Participation in the realization of the human rights to water and sanitation 2014, para. 36
Paragraph- Paragraph text
- Negative examples abound of the failure to achieve the appropriate balance between technical expertise and knowledge gained through experience. For example, there have been cases where providing communities with latrines using subsidies and a standard model design was expected to solve the rural sanitation problem. However, it emerged that the latrines were often not used, or were used as storage facilities or to house livestock. On the other hand, where modifications to water and sanitation facilities are needed to ensure accessibility by disabled persons, specialist knowledge plays a useful role by informing the process of analysing the strengths and weaknesses of each option so that people can make an informed choice in light of their particular needs. Testimony can be extremely powerful and effective for bringing people's experiences to bear. "Poverty truth commissions" can lead to a useful inversion of power dynamics, with those who have become experts through experience testifying and those "in power" hearing the testimony. The process ensures that people experiencing poverty are at the heart of developing solutions.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2014
- Paragraph type
- Other
- Paragraph number
- 36
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