Corina Shika Kwami, PhD

Billions of people in the global South remain unserved by adequate provision for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Some of the most significant challenges in addressing the backlog are in urban areas, where high densities complicate conditions. As local authorities struggle to keep up with rapidly growing urban populations, the number of unserved households continues to grow, particularly in informal settlements in sub-Saharan Africa. Inadequate WASH provision, detrimental to all residents,… Show more

Billions of people in the global South remain unserved by adequate provision for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Some of the most significant challenges in addressing the backlog are in urban areas, where high densities complicate conditions. As local authorities struggle to keep up with rapidly growing urban populations, the number of unserved households continues to grow, particularly in informal settlements in sub-Saharan Africa. Inadequate WASH provision, detrimental to all residents, poses particular challenges for the health and safety of children and even for their long-term development.

This briefing highlights the problems related to urban WASH access and presents research findings on the impact on children of different ages, especially young children and adolescent girls. Building on promising practices and lessons learnt, this briefing also includes guidance for NGOs for supporting improved access to WASH and hence living conditions for children in urban contexts. Show less

As factors influencing the health and well-being of children are complex and cross-sectoral, integrated interventions are required to improve child health and hence address the Sustainable Development Goals. This paper explores linkages between environmental factors, feeding practices and potential infection pathways in India. The PANChSHEEEL project is a participatory interdisciplinary study, designed to explore HEEE (Health, Education, Engineering and Environment) factors influencing Infant… Show more

As factors influencing the health and well-being of children are complex and cross-sectoral, integrated interventions are required to improve child health and hence address the Sustainable Development Goals. This paper explores linkages between environmental factors, feeding practices and potential infection pathways in India. The PANChSHEEEL project is a participatory interdisciplinary study, designed to explore HEEE (Health, Education, Engineering and Environment) factors influencing Infant and Young Child Feeding practices. This study uses data from observational transect walks and 445 household interviews from nine villages in Banswara district in India. Using the socio-ecological model, this study demonstrates how the lack of access to and quality of water resources, poor access to sanitation and hygiene practices, access to cooking fuels and flooding can influence feeding practices. The study finds that access to water, sanitation and cooking fuels can affect the preparation of food, contaminate water and food and place added time burden on caregivers. For infants, insufficient and contaminated water can lead to a higher risk of infection, diarrhoea and ultimately malnutrition. Recommendations include efforts to address waterlogging, promote safe storage of water, establish a water quality regime with stakeholders and develop appropriate, affordable and acceptable sanitation solutions. Show less

Understanding the supply chain vulnerabilities that emerged during lockdown will help us to prepare for future shocks, including a potential second wave of COVID-19, according to a National Engineering Policy Centre paper published today. Critical supply chains with immediate impacts on daily life demonstrated considerable resilience and adaptability during the disruption and the solutions adopted may also help address some of the key challenges in distributing a vaccine against the… Show more

Understanding the supply chain vulnerabilities that emerged during lockdown will help us to prepare for future shocks, including a potential second wave of COVID-19, according to a National Engineering Policy Centre paper published today. Critical supply chains with immediate impacts on daily life demonstrated considerable resilience and adaptability during the disruption and the solutions adopted may also help address some of the key challenges in distributing a vaccine against the virus.

Supply chain challenges, lessons learned and opportunities looks at how UK supply chains were disrupted during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and assesses the success of mitigation measures from procurement to logistics and skills in the food, electronics, telecommunications, transport and energy sectors. The results, including spotlights on each of these sectors in the report, are based on evidence gathered from 60 different organisations, ranging from large companies to SMEs and micro-organisations. Show less

The report tests a new approach to policy making, applying systems dynamics to the enduring challenge of housing, planning and infrastructure. Identifying leverage points across the system where policy interventions/decisions could be made. The report provides some insights on how better integration between local and national planning can be achieved, with an opportunity to align planning policy around the net zero target. This has been published this week produced in partnership with the… Show more

The report tests a new approach to policy making, applying systems dynamics to the enduring challenge of housing, planning and infrastructure. Identifying leverage points across the system where policy interventions/decisions could be made. The report provides some insights on how better integration between local and national planning can be achieved, with an opportunity to align planning policy around the net zero target. This has been published this week produced in partnership with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA). Show less

The demand for infrastructure and utility services is an acute challenge for countries in middle- and low-income countries undergoing high levels of urbanization, demographic shifts, and civil and political reorganization. The demand for utilities occurs alongside a trend toward increased financialization of the local state. A challenge for meeting demand for utility services is the shift toward increased financialization where the delivery of public purpose is challenged. This chapter aims to… Show more

The demand for infrastructure and utility services is an acute challenge for countries in middle- and low-income countries undergoing high levels of urbanization, demographic shifts, and civil and political reorganization. The demand for utilities occurs alongside a trend toward increased financialization of the local state. A challenge for meeting demand for utility services is the shift toward increased financialization where the delivery of public purpose is challenged. This chapter aims to highlight governing arrangements that aid in understanding how public purpose can be delivered through utilities using the case study of Medellin, Colombia. Through examples of public infrastructure projects and the delivery of water by its utility-company, Empresas Publicas de Medellin, the paper discusses how this company achieved alignment of essential services with public purpose through adaptive governance structures that mitigate adverse effects of financialization and promote the integration of economic, environmental, and social goals. While this case does not propose a transferable model of governance, it highlights arrangements that enable a more mixed, adaptive, and nuanced understanding of how adverse effects associated with total financialization might be abated. Show less

Stunting is a global burden affecting nearly 160 million children younger than five years of age. Whilst the linkages between nutrition and stunting are well recognized, there is a need to explore environmental factors such as water and sanitation, which may influence feeding practices and result in potential infection pathways. This paper explores the linkages between stunting and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) factors in Ethiopia, which is a relatively understudied context. The research… Show more

Stunting is a global burden affecting nearly 160 million children younger than five years of age. Whilst the linkages between nutrition and stunting are well recognized, there is a need to explore environmental factors such as water and sanitation, which may influence feeding practices and result in potential infection pathways. This paper explores the linkages between stunting and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) factors in Ethiopia, which is a relatively understudied context. The research draws upon baseline data for children under the age of five from 3200 households across four regions in Ethiopia as part of a wider study and integrated program led by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Using World Health Organization (WHO) z-scoring, the average stunting rate in the sample is 47.5%. This paper also takes into account demographic and social behavioural factors such as the age, gender of children, and gender of the primary caregiver, in addition to handwashing behaviour and drinking water facilities. The evidence recommends efforts to improve handwashing behaviour for mothers and children with a focus on access to clean water. Higher stunting rates with an increase in the age of children highlight the need for continued interventions, as efforts to improve nutrition and WASH behaviours are most effective early on in promoting long-term health outcomes for children. Show less

Women in low and middle-income countries predominantly use biofuel for cooking, resulting in potential adverse health outcomes. In India, it is estimated that about 40% of total primary energy consumption is in the domestic sector with biofuels alone accounting for about 75% of domestic energy consumption. This study assesses linkages between wood consumption and perceptions of women’s health, combining results from a rapid assessment of eight rural districts in Rajasthan with a regression… Show more

Women in low and middle-income countries predominantly use biofuel for cooking, resulting in potential adverse health outcomes. In India, it is estimated that about 40% of total primary energy consumption is in the domestic sector with biofuels alone accounting for about 75% of domestic energy consumption. This study assesses linkages between wood consumption and perceptions of women’s health, combining results from a rapid assessment of eight rural districts in Rajasthan with a regression analysis of data from Rajasthan State (sample size 41,965 women) from the Demographic and Health Survey 7 dataset (2015–2016). The results of the rapid survey indicate that women who cook with biofuels perceive adverse health outcomes. Educational level, income, and age have an impact on fuel consumption and clean fuel purchased. The regression model drawing upon data on women at a regional level in Rajasthan yielded significant results suggesting a strong association between fuel type and symptoms of respiratory infection controlling for age and education. This research is timely as it provides valuable evidence for India’s Ujjawala Scheme which has the mandate of providing LPG connections to women from below the poverty line. Show less

Symbolism, what people believe a transport mode tells others about them within the context of a hierarchical society, has been shown to be a significant driver of transport choice. However, despite the common practice of transferring transport policies between nations, no research has focused on how a mode’s symbolic connotations vary across national cultures and how this may affect individual and group transport choices. This paper describes research which utilised two aspects of the Hofstede… Show more

Symbolism, what people believe a transport mode tells others about them within the context of a hierarchical society, has been shown to be a significant driver of transport choice. However, despite the common practice of transferring transport policies between nations, no research has focused on how a mode’s symbolic connotations vary across national cultures and how this may affect individual and group transport choices. This paper describes research which utilised two aspects of the Hofstede cross-cultural indices—power differential, and individualism versus collectivism—to develop and strengthen theory through qualitative deductive thematic analysis. Forty-eight interviewees from four Hofstede cultural clusters were sampled horizontally, across equivalent income, occupational and educational levels, to attempt to lessen socio-demographic distortions. Semi-structured interviews were then undertaken. Interview transcripts were analysed manually using previously derived symbolic transport thematic codes. The significant differences between the Hofstede groups in both the density of thematic coding, and the quotes offered, suggest symbolism may strongly influence the potential outcomes of transport policies transferred between nations possessing significantly different cultural attributes and imperatives. Given this the authors believe there is sound justification for further deductive and inductive analysis on the existing dataset, and the extension of the theory to a broader population within each cultural cluster. Show less

The transforming the engineering of cities programme, an ambitious 5-year multidisciplinary research programme, provided numerous findings related to approaches to the future (short, medium and/or long term) of planning in cities. In addition to academic papers, a series of white papers were written for a policy audience. Using the literature review approach and narrative content analysis, the white papers were reviewed to identify lessons to inform and equip the profession in crafting urban… Show more

The transforming the engineering of cities programme, an ambitious 5-year multidisciplinary research programme, provided numerous findings related to approaches to the future (short, medium and/or long term) of planning in cities. In addition to academic papers, a series of white papers were written for a policy audience. Using the literature review approach and narrative content analysis, the white papers were reviewed to identify lessons to inform and equip the profession in crafting urban futures. From this analysis, three ‘points of departure’, starting points for crafting urban futures have been identified: (a) ‘rethinking engineering principles and practice’, (b) ‘reimagining the function and form of the city itself’ and (c) ‘understanding the city as a social system’. The paper discusses the implications of these departure points, and strengths and weaknesses of these approaches to projecting and crafting urban futures. Show less

Presented case study at World Water Week in Stockholm Sweden, 1 of 4 presenters pooled from 80 (3,300+ attendees).

This report explores the ways in which urban policy sectors are integrated (or fragmented) in ten case study countries: China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. The analysis is based on the most recent and authoritative national-level policy documents.