ABSTRACT

Improvement in water and sanitation plays a crucial role in shaping the health outcomes of individuals and communities, particularly in the African context. This study is aimed at exploring the effects of social globalization on access to clean water and improved sanitation in Africa. The specific objective of this study includes the following; 1) To determine the effect of social globalization on access to clean water in Africa. 2) To investigate the effect of social globalization on access to improved sanitation in Africa. The data of the panel of 53 African countries are from secondary sources and are extracted from diverse data base: WDI (2023), Policy V and KOFGI (2023). Social globalization as the main independent variable, the access to water and sanitation as the dependent variables and others socioeconomics and political variables such as population size, Gross domestic product, total natural resources rents and Democracy. This study employs panel data estimation methods. This study adopts three estimation techniques which are; Driscoll-Kraay, instrumental variable generalized method of moment and quantile regression to capture the conditional mean effect of independent variable on the conditional mean effect of access to improved water and improved sanitation in Africa from the period of 2000 to 2021. The findings from the analysis provide robust evidence to reject both null hypotheses. Social globalization encompasses both de facto and de jure aspects significantly enhancing access to clean water and improved sanitation across the continent. The results consistently show that increased global interconnectedness through the exchange of ideas, technologies and practices, positively impacts water and sanitation infrastructure and services. With these findings, the study therefore suggests that policies promoting social globalization, economic development, and good governance can significantly enhance access to water and sanitation across the continent, contributing to better health and quality of life for the African population.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

This dissertation aims to investigate the effects of social globalization on the access to water and sanitation in Africa. The process of globalization has brought about significant changes in various aspects of life, including financial, economic and social dimensions. This study seeks to understand how social globalization has influenced the accessibility of clean water and sanitation facilities in Africa. By examining the role of social globalization on the access to water and sanitation in Africa this research aims to provide insights into the challenges and opportunities for improving water and sanitation access in the context of social globalization with the goal of informing policies and practices for addressing the water and sanitation challenges in the country.

This research work is divided into five chapters. Chapter one, which is the introduction as seen above contains issues such as the background of the study, Problem statement, research questions, objectives of the study, the hypothesis of the study, significance of the Study and the definition of concepts. Chapter two is a review of literature broken down into the theoretical and empirical literature.  In chapter three, the research methodology is presented. Chapter four presents the result and the work will drawn to a logical end in chapter five where the major summary and conclusions will be made. This chapter will also contain the policy recommendations of the study.

1.2Background of the Study.

Over the past decades the world has become exponentially more interconnected and interdependent (Unite Nation, 2018). This development began ages ago with the exchange of products and services between countries and continents (Das, 2010). As demand in domestic regions increased so did the supply of these foreign products, leading exporters to search for more efficient ways to get their products overseas. Innovations led to advancements in transportation and technology and have allowed the world today to exchange much more than just products/services and are largely part of what has made globalization possible (Das, 2010; Gopinath, 2008). Globalism is defined as “a state of the world involving networks of interdependence at multi continental distances. The linkages occur through flows and influences of capital and goods, information and ideas, and people and forces, as well as environmentally and biologically relevant substances,” (Keohane & Nye, 2007). Globalization is therefore the increase of globalism, the strengthening of the links between all the countries in the world, through the formation of networks and the international exchange of each nation’s physical and intangible resources (Keohane & Kye, 2007). However, globalization is a concept with many dimensions having varying and often unpredictable effects and implications on the world and its environment, economy, and humanity; i.e. Sustainable development.

Although the world has benefited from globalization in many aspects, new and serious problems arose alongside, causing controversy: one of the greatest controversies facing globalization today is Sustainable development (Meadowcroft, 2016; Stiglitz, 2017; Docalavich, 2016), which is defined, as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” (UN, 1987). Sustainability is also referred to as the “Triple Bottom Line” as there are three components to it: economy, environment, and equity (social) (Elkington, 1997). Research has shown that globalization is both harmful (Stiglitz, 2004; Stiglitz, 2017; Brondoni, 2014; Stewart, 2016, Holden et al., 2016) and beneficial (Das et al., 2013) to SD in various ways, but due to the diversity of the world’s countries, what is good for one may not be for another.

The United Nation (UN) is the largest supporter of Sustainable development (SD) and its main objective is to create an environment where global peace and equality can be fostered (Docalavich, 2016). Part of this effort has been the development of numerous global initiatives working towards SD; currently, the UN’s transforming Our World: the Agenda 2030 for SD is the SD plan for the next 6 years. Agenda 2030 is made up of 17 SD Goals, with goal 6 (SDGs) been our point of discuss that is clean water and sanitation with 169 targets, to stimulate action from all countries and stakeholders acting in partnership with the UN (UN, 2015).

With the adoption of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), governments have committed to ensure universal and equitable access to water and sanitation for all by 2030 to reduce inequalities in access to drinking water and sanitation; and to provide high levels of water and sanitation service in terms of quality, accessibility, and reliability. The SDGs thus pose a triple challenge, viz., i) improving the levels of service provided; ii) ensuring the sustainability of services and promoting universal access to drinking water; and iii) sanitation.

Providing safe drinking water and basic sanitation to citizens is one of the major challenges facing the African Governments. The issues of access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation is well articulated and prioritized in the various national, continental, and international policy documents, strategy papers, declarations, and conventions. And yet it is not clear if the provision of sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation has been given the requisite financial and other support by the African policy makers and donors. An even more important issue is understanding how the African governments have utilized the limited available finance allocated to Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) sector to guarantee the highest possible performance and deliverance of water services to the citizens.

Achieving the target 6 means addressing the “unfinished business” of extending services to 6 million people who still lack even a basic water service. It also implies going beyond households and providing access to services in schools, health-care facilities, and other institutional settings. The commitment to “leave no one behind” will require increased attention on disadvantaged groups and efforts to monitor elimination of inequalities in drinking water services.

Achieving universal access to water and sanitation by 2030 is a major challenge in Africa. Target SDG 6 calls to end open defecation, to ensure that everyone has access to a basic toilet and to put in place systems for safe management of excreta. Based on an average population of 4.4 inhabitants per household and 1.8 households per plot served by a latrine, there would be approximately 330,197 improved facilities in rural areas. The sludge, in the absence of a fecal sludge treatment station, is discharged into the natural environment or, once the pit is full, it is sealed and a new pit is built near the previous one. The facilities of many public establishments (hospitals, schools, markets, etc.) are deficient.

1.3 Problem statement.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in health care facilities is an urgent priority (WHO, 2013). The accessibility to improved water and sanitation is a crucial mechanism to save infants and children from adverse health outcomes –including respiratory ailments, malaria, and diarrhea which are leading causes of infant and child mortality (Armah et al., 2018; Pullan et al., 2014). The lack of access to water and sanitation in health care facilities may discourage women from giving birth in these facilities or cause delays in care-seeking (Velleman et al., 2014).

The number of people around the world without access to safe drinkable water and improved sanitation facilities has declined significantly over the past two decades. According to the United Nations (2023), the proportion of the world population without access to safe drinkable water is 2.2 billion and 703 million without basic services in 2022. Similarly, the population with lacked sanitation management is 3.5 billion and 1.5 billion without basic sanitation service, over the same period (United Nations, 2023). These statistics are worse in Africa where most countries have less than 40% and 70% access rates to improved sanitation and safe drinkable water; respectively. Also, large disparities exist within African countries. For example, access to water is higher in urban areas (84%) than in rural areas (45%). Similar findings are registered for sanitation where 44% of the urban population has access to improved sanitation compared to 22% of the rural population (UNICEF and WHO, 2022). These trends in access to safe drinkable water and improved sanitation lead to serious health outcomes. For instance, the under-five mortality has significantly decreased in the world, and SSA has the lowest progress (WHO, 2022). Also, African is witnessing rapid urban growth– its urban population is expected to increase from 345 million in 2014 to 1.3 billion people by 2050. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) will require a dramatic acceleration in current rates of progress. 

The first regional estimates of progress on sanitation and hygiene in households in the African Union (55 countries) between 2000 and 2022 shows that, in Africa, only 31% of the population have access to safely managed sanitation and 28% used basic hygiene in 2022. Achieving universal coverage to of water, sanitation and hygiene services by 2030 will require a 23x increase in rates of progress for safely managed sanitation, a 13x increase for basic sanitation and 3x increase for open defecation. (UNICEF and WHO, 2022).

In this context, it has become essential to better understand the factors, precisely the role of social globalization on the access to improved water and sanitation in Africa.

1.4 Research Question

1.4.1: Main Research Question:

What is the effect of social Globalization on access to improved Water and Sanitation in Africa?

1.4.2: Specific Research Question:

The specific research questions of our study include:

1. What is the effect of social globalization on the access to clean water in Africa?
2. To what extent does social globalization affect access to improve sanitation in Africa?

1.5 Objective of the Study.

The main objective of this work is investigating the effect of social Globalization on the access of improved water and sanitation in Africa.  The specific Objectives include:

1. To determines the effect of social globalization on access to clean water in Africa.
2. To investigate the effect of social globalization as access to improved sanitation in Africa.

1.6 Research Hypotheses.

In order to accomplish the objectives of the study, we have stated two hypotheses in the null form (Ho).

H0₁: Social Globalization has no effect on the access to clean water in Africa.

H0₂: Social Globalization has no effect on the access to improved sanitation in Africa.