Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Post-Emergency Contexts: A study on establishing sustainable service delivery models

Abstract

This research report was written to share research results, to contribute to public debate and to invite feedback on development and humanitarian policy and practice. It does not necessarily reflect the policy positions of the organizations jointly publishing it. The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the individual organizations.

Community Engagement in WASH Emergencies: Understanding Barriers and Enablers Based on Action Research from Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

“…Today, Oxfam is considered a major international aid organization, globally recognized as a leader in providing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services and infrastructure to crisis-affected communities across the world. Oxfam's WASH approach involves the provision of clean water, access to sanitation facilities (such as latrines and bathing units, and menstrual hygiene management facilities where appropriate), the promotion of health and hygiene to crisis-affected communities and the distribution of hygiene items or vouchers [1], amongst other interventions (see Table A1(i), Appendix A).…”

“…Given its substantial experience in providing crucial WASH services in camp settings, Oxfam was involved in this response from the very outset. Drawing on prior experience (see Table A1(iv), Appendix A) and ongoing research [1] and thereby recognizing that the average life span of a refugee camp is 17 years [6], Oxfam's technical team soon sought longer-term solutions to the provision of water and sanitation facilities. The scale of the refugee camp-comparative at this point to a Bangladeshi city and expected to exist for the next 20 years-likened it to a peri-urban area for which cost-effective and sustainable water access had to be developed.…”

“…Learning from the past and factoring in the importance of CE in the process, Oxfam sought to involve the community in a structured manner and from the onset, making sure to both measure and document its engagement. However, in light of recent research that shows that displaced communities are highly vulnerable and "will have limited ability to manage emergency water and sanitation services" [1], this involvement did not entail community-based approaches to the operation and maintenance of the system.…”

Bacteriological Quality of Drinking Water and Associated Factors at the Internally Displaced People Sites, Gedeo Zone, Southern Ethiopia: A Cross-sectional Study

“…People may live in densely populated settlements and be susceptible to faecal-orally transmitted illness (such as cholera) and vectorborne illness, largely as a result of inadequate Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services. [2][3][4] Water is essential to sustain life, and a satisfactory (adequate, safe and accessible) supply must be available to all. 5 Without safe water, infectious diseases, including hepatitis E, cholera and other diarrhoeal diseases can quickly spread, causing suffering and loss of life.…”

“…Environmental Health Insights industrial and other wastes. 2,8 Globally, 1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water which suffers from faecal contamination, of these 1.1 billion drink water that is of at least 'moderate' risk (>10 E. coli per 100 ml). 9 The World Health Organization (WHO) 10 of 2017 guidelines for drinking water and quality drinking water standards for Ethiopia recommend that coliform bacteria must not be detectable in any 100 ml sample of all water directly intended for drinking.…”