ANNOUNCEMENTS
Increasing equitable access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) is a key aspect of sustainable development. The urban poor living in informal settlements in cities of the global South, such as Delhi, face precarious access to WASH and thus disproportionately experience adverse socioeconomic and health consequences. The study sought to understand the ‘everyday’ experience of WASH in an urban informal settlement, paying special attention to gendered experiences. The first objective was to understand the factors that shape household-level decisions regarding particular WASH infrastructure. Building on previous literature, the study found gendered experiences, in concert with other factors such as tenure, home ownership, availability and adequacy of community infrastructure, and desire for upward mobility shape the WASH experience and household-level decisions. The second objective was to understand the means by which infrastructure is accessed and maintained. The study found negotiation and exchange with political actors and selfprovisioning where infrastructure is absent or inadequate are two common means. Reciprocal networks between residents were another means of adapting to uncertain access. The study also explored several new aspects including the role of gender, increased literacy and access to new knowledge, and rapidly changing technology in shaping relations with political actors which impact WASH access. A third part of the study looked at the impact of recent policies and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While state initiatives, such as the extension of new water lines were seen to have a significant impact, there was no awareness of key national policies. The COVID-19 pandemic had a limited impact due to the use of individual infrastructure and well-maintained community infrastructure. The study contributes to an understanding of the ground-level realities of WASH and offers insight into how the urban poor in informal settlements establish a life in and belongingness to the city. A detailed understanding of these everyday experiences also serves as a base for better informed future interventions in the sector.
Keywords: WASH; Urban Informal Settlements; Gender; Political Society; Self Provided Infrastructure, Covid-19.
