Challenges of Disable people to access sanitation facilities in the Southwestern Coastal region of Bangladesh

Accessing water sanitation issue is a personal and sensitive issue. The vulnerable section of people specially disabled people are struggling to access sanitation. Therefore, the main objective of the present study is to identify the challenges of disabled people to access sanitation facilities. The study mainly qualitative in nature Based on purposive sampling with fifteen disabled people and five key informants data were collected by following pretested semi-structured interview schedules for the three methods such as In-depth interviews (IDIs), case study and key informant interviews (KIIs) from the purposively selected area The data were analysed thematically Findings demonstrated that person with physical impairment face multiple challenges including physical, social, technical, institutional, financial, hygiene barriers. But they mostly encountered physical challenges including long distances of latrine, physical incapacitation, and difficulties to draw water The other barriers such as technical challenges includes inaccessible latrine design, narrow spaces, unavailability of electricity inside latrine, Social barriers includes lack of support, stigmatisation, lack of thinking about disabled friendly latrine design, negligence, isolation. Financial difficulties includes unaffordable assistive devices, hand washing materials, unimproved latrine and shared toilet, Institutional barriers includes lack of GO-NGO and local support, lack of law implementation and lack of consideration of disabled friendly latrine construction. Hygiene barriers includes improper hand washing practices, uncleanness, open defecation, lack of knowledge about hygiene practices Social model of disability and social exclusion theory are useful for classifying the majority of barriers, GO-NGO can run various projects to solve the sanitation challenges as well as further studies can be developed by other researchers and the findings draw attention of the policy planner to improve their sanitation needs. GO NGO should address the sanitation needs of the disabled and involving in income generating activities, awareness should be raised in individual and community level, improved disabled friendly latrine should be constructed nearside house with adequate space and stored water nearside toilet. Future quantitative or mixed research could be recommended on the sanitation challenges of disabled in private or public sphere with vast number of people from broad geographical areas.

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