Introduction

In Study Session 2, you learned about the effects of poor sanitation and waste management. In this study session you will learn how to make a rapid assessment of the state of sanitation and waste management in an urban community. This assessment can then be used to identify the needs for improvements in sanitation and hygiene, and decide which improvements are the most important. Therefore, making these assessments is a key part of the urban WASH practitioner’s work. 

Reliable data is needed to ensure that interventions properly target populations (especially in slum areas and among disadvantaged groups), and bring about the desired changes.