for Gender Equity and Social Inclusion in Nairobi, Kenya

According to Sanitation Learning Hub, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) is an approach whereby WASH interventions lead to equal access to, and control over, resources and participation in decision-making processes for all, as well as contribute to greater gender equality and social inclusion beyond the WASH sector.

The research was undertaken in April – August 2022 and entailed community sanitation dialogues and knowledge exchange forums with selected persons across the five informal settlements complemented by participatory mapping of sanitation facilities in order to further underscore the GESI issues identified through the community sanitation dialogues. The participatory approach which was co-created with local organisations and people helped to reflect local knowledge and concerns, and to promote understanding on the successes and challenges in provision of onsite sanitation and GESI issues associated with sanitation and hygiene programming in the city.

The research will advance practical solutions for sanitation and hygiene programming which will be proposed in consultation with representatives of the five communities and other WASH stakeholders including the national government which provides policy direction on sanitation and the municipal government whose mandate is to implement policy and provide sanitation facilities and services.

The research was funded by Sanitation Learning Hub to in-country research institutes, organisations or think tanks, to undertake GESI-specific research into sanitation and hygiene in low and low-middle incoming countries. The Hub, based at the Institute of Development Studies promotes research and learning on gender transformative sanitation approaches and ‘Leave No One Behind’ policies and programmes that focus on the poorest, most marginalised, and hardest to reach households and communities.