World Toilet Day: Accelerating Change

World Toilet Day is an annual global event that aims to raise awareness of the urgent need for sanitation and access to clean water. This day brings attention to the pressing issue of inadequate sanitation facilities and the impact it has on people's health, dignity, and safety.

The United Nations designated November 19th as World Toilet Day in 2013 to address the global sanitation crisis. According to the UN, 2.2 billion people worldwide lack access to rudimentary sanitation services, which is a significant cause of disease and death. Poor sanitation leads to the spread of diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, and diarrhea, which kill hundreds of thousands of people every year.

Right now, there are 3.5 billion people still living without safe toilets. 419 million people still practice ‘open defecation’. In these situations, diseases spread, killing 1,000 children under five every single day. This global crisis poses a threat to nature and everyone’s health, particularly women, girls, and other vulnerable groups.

This year’s theme is ‘Accelerating Change’, using the hummingbird to inspire people to take personal action to help improve toilets and sanitation systems.

World Toilet Day aims to create awareness and encourage action to improve sanitation worldwide. It is an opportunity for people, governments, and organizations to come together and find solutions to the sanitation crisis. Governments and organizations around the world are working to provide access to better sanitation facilities and promote hygiene education.

ADRA Bangladesh is working tirelessly to improve the toilets and sanitation system through its Community Empowerment Project (CEP) across the country. ADRA Bangladesh identifies that numerous people are using unsafe toilets. CEP in Daulatpur, Manikganj, distributes ring slubs among vulnerable people to ensure they can access safe toilets.

ADRA Bangladesh reminds people that sanitation is a human right, and everyone deserves access to clean & safe water and sanitation facilities. It is a call to action for governments, organizations, and individuals to work together to improve sanitation and save lives.

World Toilet Day is a global event that aims to raise awareness about the sanitation crisis and the importance of proper sanitation and access to clean water. On this day, let us remember that sanitation is a human right and take action to ensure that everyone has access to rudimentary sanitation services.