CURRENTLY ON AIR ⇒
  • Highlights of the Days Programmes
    Tuesday, 10:05 pm - 4:00 am
    [ - ]

feedback@radioislam.org.za

logo


((( Listen Live )))))
Radio Islam Logo


Why Should We Care

Ahead of World Toilet Day, the facts and figures of toilets (or improved sanitation) speak for themselves.

On 19 November we celebrate World Toilet Day. While we might take toilets for granted, billions in the world don’t. Toilets and all that is related—loosely called sanitation—play a hugely important role for all of us: not only in our daily lives as we spend time to relieve ourselves, but also for our sustainable, inclusive development. Toilets are crucial for the healthy development of people, not to mention children.

So is sanitation – facilities and services for safe disposal of human urine and faeces includes maintaining hygiene through services such as garbage collection and wastewater disposal. The overall purpose of good sanitation is to provide a healthy living environment for everyone, protect the natural resources such as surface water, groundwater, and soil, and provide safety, security and dignity for people when they defecate or urinate.

The facts and figures of toilets (or improved sanitation) from the World Sanitation Program, the World Health Organization (WHO) and WaterAid, among others, speak for themselves.

1. Today, 2.4 billion people or about one-third of the world’s population lack access to improved sanitation—facilities that hygienically separates human excreta from human contact—and 1 billion people still practice open defecation.

2. In 2012 the WHO estimated that the global economic return on sanitation spending is $5.5 for every dollar invested – nearly triple the $2 economic return on water spending.

3. Open defecation (the practice whereby people go out in fields, bushes and forests, open bodies of water, or other open spaces rather than using the toilet to defecate) is a leading cause of diarrheal death, says the WHO. The diarrhoea death toll stands at around 6,000 a day, mostly young children.

4. In South Asia alone, 1 billion people lack access to improved sanitation and 675 million practice open defecation, more than any other region in the world.

5. Half of global malnutrition cases are linked to chronic diarrhoea caused by lack of clean water, decent sanitation, and good hygiene, including hand washing with soap. The extent of the global stunting crisis and scarce access to clean water and decent toilets is having an enormous impact on the future of millions of children suffering from malnutrition.

6. Without improved sanitation facilities and awareness, the risks of infections or other illnesses from faecal sludge or wastewater are extremely high. Just 1 gram of faeces can contain 10 million viruses, 1 million bacteria, 1,000 parasite cysts, and 100 parasite eggs.

7. Hand-washing with soap after using the toilet is one of the most effective and inexpensive ways to prevent diarrheal diseases and pneumonia. This simple act can reduce the risk of diarrheal disease by up to 47%, but only if it’s done consistently. Research shows that globally less than one-fifth of people currently wash their hands properly at critical times, and only 19% of people wash their hands after using the toilet or changing a child’s diaper. Diarrhoea and pneumonia, two major illnesses that are transmitted this way, together kill an estimated 1.7 million children every year.

8. According to Target 2 of the Sustainable Development Goal no. 6 on sanitation, by 2030 we should achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations. This makes sanitation a global development priority.

9. In India alone about 550 million people defecate in the open, which accounts for more than half of the people in the world who practice open defecation. Indians excrete close to 65,000 metric tons of faeces into the environment each day. This results in 188,000 annual deaths of children under five from diarrhoea. India loses 6.4% of GDP—$53.8 billion—due to poor sanitation on a yearly basis.

On World Toilet Day, we must raise awareness and inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis, a topic that is often neglected and shrouded in taboos. Today, 2.4 billion people are struggling to stay healthy, keep their children alive and work their way to a better future – all for the want of a toilet. Let’s change that.

ADVERTISE HERE

Prime Spot!!!

Contact:
advertisingadmin@radioislam.co.za 

Related Articles

Supporting Elderly Without Family – Part 5

Supporting Elderly Without Family – Part 5

Community Responsibility Towards Elderly Quick Recap - Youth’s Duty Towards Elders Islam teaches that youth must honour, respect, and serve elders as part of their faith. The Prophet ﷺ said: “He is not one of us who does not show mercy to our young and respect to our...

read more
Youth’s Duty Towards Elders – Part 4

Youth’s Duty Towards Elders – Part 4

Community Responsibility Towards Elders Quick Recap - Addressing the Needs of Elders in the Community Caring for elders is a central responsibility in Islam, emphasized in both the Qur’an and Sunnah. As people age, they face physical, emotional, and spiritual...

read more
Addressing the Needs of Elders – Part 3

Addressing the Needs of Elders – Part 3

Community Responsibility Towards Elders Quick Recap - Elders as a Source of Wisdom and Guidance In Islam, elders are far more than just recipients of care; they are invaluable living libraries of wisdom and guidance for the entire community. Their long lives, filled...

read more
A  Source of Wisdom and Guidance – Part 2

A Source of Wisdom and Guidance – Part 2

Community Responsibility Towards Elders Quick Recap - A Divine Command and a Global Commitment The International Day of Older Persons (October 1st) is a global initiative to honor elders and address the challenges of aging. For Muslims, this modern call to action...

read more
A Divine Command and a Global Commitment – Part 1

A Divine Command and a Global Commitment – Part 1

Community Responsibility Towards Elders A Divine Command and a Global Commitment October 1st - International Day of Older Persons Every year on October 1st, the world observes the International Day of Older Persons. Established by the United Nations in 1990, this day...

read more
The Quest for a World Without Nuclear Weapons – Part 5

The Quest for a World Without Nuclear Weapons – Part 5

Nuclear Weapons Quick Recap - who has nuclear weapons and the double standards Nine countries are known or believed to have nuclear weapons. The United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom are officially recognized under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation...

read more

Subscribe to our Newsletter

0 Comments