Assessing the effectiveness of a rights based approach for pro-poor WASH services: A study in urban poor settlements in Khulna, Bangladesh

Abstract

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Rights Based Approach (RBA) in improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure in urban poor settlements, with a focus on slum communities in Bangladesh. An experimental design was employed, comparing a treatment slum that received the RBA-based WASH intervention to a control slum without such intervention. Data were collected through a household questionnaire survey, with 100 samples obtained. The study found no significant difference in the Human Security index between the two slums, but a closer examination of individual dimensions revealed that the RBA approach resulted in better WASH facilities in terms of physical accessibility and WASH governance. However, it was less effective in addressing availability, quality, economic accessibility, acceptability & personal safety, and climate resilience in WASH services. While the RBA approach improved access to WASH services, it did not adequately address the financial capacity of the urban poor in ensuring certain WASH facilities. As it highlights the vulnerabilities faced by slum residents in accessing water, it emphasizes the detrimental impact on gender-related stress and heightened health risks. Rights-based WASH interventions have had minimal impact in reducing the stress experienced by women in this regard. The findings provide insights for policymakers to enhance the rights-based approach (RBA) and promote pro-poor WASH services.