180822a-gill-ekane-sanitation-uganda-rwanda-pb-1806f-64f0f8137dff1406.pdf

This policy brief examines sanitation governance in Rwanda and Uganda, highlighting a significant gap between ambitious national policies and actual household-level implementation. It finds that sanitation is underfunded in national budgets, leading to a dependency on external multilateral funding and unsustainable programs. The report emphasizes that because households provide roughly 60% of sanitation investment and behaviors are deeply rooted in cultural and religious norms, top-down targets often fail. The authors advocate for a 'backward mapping' approach to include local stakeholders in policy design and a better understanding of the emotional and behavioral drivers of hygiene practices to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6.

• Sanitation is frequently a low priority in the national budgets of Uganda and Rwanda, despite increased political commitments. Policy implementation is often fragmented and poorly coordinated because non-state actors, including private operators, local NGOs, and multilateral organisations, are filling gaps in service delivery and resources.
• National governments in Rwanda and Uganda have become dependent on external funding because supranational actors and multilateral organisations set the sanitation agenda and finance specific approaches, such as community health clubs in Rwanda and community-led total sanitation in Uganda. This lack of national ownership often renders programmes unsustainable once external funding ceases.
• Households are the primary financiers of sanitation, contributing approximately 60% of investment in the sector in Rwanda and Uganda. Because sanitation and hygiene are largely private, behavioural matters influenced by cultural norms, religion, and codes of conduct, there is often a disconnect between macro-level policy objectives and micro-level household actions.
• Top-down pressure to achieve prescribed targets often fails to account for the complexity of local contexts, which can distort service priorities and compromise the sustainability of sanitation efforts.
• The use of human excreta as fertilizer for food crops is hindered by feelings of repugnance in many individuals. This suggests that negative emotions significantly influence decision-making and judgment, often conflicting with risk management information, which necessitates different communication and risk management approaches.
• A "backward mapping" approach is recommended to include people at the ground level in the design and implementation of reforms. This method helps build consensus for change and allows for greater flexibility and discretion by involving individuals, households, and communities who are the key implementers of basic sanitation facilities.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (n.d.). 180822a-gill-ekane-sanitation-uganda-rwanda-pb-1806f-64f0f8137dff1406.pdf. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/180822a-gill-ekane-sanitation-uganda-rwanda-pb-1806f.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. 180822a-gill-ekane-sanitation-uganda-rwanda-pb-1806f-64f0f8137dff1406.pdf. n.d. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/180822a-gill-ekane-sanitation-uganda-rwanda-pb-1806f.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=180822a-gill-ekane-sanitation-uganda-rwanda-pb-1806f-64f0f8137dff1406.pdf |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/180822a-gill-ekane-sanitation-uganda-rwanda-pb-1806f.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitutend180822agillekanesanitationugandarwandapb1806f64f0f8137dff1406pdf, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{180822a-gill-ekane-sanitation-uganda-rwanda-pb-1806f-64f0f8137dff1406.pdf}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/180822a-gill-ekane-sanitation-uganda-rwanda-pb-1806f.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }