Sanitation security, slippage, and open defecation – lived experiences from Harar, eastern Ethiopia

The Ethiopian government has worked hard to address sanitation related issues, passing comprehensive legislation targeting specific challenges like open defecation. This focus has led to considerable improvements in access to sanitation services. However, it is important to note that many of the gains are fragile, and reversion to open defecation is a reality for many households. As a result, the country remains some way off the Sustainable Development Goal target (6.2) of achieving an end to open defecation by 2030. In many respects, the key challenge for Ethiopia is the disconnect between policy and its implementation. Using the city of Harar in eastern Ethiopia as a case study, this article offers an insight into the realities of this disconnect, laying bare the actualities of engaging in open defecation on a daily basis. We note, in particular, that due to the policy/implementation disconnect, the costs of sanitation are largely privately borne. For many on the economic margins, these costs are prohibitive and unaffordable, leaving open defecation as the only option available. Accordingly, the need to develop capacity at the local government level is urgent if ‘sanitation security’ is to be achieved.