Intersecting Gender and Sanitation: Progress and Challenges in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Karnataka, India

The paper discusses gender and sanitation in Karnataka, India, in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. It compares progress made so far with what was targeted under goal 5, which is related to gender equality, and goal 6, which is about clean water and sanitation. Data from the National Family Health Survey-5 underlined improvements in urban sanitation with blunt disparities in rural sanitation. Improved sanitation coverage stands at 56.7% of households in India, while 83.2% indicate the same for urban areas. In the country, menstrual hygiene management, in conjunction with female literacy, has witnessed some policy strides, with the situation that remains bleak including aspects of gender-based violence and limited . Grounded in theoretical tenets of feminism, intersectionality, and social constructionism, this paper has described such complex dynamics and offers suggestions for rural sanitation infrastructure, promotes gender-sensitive policy, strengthens education and sensitization programs, improves data collection and monitoring, encourages community participation, and supports victims of gender-based violence. The results warrant an ecological and intersectional approach to sustainable and equitable development in Karnataka.