Have you ever complained about a toilet anywhere? Not so clean, not so dry, not so nice-smelling, not so something else? On November 19th 2014 and possibly every other day this year and forever after, thank your stars that you have one because 2.5 billion people in the world don't! World Toilet Day is the founding day of the World Toilet Organization and its aim is to raise awareness and to bring about access to toilets for the many who lack it.
Not having quality sanitation, something that is a basic human right, has far-reaching effects on health and safety, especially for women. Keeping this at the forefront, the theme of World Toilet Day this year is 'Equality, dignity and the link between gender-based violence and sanitation'.
This is of even greater significance in India as it has the world's largest population that defecates out in the open, despite many government schemes that have aimed to achieve universal sanitation coverage through constructing toilets. India was also in the news as recently as 2 months ago for the gang rape and murder of two teenage girls who went out at night to relieve themselves.
But will more toilets alone help reduce open defecation or safeguard women against rape?
Answers aren't clear or conclusive but efforts to achieve sanitation in a holistic manner by focusing not only on toilets but also on behavioural changes and localised solutions seem to work.
The stories and videos compiled below (and in our newsletter this week) showcase these efforts be it constructing Eco-san toilets, furthering community clean-up efforts, detailing toilet designs or developing tools to demystify and understand government sanitation data. Read, watch and tell us what you think.
Eco-San Toilets
A toilet that loves the environment
Community Effort
Cleaning up: From Canada to Khauradi