November 19 —Fighting for Dignity, Health and Human Rights
World Toilet Day sheds light on the global crisis of sanitation: since 2013, awareness has been raised on billions lacking safe toilets with proper sanitation.
The Shocking Truth
3.6 billion people-half of the people in this world-do not have safely managed sanitation; no toilet, no privacy, open defecation in fields, bushes, or along the roads.
Contaminated water affects whole communities.
419 million people around the world practice open defecation, causing harm to health, the environment, and dignity.
Why Toilets Save Lives
Sanitation is critical. Poor sanitation spreads diseases like cholera, dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis A, polio, and diarrheal diseases, which kill about 525,000 children under five each year, roughly 1,440 daily. Contaminated water triggers cycles of illness, malnutrition, and poverty, especially among children.
The Gender Dimension
Lack of toilets harms girls and women:
- Education: Puberty and menstruation without private facilities leads to lower attendance; decent school toilets can increase that attendance by approximately 11%.
- Safety: No privacy invites harassment, violence; long walks to defecation increase risk, particularly in conflict or high-crime areas.
- Health: Delayed urination increases UTIs and kidney issues; menstruation management affects health and daily activity.
- Dignity: Lack of private space affects mental health and self-esteem.
India's Sanitation Revolution
In 2014, India had 550 million open defecation practitioners. The Swachh Bharat Mission was undertaken to eliminate open defecation and to manage waste. This led to:
- Over 100 million toilets built
- India declared open defecation free in 2019
The large behavior-change campaigns and community participation-swachhagrahis
Substantial disease reductions
Toilets have to be used, maintained, and combined with waste treatment. Some communities still culturally prefer open defecation or are victims of design flaws. Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 will be targeting sustainability, wastewater treatment, and garbage-free cities.
Environmental Impact
Poor sanitation harms the environment:
Water pollution through excreting untreated sewage in rivers and seas
Waste leakages leading to groundwater contamination.
Ecosystem damage due to nutrient pollution
Soil pollution due to open defecation and possible agricultural and food contamination
Economic Costs
Sanitation failures drive health costs, lost productivity, tourism decline, lower property values, and billions of hours lost by women and girls seeking private facilities. According to the World Bank, about 5% of the annual GDP is lost; investments in sanitation return around $5 per $1 spent through reduced healthcare and higher productivity.
Innovative Solutions
- Portable/community toilets funded by pay-per-use systems
Waste-to-resource technology: biogas, fertilizer, treated water
- Waterless toilets in arid areas
Mobile tech connecting waste collectors and users; digital payments
Hygiene teaching at schools; emergency sanitation in case of disaster What You Can Do At home: keep toilets maintained; save water; avoid items that are not biodegradable to prevent items like wipes and sanitary products from being flushed. Water-conserving fixtures. In communities: support sanitation groups, volunteer, and advocate for public toilets. Break taboos: talk about sanitation, educate, challenge menstruation stigma. Policy: advocate action on sanitation infrastructure; vote for public health-focused leaders; hold governments to targets set by the SDGs. The Sustainable Development Goal 6 is: Ensuring water and sanitation for all by 2030, including universal access, ending open defecation, improving the quality of water, protecting ecosystems, and achieving these with about $114 billion annual investment. The Dignity Factor Sanitation is about human dignity: privacy, safety, education, and equal participation. Giving toilets asserts worth and respect for all individuals. Conclusion World Toilet Day Shatters Silence Around Billions-Affected Crisis. Toilets Are Fundamental, Not Funny. Let's support sanitation work challenging taboos along the way, and remember: a toilet represents dignity, health, safety, and opportunity. Everyone deserves a toilet—and dignity. Together we can make that real.