Book chapter2010Peer reviewedOpen access
Perceptions of Local Sustainability in Planning Sanitation Projects in West Africa
McConville, Jennifer; Kain, Jaan-Henrik; Kvarnstrom, Elisabeth
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine local perceptions of sustainability in the context of sanitation interventions in Burkina Faso and Mali, West Africa. Through a series of interviews with local actors criteria for sustainable sanitation were defined in the local context. These local criteria were compared with criteria found in international literature and planning practices used in two sanitation projects. The results from the interviews emphasize criteria related to behaviour change processes, while criteria in literature are either oriented toward technical assessments or project guidelines. The case studies show an attempt to merge academic and pragmatic perspectives by addressing both the technical requirements and processes of social change. As we seek to improve results within the sector it is important to start reflecting on what criteria and sustainability definitions are used in specific approaches.
Published in
Title: Social Perspectives on the Sanitation Challenge
ISBN: 978-90-481-3720-6, eISBN: 978-90-481-3721-3
Publisher: Springer
UKÄ Subject classification
Environmental Management
Other Environmental Engineering
Publication identifier
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3721-3_7
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/85733