
Sara Gabrielsson
Senior Lecturer

Research
My research focuses on highlighting the significance of integrating social science research and practice for the improvement of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) delivery and services across Africa, with particular emphasis on Menstrual Health Management (MHM) to contribute to reaching the Sustainable Development Goals in East Africa.
I am currently involved in several different research projects in different East African countries with focus on Tanzania and Kenya.
Tanzania
I am involved in the co-coordination of SUSTAIN – Sustainable Sanitation in Theory and Action program (2015-2020), in partnership with the Department of Water Resources Engineering at University of Dar es Salaam aimed at strengthening post-graduate training in integrated sanitation management with both MSc and PhD training. It is the first PhD program focused on sanitation in Tanzania. Using sustainability science as a way to critically analyze the complexity of the sanitation crises in Tanzania SUSTAIN attempts to generate actionable knowledge to contribute to sustainable sanitation access and service delivery, taking into account both the environmental aspects inherent in the water and waste cycle and the differing societal values and political interests of service and resource users.
I am also studying the impact of improved access and use of sustainable menstrual products on women’s every day lives. In cooperation with the Tanzanian National Medical Research Institute and the NGO Femme International the study examines the differences in prevalence of menstrual ill-health between menstrual cup and non-menstrual cup users, how menstrual health management conditions and practices affect women’s income-generating opportunities, and the challenges and differences in menstrual waste volume, disposal, and management between MC and non-MC users at home and work.
Kenya
Together with researchers from Stockholm Environment Insititute I examine whether or not gender empowerment in the water sector can be measured using a Empowerment Water Index´(EWI). Departing from feminist political ecology theory the project aims at developing and testing the EWI tool in an informal settlement of Nairobi, with the aim of informing and measuring specific targets included in Sustainable Development Goal # 6 – Water and Sanitation for All.
I am also involved in the capacity building program ‘Land is Life’ aimed to build capacities and skills to strengthen the operational understanding of the synergies and trade-offs associated with SDG 15 – Life on Land among civil servants from Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Uganda, Malawi and Zambia.
Background
I have a BA from University of Victoria, Canada in Anthropology and Environmental Studies, a Diploma in South Asian Studies, a MSc. in International Environmental Science and a PhD in Sustainability Science from Lund University, Sweden.
My doctoral thesis,Uncertain futures – Adaptive capacities to climate variability and change in the lake Victoria Basin (2012) focused on smallholder farmers in the Lake Victoria Basin and their adaptive capacities to climate variability and change. My research highlighted the efforts made by communities themselves, and particularly the more marginalized segments of these communities, to deal with global environmental changes through collective action.
In 2016 I became a Associate senior lecturer in sustainability science at Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies.
Teaching
I am a course coordinator, teacher and thesis supervisor at LUMES – Lund University Master’s Program in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science. In the LUMES programme I convene the LUMES elective course on Sustainability and Global Health. The course provides global perspectives and local examples of the connections between development, environment and health by highlighting four key emerging and persistent global health challenges;
- the unavoidable health impacts of climate change,
- the prevailing sanitation crises,
- the global dietary paradox,
- the health externalities of global manufacturing and use of electronics.
Publications
Displaying of publications. Sorted by year, then title.
Sveriges utsläpp måste minska nu, regeringen : 531 forskare: Annars är sveket monumentalt – ni kan inte säga att ni inte visste
Alasdair Skelton, Kimberly Nicholas, Lennart Olsson, David Alcer, Tomas Persson, et al.
(2023) Aftonbladet
Newspaper articleDe unga gör helt rätt när de stämmer staten
Christina Moberg, Hervé Corvellec, Anders Lindroth, Manuela Isacson, Linn Nilsson, et al.
(2022) Aftonbladet
Newspaper articleNog nu, politiker – ta klimatkrisen på allvar
Karin Gerhardt, Kimberly Nicholas, Wim Carton, Anika Binte Habib, Diego Galafassi, et al.
(2022) Aftonbladet Debatt, -
Newspaper articlePotential Economic and Environmental Benefits of Faecal Sludge Derived Compost and Char Briquettes: The case of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Isabela Thomas Mkunde, Richard Kimwaga, Sara Gabrielsson
(2022) Tanzania Journal of Science, 48 p.383-393
Journal articleUsing energy justice to contextualise existing challenges of wood charcoal against faecal sludge derived briquettes as a future cooking fuel alternative in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Laura Floytrup, Sara Gabrielsson, Petro Mwamlima
(2022) International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development, 14 p.91-107
Journal articleAssessing national wash targets through a water governance lens : A case study of the sanitation and water for all partnership commitments
Leonie Schiedek, Sara Gabrielsson, Alejandro Jiménez, Ricard Giné, Virginia Roaf, et al.
(2021) Journal of Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 11 p.805-813
Journal articleKnowledge, attitudes and practices (Kap) on fecal sludge resource recovery and reuse in dares Salaam, Tanzania
Isabela T. Mkude, Sara Gabrielsson, Richard Kimwaga
(2021) Journal of Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 11 p.758-770
Journal articleFaecal sludge containment characteristics and their implications on safe desludging in unplanned settlements of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Amour Seleman, Sara Gabrielsson, Richard Kimwaga
(2021) Journal of Environmental Management, 295
Journal articleReframing the challenges and opportunities for improved sanitation services in eastern Africa through Sustainability Science
Sara Gabrielsson, Angela Huston, Susan Gaskin
(2020) Sustainability Science in Africa II: Insights from Eastern and Southern Africa., 2
Book chapterDrivers of unhygienic desludging practices in unplanned settlements of dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Amour Seleman, Sara Gabrielsson, Tolly S.A. Mbwette, Richard Kimwaga
(2020) Journal of Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 10 p.512-526
Journal articleReviewing the potential and constraints of modified technology options for faecal sludge management in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Amour Seleman, Tolly Mbwette, Sara Gabrielsson, Richard Kimwaga
(2019) Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology, 38 p.245-259
Journal articleThe Potentials Faecal Sludge Treatment using Local Conditioners in Tanzania: A Review
Doglas Benjamin, Aloyce Mayo, Sara Gabrielsson, Richard Kimwaga
(2019) Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology, 38 p.230-244
Journal article review171 forskare: ”Vi vuxna bör också klimatprotestera”
Per Adman, Mats Alvesson, Elina Andersson, Mimmi Maria Barmark, Ebba Brink, et al.
(2019) Dagens nyheter (DN debatt)
Newspaper articleLinking the Water-Food-Energy Nexus to Sanitation: will it save and improve lives?
Sara Gabrielsson, Jamie Myers, Vasna Ramasar
(2019) Water, Sustainable Development and the Nexus: Response to Climate Change.
Book chapterMaterial Flow Analysis as a Decision Supporting tool for Faecal Sludge Resource Recovery: Mathematical formulation and quantification.
Isabela Mdkude, Tolly Mbwette, Sara Gabrielsson, Richard Kimwaga
(2019) Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology, 38 p.97-115
Journal article reviewPotential Use of High Rate Algae Ponds for Resource Recovery in the Water-Food-Energy Nexus for Tanzania : A Review
Mary Kayombo, Aloyce Mayo, Richard Kimwaga, Sara Gabrielsson
(2019) Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology, 38 p.130-151
Journal article reviewImplementation Challenges for Community Health Clubs in Rwanda
Nelson Ekane, Sarah Dickin, Sara Gabrielsson, Ntakarutimana Amans, Nadine Rujeni
(2019)
OtherClimate Change Adaptation and Gender Inequality: Insights from Rural Vietnam
Josephine Ylipaa, Sara Gabrielsson, Anne Jerneck
(2019) Sustainability, 11
Journal articleTowards Sustainable Menstrual Health Management in Africa
Sara Gabrielsson
(2019)
Conference - otherGender matters: adaptive capacities to climate variability and change in the Lake Victoria Basin.
Sara Gabrielsson
(2015) Climate Change Adaptation and Development - Transforming Paradigms and Practices , p.99-113
Book chapterWidows: agents of change in a climate of water uncertainty
Sara Gabrielsson, Vasna Ramasar
(2013) Journal of Cleaner Production, 60 p.34-42
Journal articleLiving without buffers-illustrating climate vulnerability in the Lake Victoria basin
Sara Gabrielsson, Sara Brogaard, Anne Jerneck
(2013) Sustainability Science, 8 p.143-157
Journal articleWater and sanitation in practice- a critical integration gap
Sara Gabrielsson
(2013)
Conference - other'Because of poverty, we had to come together': collective action for improved food security in rural Kenya and Uganda
Elina Andersson, Sara Gabrielsson
(2012) International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 10 p.245-262
Journal articleUncertain Futures : Adaptive capacities to climate variability and change in the Lake Victoria Basin
Sara Gabrielsson
(2012) Lund Dissertations in Sustainability Science, 3
DissertationScaling up social capital - A prerequisite for community based adaptation in the Lake Victoria basin?
Sara Brogaard, Sara Gabrielsson
(2010)
Conference paper: abstractSeasonal pattern of climate vulnerability and adaptation in the Lake Victoria basin – Identifying needs and opportunities using a multi-stakeholder approach. The American Association for the Advancement of Science, Annual Conference, San Diego
Sara Gabrielsson, Sara Brogaard, Johanna Alkan Olsson
(2010)
Conference paper: abstract
Short biography
Sara Gabrielsson is an Associate senior lecturer in Sustainability science at Lund University. Sara’s primary research focus is on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and sustainable development in Africa. Sara’s vision isto facilitate the interaction between academia and sanitation practitioners to enable the spread of sustainable WASH from theory to action.
Impact and communication
Policy work
Policy brief: Toward Sustainable Menstrual Health Managemant in Tanzania (PDF)
Capacity building
Media
Menskopp bidrar till bättre skolgång för tjejer i Tanzania, Sveriges radio, 2018
Menskopp hjälper unga kvinnor i Tanzania få en bättre skolgång, SVT nyheter, 2018
Kära världen, låt oss prata mera om mens!, Debattartikel i Dagens Arena, 2018
Menstrual cups could help girls attend school in Tanzania, Lunduniversity.lu.se, 2018
Menskopp bidrar till bättre skolgång för tjejer i Tanzania, lu.se, 2018
Videos
"Breaking the Silence" - A film about the challenges with Menstrual Health Management in rural Tanzania