Every year on November 19, World Toilet Day is observed. The day raises awareness about the problems billions of people face due to poor or no sanitation. Read on to know why the World Toilet Day is observed.
World Toilet Day was started in 2001 (Photo credit: Freepik)
New Delhi: World Toilet Day is observed on November 19, a day set by the United Nations General Assembly. The World Toilet Organization started it in 2001 and made it a United Nations observance in 2013. This day celebrates toilets and raises awareness about the people who lack access to safe sanitation. The goal is to take action to address the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensuring water and sanitation for all people by 2030.
In this article, let us look at why World Toilet Day is observed every year on November 19.
World Toilet Day 2024: Why is the day observed on November 19?
Everyone has the right to clean and safe sanitation. This means everyone should have access to a secure and private toilet as part of a safe waste management system. When inadequate, damaged, or broken toilet systems are found, pollution spreads, and dangerous diseases can emerge.
Women and girls are especially affected by a lack of safe sanitation, water, and hygiene services. This makes them more vulnerable to abuse and health problems, impacting their ability to study, work, and live with dignity.
World Toilet Day raises awareness about the problems billions of people face due to poor sanitation. It highlights the importance of proper public and environmental health toilets. Good sanitation helps prevent the spread of serious diseases like cholera.
Facts to know
- 3.5 billion people live without safe sanitation. This includes 419 million who practice open defecation.
- 2.2 billion people lack safe drinking water, with 115 million drinking surface water.
- About 2 billion people do not have basic hygiene services, and 653 million of them have no facility at all.
- Unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene cause around 1,000 deaths of children under five every day.
- Children living in very fragile situations are three times more likely to practice open defecation, four times more likely to lack basic sanitation, and eight times more likely to have no access to safe drinking water.
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