Needs Assessment and Analysis

From a sanitation perspective, a needs assessment provides the baseline information necessary to identify the impact of a crisis on a disaster-affected community and to guide decision-making for the practical implementation of sanitation services. This first stage of implementation is characterised mainly by data collection and subsequent data analysis. 

Key Actions

• Identify the target population: Determine who the assessment is intended to benefit.
• Involve the communityCommunityA group of people sharing something in common. in the assessment process to ensure that their needs and perspectives are included.
• Use a variety of data collection methods (e.g. Surveys, direct Observation, or Focus Group Discussions) to ensure a more complete picture of the situation.
• Use multiple sources of data to verify the accuracy and reliability of the findings.
• Write a report that summarises the findings and recommendations for addressing the identified needs.
• Conduct a joint assessment or share assessment information with the affected population and relevant coordination groups (e.g. (sub-) National WASH Cluster) promptly and in a format that can be readily used by other humanitarian agencies.

Relevance/Importance

Sanitation is a critical issue in emergencies as it can have a major impact on the health and well-being of the affected population. Conducting a sanitation needs assessment is important to ensure that appropriate interventions are implemented.

A sanitation needs assessment produces an initial understanding of the current state of the sanitation, its context and key risks, and become familiar with the actors involved. It also enables humanitarian actors to distinguish between urgent life-saving needs and needs that will require attention at a later phase. A sanitation needs assessment asks questions specific to access to sanitation facilities and subsequent Faecal SludgeSludgeMixture of solids and liquids, containing mostly excreta and water, in combination with sand, grit, metals, trash and/or various chemical compounds. A distinction can be made between faecal sludge and wastewater sludge. Faecal sludge comes from on-site sanitation technologies,… Management (FSM). It is normally part of a broader WASH needs assessment which identifies the main water and sanitation challenges. The focus here is on sanitation needs assessment only.

Overview

An initial rapid sanitation assessment should be conducted in the acute emergency phase as it forms the basis of an emergency sanitation and FSM response programme. The information gathered in a sanitation needs assessment should describe whether the on-site sanitationOn-Site SanitationA sanitation system in which excreta and wastewater are collected and stored or treated on the plot where they are generated. is sufficient or whether the entire sanitation service chainSanitation Service ChainA Sanitation Service Chain - sometimes also referred to as Sanitation Value Chain - is defined as the combination of technologies and services that in combination manage sanitation products from their point of generation to the point of reuse or disposal. The hardware part of… is necessary. One tool to help visualise the level of sanitation services required is the Shit Flow Diagram.

The assessment should be coordinated and supervised by an experienced sanitation professional (preferably familiar with the context) and supported by WASH specialists who speak the local language and are well-connected to the affected communities. Ideally, the assessment team should be gender-balanced.

Many assessment checklists are available based on agreed humanitarian standards (e.g. the needs assessment checklist in the Sphere Handbook). If available, consult the WASH Cluster on standardised checklists. A sanitation needs assessment should cover the following information:

• Sanitation coverage and infrastructure conditions, management arrangements and services.
• Prevalence of diseases related to faecal matter (e.g. diarrhoea, cholera, bacillary dysentery, cryptosporidiosis) that require careful management.
• Ground conditions and environmental factors (e.g. presence of rocky ground, high groundwater tableGroundwater TableThe level below the earth’s surface which is saturated with water. It corresponds to the level where water is found when a hole is dug or drilled. A groundwater table is not static and can vary by season, year or usage. or flood-prone areas) that may affect decisions about appropriate sanitationAppropriate SanitationCombination of sanitation technologies that are compatible and provide a socially and environmentally acceptable level of service at affordable cost. This can be translated into geo-physical, technical, socio-cultural, legal, financial as well as criteria concerning capacity and… options.
• Existing local sanitation actors (such as local governments, service providers or utilities) and their roles and capacities.
• Key hygiene practices and preferences, cultural habits and taboos such as anal cleansing habits (with water or with dry material), defecating position (sitting vs. squatting) (through secondary dataSecondary DataInformation that has been collected previously. or Key Informant Interviews).
• Commonly used sanitation solutions in the area, including existing sanitation designs and standards.
• Sanitation “hot spots” (e.g. open defecationOpen DefecationPractice of defecating outside in the open environment. areas, surface waterSurface WaterA natural or man-made water body that appears on the surface, such as a stream, river, lake, pond, or reservoir. points used for bathing, washing or drinking purposes, open drains, wastewaterWastewaterUsed water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff/stormwater, and any sewer inflow/infiltration. and faecal sludgeSludgeMixture of solids and liquids, containing mostly excreta and water, in combination with sand, grit, metals, trash and/or various chemical compounds. A distinction can be made between faecal sludge and wastewater sludge. Faecal sludge comes from on-site sanitation technologies,… discharge points).
• Specific vulnerabilities (e.g. people with disabilities or specific diseases, elderly people or children) in order to tailor services accordingly.
• Capacity of the affected people and relevant authorities to respond (through Stakeholder Analysis, Key Informant Interviews, and Observation).
• Institutional and legal constraints (e.g. land ownership, discharge standards or discharge requirements).
• Accessibility of the area (e.g. for desludgingDesludgingThe process of removing the accumulated sludge from a storage or treatment facility. vehicles) and potential space limitations or opportunities.
• Potential to work or respond through local market structures including the availability of relevant construction materials and hygiene products (e.g. soap, menstrual productsMenstrual ProductsProducts to manage menstruation. These include disposable pads and tampons, reusable menstrual products such as reusable pads, menstrual cups, period underwear or clean cloth and may vary according to the context. or anal cleansing materials).
• Preferred communication channels of the affected population. It may help to identify potential entry points and develop the communication strategy later on.