The purpose of this paper is to discuss central challenges in connection with providing sanitation services from the perspective of international development assistance.
Environmental sanitation encompasses management of human excreta, storm water, grey water, solid waste, hazardous, and industrial wastes. For public health reasons this paper will focus on management of human excreta and the prevention of diseases associated with the faecal-oral transmission route.
The discussion in this paper will primarily concentrate on sanitation interventions to separate, contain and dispose of human excreta focusing on the construction, use and proper management of some sort of latrine. Key hygiene behaviour will also be considered, especially hand washing at critical times and disposal of children's faeces. The technological and institutional aspects of central treatment options for human excreta or issues of reuse will not be covered in any detail.