Abstract
For women in particular, safety, privacy and dignity are important considerations in the design of toilet and bathing facilities, and taking their views in to account is vital. Enabling their voices to be heard can be challenging, particularly in contexts where women's seclusion in society is the norm. This article details a case study which highlights the way Oxfam GB dealt with this important issue following the earthquake which struck Pakistan in 2005.
Acknowledgement
An earlier version of this article was presented at the 32nd WEDC International Conference, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2006.
Notes
1. Seclusion/purdah is sometimes practised by women who are Muslim in a number of countries, and also by some Hindu women in India, although different communities practice it in different ways and to different degrees. It is sometimes the case that the women previously living in seclusion will have more freedom to leave their living areas in emergency situations.
2. The standardised block was designed by Bibi Lamond.