Launched in October 2014, the Swachh Bharat Mission stands as one of the most remarkable phases in the country’s hygiene and sanitation narrative, and it has built over 106 million individual household toilets, thereby increasing access to sanitation facilities for the wider public. It is said that a significant effort has also been made to increase access for PwDs under this mission; however, an RTI filed by a disability rights advocate indicates that out of India’s 28 states and 8 union territories (36 in total), 19 lack even a single community or public toilet that is accessible.
Before this blog digs deeper into the reasons behind the lack of accessible toilets, due to which the true idea of Swachh Bharat remains elusive, let’s understand the basics of the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Through the Swachh Bharat Mission, it is aimed that the country gets free of open defecation and that accessible toilets and waste management become a reality across rural and urban areas. This targeted approach aligns with the sixth Sustainable Development Goal (part of the SDGs), and it has considerably reduced diarrhoeal deaths and improved access to sanitation, enhancing safety, especially for women.
Swachh Bharat is primarily focused on open defecation and the collective goal of adequate and effective sanitation. The focus also extends to raising awareness about the importance of hygiene and cleanliness to encourage positive behavioural outcomes in the general public and meet the larger goal of waste management.
Though the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has brought about crucial and most-needed changes in the country, several inclusion gaps can be seen, particularly pertaining to persons with disabilities, in addition to the urban poor and marginalised migrants. Further, sustainability is an emerging concern due to the lack of proper maintenance of the toilets built under this mission.
Who is being left behind when the mission of Swachh Bharat is visualised and discussed? The answer would be the ones facing the most challenges.
The mission’s benefits are yet to reach the disabled and the elderly in their entirety, breaking the barriers of inaccessible toilet design and social stigma. Most toilets designed for Swachh Bharat lack ramps, wider doors, grab bars, and inclusive commode options. This hinders PwDs as well as the elderly and other individuals with mobility issues from enjoying the benefits of the mission. Universal toilet design is key.
The Swachh Bharat Mission positively impacts women’s safety, dignity, and all-round well-being by restricting their exposure to open defecation. The mission also enhances their leadership in local governance. However, the Swachh Bharat Mission mainly takes the infra-first approach, often disregarding women-specific needs. For example, in many rural households, there is a lack of adequate water availability and disposal bins for sanitary products.
In rural areas, open defecation is so deep-rooted in behavioural norms that changing behaviour is one of the major challenges. Also, some percentage of toilets are poorly constructed, owing to the speedy implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission. On the other hand, toilet access in urban areas faces the challenge of overcrowding and inadequate waste management, among others, especially in slum areas.
Let’s now understand the reasons for the lack of accessible toilets. It will help gain a completely informed perspective.
Universal toilet design fosters access to a toilet for every individual, irrespective of their ability, disability, or physical limitations. However, due to a limited awareness of inclusive toilet design in local authorities and construction workers and a major focus on the “number” of toilets, Swachh Bharat somehow misses the opportunity to create an equitable society.
The Swachh Bharat Mission is one of the most ambitious initiatives by the government, but budget constraints and misplaced priorities pose a significant challenge, overlooking behavioural change reinforcement, proper follow-ups, and waste management. Further, more funds are needed to build strong ground-level systems to achieve the primary objectives of the mission.
The absence of accessibility for all in policy guidelines affects the elderly, injured, PwDs, pregnant women, children, and other individuals with temporary or permanent limitations alike. Enforceable standards pertaining to inclusive infrastructure and access should be mandated to construct more accessible toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Inclusive sanitation infrastructure as a human right is not up for negotiation. It is essential for safety, privacy, and dignity.
Various assistive devices can help make a toilet accessible and inclusive for all, such as ramps, low taps, and grab bars. Proper lighting and disposal bins are also crucial. Affordability and maintenance cannot be compromised as well, while discussing accessibility for Swachh Bharat.
Global standards in inclusive sanitation infrastructure tend to prioritise universal accessibility as well as the user’s dignity. Indian practices so far, on the other hand, tend to focus less on inclusion and more on the numbers. With the Swachh Bharat Mission, an overhaul is continuously at work.
The social and health benefits of inclusive toilets are many. Common diseases like cholera are reduced. Also, inclusive toilets reduce urinary tract infections (UTIs), among others. From a social perspective, inclusive toilets minimise invisibility and discrimination, and they allow every individual to move freely and participate in civic life.
This section looks at government initiatives and missed opportunities in the context of sanitation, public health, and hygiene.
The Swachh Bharat Mission has led to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal of health much ahead of time, through an open defecation-free status. Positive behavioural reinforcement is also underway.
Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan), for instance, is a major initiative, apart from the Swachh Bharat Mission, that aims to enhance accessibility and inclusivity for everyone, with accessible toilets being a key point of concern. Also, numerous other schemes for construction workers and PwDs, like Shauchalaya Sahayata Yojana, could support the construction and regular maintenance of accessible toilets.
As of now, Swachh Bharat misses proper integration with disability welfare programs, workers’ welfare programs, and community toilet schemes. However, that does not take away the positive impact that the Swachh Bharat Mission has had on the country’s sanitation intervention attempts.
Swachh Bharat should also be an inclusive and accessible Bharat. So, what’s the way forward? It is time to discuss.
By incorporating accessible sanitation infrastructure design, Swachh Bharat should contribute to enhancing accessibility for more people in its future phases. For this purpose, community participation could also be encouraged, as well as targeted behaviour change campaigns.
In the Swachh Bharat Mission’s future phases, NGOs and community-led models, as outlined above, could play an important part in making the sanitation practices, such as the proper use of toilets, sustainable. NGOs, for example, have the power to conduct door-to-door campaigns and community meetings through street plays to educate the masses. Community-led models, such as local sanitation committees, could help develop a sense of ownership.
It is high time that technology is also leveraged to create vigorous monitoring mechanisms and feedback platforms to identify the room for improvement and ensure policy reform. Public-private partnerships could also be explored in every step of the process, especially to improve the lives of sanitation workers.
Though there is still much to be done to make sure that all the objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission reach their desired outcomes, the fact cannot be ignored that the mission has had a far-reaching impact on public health, hygiene, and sanitation in India. It is expected that the future phases of the mission would take care of the gaps and contribute to the creation of a completely inclusive, empathetic, and equitable society.
RECENT BLOGS
Why Accessible Toilets Are Missing in Swachh Bharat?
How to Cultivate a Culture of Forgiveness at Work?
Money Management Tips for Small Businesses to Grow
How to Navigate the Challenges of Scaling a Startup?
How to Pick the Right Career After 12th Standard?
5 Powerful Strategies to Supercharge Your Business Performance
How Does the New Education Policy 2024 Empower the Future?
How to Develop an Investment Strategy for Retirement?
Often recognised as the Franchise Man of India, Ajay Gupta has positively influenced the lives and livelihoods of over 15 lakh students, 10,000 families, and 1 crore people through his multiple business ventures.
