Abstract
Arsenic contamination of underground water has been a serious problem in Bengal region which is composed of West Bengal of India and Bangladesh. Various alternative technologies were introduced to supply safe drinking water since arsenic contamination was discovered in West Bengal. However, the technologies were not necessarily accepted by local residents. In Bengal region, selecting drinking water source and carrying water is women's role so that it is supposed that because of some kind of cultural restrictions against women they cannot select safe water source to mitigate arsenic contamination on rational basis. A local traditional custom "Parda" is assumed to be the restriction. Because of it, women dislike to be exposed in public places where there are usually mass of unfamiliar male persons.
In this paper, a quantitative way to evaluate women's psychological stress caused by "Parda" is proposed by employing space syntax theory. Space Syntax is developed in pragmatic architectural arena. It helps to analyze visibility of space. "Parda" is supposed to be highly related to the visibility of places where women pass when they carry water. Referring to the results of visibility analysis for two villages from Bangladesh and India, mechanisms of women's water selection are analyzed statistically with using questionnaire results. As a result, differences of water selection criteria between two villages are revealed, and it is insisted that the ways of international development aid should be differentiated depending on the regions. Ultimately, more acceptable ways to install water facilities for local people in each village are discussed.
