Social stratification and drinking water crisis in southwest Bangladeshnexusconference.web.unc.edu/files/2014/04/rojas-roldan… ·  · 2014-04-01Social stratification and drinking

KIT – Universität des Landes Baden-Württemberg undnationales Forschungszentrum in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Institute of Regional Science | Head of Department: Prof. Dr. Joachim Vogt | Kaiserstr. 12 D-76131 Karlsruhe/Deutschland | Phone +49 721 608 42365 | Web www.ifr.kit.edu

Social stratification and drinking water crisis in southwest BangladeshDr. Bishawjit Mallick (bishawjit.mallick@kit.edu), M.Sc. Luisa F Roldán Rojas (luisa.rojas2@kit.edu)

Introduction and Methods

References

Conclusion

Water scarcity occurs mainly in the one hand because ofnatural conditions and in the other hand because ofpollution and financial incapability of arranging safe watersupply. Though the affect of water crisis is similar to everysingle person, the perception of water crisis variesaccording to the socio-economic conditions and to thespatial location (proximity to water source). This researchaddresses the social-dimensions of water scarcity inBangladesh.

In 2012, an empirical research was conducted. A total of274 households in two coastal sub-districts in Bangladesh(Morrelgonj and Fakirhat) were interviewed under thissurvey. The data analysis was structured in two modules:1. Depicting the cluster between the respondents, based

on their socio-economic characteristics.2. Analyzing their perception and water related behavior

according with the derived societal clusters3. Describing the role of societal clusters in drinking water

management

Drinking water crisis in the region affects all thepeople living there. But there is “socialsupremacy” for the water management .

The water crisis is considered as a cause of socialand health problems. Its perception variesaccording to the socio-demographic conditions ofthe participants.

The study villages are facing drinkingwater crisis. The main reason for it ismainly that the water contains arsenic orsalt.

The use of unsafe water sourcesdecreases with a higher socio- economicclass.

Usage of a water source mostly has noinfluences on socio-economic classify-cation, however the societal category-zation influences on the usage of asource. The spatial distribution also playsa vital role on decisions of watermanagement. For example, “Socialsupreme”, i.e. most of the rich andpowerful local leaders do not belong tothe group with a very high level of healthconcern (people who need to walk morethan 1000m to the water source or 30minutes as total collection time ).

Time for collection introduces socialproblems:• Time for housewives' works decreases.• Conflicts between family members

increases.• Reduction of the monthly income .

Different measure to mitigate thedrinking water crisis were mentioned:• Reinstall or shifting the tube well.• Information services improvement.• Health facilities improvement.• Filtering the water.

WaterscarcityWater

scarcity

Watermanagement

Watermanagement

WaterqualityWaterquality

Research on waterresources

Research on socialdimensions of

water crisis

Results and discussion

Socio economicclassification

illiterateeducation

level underSSC

incomeunder 5,000

Tk

income over5,000 Tk

Low Medium -low

Medium -high High

Housewives and agricultural sector

Business owners and employees ofGovernment or no-Government

institutions

Milieu ofoccupations

very

hig

hle

vel o

fhe

alth

conc

ern Fakirhat

Morrel-gonj

11 % 16 % 10 % 2 %

45 % 10 % 2 % 1 %

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Problems to work freely Nobody wants contact with meFeeling hesitation to express disease Facing different questions in outside

Socialproblems

due todrinking

water crisisBhiuya, A., Wahed, M. A., Bhattacharya, P., Jacks, G., Vahter, M. &Persson, L.-Å. (2005) Sustainable safe water options inBangladesh: Experiences from the Arsenic Project at Matlab.London.Alam, M. & R. Koudstaal. (2001) Integrated Water ResourcesManagement: Perspective from Bangladesh and the Netherlands,University Press limited, Dhaka