I Give a Shit Do You? 19 NOVEMBER 2012
CONTENTS What is World Toilet Day? 1 Why toilets matter? 3 What can I do? 7
What is World Toilet Day? World Toilet Day is observed annually on 19 November. This international day of action aims to break the taboo around toilets and to raise global awareness of the daily struggle for proper sanitation that a staggering 2.5 billion people face. Our vision is to grow as a collective campaign uniting everybody who is passionate about toilets to ensure that access to proper sanitation, which has been declared a Human Right, becomes a reality for all. In 2002, the international community recognized the importance of sanitation by setting a target under the United Nations-led Millennium Development Goals: reducing by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to basic sanitation by 2015. At the same time, the World Toilet Organization founded World Toilet Day to gather support for the sanitation cause and help the world reach the its target. This year, 1
#IGIVEASHIT Did you know that... sanitation is a Human Right the World Toilet Organization and the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council are joining forces with the campaign I give a shit, do you?, encouraging different groups such as media, development organizations, the private sector and civil society to advocate and take action for safe toilets. Over the past decade, World Toilet Day has become an important platform to raise awareness, inspire advocates and demand action from governments. Campaigners have taken World Toilet Day to new heights creating a giant toilet sculpture in Singapore, a march between rural villages in the Philippines, a Big Squat in the United Kingdom along with lots of other attention grabbing stunts! I give a shit, do you? Join World Toilet Day, take action and spread the word. 2
#IGIVEASHIT Did you know that... in sub-saharan Africa, diarrhoea is now the single biggest killer of children under five Why toilets matter? In a world where modern technology is penetrating the far outskirts of this planet, a silent crisis is taking place - affecting the health, well being, dignity and development of millions of people. One gram of faeces can contain 10 million viruses, a million bacteria, a thousand cysts and a hundred worm eggs. The impact of poor or non-existent sanitation facilities on people s health, their quality of life, their dignity and their income is overwhelming. This makes safe disposal of human faeces a key concern for public health. It is estimated that at any given moment, half of the developing world s people are sick from diseases associated with dirty water and bad sanitation. The health systems, as well as individuals, are paying a high price. According to the World Health Organization, if everyone had access to safe sanitation and water, the world s health sectors would save around $12 billion per year. Families would save a lot of income, time and energy if they did not had to deal on a regular basis with sick members. 3
The hardest hit are children. Diarrhoeal diseases, a direct consequence of inadequate sanitation, are the second leading cause of death of young children in developing countries, killing more than HIV/AIDS, malaria and measles combined. Sanitation impacts the lives of women and girls. Every day, millions of women and girls lack privacy and have to wait for dusk to relieve themselves often a dangerous excursion confronting the fear, and sometimes the reality, of sexual harassment and rape. Proper sanitation facilities are also instrumental for women and girls during menstruation, who need space for washing and somewhere to dispose of sanitatary pads. Especially for adolescent girls, a clean and private toilet impacts their school performance. However, menstruation and its management remain far too often hidden in a culture of silence. 4
#IGIVEASHIT Did you know that... improved sanitation in developing countries typically yields about $ 5 in economic returns for every $ 1 spent The many consequences of lacking proper toilet facilities contribute to ongoing poverty and undermine the economic and social development of a region or country. Recent studies show that investing in sanitation brings prosperity and growth. Each dollar spent on sanitation gives a return of 5 dollars. Toilets are thus a good business investment. So why is it that today, despite the clear consequences of bad sanitation and the obvious benefits of good sanitation, almost one third of the world population does not have access to a proper toilet? Although the sanitation crisis results from a set of complex causes, in fact, prime reason is that nobody likes to talk toilets, and too few are giving sanitation the priority it demands. What the sanitation challenge needs is leadership: politicians and decision makers, the international community, religious authorities, businesses, media, and local communities need to learn, speak out and act. Toilets matter! Learn more and take action at www.worldtoiletday.org 5
References : Hutton, G, Haller, L (2004). Evaluation of the costs and benefits of water and sanitation improvements at the global level. Geneva, World Health Organization. UNICEF, WHO (2012). Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation 2012 Update. New York and Geneva, United Nations Chirldren s Fund and World Health Organization. WaterAid, FANSA, WSSCC (2011). South Asian People s perspective on sanitation: Synthesis review. London and Geneva, WaterAid, Freshwater Action Network, Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council. WHO (2010). World health statistics. Part II: Global health indicators. Geneva, World Health Organization. WHO (2012). Global costs and benefits of drinking-water supply and sanitation interventions to reach the MDG target and universal coverage. Geneva, World Health Organization. WSSCC (2002). The Big Issue. Geneva, Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council. 6
What can I do? Whether you are a professional in the field, a seasoned development campaigner or have a passing interest - you can play a role in advocating for and on behalf of the 2.5 billion people who lack a safe toilet. Connect with the WTD community on Twitter and Facebook : Follow WTD on twitter @worldtoiletday and tell the world why you give a shit using #IGiveAShit; Support the WTD facebook page: Like us, write on the wall, post photos, share links and events you are planning; Use the WTD logo as your profile picture; Update your status with a sanitation dedicated message. You can find inspiration in the previous chapter of this brochure. 7
There are no limits to what you can do to raise awareness for sanitation and participate in the WTD campaign. You can : Host an event or activity Organize a toilet queue Plan a mass squat Prepare for a toilet sit-in Host a photo exhibition of toilet related stories from your area Host a public latrine exhibition Take any of the ideas listed above and organize a road show Organize a photo or slogan competition related to WTD Promote sanitation messages Liaise with a toilet paper or soap manufacturer to print sanitation messages on their products Place toilet adverts in your local newspapers and magazines Ask sports or cultural events to promote sanitation messages Engage celebrities and political figures Invite them to your event Ask them to show their support by donating their facebook status or tweet about sanitation to help spread the word Make posters of celebrities or politicians sitting on toilets with their permission, of course! 8
Contact and invite your local or national decision makers Organize a local hearing or a high level round table to find out how your decision makers are acting upon earlier commitments Invite local politicians to your public event Sign or deliver a petition, or send postcards with clear demands to your local or national decision makers Involve the media Plan a media workshop to inform journalists about the scope of the sanitation challenge and how they can play a role to address it using the key WTD campaign messages Adapt the WTD press releases by adding information about the situation where you live. Follow up with calls in order to have journalists publish a story about sanitation Call your local radio station or, better, see if you can get yourself invited on a radio show to talk toilets! 9
Check out the World Toilet Day website! I GIVE A SHIT, DO YOU? Share your message Sign the Keep Your Promises petition Download and use our creative WTD resources Share your event on the WTD activities map 10
WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION COLLABORATIVE COUNCIL The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) is a global partnership and membership organization that works to accelerate people s access to safe, sustainable water supply, sanitation services and hygienic behaviour. It enhances collaboration among water, sanitation and hygiene sector agencies and professionals to deliver its objectives. It does so through partnership and knowledge building to facilitate improved sanitation and hygiene for those that are underserved. WSSCC works to accelerate improved sanitation and hygiene in selected developing countries through its grant facility - the Global Sanitation Fund. With a Geneva-based Secretariat operating within the United Nations system; a network of almost 2000 members throughout the world and a range of partnerships, WSSCC is well placed to advance advocacy for sustainable, pro-poor sanitation and hygiene interventions. www.wsscc.org 11
WORLD TOILET ORGANIZATION World Toilet Organization (WTO) is a global non-profit organization dedicated to improving the conditions of toilets and sanitation worldwide. Our motto better lives, bigger dreams represents our core beliefs. We understand that it is not just about providing access to adequate, clean sanitation it s also about giving people back their dignity, providing comfort, improving lives and offering empowerment so that they can strive for a brighter future. We are one of the few organizations whose sole focus is on toilets. Unfortunately, unlike water, toilets do not get the same attention and resources needed. We believe that through education, training and creating a sanitation marketplace, we can provide business opportunities, sanitation and clean toilets for all. www.worldtoilet.org 12