Community-led total sanitation

Definition

Community-led total sanitation (CLTS) is an approach that empowers communities to eliminate open defecation and improve sanitation practices through collective action and local engagement. This method emphasizes the role of community members in assessing their own sanitation situation, leading to sustainable behavior changes and improvements in health outcomes. By fostering a sense of ownership, CLTS encourages communities to develop their own solutions without relying on external aid.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. CLTS focuses on igniting a sense of shame and disgust among community members regarding open defecation, which motivates them to take action for improvement.
2. The approach relies on the belief that local solutions are more effective than external interventions, promoting community ownership and sustainability.
3. Facilitators play a critical role in CLTS by guiding discussions, helping communities identify problems, and fostering a collective commitment to change.
4. Success in CLTS is often measured by the community's declaration of being Open Defecation Free (ODF), which is celebrated as a significant achievement.
5. CLTS has been implemented in various countries around the world, with adaptations to fit local contexts and cultural practices, leading to widespread improvements in sanitation.

Review Questions

• How does community-led total sanitation empower communities to address their sanitation challenges?
  • Community-led total sanitation empowers communities by encouraging them to take charge of their own sanitation issues through collective assessment and action. This approach helps individuals recognize the negative impacts of open defecation on health and well-being, fostering a shared responsibility among community members. By facilitating local discussions and promoting ownership of solutions, CLTS enables communities to create effective and sustainable changes in their sanitation practices.
• What are the key roles of facilitators in implementing community-led total sanitation, and why are they essential for its success?
  • Facilitators play crucial roles in implementing community-led total sanitation by guiding the process, helping communities identify their sanitation problems, and fostering a collective commitment to improvement. They facilitate discussions that bring awareness to the negative impacts of open defecation, using methods that resonate with local values. Without skilled facilitators to lead these conversations and encourage community participation, achieving the goals of CLTS would be significantly more challenging.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of community-led total sanitation compared to traditional sanitation interventions in improving public health outcomes.
  • Community-led total sanitation has proven to be more effective than traditional sanitation interventions because it relies on community ownership and collective action rather than imposed solutions. By engaging community members directly in the process, CLTS fosters sustainable behavior changes that are deeply rooted in local culture and context. This empowerment leads not only to improved sanitation facilities but also results in significant reductions in diseases related to poor hygiene practices. The participatory nature of CLTS ensures that communities are motivated and invested in maintaining their new standards over time.

Related terms

Open Defecation Free (ODF): A status achieved when a community eliminates open defecation, ensuring that all members use improved sanitation facilities.

Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA): A set of participatory approaches and methods that allow communities to share their knowledge and analyze their own situations, leading to informed decision-making.

Sanitation Marketing: A strategy that promotes the demand for improved sanitation facilities through marketing principles, encouraging communities to invest in better sanitation solutions.