We have just posted a blog to accompany the latest edition of Frontiers of CLTS. It can be found here: www.communityledtotalsanitation.org/blog/partial-usage-toilets

We are interested in hearing reflections from others especially in relation to particular issues. These include:

- Scalable ways to measure and monitor partial usage. Measuring usage at all is much more difficult than counting a toilet. Looking at inter-household differences adds another level of complexity.

- How widespread is partial usage outside of India?

- Are there any other factors associated with partial usage that we have missed?

- What research is there on partial usage that we might have missed?

The partial or total non-use of toilets, with some or all in a household defecating in the open, is a growing concern. Although all households may have a toilet, communities cannot remain open defecation free unless they are always used by everyone. This is not just an issue of maintenance and accessibility but also of social norms, mind-sets, and cultural preferences. The problem is widespread but most evident in India. This issue of Frontiers of CLTS asks how serious the problem is, why it occurs, what can be done about it, and what more needs to be known. It is an attempt to summarise current knowledge as a first step in exploring and learning about this growing obstacle to attaining and sustaining ODF status in some parts of the world.

You can download this Frontiers issue here
www.communityledtotalsanitation.org/reso...-knowledge-and-usage