I think we need to think of Sanitation from a Systems Perspective.To end Open Defecation in India, we have to design and operate toilets so that they mimic the experience people get when they go out in the open. There’s actually something tangible that these men miss out when they use the loo - may be it’s the freshness of sitting outside, a small early morning walk. A part of the problem is also the lack of user centered thinking, when designing such public health facilities. Including the sewage management, you pointed out. But this Flush and Forget mentality is somehow present among the loo users too.
Of course there are cultural barriers too, I think the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has done commendable work in urging people to use community toilets or build one at home. The other day I saw this advertisement, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8B0AMP1xeg , which really does a good work by associating progress with improvements in the way of life, including sanitation.
On top of it, People are not very keen on talking about Sanitation. One of the ways is definitely explaining the huge costs of poor sanitation due to the health hazard it poses. Another way is to actually market the tangible immediate benefits to the users who you want to change. We adopted a similar approach while selling Zerodor Water less Urinals at Ekam Eco Solutions. People (large company’s premises) were genuinely not concerned about the water usage and huge sewage problems. However, when we shifted our marketing from water saving to a mixed on it + Zero Odor washrooms — the response improved immediately. Everyone cared about the Bad Odor in Public Urinals and immediately saw a tangible benefit for the people. I think the ODF programs too need to make the marketing more about the user instead of the society at large.
