Enhancing Livelihoods Through Sanitation

Maria-Lúcia Borba, Jo Smet and Christine Sybesma (IRC) (2007)

The safe disposal, management and re-use of human excreta play a key role in improving people’s livelihoods. There is a virtuous circle as safe sanitation improves people’s health and the environment, and this makes it possible for people to engage in productive activities, and further increases demand for better conditions in the local environment. Effective sanitation also has a direct impact on the creation of jobs, new markets and small scale enterprises.

This TOP is intended to inspire those working in water and sanitation and related sectors at policy and policy implementation levels, who are interested in the disposal, management and re-use of human excreta and in improving the well-being and environment of poor families.

The TOP locates livelihoods as the means that poor men and women have of surviving in adverse circumstances, especially in rural areas and on the periphery of towns and cities. It outlines the complex links between sanitation, health, livelihoods and poverty, paying attention to different strands within communities, especially gender differences.

Case studies from Bangladesh, Malawi and Brazil, give practical examples of how a focus on sanitation can transform communities. The TOP lists key challenges for donors, local government, services and allies in putting poor communities at the centre of these efforts.

You can download the complete TOP here, or read a summary written by Peter McIntyre, by clicking on the sections below.

- Download:

TOP19_SanLiv_07.pdf (916.5 kB)

- Series:

Thematic Overview Paper 14, 63 p.