World Toilet Day

• World Toilet Day is marked by the United Nations and its sister organizations every year on November 19 since 2013.
• In July 2013, the United Nations passed a resolution to mark the event by its member nations.
• Objective: To bring behavioural changes and implementation of policies that will end open defecation and increase access to sanitation among the poor.
• As human waste spreads diseases, it is essential to use toilets.

Need

• More than half of the global population are living without good sanitation.
• 673 million people still follow open defecation worldwide
• 297,000 children under five die each year of diarrheal problems that are caused due to unsafe drinking water, hand hygiene and sanitation
• Developing Countries are losing 5% of their GDP due to sanitation-related diseases

Sustainable Development Goals

• The day helps in achieving SDG 6.
• The SDG 6 Ensures Clean Water and Sanitation for all by 2030.
• Improvement in sanitation facilities are predominantly required in Central Asia, South-East Asia, East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia.

Sources

• The Hindu
• AIR-All India Radio
• PIB
• Indian Express
• Wikipedia
• Vajiram&Ravi