Monday 19 November 2012

World Toilet Day

 Pit latrines, Malindi Primary School, Malawi

I imagine that most people reading this blog take your toilet for granted. In the richer countries of the world, we expect to have a toilet. Most of us have a water flushing toilet, though perhaps some people reading this have a water saving composting toilet.

However, one in three people in the world (that's 2.5 billion people) do not have access to a clean, private toilet.

Sanitation is a basic human right.

Toilets can help prevent the spread of disease.

Good school toilets can help girls continue their education.

Sanitation is an environmental issue too. If you're appalled by dog dirt along your favourite countryside walk, just think about how much worse it would be if it were human waste.

Well today is World Toilet Day. World Toilet Day was created to raise global awareness of the daily struggle for proper sanitation that a staggering 2.5 billion people face. World Toilet Day brings together different groups, such as media, the private sector, development organisations and civil society in a global movement to advocate for safe toilets. Since its inception in 2001, World Toilet Day has become an important platform to demand action from governments and to reach out to wider audiences by showing that toilets can be fun and sexy as well as vital to life.

Find out more on the World Toilet Day website

As ever, red text contains hyperlinks that take you to other websites where you can find out more.

6 comments:

The Weaver of Grass said...

I saw something about this on television Juliet. Sanitation is so important and a lot of it is also down to education - I suppose not unlike our sepsis problems a few hundred years ago when so many women died in childbirth. These things don;t happen overnight but every small step is in the right direction.

Ms Sparrow said...

This sounds like an admirable program in public health that deserves support.

RG said...

Good reminder! Here is the similar news from my blogging buddy up the road from me in Bellingham WA.

http://salishseacommunications.blogspot.com/2012/11/have-you-hugged-your-toilet-today.html

d. moll, l.ac. said...

My friend Louie the plumber used to call himself a sanitation engineer, he made sure everyone understood that sanitation and correct managing of sewage were the only things that stood between us and the dark ages. Anyway I am daily grateful for my toilet, not only because of my indoctrination, but because it is tempermental........we never know if it's going to need a bit of a plunge or not.

eileeninmd said...

World Toilet Day, why not! I great public health announcement. Have a wonderful day!

Optimistic Existentialist said...

'Sanitation is a basic human right"...WELL SAID. May I become your newest follower?