India reports the highest number of diarrhoeal deaths among children under five in the world. The majority of these deaths can be attributed to poor sanitation and hygiene, and unsafe water. The World Toilet Day celebrated in different countries, including India, on 19 November aims to raise global awareness of the struggle 2.6 billion people face every day without access to proper, clean sanitation. UNICEF
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Globally, India has the largest number of people – more than 600 million – still defecating in the open and less than half of the population using toilets. Open defecation is a major reason for India reporting the highest number of diarrhoeal deaths among children under-five in the world. UNICEF
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More than 1,000 children die every day in the country from diarrhea. The majorities of diarrhoeal deaths are caused by poor sanitation and hygiene, and unsafe water and affect the school-age children impacting their learning abilities. UNICEF
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Although more than 160 million people have access to improved sanitation(facilities which ensure hygienic separation of human excreta from human contact), the gain is highly inequitable. Open defecation is still increasing amongst the poorest segment of the population and a very low proportion of the rural population uses improved sanitation. UNICEF
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The situation is also less than satisfactory when it comes to progress in providing toilet facilities in schools in India. Though the proportion of schools having toilets increased over a five-year period from about half to more than three quarters, 27.6 million children (14.1 million boys and 13.5 million girls) do not have access to toilets in schools. UNICEF
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This accounts for 14.7 per cent of total enrolled children that do not do not have access to toilet facility in schools. Seven states - Orissa, Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Assam and Bihar account for almost 50% 13.8 million children without access to toilet facilities in schools. Girls’ toilets are available in only 60% of the schools. Wherever toilets exist, only one in two is usable. UNICEF
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The World Toilet Day (WTD) celebrated in different countries, including India, on 19 November aims to raise global awareness of the struggle 2.6 billion people face every day without access to proper, clean sanitation. The WTD also brings to the forefront the health, emotional and psychological consequences, the poor endure as a result of inadequate sanitation. UNICEF
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The Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA), the revamped Total Sanitation Campaign, is the Government of India’s flagship programme on rural sanitation. UNICEF supports the national and state governments to implement the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan – the clean India campaign. The aim is to see an open defecation free India by 2022. UNICEF
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The UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme also works with SarvaSikshaAbhiyan and Integrated Child Development Services, to promote hygiene, water and sanitation facilities in schools and Anganwadi centers (courtyard shelter) with lasting outcomes. UNICEF
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Gram Panchayatsand village communities play a pivotal role in the implementation of the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyanfor the construction, use and maintenance of toilets. UNICEF supports and trains many such volunteer women empowerment groups in the country to promote proper hygiene and immunisation as the key priorities, all within the context of an integrated project aimed at building a protective environment for children. UNICEF
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Sanitation is vital for ensuring health, dignity and sustainable social and economic development. The heartening news is access to improved sanitation is steadily increasing in India, but much more needs to be done. UNICEF
