Access to water in the slums of sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

This article reviews the changing perspectives for improving access to water in the slums of developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. While much of the literature continues to maintain an aversion to state-led urban development policies, there is now increasing emphasis on the importance of informal, small-scale providers and communitarian initiatives, following the many failures of privatisation. The article argues that market-oriented solutions are inappropriate for sub-Saharan African countries where over two-thirds of the urban population live in squatter settlements with multidimensional challenges.