World Toilet Day as an official UN day, which is observed across the globe every year. Every year on November 19, this day is observed with an aim to end defection and to create public awareness, promote sanitation to the unprivileged.
The UN (United Nation) says, “Over 4.2 billion people live without safely sanitation services and over 650 million people practice open defecation across the globe.”
The first official World Toilet Day was established by the World Toilet Organisation in 2001, but it was in 2013, that the United Nations officially declared it as a UN day. Since then the UN has a theme to this mega event every year.
World Toilet Day theme
The theme of World Toilet Day 2019 is ‘Leaving No One Behind’. The United Nations’ theme this year is aimed at the people who are under-privileged and have no access to basic sanitation amenities. “A toilet is not just a toilet; it’s a lifesaver, dignity protector and opportunity-maker,” as UN projects in its theme this year.
World Toilet Day significance
Toilets impact positively on human dignity, public health, and hygiene, safety (especially for women), but it also ensures that diseases don’t spread in the society. There are several diseases that one can be infected with, such as cholera, diarrhea, typhoid, and dysentery.
World Toilet Day puts things and problems into perspective. Its objective is to inspire people around the world to act and do their bit in eradicating this social cause. It is aimed to tackle the global sanitation crisis and fulfill the goal set by Sustainable Development Goal 6 which aims to achieve ‘sanitation for all and end open defection’.
There are events, workshops, programs, and a number of campaigns that are organized by the United Nations and several other organizations around the globe on World Toilet Day.
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