European Journal of Environment and Public Health

European Journal of Environment and Public Health, 2020 - Volume 4 Issue 2, Article No: em0043
https://doi.org/10.29333/ejeph/8237

Published Online: 03 May 2020

Views: 86 | Downloads: 84

Open defecation has continued to pose serious health and environmental challenges globally. This practice affects almost 1 billion people worldwide and is said to contribute significantly to an estimated 842,000 deaths resulting from sanitation related diseases. A survey conducted by UNICEF ranks Nigeria as the African country with the highest population practicing open defecation and the second next to India globally. To tackle this and to prevent an environmental and health crisis, a state of emergency was declared in the water supply, sanitation and hygiene services (WASH) sector that led to the signing of an executive order to end open defecation by 2025. The objective is to eliminate open defecation and also ensure that SDG 6 is achieved especially in the rural areas. This paper posits that achieving an open defecation free status has and still remains a primary target for the government in Nigeria at all levels and the machinery of law be deployed as a viable tool to achieve this target. It submits that for this target to be met, there is the need to recognize the right to sanitation as one of the key ways to address sanitation issues especially open defecation. Articulating this right in a way that respects equity, human rights and environmental sustainability will effectively aid in the realization of the goal of ending open defecation by 2025.

open defecation sanitation legislation Nigeria

• Abubakar, I. R. (2018). Exploring the determinants of open defecation in Nigeria using demographic and health survey data. Science of the Total Environment: 637-638C(2018), 1455-1465. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.104
• Abubakar, I. R. and Dano U. L. (2018). Socioeconomic challenges and opportunities of urbanization in Nigeria. In Urbanization and Its Impact on Socio-Economic Growth in Developing Regions, 219-240. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-2659-9.ch011
• Aginam, O. (2001). “Public health law in South Africa by Sundrasagaran Nadasen” Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies, 8(2), Available at: http://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/ijgls/vol6/iss2/10
• Akamabe, U. B. and Kpae, G. (2017). A critique on Nigeria national policy on environment: Reasons for policy review. IIARD International Journal of Geography and Environmental Management, 3(3), 22-36. Available at: www.iiardpub.org
• Clansen, T., Boison, S., Routray, P., Torondel, B., Bell, M., Cumming, O. … and Schmidt, W. (2014). Effectiveness of a rural sanitation program on diarrhea, soil transmitted helminth infection, and child nutrition in Odisha, India: a cluster -randomized trial. (2014) The Lancet Global Health, 2(11), E645-E653. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(14)70307-9
• Connell, K. O. (2014) What Influences Open Defecation and Latrine Ownership in Rural Households? Findings from a Global Review, World Bank, Washington, DC, USA.
• Cookey, P. (2012). Developing sustainable policies, legislative and regulatory framework for sanitation and waste management in Nigeria. A Paper Presented at the Capacity Building Program for Parliamentary Support Staff of States and National Assembly; on the 18th April 2012 at the African Leadership Forum Conference Centre, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria.
• Cullet, P. (2016) Policy as law: Lessons from sanitation interventions in rural India. Stanford Journal of International Law, 54, 241-258.
• Duncan, J. C. (2010). A critical consideration of executive orders: Glimmerings of autopoiesis in the executive role. Vermont law Review, 35(333), 333-411.
• Egbinola, C. N. and Amanambu, A. C. (2015). Water supply, sanitation and hygiene education in secondary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria. In: Szymańska, D. and Środa-Murawska, S. editors, Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, No. 29, Toruń: Nicolaus Copernicus University, 31-46. https://doi.org/10.1515/bog-2015-0023
• Elledge, M. F., Rosensweig, F., Warner, D. B., Austin, J. and Perez, E. A. (2002). Guidelines for the assessment of national sanitation policies. Strategic Report 2. Prepared for the Office of Health, Infectious Diseases and Nutrition, Bureau for Global Health, U.S Agency for International Development, under EHP Project 26568/CESH.SANITATION. POLTOOL.
• Guardian. (2018). FG declares state of emergency in water, sanitation sector (Joke Falaju), Guardian, 16 April, 2018. Available at: https://m.guardian.ng/property/fg-declares-state-of-emergency-in-water-sanitatio-sector/ (Accessed: 27 March 2020).
• Ijaiya, H. and Joseph, O. T. (2014). Rethinking environmental law enforcement in Nigeria. Beijing Law Review, 5, 306-321. https://doi.org/10.4236/blr.2014.54029
• Kalu, R. E., Etim, K. D., Jonathan, O. A. and Eja, M. E. (2019). Open defecation profile of rural communities in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States of the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. App. Sci, 8(12), 2332-2340. https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2019.812.275
• Koonan, S. (2016). Right to sanitation in India, nature and scope. In K.J. Joy and Sarita Bhagat (Eds), Right to Sanitation in India: Nature, Scope and Voices from the Margins (Pune: Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India, (2016), 1-14.
• Ladan, M. T. (2012) ‘Review of NESREA Act 2007 and Regulations 2009-2011: A New Dawn in Environmental Compliance and Enforcement in Nigeria’. Law, Environment and Development Journal, 8(1), 116. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2335606
• Luby, S. P., Gupta, S. K., Sheikh, M. A., Johnston, R. B., Ram, P. K. and Islam, M. S. (2008). Well water quality and predictors of contamination in three flood-prone areas in Bangladesh. Appl Microbiology, 105, 1002-1008. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2672.2008.03826.x
• Mara, D. (2017). The elimination of open defecation and its adverse health effects: a moral imperative for governments and development professionals. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 7(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2017.027
• Mitsunori, O., Zainal, M., Aidan, A. C., Michael, E. G., Aldy, K. M., Khaerul, U. and Yameha, T. A. (2017). Enabling factors for sustaining open defecation-free communities in rural Indonesia: A cross-sectional study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 2017(14), 1572. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14121572
• Mukherjee, N., Robiarto, A., Saputra, E. and Wartono, D. (2012). Achieving and sustaining open defecation free communities: learning from East Java. Report from WSP. Washington, DC: World Bank.
• Nadar, K. (2016). Can Nigeria achieve ODF with Business as Usual? Presented at the National CLTS Conference and Launch of ODF Roadmap from Nigeria, 22nd November 2016. Available at: http://www.communityledtotalsanitation.org/sites/communityledtotalsanitation.org/files/Can_Nigeria_achieve_ODF_with_business_as_usual.pdf (Accessed: 24 March 2020).
• Ngwu, U. I. (2017). The practice of open defecation in rural communities in Nigeria: A Call for Social and Behavior Change Communication Intervention. International Journal of Communication Research, 7(3), 201-206.
• Obani, P. and Gupta, J. (2015). The Evolution of the right to water and sanitation: differentiating the implications. Review of European, Comparative and International Environmental Law, 24(1), 27-39. https://doi.org/10.1111/reel.12095
• Oguntoke, O., Aboderin, O. J. and Bankole, A. M. (2009). Association of water-borne diseases morbidity pattern and water quality in parts of Ibadan city. Nigeria. J. Health Res., 11(4), 189-195. https://doi.org/10.4314/thrb.v11i4.50174
• Okpasuo, J., Okafor, F. C. and Aguzie, I. (2018). Effects of household drinking water choices, knowledge, practices and spatio-temporal trend on the prevalence of waterborne diseases in Enugu Urban Nigeria. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 73(Supplement), 225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2018.04.3926
• Okullo, J. O., Moturi, W. N. and Ogendi, G. M. (2017). Open defecation and its effects on the bacteriological quality of drinking water sources in Isiolo County, Kenya. Environmental Health Insights, 11, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1177/1178630217735539
• Oloruntoba, E. O. and Sridhar, M. K. (2007). Bacteriological quality of drinking water from source to household in Ibadan, Nigeria. Afr. J. Med Sci., 36(2), 169-175.
• Olowoporoku, O. A. (2017). A recipe for disaster: An assessment of environmental sanitation situation in Nigeria. MAYFEB Journal of Environmental Science, 1(2017), 1-5.
• O’Reilly, K., Dhanju, R. and Goel, A. (2017). Exploring “the remote” and “the rural”: open defecation and latrine use in Uttarakhand, India. World Development, 93, 193-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2016.12.022
• Orimoloye, E. O., Amadi, C. O. A., Amadi, A. N., Azuamah, Y. C., Nwoke, E. A., Zacchaeus, U. and Dozie, I. N. S. (2015). Assessment of water sanitation and hygiene practices in Ibadan, Nigeria. International Journal of Research (IJR), 2(2), 94-100.
• Osumanu, I. K. and Kosoe, E. A. (2013). Where do I answer nature’s call? An assessment of accessibility and utilization of toilet facilities in WA, Ghana. Ghana Journal of Geography, 5(1), 17-31.
• Punch. (2019). Buhari signs executive order 009 to end open defecation (John Ameh). Punch, 21 November, 2019. Available at: https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/buhari-signs-executive-order-009-to-end-open-defecation/%3famp=1 (Accessed: 27 March 2020).
• Rose, C., Parker, A., Jefferson, B. and Carmel, E. (2015. The characterization of feces and urine: A review of literature to inform advanced treatment technology. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 45(17), 1827-1879. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2014.1000761
• Stanley, H. O., Orakwuemma, C. S., Onumajuru, B. O., Opukeme, A. S. and Onaghise, L. O. (2018). Assessment of solid waste disposal in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Asian Journal of Advanced Research and Reports, 1(4), 1-14, Article no. AJARR.43039. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajarr/2018/v1i413084
• Tambekar, D. H. and Neware, B. B. (2012). Water quality index and multivariate analysis for groundwater quality assessment of villages of rural India. Sci Res Report, 3, 229-235.
• UNICEF. (2016). Making Nigeria Open Defecation Free By 2025: A National Road Map. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/reports/making-nigeria-open-defecation-free-2025-national-road-map
• UNICEF. (2018). Water. Sanitation and Hygiene. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/water-sanitation-and-hygiene
• UNICEF/WHO (2015). Progress on sanitation and drinking water - 2015 update and MDG assessment. Geneva: World Health Organization.
• UNICEF/WHO (2017). Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and SDG baselines. Geneva: World Health Organization.
• Winkler, I. T. (2016). The human right to sanitation. U. Pa. J. Int’l L, 37(4), 1333-1406.
• World Bank (2016). World Development Indicators 2016: Featuring the Sustainable Development Goals. Databank. Washington DC: World Bank Group. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0683-4
• World Bank. (2017). A Wake Up Call. Nigeria Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene Poverty Diagnostic. Available at: www.worldbank.org (Accessed: 18 December 2019).
• WSP (Water and Sanitation Program). (2012). Nigeria: Economic Impacts of Poor Sanitation in Africa. Available at: https://www.wsp.org/sites/wsp.org/files/publications/WSP-ESI-Nigeria-brochure.pdf (Accessed: 24 March 2020).
• Yilgwan, C. S., Yilgwan, G. and Abok, I. (2010). Domestic water sourcing and the risk of diarrhea: a cross-sectional survey of a peri-urban community in Jos, Nigeria. Niger J. Med, 19(3), 271-274. https://doi.org/10.4314/jjm.v5i1.62024

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.