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- Permanent Link:
- http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpService/dpPurlService/purl/FI13042454/00001
Notes
- Summary:
- This publication advocates for the establishment and implementation of a set of priority sanitation measures in Haiti as part of the reconstruction process, six months after the January 2010 earthquake, in order to prevent the current unsanitary conditions created by the disaster from expanding into a secondary disaster. According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the presence of sanitary conditions can save lives; conversely, the absence of sanitation can produce a secondary disaster in which survivors of the first die as a result of avoidable illnesses. In this publication, sanitation is defined as a set of services that include the disposal of solid and medical waste, the supply of bathing and laundry facilities, the inculcation of good hygiene habits, the management of dead bodies, and the control of disease vectors, such as insects and rodents. The IFRC invites international stakeholders to look at sanitation as a key element in Haiti’s reconstruction process and to effectively assist the Haitian government in developing the institutional capacity to provide long-lasting sanitation services to the Haitian people. By the same token, the IFRC argues that the goal to be reached in Haiti’s reconstruction process should not be that of bringing Haiti back to the pre-disaster stage. According to the international agency, prior to the quake, Haiti was already characterized by a lack of adequate sanitation. The IFRC argues that the earthquake should be used as an opportunity to build better sanitation facilities. It is also emphasized in the document that access to adequate sanitation services should be understood as a dignity and protection issue, especially for the most vulnerable to violation during periods of distress, women and children. It thus advocates increasing community participation, particularly of women, in the process of addressing the issue of sanitation as a means of making the use of sanitation facilities safe for all. The document stresses the importance of developing sustainable solutions in other sectors, such as resettlement and housing, to the development of sustainable sanitation. Meeting long-term sanitation needs will require policymakers to outline comprehensive reconstruction and development plans that integrate sanitation as a core component of their planning processes. The document also points to innovation within the sanitation sector as being absolutely necessary in a context such as Haiti’s. More needs to be understood about small bore sewerage, large-scale composting of waste, and biogas production, all seemingly promising avenues for the country. ( English )
- Subject:
- Disaster Risk Management ( English )
- Scope and Content:
- Top line messages p. 5; Before the earthquake: Tentative steps in the face of chronic under-development p. 8; Six months on: notable achievements, but substitution is not the answer p.11; The challenges of the next 6–12 months: Taking the first steps towards sustainable sanitation solutions p. 15; The next ten years: Innovation is the key p. 20; Haiti earthquake operation in figures p. 22 ( English )
- Citation/Reference:
- (2010). Haiti—from sustaining lives to sustainable solutions: the challenge of sanitation. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
- General Note:
- "Special report, six months on." Title from title screen (viewed on November 26, 2010).
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- Florida International University
- Rights Management:
- Copies of all or part of this document may be made for noncommercial use, providing the source is acknowledged. The
International Federation would appreciate receiving details of its use. Requests for commercial reproduction should be directed to the International Federation at secretariat@ifrc.org.
- Resource Identifier:
- FI13042454
685145615 ( oclc )
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