Over One Billion People Lack Access to Toilets

Nearly two and a half billion people on Earth do not have access to clean and acceptable sanitation services. Of this number, close to one billion are forced to urinate and defecate in open spaces, increasing the risk of deadly diseases. According to Reuters, the designation of November 19 (28 Aban) as World Toilet Day by the United Nations is a step towards raising awareness and mobilizing public action to address this global issue. "Poor toilet hygiene increases the risk of disease and malnutrition, especially in children." The UN calls for the establishment of safe toilets, particularly for women and girls. Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, states that "one in three women worldwide does not have access to a safe toilet. As a result, they face the risk of diseases, shame, and violence from others." On the other hand, in many areas, although there are places called toilets, they are nothing more than pits filled with feces and urine. These places are extremely dangerous from a health and medical perspective. The UN report indicates that although the Earth has enough drinking water for its entire population, "weak economies and inadequate industrial infrastructure" have led to millions of people, especially children, dying each year from diseases caused by poor hygiene, unsanitary services, and lack of access to safe drinking water. Ban Ki-moon says, "We have a moral obligation to end these inappropriate and unsanitary conditions (of waste disposal) and ensure that women and girls are not subjected to harassment when they need to go to the toilet."