Stronger sanitation for Afghanistan’s informal settlements

Across Afghanistan, fast-growing neighbourhoods on the edges of Kabul, Herat, Jalalabad and other cities often have limited access to sewers, drainage systems and safe toilets. UN-provided latrines and drainage can improve daily life in these settlements, but their value depends on how well they fit local needs. Construction alone cannot solve years of uneven infrastructure, unmanaged waste and flood-prone terrain. Learn more about Casino Etiquette Roulette.

Success depends on the entire sanitation chain. A latrine must contain waste safely, a drain must carry wastewater away without contaminating homes or groundwater, and residents need a reliable way to empty and dispose of septic tanks. The UN works with Afghan communities, local authorities and service providers so facilities become functioning public services rather than isolated assets.

An Australian perspective reveals familiar civic challenges. Sydney and Melbourne contain dense inner-city neighbourhoods and public-housing estates where a failed toilet affects many households at once. Australians commonly call a toilet a “loo” and ask a council to “clear a blockage”. Councils and water utilities manage much of the sewerage, stormwater and rubbish infrastructure, while household sanitation is funded through rates and user charges, with some work contracted to private firms.

What changes when a latrine becomes safe

A useful upgrade considers more than a concrete slab and pit. Depending on local conditions, facilities may need a raised or accessible platform, internal handwashing space, ventilation, lighting, a lockable door and separate provision for women, men, children and people with disabilities. Shared facilities also require secure access throughout the day, reliable water and clear maintenance arrangements.

These improvements can protect dignity as well as health. Households spend less time managing unsafe waste, children have safer spaces for washing, and women and girls can use facilities without relying on improvised options. Better sanitation can also support attendance at school, market activity and paid work by reducing the time and cost of dealing with illness.

The relevant measure is not simply how many latrines enter the ground. It is whether people can use them consistently, whether waste remains contained and whether maintenance continues after installation crews leave. Community feedback and local observation are essential because technical designs may need adjustment after the first rains or changes in settlement density.

Why drainage decides whether sanitation lasts

Drainage is shared infrastructure that follows streets, paths and property boundaries. In many Afghan settlements, wastewater, household runoff and solid waste collect in the same low points. A new latrine placed beside an uncontrolled channel can still fail if runoff enters the facility, the channel collapses or waste is emptied directly into open drains.

Climate makes this especially important. Heavy spring rain, snowmelt and flash floods can overwhelm basic channels and spread contamination through paths used by children, delivery workers and livestock. Drains therefore need appropriate gradients, protected outlets, trash traps and safe points for maintenance. Designs should also account for future settlement growth, since a channel suitable for a small neighbourhood can quickly become inadequate when more families arrive.

Maintenance cannot be separated from construction. Residents need somewhere to report blockages, local workers need access to tools and spare parts, and responsible authorities need predictable budgets. Participation helps determine priorities. Examples of women’s advocacy platforms for national dialogue show how broader public discussions can help turn general promises into specific decisions about safety, access and accountability.

Turning assets into shared services

A facility becomes sustainable when responsibilities are defined before handover. Residents need to know how to use and maintain it, technicians need to be paid for desludging and repairs, and municipal partners need a budget for larger works. Clear contact channels matter because a blocked drain affects many households and cannot be treated as an individual household repair.

A direct comparison shows what coordinated upgrading changes:

Element	Facility without coordinated upgrading	Coordinated UN-supported approach
Toilet condition	Damaged, exposed or poorly adapted	Enclosed, accessible and suitable for local users
Waste containment	Leaking pit or unlined chamber	Planned containment with safe emptying arrangements
Wastewater control	Unmanaged runoff near homes	Connected drainage with safe discharge points
Handwashing	Water source may be distant	Convenient water and soap near the facility
Maintenance	Repairs depend on ad hoc requests	Named contacts, schedules and operating funds
Accountability	Limited feedback and poor records	Resident oversight and regular performance checks

These features describe a coordinated model rather than a promise that every project has identical components. Local engineering, environmental conditions and community preferences determine the appropriate design. The important principle is that each part must work with the others.

A sustainable approach also supports local markets. Afghan technicians can service pumps, pipes and latrine components, while local suppliers make replacement parts and consumables available. Small, transparent service fees can help cover routine work without excluding low-income households. In Australia, neighbourhood committees often complement professional services through volunteer clean-ups and small council grants. That division between specialist contractors, public infrastructure and community effort offers a useful parallel for settlement organisers.

Daily habits that keep facilities healthy

Infrastructure changes behaviour, but behaviour determines how long infrastructure remains useful. Residents need to know which products should not enter drains, where household wastewater belongs and how to report a leak or blockage. This information should be available in Dari, Pashto and other commonly used languages, with visual guidance where literacy levels or language preferences make written notices insufficient.

Shared spaces depend on clear expectations and mutual consideration. Even in a very different environment, a [casino etiquette guide] illustrates how instructions, consistent examples and courteous enforcement help people use a shared facility appropriately. A sanitation block needs similarly visible rules: keep the area clean, use the designated waste point, protect the water supply and respect the privacy of other users.

Local teams can reinforce these messages through women’s health educators, community leaders, school activities and market associations. Maintenance days can combine drain clearing, minor repairs and feedback sessions. Female staff and women-led committees are particularly important where cultural safety or concerns about speaking with male contractors otherwise discourage participation. Inclusive design also means consulting older people, people with disabilities and tenants in shared housing, not only household heads.

Measuring change after handover

Evaluation should follow the sanitation chain. Useful indicators include the proportion of facilities functioning, the frequency of blockages, response times for repairs, safe desludging records, handwashing availability and changes in reported sanitation-related illness. Residents should be able to provide feedback without retaliation, and reports should distinguish temporary technical failures from long-term financing gaps.

Climate resilience also requires coordination with wider settlement plans. Drainage investments should align with solid-waste collection, road improvement, groundwater protection and land-use decisions. Where authorities plan new housing or formalise a neighbourhood, the sanitation system should anticipate population growth rather than being added after construction. This is how individual projects become part of a durable urban service.

The archived UN70 “Strong UN. Strong Afghanistan.” campaign highlights the importance of Afghan voices, partnership and practical results. Its enduring message is that international support works best when residents help shape priorities and local institutions retain the skills, equipment and funding needed afterwards. Afghan technicians, community organisations and municipal teams are therefore central to lasting change, while international partners remain accountable for quality, inclusion and long-term support.

UN-provided latrines and drainage can transform an Afghan informal settlement when they are safe, connected to a maintained waste system and trusted by residents. Progress must be measured through reliable everyday use rather than construction totals alone, with women, children, people with disabilities and low-income households included in every stage.

Support Afghan-led sanitation by sharing the campaign’s community stories, backing local technicians and maintenance funds, and pressing donors and implementing partners to provide safe water, containment and drainage together. When households can reach a dependable facility without wading through waste, investment becomes a lasting public service rather than a temporary installation.