Understanding, respecting and including people with mental health conditions as part of the CLTS process

Mental health conditions affect large numbers of people globally, in a variety of ways and people often face extreme stigma and marginalization as a result. Appropriately implemented, Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) can contribute to physical, mental and social health by helping to build pride and contribute to the inclusion and empowerment of people with mental health conditions; but there are also risks that people with mental health conditions may be mistreated, or have their rights abused, if they have difficulty in changing their sanitation and hygiene behaviour. This paper calls for all those engaged in sanitation programmes to: increase their learning on this issue; increase their awareness of the specific vulnerabilities of this group in sanitation programmes; build the capacity of stakeholders on acceptable and unacceptable practices in working with people with mental health conditions; and develop a Code of Conduct.