Wednesday, 5 December 2012

World Toilet Day


I’m a bit late with this post as World Toilet Day was in November (apologies).

I came across World Toilet Day as I was surfing the net, trying to discover why toilet facilities for women in this country are subpar.  Even at restaurants, toilets are often mixed gender with minimal or no privacy.   This can make for a slightly anxiety provoking trip to the loo. 

Men feel free to pee anywhere and anytime they want.  I’m not sure where or when women do their business.  I suspect there is an assumption that women don’t really need to pee during daylight hours or maybe women are just not thought about at all.

I then read some slightly disturbing things.  Many girls in rural Africa and Asia stop attending school because there are no girls’ toilet facilities for them at school, or they get bullied by boys at school while doing their business.

The World Toilet Organization is addressing this health and gender issue.  Here are a few things they have to say:

-1 in 3 women worldwide risk shame, disease, harassment and even attack because they have nowhere safe to go to the toilet.
-Sanitation plays an important role in ending poverty, creating gender equality, and keeping children in school.  

-Right now nearly 40% of the world’s population are without sanitation

A couple of links:
 http://worldtoilet.org/wto/                             
 http://www.wateraid.org/uk/get_involved/world_toilet_day/default.asp
                                                           

I couldn’t really come up with any photos for this blog, but I think you get the idea.

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