Social and Cultural Aspects of Water Supply and Sanitation Flashcards
Culture and water quote
” The importance of water in our everyday lives cannot be overestimated. Although it is ever-present, it is also ever-changing. Indeed, the ways in which water is perceived and managed are determined by cultural traditions, which are themselves determined by factors as diverse as geographical location, access to water and economic history.”
What is culture?
The lens through which we see life
- a set of shared symbols, belief and customs that shape individual and group behaviour
- provides guidelines for speaking, doing and evaluating one’s actions and reactions in life
- socially constructed and learned
- not static but rather dynamic
Explain the metaphor of the Nautilus shell and culture:
Nautilus shell symbolising different layers of cultural phenomena.
Values, norms and beliefs form the core of any culture and are at center of spiral. Outwards includes traditions, rituals and practices which characterise a culture. Outer layer includes symbols and artefacts like expressions, stories, gestures or pictures are expressions of culture.
Metaphor with body
Core: values and beliefs
Middle structure: characteristics of culture
Outer layer: expressions of culture
Importance of culture:
Culture manifests in framework issues (e.g. legal or institutional settings)
What is the influence of culture?
Multifaceted:
- shaping how people perceive and interpret their environment
- influencing how people structure their community and social life
- determining what is perceived as a priority in the community, and
- serving both an enabler and a barrier to the acceptance of new ideas and interventions
Recommendation for traditional views and beliefs:
Do not dismiss such views but instead work with the community to resolve any conflicts between such beliefs and the benefits of adequate sanitation, water supply and hygiene.
Religious views on ecological sanitation and reuse of wastewater
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 reincarnation
Importance of community participation:
Solutions developed and maintained by the local people themselves stand the best chance of long term success.
Factors to consider for community participation:
- local views and beliefs
- priorities of the community
- social structure
- language, communication
-when women participate in decision making the projects perform better
Barriers relating to defecation:
- poverty: expense and loss of resources
- smell, heat and maintenance
- safety issues
- environmental constraints
- indiscipline: people just don’t care
Positive change factors:
- sense of shame and disgust experienced by community members walking around the fields
- risk of attacks, particularly on women and girls
- fear of snake bites, especially in the night
- social pressure
- distance to cover to the bush
- pride and a sense of prestige for those who can afford a latrine
- difficulty in going out to relieve oneself when its raining
Importance of cultural competency for engineers
Cultural competence is crucial for successful and sustainable implementation of projects
Aspects of cultural competence
Cultural competence = respect the cultural context
- religious and non-religious beliefs and values
- traditional practices
- gender
- generational differences
