IOM BATHING FACILITIES ASSESSMENTJULY 2020

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WASH AND BATHING FACILITIESIntroduction

The total number of Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, including those residing in the district prior to August 2017 is around 860,000 individuals.1 The Rohingya refugee population is concentrated in extremely congested sites within Ukhyia and Teknaf Upazilas of Cox’s Bazar district. A significant amount of investment has been made by humanitarian actors through the installation of water points, latrines, communal bathing facilities, dishwashing and laundry spaces. Regardless, a noticeable trend related to lack of usage of bathing facilities has been highlighted through a number of assessments. For example, the NPM Site Assessment (round 16) highlighted that the usage of communal bathing facilities was lower than private bathing spaces and tubewells and had a strong gender dimension. Site Assessment Key Informants reported that women and girls were more likely to bathe in private, makeshift facilities in their shelters (77%).2 In contrast, only 23% of KI’s reported that women and girls bathe in communal facilities. Men and boys were reportedly more likely to bathe in open/outdoor spaces (57%), compared to 36% at communal facilities. An assessment conducted by REACH Initiative on behalf of the WASH sector between April and May 2019 found that makeshift spaces inside the shelters were the most used type of bathing space (62%). This was followed by tube wells (43%) and communal bathing facilities (43%).3 IOM’s protection monitoring point for September to November 2019 highlighted a number of key issues related to usage of bathing facilities; there are not enough bathing facilities, the water sources are too far from the bathing facilities, they are too dirty so are unusable and there is no lighting. Specifically for young women and girls, having to walk through public areas of the camps to access that bathing facilities causes “shame and discomfort”. 4

In order to explore this topic in more detail, IOM conducted a survey to understand the prevalence of households who had private bathing, laundry and dishwashing facilities inside or attached to their shelters. Follow up Key Informant Interviews were also conducted to explore preferences surrounding bathing facilities, laundry spaces and bathing spaces. The assessment was conducted across the 12 camps that fall within the IOM WASH Area of Responsibility (AoR) - (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 20ext, 23, 24, 25).

Households assessed in IOM WASH Area of Responsibilty (AoR)

Assessed camps

N on assessed camps

Cam

ps w

ith re

spondents

Kutupalong Camps:1,926 responses

Teknaf Camps:600 responses

Legend

Demographics

50% of respondents

are female Average number of children under 18 in household

2

Average household

size

6

Average number of children under

5 in household

12,526

households assessed

116 Key Informant

Interviews conducted

1. UNHCR-Government of Bangladesh Population Breakdown, June 2020.2.. NPM Site Assessment Round 16, November 2019 3. REACH Initiative, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Assessment: Dry Season Follow-up, May 20194.. IOM Protection Monitoring Report, August 2019

September 2020

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MethodologyThe methodology, including the creation of the questionnaire and sampling frame was developed by the IOM WASH unit and NPM.

Household SurveyOverall, 2,526 households were surveyed using a simple random sampling methodology. Data collection occurred from 8 March through 25 March 2020. Each interview was conducted with a household member that was over the age of 18. The enumeration team was made up of male and female Bangladeshi enumerators who have in depth knowledge of data collection techniques and practices. Male enumerators interviewed male respondents; female enumerators interviewed female respondents. This ensured that female perceptions were accurately represented in the findings. The findings are statistically representative at the camp level with a 95% confidence level and 7% margin of error, with target sample sizes based on November 2019 population figures provided by UNHCR.

WASH AND BATHING FACILITIESKey Informant Interviews

Follow up Key Informant interviews were conducted by IOM Site Management staff between 12 July and 23 July 2020. The purpose of the Key Informant Interviews was to further understand preferences surrounding the usage of private bathing, laundry and dishwashing facilities.

Overall, 116 interviews were conducted with Site Management volunteers, WASH focal points, DMU staff, Imams, and women and men from each camp. Site Management staff interviewed KI’s on three open ended questions related to preferences on private bathing, laundry and dishwashing spaces. The results for each KI were submitted through a KoBO form and analzyed.

Camp Female KI's

Male KI's

Total

Camp 9 5 5 10

Camp 10 3 7 10

Camp 11 5 5 10

Camp 12 5 5 10

Camp 13 4 6 10

Camp 18 4 10 14

Camp 19 4 6 10

Camp 20 3 3 6

Camp 20Ext 3 3 6

Camp 23 5 5 10

Camp 24 5 5 10

Camp 25 5 5 10

Total 51 65 116

Summary table of Key Informants

Key Informant Type Number of interviews

DMU volunteer 21

Female respondent 22

Imam 12

Male respondent 19

Other 15

Site Management Volunteer 12

Wash focal point 3

Wash volunteer 8

Head Majhee/Majhee 4

Total 116

September 2020

Camp Female Male TotalCamp 9 101 126 227

Camp 10 107 104 211

Camp 11 108 102 210

Camp 12 113 134 247

Camp 13 114 100 214

Camp 18 109 101 210

Camp 19 107 107 214

Camp 20 103 93 196

Camp 20 Ext 105 92 197

Camp 23 103 95 198

Camp 24 110 97 207

Camp 25 87 108 195

Total 1267 1259 2526

Summary table of household respondents

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September 2020BATHING FACILITIES

Primary users of private bathing spaces45+30+15+6+3+2+1Everyone in the household uses it

Adult women (18 and over use it)

Girls aged 12-17

Girls aged 6-11

Girls 5 and under

Boys 5 and under

Adult men (18 and over use it)

45%

30%

15%

6%

3%

2%

1%

Reasons given through key informant interviews

• Findings from the Key Informant interviews indicate that safety and security and cultural and religious values are the predominant reason why individuals prefer to use and bathe in private makeshift bathing facilities inside or attached to their shelters.

• The most commonly reported reasons when describing preferences for using private bathing facilities by Key Informants were safety and security issues for women and girls and cultural and religious considerations.

• Over half (54%) of the KI’s reported safety and security issues such as harassment from men on routes to the bathing facilities and how it is generally unsafe for women and girls to use the communal facilities in the daytime and at night.

• More than a third (37%) of Key informants also reported reasons related to cultural or religious values. The lack of privacy and segregation in the communal facilities and religious/conservative values that restrict women and girls’ access to public spaces were all mentioned by KI’s. That it is undignified for women and girls to be seen by men on the way to communal bathing facilities was also reported.

• In addition, KI’s mentioned that private bathing facilities were more convenient for the elderly, pregnant and persons with disabilities. They also highlighted that the communal bathing facilities are often too far away from their shelters, they were unclean and unhygienic and there were long queues.

Households reporting private bathing facilities

68%

of households reported having a private space

inside or attached to their shelter for bathing 28

+22+GLocation of private bathing facilities

Inside shelter walls 56%

Outside shelter walls 44%

91+87+793 highest reported camps with private bathing facilities

Camp 10

Camp 9

Camp 11

91%

87%

79%

57+43+333 lowest reported camps with private bathing facilities

Camp 19

Camp 25

Camp 23

57%

43%

33%

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LAUNDRY SPACES September 2020

Reasons given through key informant interviews

• Women and girls are usually responsible for washing laundry and cleaning dishes within their families. It is therefore unsurprising that 33% of KI’s reported safety and security concerns for girls and women with regards to washing laundry in public spaces.

• Furthermore, 26% of KI’s also reported cultural and religious values as reasons why laundry spaces inside the shelters was preferred. KI’s specifically mentioned harassment and “eve teasing” from men and boys as a reason why women are more comfortable washing clothes inside the shelters. KI’s also reported that it is undignified for women and girls to be in public places where men are present.

• Convenience was the third most reported reason highlighted by KI’s. KI’s reported that it was easier for women to bathe and wash clothes at the same time. Washing clothes inside the shelters saves significant amounts of time and allows mothers to look after their children more easily. In addition, KI’s reported that there were no water points in their block and that the distance to tube wells was a barrier to using communal spaces.

• Another key issue that reported by KI’s was that there are no designated areas for laundry washing in the camps. So, some households use communal areas such as bathing facilities and tube wells. However, these areas are often perceived as unclean and unhygienic. In addition, using these spaces for laundry often leads to disputes within the community as it takes a long time to wash clothes and causes queues.

Households reporting private laundry spaces

56% of households

reported having a private space inside or attached to their shelter for washing

laundry 28+21+1GLocation of private laundry

spaces

Inside shelter walls 55%

Outside shelter walls 44%

Other 1%

For households without private laundry spaces, where do people go?53+41+5Tubewells

Communal Washing Facility

Other

53%

41%

5%

82+78+763 highest reported camps with private laundry spaces

Camp 10

Camp 9

Camp 11

82%

78%

76%

39+36+233 lowest reported camps with private laundry spaces

Camp 20 ext

Camp 25

Camp 23

39%

36%

23%

5

DISHWASHING SPACES

For households without private dishwashing spaces, where do people go?66+18+16Tubewells

Communal Washing Facility

Other

66%

18%

16%

Reasons given through key informant interviews

• Similarly, to the bathing facilities, 20% of KI’s mentioned the need to for women and girls to avoid being in public spaces to preserve their dignity and uphold religious values. Therefore washing dishes at home in private spaces is preferred.

• KI’s also highlighted safety and security issues for women and girls as reasons why households prefer dishwashing spaces inside their shelters. The risk of harassment by men in public spaces was specifically mentioned alongside these areas being unsafe at night as key security and safety concerns.

• Convenience also came out as a key theme: 20% of KI’s highlighted the distance and time it often takes to walk to the communal tube wells and how this is not feasible before and after every meal. In addition, it is more convenient to wash dishes close to the shelter while cooking. Findings from the KI component also indicate that households use their bathing/laundry and dishwashing spaces interchangeably. This is also seen as another form of convenience as it is relatively easy for households to use their designated bathing space as an area to wash laundry and dishes also.

• KI’s highlighted that there are no designated areas in the camps specifically for the purposes of washing dishes. As a result, people often use other communal spaces such as tube wells and bathing areas. Communal facilities were often reported to be considered unclean and unhygienic. Also, in some instances, KI’s reported washing dishes at tube wells often led to disputes between community members due to the length of time it takes, resulting long queues and food remains being left behind.

Households reporting private dishwashing spaces

52% of households

reported having a private space inside or attached to their shelter for washing

dishes 27+21+2GLocation of private

dishwashing spaces

Inside shelter walls 54%

Outside shelter walls 44%

Other 2%80+73+703 highest reported camps with private dishwashing spaces

Camp 10

Camp 11

Camp 9

80%

73%

70%

36+34+223 lowest reported camps with private dishwashing spaces

Camp 20 ext

Camp 25

Camp 23

36%

34%

22%

September 2020

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PHOTOS September 2020

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For feedback, please contact: npmbangladesh@iom.int

The International Organization for Migration | Bangladesh Mission Needs and Population Monitoring | Cox’s Bazar Parjatan Luxury Cottage-1, Motel Road Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh Tel: +88 02 5504 4811 - 13 Email: npmbangladesh@iom.intWebsite: https://bangladesh.iom.int/ More information on: http://iom.maps.arcgis.com/When referencing this report, please use the following credentials: “IOM NPM, Bathing Facilities Assessment, September 2020”