The “We Speak Too by Sanitation Workers” event is back for its 6th and final edition! This multi-city seminar series foregrounds the voices of sanitation workers from across the value chain to share their stories, challenges, and experiences with a diverse audience.

Organised by the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, the session in Delhi promises to be just as engaging as the previous seminars held in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Dehradun, Bhopal, and Patna.

About the Session
This event centred around the theme “Our Rights, Our Recognition,” features five sanitation workers from Delhi who shared their professional and personal challenges and aspirations. The session is moderated by Ms Shalini Sinha, Asia Strategic Lead, Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO).

The panellists of the event are:
Jahani Begum – a door-to-door waste collector
Fatima Bibi – a public toilet caretaker
Jagruti Devi – a waste picker
Sonu – a contractual worker
Ved Prakash Bighel – former labour union president

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from these inspiring individuals on the theme “The City and Us: Our Rights, Our Recognition” and be a part of the conversation about how we can better support sanitation workers in their critical roles.

Date: Saturday, 16th September 2023
Time: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Venue: Theatre Kunzum, M60, Third Floor
M Block Market, Greater Kailash – II
New Delhi 110048

This “We Speak Too” seminar was held in September 2023.
You can watch the live recording here.

Women’s participation in the workforce is often under-represented in both informal and formal roles, which is a serious concern. In the sanitation sector, women are often seen as users, participants, or beneficiaries. However, several women professionals work across the full cycle of sanitation in various roles. They face myriad challenges throughout their careers, and their contributions to the sanitation sector are seldom recognized.

To change this perspective and create awareness about the contributions of women to the sanitation sector, the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS)-led Tamil Nadu Urban Sanitation Support Programme (TNUSSP) initiated the Women in Sanitation (WIS) campaign in 2020. The campaign uses basic tools to capture and augment the contribution of women sanitation professionals.

The Problem

Over the years, the world has seen numerous movements that have been instrumental in redefining the role of women in society. Inspiring stories of women breaking biases and creating a difference have been sources of encouragement and confidence for many. However, there is much to be done. Globally, the labour force participation is around 63% for women, compared to 94% for men; and fewer than 1 in 5 water workers are women (World Bank, 2019).

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the more informal the work in sanitation, the more women are involved; this is in line with other trends, e.g., UN Women, 2021 data reports that women are increasingly engaged in informal work. Women in the sanitation sector also face challenges across their career trajectories. Additionally, their contributions have seldom been recognized. Stigma and ostracization continue to haunt grassroots workers in the sector, most of whom are women.

The Solution

The Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS)-led Tamil Nadu Urban Sanitation Support Programme (TNUSSP) initiated the Women in Sanitation (WIS) campaign in 2020 with the intention of:

• Creating a platform for cisgender/transwomen professionals to share their stories.
• Recognizing and celebrating their work.
• Inspiring other women to pursue a career in the field.

Designed to align with the themes of International Women’s Day, the campaign adopts a simple approach to capture the lived perspectives of the women through participatory and unstructured interviews to highlight their journey, struggles and successes. While the campaign initially featured professionals from Tamil Nadu, it later expanded to include stories from other parts of India, and Africa.

So far, the campaign has featured women community toilet caretakers and cleaners, desludging operators, treatment plant operators, solid waste workers, entrepreneurs, community workers, engineers and administrators. T. Saranya (Figure 2) had this to say:

I am the first woman working in this Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant. Earlier there used to be a lot of problems with the truck drivers. I have figured things out now, but it was not easy.

Their videos were shared on multiple digital platforms, disseminated in conferences and film festivals, and amplified through sector professionals, partners, sanitation workers and non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations networks. The campaign also includes various collaborations to get diverse stories. Since its launch, the campaign has been well-received, with a proportional increase in views and online interest. The WIS stories have garnered over 100,000views on YouTube, and have attracted more than 2000 followers across various social media platforms. The campaign’s concept has also inspired many organizations to further the cause with their own initiatives. Stories of selected participants from the WIS campaign were featured in a storytelling session, “Women in Sanitation: Glimpses from Across the Chain” at World Water Week, 2021, which was attended by over 250 participants from across the world. The emerging lessons and recommendations from the campaign are being mainstreamed into state and city-level gender initiatives.

The campaign results revealed that the Faecal Sludge Management sector could be a good platform for empowering and providing opportunities to marginalized communities. Similar behaviour change campaigns could be vital in addressing several misconceptions related to sanitation job profiles and the role of women. Initiatives like the WIS campaign help participants feel empowered and recognized while inspiring fellow workers and creating awareness in society. Sustained communication efforts can reorient perspectives and improve the working conditions of women sanitation workers through better interactions with the public, a clearer understanding of their issues among policymakers and fostering a sense of solidarity among the workers. As the campaign enters its fourth edition, it hopes to strengthen national and global partnerships to systematically document diverse stories and support advocacy efforts.

Lessons Learned

The key lessons from this intervention are:

• Space to share stories: Many cis/trans women in water and sanitation sectors reported that they were given the opportunity to speak for themselves as professionals for the first time.
• Challenges: While experiences differed, all women spoke of challenges they faced on account of their gender, e.g., lack of ergonomic personal protective equipment, vehicles and tools, the need to balance between caregiving and professional roles, societal outlook on pursuing occupations traditionally held by men, biases faced in promotions/progression, among others. The campaign acted as a space to identify nuanced challenges for women professionals, not just in the informal/unpaid pursuits but also for administrators, entrepreneurs and leaders.
• Intersectionality: The campaign also brought out significant perspectives on intersectionality in the context of gender and sanitation. These stories highlighted the issues of caste, gender identity, disability, and their impact on their professional roles.
• Instilling a sense of pride: Many roles in sanitation are traditionally stigmatized, further so when there is a layer of gender, identity, caste or disability added to it. The stories from the WIS campaign are consciously positioned to change these narratives and valourize the professionals, recognizing and celebrating their roles and contribution to the sector, public health and environment.
• Targeting systematic change: With every edition of the campaign, the response –quantitative and qualitative – indicated a significant interest among the public in listening to what women sanitation workers have to say. Sustained efforts such as the WIS campaign, can draw attention to sanitation as a topic while positioning women’s role in the same.

Useful Links and Resources

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX_a5TgJt9iri_CR15fR6FdkNn6dp3Oy4
https://www.worldwaterweek.org/event/10072-women-in-sanitation-glimpses-from-across-the-chain

Join us for the fifth edition of “We Speak Too, by Sanitation Workers” in Patna!

This multi-city seminar series foregrounds the voices of sanitation workers from across the value chain to share their stories, challenges, and experiences with a diverse audience. Organised by the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, this month’s event in Patna promises to be just as engaging as the previous seminars held in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Dehradun, and Bhopal.

About the Session
Our moderator is Dr Madhurima Raj, a journalist and academic who has worked extensively on UNICEF’s child rights advocacy initiatives. She holds a doctorate in Women’s History from Patna University and has worked in various academic and development institutions across northern India for over a decade. Dr Madhurima Raj aims to support governments in developmental planning and capacity building on WASH.

Hear from our panellist Kalowati Devi, a solid waste segregator who handles waste, including diapers and sanitary pads, with bare hands due to the lack of protective gear.

Krishna Ram, a blockage removal worker, and Kusum Devi, a community toilet caretaker, will also share their experiences of working in challenging conditions with minimal support.

We will also hear from Rafiqul Islam, who left his home in Assam after a devastating flood and now works as a wastepicker to support his family. Salma Khatun, a street sweeper with the municipal corporation, will speak about her 15 years of employment without sick leave or medical coverage.

Lastly, Binod Ram, a sewage maintenance worker, and Vidya Ram, a desludging operator with the Municipal Corporation, will provide insights into the difficult work they do to keep the city running smoothly.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from these inspiring individuals on the theme “The City and Us: Social Protection,” and be a part of the conversation about how we can better support sanitation workers in their critical roles.

Date: Saturday, 29th April 2023
Time: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Venue: Conference Hall, Bihar Industries Association
Industry House, Sinha Library Road
Patna, Bihar 800001

Do share this invite with your friends and colleagues who may be interested in joining the session!

This “We Speak Too” seminar was held in April 2023.
You can watch the live recording here.

The CWIS project is focused on enhancing the community and public toilet infrastructure in Trichy city to make them more inclusive. This involves upgrading the existing facilities by making them safer, accessible, and in compliance with the latest design standards.

As a part of this project, the community toilet at RMS Colony was selected as a pilot for containment improvements and toilet infrastructure upgrades. The modifications were kept minimal while ensuring that all necessary rectifications were made.

The purpose of this demonstration was to upgrade the existing facilities to increase the number of users who can safely access the toilet and improve the quality of effluent from the containment. By improving the quality of sanitation infrastructure in Trichy city, the CWIS project aims to create a more inclusive and equitable environment for all stakeholders.

Featured in DT NEXT

CHENNAI: To overcome gender stereotype and inspire women, the Tamil Nadu Urban Sanitation Support Programme (TNUSSP) will launch a digital campaign, ‘Women in Sanitation’, on the occasion of International Women’s Day that falls on March 8, featuring women, from various parts of the country.

Starting Wednesday, the group will share videos every month on social media platforms. These will showcase women sanitation professionals, who will candidly share their journeys, the challenges they faced along the way, and the ways in which they overcame them.

The four-year-old campaign believes that women’s issues should not get the spotlight merely once a year on Women’s Day, but be a continuing discourse between women professionals and their allies.

“We have featured more than 30 professionals in the last three years. The roles in the sanitation sector are stereotyped by gender. It will inspire women who want to take up a career in sanitation,” said Abhilaasha, specialist of TNUSSP.

The aim of the campaign is to ask the viewers to stop and reflect on what additional support is required for women professionals to meet the equity in leadership, representation and visibility.

“As many as 30 videos will feature women sanitation workers, where they speak about the roles and challenges in the field. Unlike the usual videos, it will be inspirational for others. These women will explain the challenges they faced along their way and the bold ways in which they overcame them. The sanitation workers are from Tamil Nadu and other states of the country, Nepal, Africa, and South America,” said another volunteer from TNUSSP.

TNUSSP has collaborated with organisations around the world to bring forth films and discussions that are centered around the powerful stories of women sanitation professionals. The first film of the series will be launched on Wednesday on the organisation’s YouTube handle ‘tnussp9401’.

The women candidly share their journeys, the challenges they faced, and the ways in which they overcame them

Featured in THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS

CHENNAI: Back in my hometown in West Africa, sanitation is a big issue as the outbreak of diseases and cholera are common,” explains junior researcher Ibrahim B Bangura. He has just returned to the city after 10 knowledge-packed days of visiting fecal waste treatment plants and speaking to government officers and sanitation workers across various cities, including Tiruchy and Thanjavur.

Post his tour, the researcher from Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre reveals he enjoyed his stay in the country. Determined, he aims to return to his country and nudge his government into tackling the sanitation question, reminding them that any conversation on health cannot leave out the matter. From February 9-16, organisations such as OVERDUE, and L’être égale among others participated in this exercise hosted by the Indian Institute of Human Settlements (IIHS)-ledTamil Nadu Urban Sanitation Support Programme (TNUSSP).

Before Ibrahim leaves, he makes his first visit to the Anna Centenary Library on Thursday evening and joins other delegates from seven African countries to discuss their tour and the often-flushed away topic — the public goal of sanitation in cities. Surrounded by free open spaces and nine glorious floors of various texts, the library — accessible to all — welcomes all stakeholders, especially citizens, to the discussion on basic development.

Sanitation is key to development and a basic part of our lives, the crowd is firmly reminded by Kavitha Wankhade, project director of TNUSSP. Throwing open the panel discussion ‘Just Sanitation: Insights from Indian and African Cities’, she says “there’s always someone to take care of waste, you flush it off and you don’t care. Often, the sanitation question comes back to caste and race. The first thing citizens can do is educate themselves about waste as they have a great role to play in societal change.” She adds that the conversation should move beyond toilet access and while it remains necessary, it is not sufficient without piped sewage or fecal sludge management.

Universal sanitation was well-overdue in the ‘80s, but decades later we are still talking about it, remarks professor Adriana Allen of University College London and OVERDUE project leader. Adriana says the project aims to tackle the taboos of sanitation. “We want to trigger and frame conversation around deficit infrastructure.”

Unfeasible solutions

Tanzania-based Dr Tim Ndezi from the Center for Community Initiatives graduated 30 years ago from a civil engineering course and later found a gap between his education and on-ground issues. “The sophisticated solutions gave the assumptions that people lived in well-designed areas with access to roads. But during my first assignment, I realised cities in Tanzania are growing in big ways, more than 70-80% live in informal settlements and it’s congested. Researchers must be trained to be innovative or flexible.” At a governance level, he adds sanitation — which has no home and is caught between ministries of health and water — needs a separate sector.

Sanitation is a new topic in Mozambique explains Hélder Domingos, Association FACE for Water and Sanitation. “Often, projects build big toilets, infrastructure, canals, and drainage. The challenge for the local government is maintenance…the municipality lacks the space to tell the World Bank that we appreciate the solution but want to do things our way.”

The government spends less than 0.02% of the budget on sanitation, explains Braima Koroma from the Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre. The researcher stressed the need for community-building programmes and resource mobilisation. Braima notes that “infrastructure in the cities of Tamil Nadu has been planned and designed to accommodate future needs.”

Role of Women

Lauding Tamil Nadu’s subsided schemes and clean public toilets, journalist Astrid Mujinga mentions the condition was different back in Africa. The president of the Cord of Congolese Women for the Equilibrium of Households/Gender says “our state built three public toilets but soon, they were not free or maintained well. Money disappears and it is shared by ‘those who look after the toilet’ here.” Responding to a question on political action, she adds that sanitation is rarely sanctioned funds and is never seen as a priority.

Astrid flags the issue of girls being taught to clean and work with sanitation at home and the neighbourhood level. “We’re not advocating for them to climb the ladder of sanitation. We need to ensure that girls don’t get married too young and cannot pursue studies, we need to educate them to study, embrace careers and help them go beyond cleaning and become engineers. Before that, we need to put preconditions,” she says.

Ndeye Penda Diouf from Observatory for Gender and Development in Saint Louis cites a study her institution did in 2016. “We did a citizen-based budget of the municipality and realised sanitation wasn’t taking gender or children on board. One thing we decided to do is make visible the invisible work of women.”

As dialogues on sanitation come to a close, Kavitha reiterates that the conversations on the issue must travel beyond words like effluent and waste management. Claudy Vohe, a translator on the panel, says that sanitation work, usually done by communities from precarious classes, should be considered a profession and not just an occupation. “There’s a need to de-stigmatise the work and value the service socially and economically.”

As the researchers and crowds leave the library, the question of the choice of location lingers. When asked, Abhilaasha from IIHS tells CE that choosing the library was a conscious decision. “Urban sanitation is a public good and it is important to have two players, the government and citizens, engaged and also (it is important) to know that cross-learning is happening between players.”

Data point: As per a TNIE report dated 23 April, 2022, in the last 29 years, at least 219 people have lost their lives while cleaning the sewers in Tamil Nadu.

Featured in DT NEXT

CHENNAI: The State Government has been working towards ensuring inclusive urban sanitation practices and in order to study the same, a delegation of sanitation professionals from seven African countries toured parts of Tamil Nadu from February 9-16, 2023.

The team studied the sanitation model being implemented in urban locations of the State and they will be replicating the same system in their local context. Based on the same, the Indian Institute for Human Settlements led Tamil Nadu Urban Sanitation Support Programme (TNUSSP) organised a panel discussion on “Just Sanitation for all: Insights from Indian and African Cities” on Thursday.

“We see that the sanitation practices are a priority in the urban settings here. We have seen that the sanitation model is very sophisticated and holistic here. India is investing in full cycle of sanitation,” said Daniel Mukeba, Director of the Institute superieur d’etudes commericales et financieres a Bukavu.

As part of the programme, delegates were given orientation on the principles of Citywide Inclusive Sanitation and the team visited improved community toilets. They studied the scaling and institutionalising of fecal sludge management, visited treatment and containment facilities and also interacted with government officers, sanitation workers and other groups working in the sanitation sector.

Braima Koroma from the Sierra Leone Urban Research Center, Freetown, Sierra Leone, said that the infrastructure in the cities of Tamil Nadu has been planned and designed to accommodate future needs as the cities were planned. He also noted that in Tamil Nadu, the team observed strategic infrastructure planning with sustainable operation and maintenance models and participation of women in this sector is noteworthy.