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Access for all: Securing older people’s access to water and sanitation

HelpAge International (UK), GRAVIS (India)32nd WEDC International Conference

November 2006Colombo, Sri Lanka

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Aim of the presentation

To highlight the barriers that prevent older people from realising their right to water, present case studies on how to improve access and make recommendations to policy makers and water suppliers on how they can improve access to water for older people.

Access for all: securing older people’s access to water and sanitation

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The Outline

• Background• Barriers• Interventions with case studies• Impacts• Ways forward

Access for all: securing older people’s access to water and sanitation

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Background• With the global population growth, the water

resources are drying up and water tables are dropping up.

• The situation is alarming in the developing world• Nearly half of the population living in the developing

world suffers with a waterborne diseases at any given time.

• Most countries in the Middle East, South Asia and

Africa are extremely water-scarce.

Access for all: securing older people’s access to water and sanitation

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Background

• Older People are particularly vulnerable • Older people have the same right to water and

sanitation as others have• Water insecurity is a source of stress and cause of

poverty among older people• Lack of water and sanitation lead to severe health

problems among Older People• Older women are particularly impacted • There is a lack of policies to deal with this problem

Access for all: securing older people’s access to water and sanitation

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Barriers

• Difficult access• Cost of water• The supply factor • Discrimination• Social issues, neglect• No clear policies

Access for all: securing older people’s access to water and sanitation

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Interventions of HelpAge

• Rainwater harvesting• Bore wells• Toilets• Monitoring by older people• Appropriate technical solutions

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Interventions of HelpAgeRainwater harvesting in the Thar Desert, India

- Is a part of the ADOPT project

being implemented by HAI and

GRAVIS- Provides drinking water and rainwater

for agriculture to over 2,500 older

people and their families- Focuses on traditional methods of

rain-collection with technical innovations

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Rainwater harvesting in Thar

Taanka

- Is an underground tank- Stores 20,000 liters of rainwater- Supplies water to family for 6 to

8 months- Costs 250 US$

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Rainwater harvesting in Thar

Khadin

- Is a bund to retain water in

farming lands- Increases productivity

by 2 to 3 times- Very effective in arid

conditions- Costs 500 US $

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Rainwater harvesting in Thar

Naadi

- Is a community pond- A fully filled naadi provides

water to 5,000 humans and

20,000 cattle for 8 to 12

months- Costs 8,000 US $

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Rainwater harvesting in TharTrainings• Focus on orienting rural communities on harvesting rainwater• Educate communities on construction and maintenance of water

harvesting structures• Aim on sustainability of the structures

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Interventions of HelpAgeBore well in Mozambique

• Has been constructed in Mozambique under a project for elderly focusing on water and food security

• The bore well is functioning by solar energy• It is benefiting 200 older persons, 30,000 secondary

beneficiaries and 10,000 hectares of land. • With the success seen, the local government has

taken up the initiative of repairing three more bore wells.

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Interventions of HelpAge

Toilets in Cambodia

• In rural Cambodia, lack of toilets present great difficulties to older people.

• Through a project organized by HAI, 150 toilets have been constructed in six villages.

• The toilets have been made with raised seats

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Interventions of HelpAge

Monitoring by older people

• Older people groups have been formed in project regions

• These groups monitor progress at the community level

• They also provide suggestions to improve the quality of work

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Interventions of HelpAge

Appropriate technical solutions

• Solar pumps to extract water• Scientific innovations to catch rain water• Raised seats in the toilets

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Impacts of interventions

• Older people have lead the initiatives focusing on water security and sanitation

• In the Thar Desert of India, 400 taankas, 350 khadins and 11 naadis are benefiting 20,000 humans and over 50,000 cattle including 2,500 older people.

• In Cambodia, the bore well is providing water to 200 older people and 30,000 secondary beneficiaries and irrigating 10,000 hectares of land

Access for all: securing older people’s access to water and sanitation

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Impacts of interventions

• Toilets in rural Cambodia benefiting 200 older people and their families

• The rainwater harvesting activities in the Thar Desert are being replicated by NGOs and the government

• The government has repaired 3 bore wells in Mozambique

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Ways forward • Data on access of water by age and gender should

be collected• International organizations and national governments

should develop precise policies aiming on water security for older people

• Community based interventions should be planned and implemented

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Ways forward

• Older people’s groups should be formed• Their participation should be sought in need

assessment, planning and implementation and monitoring

• Technical innovations should be incorporated

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THANKS!

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