Statistics from the UN suggest that 3.6 billion people are still living without adequate sanitation; because of this, we are not on track to achieve our goal of ensuring ‘availability and sustainable management of sanitation and water for all by 2030.’ They say governments will have to work four times faster in order to meet this goal. This year’s theme, ‘Valuing Toilets’, is about understanding just how important toilets are; especially if you do not have access to one. Lack of sanitation causes socio-economic problems as well as being a public health issue. Girls, especially, risk being withdrawn from education in areas where there is a lack of appropriate sanitation in the schools. Poor sanitation increases risk of disease including parasites, malaria, cholera, diarrhoea, and malnutrition. The cost of healthcare then places a significant financial burden on the family which is compounded by the fact that the sick person cannot work, or an adult must take care of a sick child and so cannot go out to work. WaterAid (a charity working to ensure access to clean water for all), say that 9 out of 10 people in Niger do not have access to a functioning toilet. In fact, almost half of the country’s population does not have access to clean water. While the numbers may not be quite as devastating elsewhere, this situation is echoed in many developing countries where government strategies and infrastructure cannot keep up with the growth of the population. If you are unmoved by dismal statistics about lack of access to sanitation, consider the positives. Appropriate sanitation and sewage facilities require maintenance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year so toilets keep people in jobs! Why not join in on your socials this year and thank your toilet?!
#WorldToiletDay
YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: Facts and statistics | WaterAid - https://www.wateraid.org/facts-and-statistics SATO: Bringing access to sanitation and hygiene to communities in Africa https://youtu.be/s_w1wtaxLaw
International Decade for Action ‘Water for Life’ 2005-2015 (un.org) https://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/sanitation.shtml