Inequality and discrimination in access to water and sanitation in the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Access to water and sanitation services by the population of the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, has been marked by processes of socio-spatial segregation and social exclusion. Considering the recognition, in 2010, of the human rights to water and sanitation by the United Nations, we seek to assess the adequate access to these services in the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region through the principle of equality and non-discrimination. We used microdata from the demographic censuses, years 2000 and 2010, from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. We analyzed these data through descriptive and comparative statistical analysis, spatial analysis and multivariate analysis, so as to: determine the extent of the universalization of the adequate access to those services; assess the spatial dependence between municipalities regarding this access; identify and characterize possible access discrimination, by specific population groups. Results show an increase in the proportion of households with adequate access to water and sanitation services in the intercensus period; near lack spatial association, showing inequalities among the 34 municipalities of the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region; access inequalities among different population groups - according to household situation, income, race or color, sex and educational level - in a possible non compliance with the principle of non-discrimination.

巴西米纳斯吉拉斯州贝洛奥里藏特都会区（Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region）的人口在达标供水与卫生服务获取方面，始终伴随着社会空间隔离与社会排斥的进程。2010年联合国确认了享有清洁饮水与卫生设施的人权，本研究旨在基于平等与非歧视原则，评估贝洛奥里藏特都会区人群对上述服务的达标获取情况。本研究采用巴西地理与统计研究所（Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics）2000年与2010年人口普查的微观数据，通过描述性与比较性统计分析、空间分析及多变量分析对上述数据开展研究，以达成以下目标：明确该类服务达标获取的普及程度；评估各市政单元间该服务获取情况的空间依赖关系；识别并刻画特定人群群体可能遭遇的获取歧视及其特征。研究结果表明，两次普查间期内，可达标获取供水与卫生服务的家庭占比有所提升；区域内呈现近乎缺失的空间关联，反映出贝洛奥里藏特都会区34个市政单元间的服务获取不平等；不同人群群体——依据家庭状况、收入水平、种族/肤色、性别及受教育水平划分——间存在服务获取不平等，或已违背非歧视原则。