Where do you shit? In developing countries, the answer may determine whether you live or die. Around 2.6 billion people defecate in the open. The consequences are dire: shit carries disease and is a major killer. Recently, a radical new participatory approach called Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) has encouraged millions of people to look at, talk about and tackle the problems caused by open defecation.
Communities analyse their hygiene habits and practices and mobilise to take collective action to totally sanitise their environments. Following its development and spread in Asia, CLTS is now being piloted in Africa, and this special issue of PLA Notes draws on this growing body of experience.
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