Women Friendly Toilets

Our Project Leader Sharmin, is tackling period poverty in Bangladesh. When she got her first period she didn’t even know what was happening to her body let alone how to manage it, due to the taboo of speaking about periods in Bangladesh. Like most girls, she made do by using old rags to soak up the blood. She’s now renovating slum toilets in Bangladesh so girls can be safe, healthy and free.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This project exists to renovate 25 communal toilet facilities in slum communities across Dhaka to ensure they are safe and "women-friendly". Toilets will be accessible 24/7, have lockable cubicles, and be equipped with menstrual facilities and running water.

The facilities will be designed and delivered in conjunction with women in each host community to ensure toilets meet the safety, privacy and health needs of the women and girl residents. At each facility, a local woman will be employed as Community Toilets Manager and be responsible for managing the hygiene levels and providing access to, and education around, sanitary products.

Each women-friendly toilet facility will directly benefit 30 girls and women (750 total). In Dhaka slums, people don't have toilets in their homes and communal toilets are used by an average of 60 people each. Current facilities are unhygenic and women are vulnerable to attacks due to the lack of privacy and locks. This project will ensure women and girls have a safe, comfortable space for their toileting needs and the opportunity to manage their periods hygenically and comfortably.

The wider slum communities will benefit, as toilets will promote a cleaner environment. Jobs will be created for 25 Toilet Managers

OUTCOMES

The expected project outcomes are as follows:

Girls and women will receive access to safe toilets with menstrual products available
Girls and women will maintain their privacy with toilet use
Girls and women will enjoy tension-free menstruation with dignity
The slum environment will be cleaner because of the promotion of a healthy lifestyle in the slums
Community Toilet Leaders will become economically independent

We will conduct a baseline study with women and girls across each of the target slum areas to gain an understanding of the availability and accessibility of toileting facilities as well as their physical and psychological needs and priorities. This baseline survey will inform the design stage of the project.
Once we have completed the renovations and the community is confidently managing the ongoing running of the facilities a comparative study will be conducted to compare the project’s results and measure the outcomes.

sustainability

The slum landlords will pay a minimum service fee. The Community Toilet Manager will sell sanitary products with part revenue being reinvested into the project. This will raise funds to manage the ongoing costs of employing the Toilet Manager and maintaining the facilities beyond the initial 6 month establishment phase.

To learn more about supporting this project, reach out to Johanna on +61 474 977 140 or by email: jo@justpeoples.org.

Just Peoples project leaders Sharmin and Lucy discuss period poverty with Just Peoples co-founder Christey.