Principles and practices for the inclusion of disabled people in access to safe sanitation: a case study from Ethiopia

Disabled people represent the largest socially excluded group and most live without access to basic sanitary services, which can exacerbate impairments and poverty. Nevertheless, they are often excluded from development intervention and research . In response, WaterAid in Ethiopia designed a pilot project to meet the needs of disabled people within their service delivery work. Learning gained through the project informed WaterAid’s global equity and inclusion approach. In 2010, a formative evaluation of WaterAid’s pilot project in Ethiopia was conducted, along with an extensive review of relevant literature, including an assessment of four case studies of World Vision’s projects, semi-structured interviews and participant observation. This paper gives an overview of the research and draws out key principles and practices for development organisations aiming to empower disabled people.