Neighborhood Disorganization and Women’s Sanitation Utilization Practices in Mathare Valley, Kenya

Abstract

Approximately, 2.4 billion people, globally, lack access to safe toilets. The burden of this deficiency falls disproportionately on women living in informal settlements in developing countries. While there is a growing body of literature looking at the factors influencing women’s sanitation behavior, little is known about the role of the neighborhood environment. This study sought to explore this issue using data from a 2016 mixed-methods study focused on women in Mathare Valley informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Qualitative and quantitative data were used to analyze the role of neighborhood disorganization in the relationship between women’s sanitation-related stressors and their sanitation behaviors (utilization). Findings suggest that neighborhood disorganization is inextricably linked to women’s daily sanitation behaviors and the stressors that are associated with those behaviors. These results suggest that the health and safety of neighborhood environments may be critical factors in the future success of sanitation-related interventions and policies.