Water crises and poor sanitation, why it matters to involve women and disability groups

Water for Women partners in action during the ABC International Development workshop with journalists, editors and content producers in Bali; (L-R seated) Novika Noerdiyanti and Herning Tyas Ekaristi, Yayasan Plan International Indonesia; Jigme Choden, SNV Bhutan; Darshan Karki, IWMI, Nepal.

Women and people with disabilities are the most victimised by poor sanitation and water crises. Inclusive policy and transformative leadership are required to address this.

By Aurelia Gracia, 28 May 2024

Women and people with disabilities are seldom involved by the government in addressing water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) issues. This was the statement made by a social worker from Yayasan Plan International Indonesia, Herning Tyas Ekaristi, in a press conference held by ABC International Development, (19/5), in Seminyak, Bali.

Whereas, these minority groups are the ones most affected by water crises – including those caused by disasters. As an example, in 2021, when Cyclone Seroja hit East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). At that time, tropical Cyclone Seroja triggered extreme rain intensity, strong winds, and landslides. Or the big flood in Bima, NTT that occurred in 2016, which damaged public facilities, agricultural land, and livestock.

These events are just two of many disasters in NTT and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). According to Water for Women, both provinces are highly vulnerable to climate change: Floods, landslides, rising sea temperature and level, hurricane, as well as drought. As a result, access to clean water and sanitation are hampered Such as [for] people who cannot use latrines.

In the end, it is women, children, and people with disabilities who are affected: Women will find it difficult to maintain menstrual and reproductive hygiene. Children walk kilometres away to fulfill water needs. People with disabilities found [sic] it hard to access sanitation and water facilities.

As one of the solutions, people buy water to fulfill the household water needs, as it is not enough to rely on water subsidy from the government. On the other hand, it put[s] more burden on the economy.

According to Kumparan, in 2020, Kupang residents spent Rp60 to Rp70 thousand for one to two weeks, to buy water of five thousand litre capacity. Such condition illustrates how the climate crisis make[s] the community even more vulnerable. Especially for the medium to low social class, women, and people with disabilities. Hence, the government policy needs to include accessibility to sanitation and clean water, for the minority groups.

Encouraging an inclusive public facility ​ 

Based on the data from Plan International Indonesia Foundation, in total there are 25 villages in Manggarai , NTT and Sumbawa, NTB, which allocate their village fund budget​ for gender equality, disability and social inclusion programs (GEDSI). The funds is [sic] used to renovate inclusive toilets, reforestation of water springs, installing hand railing in the toilets located at village head offices, health centres and schools. They also repair the floor and pathway to the toilets, as well as training and strengthening of people with disabilities.

Novika Noerdiyanti, Water for Women Project Manager from Yayasan Plan International Indonesia said, awareness of the importance of GEDSI was motivated by the involvement of disability groups in various village activities. Thus, the village government sees how they require support to access sanitation facilities. As a result, to date there are 16 villages [which] already renovated the toilets in village offices.

Yet, some other villages haven't prioritised GEDSI program, as they focus on infrastructure development. “The problem is whether or not it is included in village priority. So, we are pushing the GEDSI issue to be prioritised," Novika explained for MAGDALENE. 

Another case is the often-neglected availability of sanitation [sic] pad, including in disaster situation. Initially, female students chose to go home or go to a stall while menstruating, to get sanitary pads. However, now the school supplies and [th]is also socialised by peer educators.

“Boys are also involved as peer educators," said Tyas. "They talked about hygiene and menstrual management, so that female students are comfortable at school when they are menstruating."

Transformative leadership required

A similar situation occurs in Nepal, with its mountainous region. This condition is a challenge in the construction of toilets so that they can be accessed by anyone, including people with disabilities. Especially because other infrastructure is still inadequate.

In addition, regarding caste, gender, and women who tend to separate themselves during menstruation, are other obstacles. Hence, GEDSI Advisor of International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Darshan Karki said, the availability of infrastructures is not always leading to automatic acceptance and use of facilities.

Bhutan was declared Open Defecation Free in 2022. Previously, only 50% of the sanitation access are [sic] considered good. Also, not all houses are equipped with toilets, so people are using shared toilets that may not be necessarily hygienic. Not to mention, the people’s dependency on water springs, while open defecation can pollute the water.

In constructing the toilets, Gender Officer of SNV Bhutan, Jigme Choden said, they need to ensure not to endanger the users – particularly mothers and children. This is due [to] the muddy soil structure of the rural areas. Such aspect[s] initially received little attention when constructing toilets. Yet, it hinders the accessibility of women, elderly people, and people with disabilities.

Therefore, leaders and communities - including SNV - attended​ a transformative leadership workshop, with discussion about GEDSI. In policy making, SNV Bhutan also collaborate with various stakeholders. Among them are local leaders, healthcare worker assistants, engineers, and community members.

"Huge efforts from leaders are required to implement policy," said Choden in the same press conference. "So, leader is not just a position of power, but someone who understands that problems need to be conveyed."

Choden underlines that Bhutan's success in addressing open defecation is supported by transformative leadership, working with individuals of various areas in creating changes.

Whereas according to Novika, to make the change in the WASH sector, it can be initiated from individual. As example, by campaigning [on] the importance of WASH, just like what peer educators from Plan International Indonesia Foundation have done. Thus, it requires the commitment from the policy maker, to provide bigger impact and program creation. Followed by communities who can disseminate this issue via any platform, to reach wider audience.