UN Chief Says Ensuring Access to Toilets for Women is Imperative

Marking the World Toilet Day on November 19, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that it was a moral imperative to ensure that women and girls have access to toilets and are not forced to defecate in the open, which could be a potential reason for violence against women.

Around 2.5 billion people around the world do not have access to clean toilets and over a billion of them are forced to defecate in fields, bushes or in bodies of water which not only increases the risk of diarrhea among children but also raises risk of violence against women, including rapes and assault.

The UN chief also added that ensuring access to clean toilets will lead to better health and safety for women.

"A staggering 1.25 billion women and girls would enjoy greater health and increased safety with improved sanitation. Evidence also shows safe and clean toilets encourage girls to stay in school", he said.


Source: Medindia