Disability Friendly Sanitation Facilities in George Compound in Lusaka, Zambia: A Stakeholders Perspective

Sanitation interventions in most peri-urban areas are being implemented without taking into consideration the special needs for the people living with vulnerabilities. In most cases, the sanitation technologies and designs are being developed without buy in of the vulnerable categories, such as the disabilities thus negating the rationale for inclusiveness of the sanitation solutions in the low-income communities. The study explored disability friendly on-site sanitation facilities that were constructed in George Compound, Lusaka, Zambia. Working from an Interpretive phenomenology perspective, the researcher co-created meanings through interactions with the stakeholders during the data collection stage. The study sample size was 29 Participants disaggregated as 10 Males, 15 women and 4 key informants and data was collected using in-depth and the key informants’ interviews. The researcher analysed data using a manual reflexive thematic analysis. The study established that women or girls with disabilities were more impacted due to sanitations challenges. Furthermore, the traditional pit latrines created access challenges for people using wheelchair because the entrances were not wide enough to allow a wheelchair. However, the toilets that were constructed under the Lusaka Water Supply and sanitation company had provision of lumps and holding rails for people with disabilities. The study recommends that there is need for the government to develop a policy direction of disability friendly sanitation. The study explored disability friendly on-site sanitation facilities that were constructed in George Compound, Lusaka, Zambia.