Between 1990 and 2015, access to improved sanitation in Nigeria decreased from almost 40% to just under 30% (Abubakar, 2017). Simultaneously, open defecation increased by 1% to 25%. Nigeria has 36 states, divided into almost 800 local government areas (LGAs). This specific CLTS case study focuses on involving every player in the the LGA, from chairmen to religious leaders.
By involving all communities to engage in improved hygiene behaviour, it sparks competition between LGAs. Whilst learning the health benefits associated with improved sanitation, the inter-LGA peer pressure creates a standard which is continually raised for sanitation. Specific to Nigeria, after being kickstarted in Cross River State, the LGA-wide approach is now being used across the majority of the country.
As all aspects of the community are involved in this CLTS scheme, dates are arranged for which community meetings are held. During this time, Community Action Plans are devised to meet goals such as the eradication of open defecation or for building a certain number of latrines for the community. The construction of latrines at the same time as working to become open defecation free (ODF) means that communities are more likely to maintain ODF status once achieved as the latrines will be in place for use. Communities will have more incentive for maintaining the latrines as they have put their own time and effort into constructing them.
CLTS allow communities to take control of their communal behaviour and direct themselves towards total sanitation. This refers to the stage at which it is a social norm to carry out good sanitary behaviour and use and maintain toilets.
Since 2010, when the LGA-wide approach was started, ODF status has been achieved by more than 4,000 communities across Nigeria.
Two key strategies used among communities, to set social norms, were speed and disgust. By introducing the CLTS scheme to all LGAs at once, it reduced the time spent introducing it to communities one at a time. With regards to disgust, by educating communities on a large scale with the knowledge that by open defecating they are consuming their own faecal matter, it triggers widespread disgust in which all communities want to bring an end to open defecation.
Case study sourced from Community Led Total Sanitation - Case Study 1.
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