19th November is World Toilet Day
It may seem like a funny day to commemorate, but each year on 19 November we are reminded that something as simple as a toilet is still out of reach for many people around the world. Across a lot of our Asia-Pacific region, millions of people still live without access to safe, decent toilets.
This World Toilet Day, WaterAid is taking a look at why sanitation remains such a critical issue throughout their work in Papua New Guinea, Cambodia and Timor-Leste, and how they’re working with communities in these countries to improve sanitation through things like:
- Working with local governments to strengthen inclusive and climate-resilient sanitation services, ensuring women, people with disabilities, and marginalised groups are included.
- Supporting new toilet solutions in challenging environments. For example, floating toilets in villages on Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia.
- Working with health authorities to improve toilets, handwashing, and hygiene in hospitals and clinics.
- Declaring municipalities “Open Defecation Free” (ODF) when they reach set standards. Liquica and Manufahi in Timor-Leste have recently achieved ODF status.
