Water, Sanitation and Culture
Stefanie Kaiser, seecon international gmbh
Water, Sanitation and Culture
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Included in the SSWM Toolbox are materials from various organisations and sources. Those materials are open source. Following the opensource concept for capacity building and non-profit use, copying and adapting is allowed provided proper acknowledgement of the source
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Disclaimer
The contents of the SSWM Toolbox reflect the opinions of the respective authors and not necessarily the official opinion of the funding or
supporting partner organisations.
Depending on the initial situations and respective local circumstances, there is no guarantee that single measures described in the toolbox
will make the local water and sanitation system more sustainable. The main aim of the SSWM Toolbox is to be a reference tool to provide
ideas for improving the local water and sanitation situation in a sustainable manner. Results depend largely on the respective situation
and the implementation and combination of the measures described. An in-depth analysis of respective advantages and disadvantages and
the suitability of the measure is necessary in every single case. We do not assume any responsibility for and make no warranty with
respect to the results that may be obtained from the use of the information provided.
Water, Sanitation and Culture
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Contents
1. Introduction
2. Water and Culture
3. (Sustainable) Sanitation and Culture
4. Religions
5. Gender: The Role of Women
6. Conclusion
7. References
Water, Sanitation and Culture
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1. Introduction
Importance of cultural context to water and sanitation
Source: WSP (2010)
 Technical concepts imported to another region without considering
the cultural context have too often caused failure.
Water, Sanitation and Culture
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1. Introduction
Culture is a decisive factor in water and sanitation projects
CULTURE
Cultural values
Traditional
practices
Local
beliefs
Gender
Generational
differences
Taboos
Adapted from SCHELWALD & REIJERKERK (2009)
and WARNER et al. (2008)
Water, Sanitation and Culture
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1. Introduction
Cultural context as an enabling factor or counteracting force
Understand the counteracting forces by assessing cultural
backgrounds of the users to:
• Raise ownership
• Increase potential of success
• Mitigate risks
• Diminish failure (e.g. systems are not used; sabotage; vandalised)
 Consider the counteracting forces and enabling factors by showing
cultural competence throughout a participatory planning and process
cycle of projects.
 This is even more evident when promoting treatment of excreta
for further use, as claimed by sustainable sanitation and IWRM
concepts.
Adapted from SCHELWALD & REIJERKERK (2009) and WARNER et al. (2008)
Water, Sanitation and Culture
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2. Water and Culture
Definition of culture
• Culture is a system of shared values, beliefs, behaviour and
symbols that the members of society groups use to interact with
their social surrounding.
CULTURE
Values
Beliefs
Symbols
Behaviour
Adapted from SCHELWALD & REIJERKERK (2009) and WARNER et al. (2008)
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2. Water and Culture
Nautilus shell: different layers of cultural phenomena
beliefs, values
traditions, rituals,
practices
• Values, norms and beliefs
form the core of any culture.
 Express feelings and
affections e.g. towards what
is dirty / clean.
symbols, artefacts
Nautilus shell symbolising different layers
of cultural phenomena
Source: SCHELWALD & REIJERKERK (2009)
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2. Water and Culture
Nautilus shell: different layers of cultural phenomena
beliefs, values
traditions, rituals,
practices
• Values, norms and beliefs
form the core of any culture.
• Traditions, rituals and
practices characterise a
culture.
symbols, artefacts
Nautilus shell symbolising different layers
of cultural phenomena
Source: SCHELWALD & REIJERKERK (2009)
Water, Sanitation and Culture
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2. Water and Culture
Nautilus shell: different layers of cultural phenomena
beliefs, values
traditions, rituals,
practices
• Values, norms and beliefs
form the core of any culture.
• Traditions, rituals and
practices characterise a
culture.
Symbols and artefacts like
expressions, stories, gestures
or pictures are expressions of
culture.
symbols, artefacts •
Nautilus shell symbolising different layers
of cultural phenomena
Source: SCHELWALD & REIJERKERK (2009)
Water, Sanitation and Culture
 Valuable to convey
messages about water and
sanitation in education.
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2. Water and Culture
Nautilus shell: different layers of cultural phenomena
beliefs, values
traditions, rituals,
practices
• Values, norms and beliefs
form the core of any culture.
• Traditions, rituals and
practices characterise a
culture.
Symbols and artefacts like
expressions, stories, gestures
or pictures are expressions of
culture.
symbols, artefacts •
Nautilus shell symbolising different layers
of cultural phenomena
Source: SCHELWALD & REIJERKERK (2009)
Water, Sanitation and Culture
 Moreover, culture becomes
manifest in framework issues
(e.g. legal or institutional
settings).
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3. (Sustainable) Sanitation and Culture
Different attitudes of cultures toward sanitation and handling of
excreta
• Despite an instinctive repulsion towards excreta, our culture
influences our attitudes toward sanitation systems and handling of
excreta. WARNER et al. (2008)
• By establishing closed-loop sanitation systems and their economical
and environmental benefits, a change towards reducing cultural
stigmatisation of faeces is possible too. HEEB & GNANAKAN (2008)
Source: www.behavioradvisor.com/Motivation.html
[Accessed 1.10.2012]
Source: http://free-extras.com/images/smile-1620.htm
[Accessed 1.10.2012]
Water, Sanitation and Culture
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4. Religions
Religions vary considerably in addressing excreta
• Koran: Strict procedures to limit contact with
faecal material.
• Bible: Not mentioned a lot.
• Hindu: Specifies the use of water for personal
hygiene.
• Buddhism: Earthly resources are treated in an
integral dimension like Buddhism’s rein-carnation.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion
[Accessed 1.10.2012]
Adapted from JENSSEN et al. (2004)
Water, Sanitation and Culture
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5. Gender: The Role of Women
Differences between women and men
• The most observable divides between women and men, especially
in developing countries, are in water, sanitation and hygiene.
• The provision of hygiene and sanitation are often considered women’s
tasks.
• But women’s concerns are rarely addressed appropriately due to
societal or cultural barriers. SuSanA (2009)
Source: WSP (2012)
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6. Conclusion
Cultural competence is crucial for successful and sustainable
implementation of projects
Research
Monitoring
Cultural competence =
respect the cultural context:
• Religious and non-religious
beliefs and values
• Traditional practices
Planning
• Gender
Implementing
• Generational differences
Design
Water, Sanitation and Culture
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7. References
FALKENMARK, M. (2005): Towards Hydrosolidarity: Ample Opportunities for human ingenuity. Fifteen-Year Message from
the Stockholm Water Symposia, in co-operation with the Symposium Scientific Programme Committee Stockholm
International Water Institute. Stockholm: SIWI. URL: http://www.siwi.org/documents/Resources/Reports/
Report_Towards_hydrosolidarity_2005.pdf [Accessed: 20.04.2010].
GNANAKAN, K. (2008): M4: Management: Planning, Implementation and Operation. Social and Cultural Aspects of EcoSanitation. A closer look at the Indian context. In: HEEB, J.; JENSSEN, P.; GNANAKAN; CONRADIN, K. (2008): Ecosan
Curriculum 2.3. Switzerland, India and Norway. URL: http://www.sswm.info/sites/default/files/
reference_attachments/GNANAKAN%202008%20Social%20and%20Cultural%20Aspects%20of%20EcoSanitation_0.pdf
[Accessed: 1.10.2012].
HEEB, J.; GNANAKAN, K. (2008): Source Separation. New toilets for Indian slums. Project paper. URL:
http://www.susana.org/docs_ccbk/susana_download/2-235-heeb-case-study-bangalore-en.pdf [Accessed: 08.04.2011].
JENSSEN, P.D.; HEEB, J.; HUBA-MANG, E.; GANAKAN, K.; WARNER, W.; REFSGAARD, K.; STENSTROEM, T.A.;
GUTERSTRAM, B.; ALSEN, K.W. (2004): Ecological Sanitation and Reuse of Wastewater. Ecosan. A Thinkpiece on
ecological sanitation. Norway: The Agricultural University of Norway. URL: http://www.uio.no/studier/emner/
medisin/inthealth/INTHE4000/h07/undervisningsmateriale/Water%20and%20Health%20article.pdf [Accessed:
19.04.2010].
SCHELWALD-VAN DER KLEY, L.; REIJERKERK, L. (2009): Water: A Way of Life. Sustainable Water Management in a
Cultural Context. Leiden: CRC Press.
SUSANA (Editor) (2009): SuSanA Factsheet: Integrating a Gender Perspective in Sustainable Sanitation. Eschborn:
Sustainable Sanitation Alliance Working Group on Gender. URL: http://www.sswm.info/sites/default/files/
reference_attachments/SUSANA%202009%20Integrating%20a%20Gender%20Perspective%20in%20Sustainable%20Sanitatio
n.pdf [Accessed: 1.10.2012].
Water, Sanitation and Culture
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7. References
WARNER, W.; HEEB, J.; JENSSEN, P. ; GNANAKAN, K.; CONRADIN, K. (2008): M4-2: Socio-Cultural Aspects of Ecological
Sanitation. PDF-Presentation. Aarau: seecon. URL: http://www.sswm.info/sites/default/files/reference_attachments/
WARNER%20et%20al%202008%20Socio%20Cultural%20Aspects.pdf [Accessed: 30.05.2011].
WIJK-SIJBESMA, C. van (1998): Gender In Water Resource Management Supply and Sanitation. Roles and Realities
Revisited. The Hague: International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC). URL: http://www.irc.nl/page/1893 [Accessed:
30.03.2010].
WSP (Editor) (2000): WSP Water Calendar. Washington D.C.: The World Bank. URL: http://www.wsp.org/wsp/about/
Cartoon%20Calendars/2010%20Calendar [Accessed: 20.07.2010].
WSP (Editor) (2012): WSP Water Calendar. Washington D.C.: The World Bank. URL: http://www.wsp.org/wsp/
content/2012-cartoon-calendar [Accessed: 1.10.2012].
Water, Sanitation and Culture
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“Linking up Sustainable Sanitation,
Water Management & Agriculture”
SSWM is an
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supported by:
Created
by:
Water, Sanitation and Culture
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