Yes you read that right, there is a whole day dedicated to toilets. Some may find this strange, but this United Nations observatory day is one of major importance. Every year, the UN recognizes the 19th of November as World Toilet Day. The day is aimed at celebrating toilets and seeks to bring to light the issue of the inaccessibility of proper sanitation in some less fortunate parts of the world. The day also aims at taking action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: Water and Sanitation for all by 2030.
Why is the issue of sanitation so important?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2.0 billion people still do not have access to basic sanitation facilities such as toilets and latrines. In addition to this, 673 million persons still defecate in the open such as in streets, bushes or into open bodies of water.
Proper sanitation practices play an essential role in maintaining good human health. When there is a lack of toilets and latrines, persons are forced to defecate in the open causing untreated human waste to enter into the waterways which can lead to diseases in the water supplies and the food chains, thus affecting billions of people.
The WHO indicates that poor sanitation is linked to the transmission of several water borne diseases including cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis A. Diarrhea, as a result of inadequate sanitation is responsible for more than 432,000 deaths annually. Approximately 297,000 children under the age of 5, die annually from diarrheal diseases as a result of poor hygiene, poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water. That is more than 800 children every day dying as result of poor sanitation facilities!
Furthermore, the WHO reports that open defecation perpetuates a viscous cycle of disease and poverty. Studies have indicated that the countries where open defecation is the most rampant are the countries which record the highest number of deaths of children aged under 5 years as well as the highest levels of malnutrition and poverty and big disparities of wealth. The problem highlighted here indicates that the most vulnerable in the society are the ones most at risk for contracting the diseases spread as a result of the lack of proper sanitation facilities. Therefore, in order to continue to preserve human health and to also help the most vulnerable ones in society the provision of sanitary facilities should be made available to all. This is one of the aims of the day, to raise awareness about the inaccessibility of toilets around the world in order to stimulate some kind of response which would generate help and issue some relief to the less fortunate.
World Toilet Day 2020
Each year, the UN declares a new theme which the day would be centered around. This years theme is:
"Sustainable sanitation and climate change"
As we have seen in the most recent years, the issue of climate change is worsening as time progresses and the problems associated with are only getting bigger and more catastrophic. Climate change related issues such as flooding, drought and rising sea levels are threatening sanitation systems including toilets, septic tanks and treatment plants.
Did you know that toilets can help us fight climate change?
A sustainable sanitation system involves the use of the toilets which can effectively capture human waste in a safe, accessible and dignified manner. The captured waste is then stored in a tank which can then be emptied by a collection service or transported away by pipework. The next step involves the treatment and the safe disposal of the waste. When wastewater is treated it may be used for irrigation purposes in agriculture, thus providing a reliable source of water and nutrients to crops. This practice not only helps to save water, but it also reduces and captures greenhouse gas emissions for energy production and this helps in the fight against climate change. Therefore by saving water and reducing greenhouse gases, the goal of sustainability is achieved.
I know that this blog has been a little short, but its more of an informative one. How many of you have heard about World Toilet Day before reading today’s post? Now that you’ve read it, do you understand the importance of the day? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
References:
https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water
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