National World Toilet Day
The United Nations designated Nov. 19 as World Toilet Day. Internationally, the purpose is remind the world that the convenience that many of us take for granted actually saves lives, preserves clean water and helps prevent cholera and other diseases, but that 2.5 billion people in the world do not have access to toilets. It’s a serious problem, and there are numerous fundraising campaigns out there to try to change that.
The theme for this year’s World Toilet Day is “Equality and Dignity” which seeks to put spotlight on vulnerable groups specifically the disabled, women and children.
According UN Water having to defecate openly infringes on human safety and dignity. Women and girls risk rape and abuse as they wait until night falls because they lack of access to a toilet that offers privacy. Equally, in cases where toilets exist usability becomes an issue.
Even more worrying is the fact that toilets remain inadequate for people with special needs, such as the disabled and elderly, and women and girls requiring facilities to manage menstrual hygiene.
Without accessible toilets for these populations, they remain excluded from opportunities to attend school and gain employment.
The United Nations has asked people to consider the importance of good sanitation. It is estimated that a billion people still practice open defecation and woman and children especially girl children are the once that often bear the greatest burden of lack of toilet access no matter what age they are.
More than 2.5 billion people lack improved sanitation facilities, according to the UN.
“Women are force to walk to the dark and dangerous locations to find a private area where they can help themselves most particular at night, where they are vulnerable to be attacked,” reports www.ibtimes.co.uk.
In recognition of the theme of this year’s Toilet Day, the Water Research Commission (WRC) also embarked and introduced various sanitation innovations and products and how they could assist in achieving the country’s national development goals.
The partnership has resulted in the creation of South African Sanitation Technology Demonstration Program (SASTEP), which will see innovative, new-generation sanitation technologies, developed under the BMGF’s Re-Invent the Toilet Challenge, demonstrated in South Africa.
In late October this year, a workshop took place in the Eastern Cape with funders and technology developers, which included site visits to potential demonstration sites.
These who were able to attend the workshop got a chance to be transported to Cofimvaba municipal offices, where attendees met with counselors and municipal officials from Cofimvaba and the Chris Hani Municipality.
And during these meeting they got a chance to look at the different issues around the province and the good sanitation issues
The workshop continued in Pretoria, where there was a public launch of the SASTEP program and allowed the opportunity for stakeholders to engage with technology developers.
The WRC aims to provide technological sanitation innovations that allow for appropriate and sustainable solutions.
Why should the world accept this situation? Sanitation is a global development priority, let us join global efforts to end this.