Women’s contested mobility and equity in Indian urban environment: case of public toilets in Pune, Maharashtra

Abstract

ABSTRACT Public toilet facilities in an urban setting are an essential infrastructure that guarantees every citizen’s right to sanitation in the public realm. This paper contends on the fragility of urban infrastructure in addressing women’s needs focusing on public toilet facilities in Indian cities. We argue that the deficit and inequitable provision of urban public toilets in Indian cities restricts women’s participation in the public realm and perpetuates social inequality, with Pune, India, as the case. The spatial features of 124 public toilet facilities in 15 wards were examined in light of gender-responsive guidelines under the Swachha Bharat Mission. Various contextual, psychosocial, and technological factors influencing toilet use behavior were identified with semi-structured in-depth interviews with 45 women in three different life stages using the Integrated Behavioural Model for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. The analysis provided a nuanced understanding of various spatial and psychosocial aspects governing women’s public toilet use in Pune. Analysis showed that various initiatives for improving sanitation adopted an androcentric vision in designing public toilets discounting women’s equitable participation in the public realm. The finding delineates a spatial paradigm on providing inclusive public toilets contributing to women’s mobility and equity in the Indian urban environment.