A contemporary ethnographic study on intergenerational shift in the perception on sanitation: women’s perspective
Student name: Ms Ankita
Guide: Dr Prashant Kumar Singh
Year of completion: 2018
Host Organisation: Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR)
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr Sutapa Majumdar
Abstract: Background: Over the years, several attempts to change defecation behaviour
and promote sanitation programmes in India had been implemented but showed
limited success. Underlining the limitation, there is a need to focus on the
behavioural change of the people for whom the services are meant to be
delivered. Qualitative research on sanitation suggests that socio-cultural
interpretations of gender and associated gender roles and expectations influence
how women experience sanitation. Predicated on the assumption that individual's
lives, their sanitation needs and experiences are not static across the life stages,
thus there arises a need to understand the intergenerational shift in the access and
control across genders in sanitation service provisions.
Methods: Data was collected from a slum in South-East district of Delhi named
Rajasthani Camp. The sample selection was based on stratified random sampling
method using Qualitative Age Cohort Effect. Using contemporary ethnographic
study and standpoint theory with PRA Tools, it helped in collecting information
from 18 respondents, 7 KIIs and 2 FGDs.
Results: Community’s perception towards sanitation outgrows from the concept
of cleanliness based on their living experiences and their inherent ideologies. A
common belief amongst the respondents was observed related to impurities
attached with ‘toilet’ and ‘menstruation. This belief and perception of being
impure is not new and has been in practice since ages. It has been in the tradition
to follow norms. Though a lot of changes in terms of intergenerational shift have
been done in the study area but it has not resulted in a change in the perception
and behaviour of people.
Conclusion: There exists sanitation insecurity which has captured the concerns
and negative experiences related to sanitation. Due to sanitation insecurity, there
is limited control over the resources. Even though infrastructural changes have
been implemented in the community, but the age-old practices and beliefs still
continues in today’s time very prominently.
Keywords: Sanitation, Intergeneration, Women, Access, Control, Water, Toilet,
Menstruation, Community Development
