Role of the women's union important factor in supporting women to shift priority for sanitation

In Muong Anh District in Dien Bien sanitary toilet access is low and the baseline survey indicated that open defecation was as high as 45% in 2010. Encouraged by the facilitators from the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) the women became central to get sanitation on the household and community agendas. Says the VWU leader of Muong district: “Normally it’s only women that start the discussion, if a woman really believes in sanitation she will convince her husband”. Sixteen families in Bo May now build brick urine diversion toilets.

Photographer: SNV Vietnam