November 19 isWorldToiletDay. It’sestimatedthatmorethanabillionwomenlackaccesstosafesanitation. TheNGOWaterAidsaysalackofadequatetoiletsputswomenatriskofshame, disease, harassmentandevenviolence.
WaterAidChiefExecutiveBarbaraFrostsaidgovernmentsneedtoinvestalotmoreinsanitationtoimprovewomen’shealthandlivelihoods.
“OnWorldToiletDay, themessagethatWaterAidisputtingoutisthatoneinthreewomenstilldon’thaveadecenttoilet. Andwhatthatmeansisthattheyhavetowaituntilit’safterdarktogooutandfindasafeplacetorelievethemselves – athreattotheirhealth, totheirsecurity, totheirsafety,” shesaid.
ShesaidtheproblemisparticularlybadinAfrica, wheresevenoutoftenwomenhavenoaccesstoasafetoilet.
“Womenandgirlsbearthebruntofpoorsanitationandnothavingadecenttoilet. Andmanygirlsdropoutofschoolatpubertybecausethereisn’tasafeplaceforthemtowashwhenthey’remenstruating. Andalsowomenspendsomanyhourslookingaftertheirchildren, whoaresickasaresultofdiarrhealdiseases,” shesaid.
WaterAidcommissionedasurveyinfiveslumsinLagos, Nigeria. Itindicatesthatinthelastyearoneinfivewomenhaveexperiencedverbalharassmentorintimidation, orwerethreatenedphysically, whengoingtothetoilet. TheNGOsaidstudiesinUgandaandKenyahavesimilarfindings.
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