Decolonising the WASH Sector

In my introductory post I discussed the de-colonial approach I will include within my posts. In this blog post I aim to dismantle the existing hegemonic discourse that has dominated the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sector (WASH). This is particularly consequential in Africa as Luseka argues that “whilst the physical colonisation of the countries of the global South by the global North may have ended, knowledge colonialism continues”.

Figure 1: Children washing hands after UNICEF WASH program Source: UNICEF

Did you know that some of the genuine (unintended) consequences of WASH initiatives include:

• Public latrines built by an aid program were dismantled and used for firewood by community members, as firewood was considered a greater need that sanitation (Barrington et al 2018)

• Women deliberately blocked household water delivery systems with rocks because they wanted water collection as a legitimate reason to leave the house and socialise with other women (Barrington et al 2018)

• The installation of lighting at toilet blocks in a refugee camp to increase safety of women, which led to groups of men using the light to play cards there at night and consequently, making women feel even less safe about using the sanitation facilities (Barrington et al 2018)

 

So why is that WASH efforts have failed?

Luseka argues that “knowledge colonialism” continues to inform decisions made in the WASH sector, legitimising “one size fits all” strategies. She believes that this is the crux to the widespread failure of WASH projects as the success and sustainability of them is undermined by a lack of understanding of cultural behaviours.

COVID-19 is a helpful example that illustrates the dominance of Western knowledge in public health research. Nobody has ever experienced COVID-19 before. So how is it possible for someone in lock-down in Europe to comprehensively advise the South on managing the pandemic? Could it be that…they can’t? It is undeniable that an imbalance of power and politics exists in the WASH sector.

Figure 2: Handwashing during COVID-19 Source: Global Citizen

But why does this imbalance exist? 

The colonial legacies exist in a way that enforces the notion that Western knowledge is superior and is more useful as it is often scientifically advanced. This can be seen by African researchers investigating the questions of the Western theorists which, doesn’t actually help the societies where the research is conducted, only further entrenches the perceived superiority of Western research.

Even the interactions between donors and Southern partners are always political. Most donors want to hurry the process so consultation is minimal and usually just before implementing the changes. Southern partners are reluctant to voice their opinions, afraid to appear ungrateful and further opportunitiesto express concerns never materialise. This leads to the construction of infrastructures that are unsuitable and thus "unsuccessful".

On a related note, have you ever considered what we distinguish to be successes and failures? In the WASH sector there is a general assumption of a binary distinction. Did open urination continue or decrease? Did more people have access to a toilet? Yes or no? But what other consequences should be considered? There are often unintended consequences (as listed above) some of which aren't even measured as they are so unexpected that they don’t appear in formal monitoring requirements. Understanding cultural behaviours could be a key step in truly understanding what should be deemed appropriate grounds for measuring success.  

 

So what can we do?

“Lets talk with Africa!” (Luseka 2020)

Consultation needs to be a continuous process, starting at project conception and supported throughout development through communication channels that include local voices. Luseka adds that ultimately, before decolonising WASH sector knowledge, it is necessary for us to decolonise our minds.

Water experts appear to be their own enemies towards SDG6 realisation. To truly achieve this goal it is necessary to redefine what is considered “good knowledge” and be prepared to engage with literature, people and cultures of the South.

 

Linked below is a video recording of "The Global Talk" if you are interested in this topic further. Hosted by the IRC with Euphresia Luseka and Alari Adali as guest speakers. It explores further some of the ideas discussed in this post.