Public restrooms are a luxury developed countries don't think twice about. In fact, we wouldn't even think to consider public restrooms, or a working toilet in general, as a luxury, but a necessity. Well, world leaders are beginning to realize how necessary proper sanitation is still needed in many parts of the world. In an article by The New York Times, the World Health Organization and UNICEF do say the problem is lessening, however, 1.1 billion people are still defecating in public.
When I traveled to Brasil, the same issues were encountered. (See blog entry here.) It was even to the point that when it rains everyone knows to avoid the "piss puddles" that gather from rain runoff on the streets, and to always wash your feet once you get home. A 20-year-old student, who after telling him how the U.S. deals with people who defecate in public, had a different reaction than expected. He said he wishes the Brasilian government dealt with it just as harshly, so that people would actually be deterred and find a public restroom.
The solution, however, isn't as simple as "finding a public restroom." This is actually the very problem -- these restrooms largely do not exist in developing nations. In more urbanized nations like India, Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan, the report released says that 44 percent of residents in these countries engage in "open defecation."
In 2001, a nonprofit organization, World Toilet Organization, was founded in order to improve "sanitation conditions worldwide." Nov. 19 is World Toilet Day.
They estimate that 2.5 billion people do not have access to basic sanitation facilities, from clean water to running toilets. They hope to reduce this number in half by 2015 (Millennium Development Goal).
There are no plans developed for action in California, but you can click here to organize your own event on World Toilet Day.
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