This document summarizes Deepthi Upul Sumanasekera's presentation on including less privileged communities in sanitation projects in Sri Lanka. It provides an overview of Sri Lanka's demographics, historical sanitation practices, current sanitation options, and national rural sanitation policy. It then describes strategies used in an ADB funded water and sanitation project to identify and support less privileged groups, such as providing full labor contributions or cash assistance from external sources. The presentation concludes that including such groups is essential but the approach must not lead to long-term dependency or social exclusion.

1. ASIA REGIONAL SANITATION AND HYGIENE
PRACTITIONERS WORKSHOP
Dhaka – Bangladesh
31st Jan -2nd Feb 2012
Inclusion of Less Privileged
Communities as Sanitation
Beneficiaries in the Demand
Responsive Approach
Deepthi Upul Sumanasekera
SRI LANKA

2. A: Country Profile
• Land Area: 0 Sqkm
• 9 Provinces, 25 districts
• Population: 20.7 mln
• GDP: 49.1 USD bn
• Population growth rate: 1.1%
• Life Expectancy: 73 Yrs
• Rural Population: 70%
• Gender Ratio (M/F): 49/51
• Literacy Rate: 95%
• Safe water coverage: 81%
• Sanitation coverage: 85.7%

3. Historical Evidence on Sanitation Practices
in Sri Lanka
• , Anuradhapura
4th Century
BC, (Anuradhapur
a)

4. Sanitation Options
• Off Site Sanitation
– Pipe borne sewer (Colombo MC priority areas, Housing
schemes, Industrial zones)
– Bucket latrines (now prohibited in Sri Lanka)
• On Site Sanitation
– Pit Latrines / VIP
– Water Sealed Latrines
• Disposal to a covered underground pit
• Septic tanks with soak-away
– Ecological Options

5. National Policy for Rural Water
Supply and Sanitation – 2001
• The Policy focuses on sustainable facilities
– Value of water
– Facilities shall be people centered
– Users to own and manage
– In harmony with environment
• Integrated approach
– water supply, sanitation and hygiene education
– women playing an active decision making role
• Demand Responsive Approach:
– Response to a clearly expressed need for a service
– The demand shall be backed up by a willingness for a
meaningful contribution for a chosen level of the service.

6. ADB Funded 3rd WS&S Project
Water Supply
Six urban wss
47 small towns wss
1000 village wss
Coverage – 1 mln population
Sanitation
- 87,000 households
- 200 schools & institutions
- Hygiene Education Programme
3-5%
exclusions in Environmental pilot programme
sanitation programmes

7. 3 - 5% Exclusion !
• Use of “less privileged poor” as the basis to attract
Donors !
• Who are less privileged?
– Single headed families with small children
– Families with a spouse not effectively contributing
– Elder families
– Families with disabled children
– Families with less social recognition
– Internally Displaced families
– Families with indebtedness / poor economic capability

8. Identification of Needy Groups
• Identify marginalized families
• by CBOs during implementation
• Identify during PRRA
• Use indicators
• Scrutinized by a committee
• Categorization
• Category A: able to provide only labour
• Category B: unable to provide both cash &
labour

9. Strategies Applied
Category labour A cash labour B cash
Eligibility partial full
Beneficiary Labour: by the Labour: 100%
Contribution beneficiary equivalent from Project
labour
cash Cash : through Cash: CBO inputs /
selling labour + External assistance
25% from Project
O&M cost by CBO by CBO

10. Conclusions
• Assistance needed are
always available ! Thanks as they were theis
• Inclusion of these groups
essential
Stutii
– Projects project attraction
– Welfare programmes/
well-wishers • Strategy applied shall not
– NGO partnerships lead to dependency
– Social funds • Instead, they should be
– Cross subsidy within the supported by the social
community
safety net
• Approach shall not
deteriorate their social
recognition
• DRA shall not be a reason for
exclusion of less privileged