Background

India faces a major challenge in the form of access to safe sanitation and hygiene, especially in peri-urban and rural areas and this is evident in the data provided by the UNICEF study, which shows that only about 83%  of households in the country had proper access to safe and well-manage sanitation facilitie as of 2024 with the rural and marginalized communities particularly lagging behind. The gaps in public infrastructure such as public toilets and bathing facilities are either poorly maintained or absent altogether that leads to an increasing risk of waterborne diseases, poor health outcomes, and loss of dignity, more so for women and children.  

The WHO states that inadequate sanitation is a huge contributor to diarrohoeal diseases which is a leading cause of illnesses in children in India, amongst other health and social consequences. Apart from its effects on physical health, poor sanitation infrastrucute also has a detrimental effect on school and workplace attendance and overall quality of life which only reinforces the vicious cycles of poverty and inequality.  As stated by the Swades Foundation, in order to make sanitation outcomes sustainable, not only do we need infrastructure but also community ownership and awareness. Therefore, sanitation improvement requires the combination of low-cost infrastructure, local participation, and education so that access doesn’t remain temporary but also sustainable.