Caste and class interactions in inequality in access to sanitation and hygiene services in India

Given moderate access to WASH services at the national level, widespread socio-economic inequality still exists in India. This study assesses the status of access to different types of sanitation and hygiene services in India and how the caste and class interactions are associated with them. We use nationally representative household survey data and the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) sanitation and hygiene framework. For descriptive analysis, frequency distribution is used. Multivariable logistic regression is applied, and caste interactions are used to estimate the probabilities. Overall, 51.2 and 71.8% of the households have access to safe sanitation and hygiene services. However, among the Scheduled Tribe households, only 36.6 and 58.7% have access to safe sanitation and hygiene. Findings show that class and caste interactions are strongly associated with WASH services. The probability of access to safe sanitation and hygiene is 16 and 15% points lower for the poorest Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes compared to ‘Other’ socially privileged but economically poor, after adjusting for other household sociodemographic characteristics. The finding suggests that an upscaling of the existing policies and programs alongside considering the caste and class intersectionality is required for equitable access to sanitation and hygiene services and to achieve SDG-6.