How Lack or Insufficient Provision
of Water and Sanitation Impacts
Women’s Health Working
in the Informal Sector: Experiences
from West and Central Africa
H. Blaise Nguendo Yongsi
1 Key Messages
1. Like other African countries, population of Sub-Saharan Africa is characterized
by a relatively high proportion of women (more than 50%). This female population constitutes an undeniable workforce in the economic development process
of those countries.
2. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, women are, to varying degrees, at the forefront of the
economic life. Due to the low economic development level of those countries and
mostly of sociocultural constraints, they mainly operate in the informal service
sector such as street catering, retail sale, cleaning and maid service.
3. However, their working environment is less or poorly provided with water and
sanitation infrastructure. This poses a serious problem of sexual/reproductive
health. In fact, management of their menstruation becomes a challenging situation
as they don’t have access to water and sanitation.
4. As a matter of consequence, they can no longer carry out their activities during
a time period, which represents a significant socio-economic loss. It is therefore crucial to involve women in the design of improved sanitation and waste
management structures.
2 Water and Sanitation Impacts on Women Health
At least 500 million women and girls globally lack adequate facilities for menstrual
hygiene management. Inadequate WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) facilities,
H. B. N. Yongsi (B)
Urban Health at IFORD-University of Yaoundé II, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Catholic University of Central Africa, The School of Health Sciences, Yaoundé, Cameroon
© Zhejiang University Press 2021
F. W. Gatzweiler, Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme,
Urban Health and Wellbeing,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6036-5_8
45
of Water and Sanitation Impacts
Women’s Health Working
in the Informal Sector: Experiences
from West and Central Africa
H. Blaise Nguendo Yongsi
1 Key Messages
1. Like other African countries, population of Sub-Saharan Africa is characterized
by a relatively high proportion of women (more than 50%). This female population constitutes an undeniable workforce in the economic development process
of those countries.
2. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, women are, to varying degrees, at the forefront of the
economic life. Due to the low economic development level of those countries and
mostly of sociocultural constraints, they mainly operate in the informal service
sector such as street catering, retail sale, cleaning and maid service.
3. However, their working environment is less or poorly provided with water and
sanitation infrastructure. This poses a serious problem of sexual/reproductive
health. In fact, management of their menstruation becomes a challenging situation
as they don’t have access to water and sanitation.
4. As a matter of consequence, they can no longer carry out their activities during
a time period, which represents a significant socio-economic loss. It is therefore crucial to involve women in the design of improved sanitation and waste
management structures.
2 Water and Sanitation Impacts on Women Health
At least 500 million women and girls globally lack adequate facilities for menstrual
hygiene management. Inadequate WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) facilities,
H. B. N. Yongsi (B)
Urban Health at IFORD-University of Yaoundé II, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Catholic University of Central Africa, The School of Health Sciences, Yaoundé, Cameroon
© Zhejiang University Press 2021
F. W. Gatzweiler, Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme,
Urban Health and Wellbeing,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6036-5_8
45