Confronting the Challenges of Open Defecation practices in Flat Lands of Nepal: A Social Norms Perspective Anu Paudyal Gautam, UNICEF Nepal Penn-UNICEF Advances in Social Norms Course June 2014

Where are we

3 National Coverage (%) Additional performance required MDG target Universal access target Source: MPPW

More Efforts Essential 2022 MDG target 53% Universal access target 2017 Sanitation-Universal Coverage and MDG Target

H/Hs with Improved, Un- improved and OD Population served and unserved with Toilet facility Key Sector Challenges

The attitude towards toilet is poor as people feel that having a television, radio and mobile is a status symbol. Latrine is not perceived as a prestige driver.

SOCIAL NORMS PERSPECTIVE Conditional Preferences Empirical Expectations Social Norms Normative Expectations Is Open Defecation a social norm issue The answer is no because Individuals perform this act to meet their needs Which are guided by unconditional preferences

Factual Beliefs Open defecation is not harmful Children feces is not harmful Children get diarrhea when they are tootling Latrine is expensive No knowledge about diarrhea cause SOCIAL NORMS DIAGNOSIS (I) Non-ODF communitiesODF communities Factual beliefs People were eating their own shit and the shit of others Shit is the main cause of diarrhea It is a matter of shame and disgust (Shame elicits expectation of what others think I do)

EXCEPTIONS (MOSTLY IN TERAI)  Women feel shy while using the toilet thinking what other people might think. However, they don’t feel ashamed while doing it near a lake or a pond  A female hesitates to use the toilet being used by her father in law (mahisoor) and brother in law (bhaisoor).  'How can we defecate over somebody else’s excreta? (haglay pay hagoo)', a common belief of people in community.  In Tarai while digging 4/5 feet for making the toilet hole, water seeps in and the hole gets filled very soon. So it’s a hassle/expensive to clean the pit  Peoples believe that defecation in the field is necessary for the fertility of the soil.

SOCIAL NORMS DIAGNOSIS (I) Personal normative beliefs Latrine is more for women than men Defecating in the open is good I can save money for other things Latrine construction is a waste of money Latrine is government’s responsibility Hurdle to wait in queue to use toilet especially in larger family Feeling suffocated inside the toilet. Non-ODF communities ODF communities Personal normative beliefs Latrine construction is my personal social responsibility It is a matter of prestige and pride Everbody in the family will use the toilet

EE People expect that some will do OD and some will not do OD (positive deviance) SOCIAL NORMS DIAGNOSIS (II) NE Normally there is no normative expectation around open defecation practice Non-ODF communities ODF communities NE People believe that everyone else think that I use a toilet should use (What I think others think I should do) EE People see that people around them have build toilets (What I think other do) People do not see anyone doing open defecation in the open space

NEW SCHEMA AND SCRIPT Scripts Use of toilet by all family members Disposing off child feces in the toilet Latrine is used and cleaned by male members of the family Schema An ideal family is one which owns and uses a toilet Girls marry boys having toilet at home Keeping Surroundings clean and free from flies Families maintain toilet

CRITICAL EVALUATION OF PAST WORKS s –WATSAN decade – Sanitation as a weak add on to Water Supply projects s –Sanitation Policy 1994, Child to Child Approach 1997, Steering committee for National Sanitation action formed in s - Initiated School Sanitation and Hygiene Education program, School Led Total Sanitation program 2006, International Year of Sanitation and Global Hand Washing Day in Aligning for Action and Sanitation Social Movement in Nepal

SUCCESSES AND FOUNDATIONS OF NEW NORM  Significant increase in the sanitation coverage (6% in 1999 to 62% in 2011)  Accelerated achievement of Open Defecation Free communities (Reference Network)  Enabling legislative provisions - National Sanitation and Hygiene Master Plan, MAF for sanitation with UNICEF support (Harmonization of legal and social norms)  Sector harmonization and partnership (Everybody coming together)  Government leadership and community ownership  Institutional set up and arrangements (Organized Diffusion

LESSONS  Subsidies didn't work (community emotions was not triggered)  Reversion to OD in some areas due to lack of water (extra social norm)  Use of coercion by the authorities to promote household toilet construction has been challenged

WHAT WORKED ? (I)  Information shared within the entire community about the negative consequences of OD for all  Collective change of factual beliefs and attitudes (elicit disgust through Triggering already lead to normative expectations and pride and prestige linking the behavior with social status)  Collective decision to enact change (coordinated action)  Realize social dilemma problem: “Norm creation“  Spontaneous diffusion

WHAT WORKED (II)  Flagging (Green flag is hoisted to declare ODF – this already creates normative expectations and future conformity to the behavior  Public Declarations from highest political level (Enough people are seeing that enough people are changing which are the foundational capacity for reference network)

THE NEW PROJECT CELEBRATING EVERYDAY HEROES A Comprehensive Communication for Development Strategy

EVERYDAY HEROES COMMUNICATION STRATEGY: AT A GLANCE EVERYDAY HEROES COMMUNICATION STRATEGY: AT A GLANCE CROSS CUTTING DIMENSIONS Inclusion v Participation v Social Norms v Empowerment CROSS CUTTING DIMENSIONS Inclusion v Participation v Social Norms v Empowerment KEY BEHAVIOURAL RESULTS

GOING BEYOND CAP – RESULTS OF FORMATIVE RESEARCH FROM DHANUSHA Developing the habit of using toilet Giving pressure to others in the community for using toilet and aware them about the importance of using toilet Ideal behavior All family members should use toilet at all times What the responder does What the responder does she should do What the responder believes others think she should do What the responder believe other s do Normative Expectations Setting a community-wide rule for every households in the community to build and use toilets Establishing a committee and levy a fine (‘jurmana’ and ‘kar’) or social punishment against those who defecate in the open. Guardians should explain their children and others about the importance of using toilet. Elder members should develop the habit of using toilet at all times so that the

Costed Implementation plan STRATEGY COMPONENTS

LEVERAGE NEPAL MASS MEDIA LANDSCAPE Internet penetration at 26% 83% of rural population rank radio as their #1 information source 60% of potential viewers have no access to TV programming 71% Cellphone penetration is at 13% Increase in 2013 Smartphones have increased their market share annually 20-25% 7% Increase in 2013

A story-world: A shared universe where settings, characters, objects, events, actions of one or more narratives exist. Multiple media entry points Web series Social Media Radio Local FMs segments Comm. Theater Comic strips PSAs IPCC materials PR A differentiated path to stories responsive to audience/platform A Story-world IVR

MOBILIZE REFERENCE GROUP Village Development Committees GBV Watch Groups 50,000 FCHVs Health Mothers Groups Saving and Credit Groups Forest Users Groups 15,000 Child Clubs Water Users Groups 40,000 Ward Citizen Forums 4,000 Social Mobilizers

25 National Coverage (%) Additional performance required MDG target Universal access target Source: MPPW DWASH CCs Red - central node (Local Development Officer/Nominated Chairperson) Green – Village Head Yellow – High Degree nodes Mustard – Villages Network Analysis for Organized Diffusion

SUSTAINABILITY

Terhathum Gorkha Syangja Mahotari Jajarkot Dolakha Achham Kaski Rautahat Lamjung Bajura Kailali Dhanusa Bajhang Dailekh Ramechhap Kathmandu Rasuwa Parbat Nawalparasi Sankhuwasabha Mustang Morang Pyuthan Siraha Sindhupalchoke Udayapur Mugu Darchula Baglung Rupandehi Banke Bardiya Ilam Kapilbastu Bhojpur Chitawan Kavre Gulmi Khotang Dang Solukhumbu Taplejung Dolpa Dhankuta Nuwakot Lalitpur Panchthar Parsa Bhaktapur Tanahu Saptari Sarlahi Arghakanchi Humla Salyan Sindhuli Jumla Doti Okhaldhunga Manang Rolpa Myagdi Rukum Kanchanpur Surkhet Dadeldhura Kalikot Sunsari Baitadi Dhading Makwanpur Jhapa Bara Palpa An Open Defecation Free Nepal Thank You!

Thank You