- World Toilet Day is marked on November 19
- The theme of the World Toilet Day is sustainable sanitation
- Sustainable sanitation will act as strong defence against disease outbreak
New Delhi: Over half of the global population or 4.2 billion people lack safe sanitation, moreover, 40 per cent – or three billion people in the world –live without basic handwashing facilities like soap and water, according to the United Nation. It further states that around 297,000 children under five – more than 800 every day – die annually from diarrhoeal diseases due to poor hygiene and sanitation or unsafe drinking water. In a bid to tackle this global sanitation crisis, the United Nations (UN) passed a resolution in 2013 recognising World Toilet Day as an official UN international day. Two years later, under the Sustainable Development Goals, that has is a set of 17 “Global Goals” with 169 targets covering a broad range of sustainable development issues, UN set a target to ensure everyone has access to a household toilet by 2030.
As the world marks November 19 as World Toilet Day, here is all you need lowdown of things you should know about the day:
1. How Did World Toilet Day Came Into Existence
With the idea to raise awareness about sanitation, hygiene and how poor sanitation can kill the masses and cost millions to the economy, in 2001, a Singaporean businessman Jack Sim started a crusade for better sanitation and hygiene practices around the world and founded the World Toilet Organisation. He was the one to declare November 19 as the World Toilet Day. In 2012, the first slogan associated with World Toilet Day came out, it was, “I give a sh**, do you?” in a bid to make people aware about this crucial topic. In 2013, the United Nations adopted the day to educate billions who suffer the ill effects of open defecation.
2. Theme For World Toilet Day
Each year the day is celebrated with a unique theme. This year, the theme is Sustainable Sanitation and Climate Change.
This year’s theme is in reference to how climate change leading to more instances of flood, drought and rising sea levels is threatening sanitation systems – from toilets to septic tanks to treatment plants. The day aims to raise awareness on sustainable sanitation that can withstand climate change and keep communities healthy and functioning.
Sustainable sanitation refers to reusing waste to safely boost agriculture and reduce and capture emissions for greener energy.
3. Objective Of Celebrating World Toilet Day
It is a day to strengthen the “global voice” on sanitation issues and focus on raising awareness about the importance of sanitation for everyone, everywhere.
This year the objective of the day is raise awareness about fecal sludge management, wastewater management and promote sustainable sanitation practices.
4. How Can Toilets Help Fight Climate Change?
According to United Nations, globally, 80% of the wastewater generated by society flows back into the ecosystem without being treated or reused. It also states that by 2050, up to 5.7 billion people could be living in areas where water is scarce for at least one month a year, creating unprecedented competition for water. With an aim to change these grim facts which could soon become the reality this year’s theme focus on sustainability. Sustainable sanitation systems also make productive use of waste to safely boost agriculture and reduce and capture emissions for greener energy.
The effects of climate change threaten sanitation systems – from toilets to septic tanks to treatment plants. For instance, floodwater can damage toilets and spread human waste into water supplies, food crops and people’s homes. These incidents, which are becoming more frequent as climate change worsens, cause public health emergencies and degrade the environment.
5. What Is Sustainable Sanitation?
Sustainable sanitation begins with a toilet that effectively captures human waste in a safe, accessible and dignified setting.
The waste then gets stored in a tank, which can be emptied later by a collection service, or transported away by pipe