Economic Growth, Human Development, and Water and Sanitation: A Cross-national Multi-level Analysis

• In Event: 401 - Regular Session. Development 2

Abstract

750 million people lack access to improved water sources, and 2.5 billion lack access to improved sanitation facilities (WHO and UNICEF, 2014). Although measures of access to water and sanitation are used in cross-national studies, little is known about their determinants. In addition, there is debate regarding whether or not economic lending is successful in predicting human development, such as access to water and sanitation, or whether more focused lending can predict human development in specific areas. Therefore, I make three contributions to this debate. First, my dependent variables, unlike previous studies (E.g., Chapman, 2010 ; Moon & Dixon, 1992; London & Williams, 1990, 1988) measure a very specific area of human development, access to improved water sources and sanitation facilities. Second, I conduct the first multi-level cross-national study to examine theories of economic growth and human development on access to water and sanitation. Using a sample of 50 low and middle-income nations I will conduct a series of logistic hierarchical linear models testing, at the household and national level, what factors lead to or detract from access to improved water sources and sanitation facilities. Third, I attempt to resolve the debate between economic growth and human development by including two independent variables of interest at the national level, structural adjustment lending and water supply and sanitation lending. I expect to find that basic needs lending positively impacts access to improved water sources and sanitation facilities, and that the structural adjustment lending negatively impacts access to improved water and sanitation.

Author

• Andrew Hargrove, Stony Brook University (SUNY)