Staff Writer
WINDHOEK, May 6 — Namibia faces a significant challenge in providing its citizens with access to safe and adequate sanitation, particularly in rural areas and informal settlements. Despite government efforts to address this issue, there remain significant obstacles to improving sanitation in the country. The lack of a common vision and effective coordination among different ministries and the lack of public participation in the design, implementation, and monitoring of toilet initiatives are among the most significant obstacles to improving sanitation in Namibia.
The Namibian government has invested in dry toilets as a cost-effective solution to the sanitation challenge, particularly in rural areas. Dry toilets do not use water or chemicals to move waste along, making them cheaper to maintain than traditional flush toilets. However, dry toilets require more maintenance and cleaning than traditional toilets, and many Namibians have not been properly educated on how to use them.
The UN special rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation has emphasized the need for public participation in the design, implementation, and monitoring of sanitation initiatives. She has also warned that the benefits of investing in sanitation would be lost if the government failed to give equal attention to hygiene promotion and awareness-raising on the benefits of safe sanitation.
The Namibian government has acknowledged the importance of community involvement and participation in improving sanitation. However, despite investing in sanitation facilities, no community involvement and participation or sanitation hygiene promotion activities were incorporated. This has resulted in many of the facilities not being used, operated, or maintained properly, and open defecation has only dropped by 2.7% nationwide in the past ten years.
To improve sanitation in Namibia, it is crucial that the government and local communities work together to design, implement, and monitor sanitation initiatives. This involves providing education and awareness-raising campaigns to promote the benefits of safe sanitation, as well as training communities on how to operate and maintain sanitation facilities. The right approach can help Namibia make significant progress in improving sanitation and providing its citizens with a basic human right – access to safe and adequate sanitation.
One significant issue in the Namibian sanitation sector is poor coordination. Seven ministries, regional councils, and local authorities have each been tasked with delivering improvements, making it difficult to monitor and track investment in sanitation. This also makes it challenging to ensure Namibia’s adherence to the 2015 Ngor declaration, in which the government promised to commit a minimum of 0.5% GDP to sanitation and hygiene from 2020 onwards. Surveying the Namibian landscape reveals damaged, disused, and derelict government toilets across the country, which further emphasizes the need for effective coordination.
The private sector has also noted that the government has complicated their efforts to provide more sustainable sanitation options. While the government prefers ventilated pit latrines, which reduce odour by separating waste from urine, and are built with a closed container that prevents groundwater pollution, private sector options like dry toilets cost more but offer training upon installation. Private sector solutions require educating communities on daily cleaning, which is crucial in ensuring the continued operation of sanitation facilities.
In conclusion, improving sanitation in Namibia requires a collaborative effort between the government and local communities, effective coordination among different ministries and authorities, and public participation in the design, implementation, and monitoring of sanitation initiatives. With the right approach, Namibia can make significant progress in providing its citizens with a basic human right – access to safe and adequate sanitation. – Namibia Daily News
