19 NOVEMBER 2012
I Give a Shit Do You? CONTENTS
What is World Toilet Day? 1 Why toilets matter? 3 What can I do? 7 the World Toilet Organization and the Water What is Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council are joining forces with the campaign I give a World Toilet Day? shit, do you?, encouraging di erent groups World Toilet Day is observed annually on 19 such as media, development organizations, November. This international day of action the private sector and civil society to aims to break the taboo around toilets and to advocate and take action for safe toilets. raise global awareness of the daily struggle for proper sanitation that a staggering 2.5 Over the past decade, World Toilet Day has billion people face. Our vision is to grow as a become an important platform to raise collective campaign uniting everybody who awareness, inspire advocates and demand is passionate about toilets to ensure that action from governments. Campaigners have access to proper sanitation, which has been taken World Toilet Day to new heights – declared a Human Right, becomes a reality for creating a giant toilet sculpture in Singapore, all. a march between rural villages in the Philippines, a Big Squat in the United In 2002, the international community Kingdom along with lots of other attention recognized the importance of sanitation by grabbing stunts! setting a target under the United Nations-led Millennium Development Goals: reducing by half the proportion of people without I give a shiT, do you? sustainable access to basic sanitation by 2015. At the same time, the World Toilet Join World Toilet Day, take action and spread Organization founded World Toilet Day to the word. gather support for the sanitation cause and help the world reach the its target. This year,
1 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 di erent groups such as media, development organizations, the private sector and civil society to advocate and take action for safe toilets.
#IGIVEASHIT Over the past decade, World Toilet Day has Did you know that... become an important platform to raise awareness, inspire advocates and demand sanitation is a action from governments. Campaigners have Human Right 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 Why toilets matter? In a world where modern technology is penetrating the far outskirts of this planet, a silent crisis is taking place - a ecting the #IGIVEASHIT health, well being, dignity and development Did you know that... of millions of people. in sub-Saharan Africa, One gram of faeces can contain 10 million diarrhoea is now the viruses, a million bacteria, a thousand cysts and a hundred worm eggs. The impact of single biggest poor or non-existent sanitation facilities on killer of children people’s health, their quality of life, their under ve 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
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 #IGIVEASHIT studies show that investing in sanitation Did you know that... brings prosperity and growth. Each dollar improved sanitation in spent on sanitation gives a return of 5 dollars. Toilets are thus a good business investment. developing countries typically yields about So why is it that today, despite the clear $ 5 in economic returns consequences of bad sanitation and the obvious for every $ 1 spent bene ts 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 bene ts 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 bene ts 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 eld, 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 pro le picture; Update your status with a sanitation dedicated message. You can nd 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 manu- facturer 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 gures 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 nd 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-pro t 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 o ering 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