Innovation during COVID-19 Pandemic: Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Informal Settlements

ABSTRACT

This paper explores informal settlements’ innovations in the water, sanitation, and hygiene sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. Water, sanitation, and hygiene are important aspects that can reduce the spread of COVID-19. However, the water and sanitation conditions in densely populated informal settlements tend to be sub-standard, and residents must often rely on shared facilities. Previous research has generally explored innovation on a macro scale, whereas this research is local. This paper explores four elements of innovation form, actor, conflict, and regulation, to study social innovations in six urban villages in Bandung City, Indonesia. This study found that innovations during the COVID-19 pandemic have generally been in the form of arrangements for using shared facilities and providing handwashing facilities. A mix of actors comprised the community, village/sub-district officers, the COVID-19 task force, and other community organizations, highlighting the importance of combining a bottom-up and top-down approach to social innovations. However, a lack of rules and the institutionalization of innovations, perceived getting better conditions, scheduling, and funding prevented the long-term success of the innovations. The paper develops policy recommendations for the water, sanitation, and hygiene sector based on these findings. © Universiti Putra Malaysia Press