Namibia Struggles with Sanitation as Open Defecation Remains Widespread

Sanitation as Open Defecation

Namibia: Namibia continues to struggle with major sanitation challenges, with 40% of the country’s 756,339 households still practising open defecation, according to the 2023 Census Report released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA). Speaking at the first National Sanitation Symposium on behalf of the minister of agriculture, water and land reform, deputy minister Ruthy Masake highlighted that the problem is most severe in rural areas and informal settlements. In the Zambezi region alone, 77.5% of households, or 28,909 out of 37,296, lack access to proper sanitation facilities. Masake acknowledged that while progress has been made in supplying potable water, sanitation remains critically behind, calling for greater investment in infrastructure and expanded public education to improve hygiene awareness nationwide.

Masake stressed that Namibia’s existing frameworks, including the Water and Sanitation Sector Policy of 2008 and the National Sanitation and Hygiene Strategy (2022–2027), form a strong foundation for national coordination. She emphasized that managing human waste from toilet containment to safe disposal or reuse is vital for protecting public health, preserving the environment, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. Reiterating that access to sanitation is a basic human right, she underlined its importance for Namibia’s social and economic development and the country’s commitment to meeting UN SDG 6.2, which calls for universal access to basic toilets and the elimination of open defecation.

Source: The Namibian