Blog #1- Clean Water and Sanitation: Nigeria
Clean Water and Sanitation: Nigeria
For this project, I will be focusing on clean water and sanitation (Goal 6). Many countries do not have access to clean water and sanitation which can be detrimental to the health of individuals. I wanted to focus on this topic because many countries face this issue and nothing has not been solved or overlooked. For instance, “ one in three people do not have access to safe drinking water, two out of five people do not have basic hand-washing facility with soap and water, and more than 673 million people still practice open defecation” (United Nations, n.d). In other words, the majority of the world’s population is facing this issue.
Nigeria is one of many countries that has contaminated drinking water and poor sanitation conditions which contributes to the increased vulnerability to water-borne diseases. Also, it remains a major contributing factor to high mortality rates among children under the age of five. According to UNICEF, it mentions that “ only 26.5 percent of the population use improved drinking water sources and sanitation facilities and 23.5 percent defecate in the open” (UNICEF Global, n.d). Furthermore, some of the consequences of having poor sanitation can contribute to diarrheal diseases and malnutrition through fecal contamination of food and water. Campbell mentions that “ diarrheal diseases kill approximately 121,800 Nigerians, including 87,100 children under the age of five each year” (2015). Also, poor sanitation can impact women and girls because they are at greater risk for physical and verbal harassment when they relieve themselves in the open public.
(UNICEF)
However, an organization called WaterAid partners with federal, state, and local governments to deliver clean water and safe toilets to some of the poorest people in Nigeria. WaterAid is doing as much as they can to provide clean water and proper sanitation to the states of Nigeria; however, not everyone will receive it because of the government. The organization believes that “ increased access to sustained water, sanitation, and hygiene services will be achieved in Nigeria when government institutions are strengthened and coordinated to deliver effectively and people and organizations work in partnership” (WaterAid). This is true because some of the major challenges of poor sanitation in Nigeria are centered on poor policy frameworks and underfunding. For instance, the effects of poor sanitation are costing Nigeria economically. It is estimated that poor sanitation can cost the county at least three billion dollars each year in lost productivity and health expenditures (2015). Furthermore, the challenge of coordination between Nigeria’s government has affected policymaking which has impacted Nigeria’s performance of delivering clean water and sanitation. Moreover, the goal can be accomplished if all the stakeholders work together and coordinate a plan. The first step is to recognize how bad the issue is Nigeria then conduct policies and actions that support the implementation of the issue.
References
Campbell, J. (2015). The Consequences of Deteriorating Sanitation in Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.cfr.org/blog/consequences-deteriorating-sanitation-nigeria
Nigeria: WaterAid UK. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.wateraid.org/uk/where-we-work/nigeria
Water and Sanitation – United Nations Sustainable Development. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/water-sanitation-and-hygiene
Hi Dajah! Your blog really brought to light how large of an issue clean and safe water is in Nigeria, and the many issues that accompany that. When I was in high school, an organization I was apart of became a part of some sort of rainwater collection and sanitation experiment. I do not remember the particular details of this experiment, but I know that there was a rainwater collection station that somehow sanitized the rainwater and made it to where the water could be used in the building of this organization. I think that this type of technology needs to be expanded upon, in order to be used in countries like Nigeria. I hope your blog raises awareness of this issue, and encourages for something to be done about it!
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteYou did an excellent job delivering information that most people are not aware of. The SDG you chose is a vital part of healthy living, clean water and sanitation are determinants of health each living person should have access to. It saddens me that the policy makers of Nigeria are failing to orchestrate proper distribution of clean water and offer sanitation measures. The lack of access to clean water can be correlated with the failure to urbanize rural areas which has left communities to suffer from poor living conditions. Without public transportation, pedestrian sidewalks, or proper nuclear infrastructure citizens have few chances to reach clean water and other resources like medicine. With the threat of global disease, I can only hope that places in Nigeria can have access to proper sanitation measures. Without so, inhabitants are at threat of contracting and spreading viral diseases in their local communities and hubs.
-N. Hulett
Hello Dajah,
ReplyDeleteI think the overall aesthetic is very well done and appealing to look at. The goal that you chose is important to address in all countries in the UN. Clean Water and Sanitation is hard to maintain even in developed countries so tackling this issue is a difficult task and a vital one too. The issue could be better addressed when the government understands that their is a need for proper sanitation and the amount of money that is spent when the country lacks this. The fight to make legislation o facilitate this help to Nigerians and giving these organizations the proper resources is how this goal will be accomplished.