WaterAid Celebrates world Toilet Day

An estimated of 314,000 children under five die each year of diarrhoeal illness which could be prevented with safe water , good sanitation and good hygiene.

In Ghana, about 85.1% of the people do not have access to safe, private toilets, 60% of Ghanaians without toilets use shared toilets , 6 % resort to unimproved toilets and 19% defecate in the open compromising their dignity.

WaterAids's first "It's No Joke - State of the World's Toilets report” made these revelations.

The report further revealed that, more than 2.3 billion people in the world do not have access to a safe, private toilet. Nearly 1 billion have no choice but have to practice open defecation.

WaterAid Ghana has organised a programme dubbed, "Children's Mock Parliament" calling on government to show commitment into the delivery of universal access to sanitation.

According to the Country Representative of WaterAid Ghana, Dr. Afia S. Zakiyia, there is a need for the Government of Ghana to commit to delivering universal access to sanitation following the release of new analysis showing which countries in the world have the worst rates of access to safe , private toilets.

"Just two months ago we saw all, member States of the United Nations promise to deliver access to safe, private toilets to everyone everywhere by 2030

Our analysis shows just how many nations in the world are failing to give sanitation the political prioritisation and financing required," she noted.

According to her, swift progress is possible if government prioritises and increases investment in improving water sanitation and hygiene (WASH services.

Selected children from 27 schools in Accra, that held the Children's Mock Parliament on World Toilet Day, had the opportunity to present the deplorable state of sanitation facilities in their schools and communities.

The Parliamentary select Committee on WASH made presentations which were later debated by the Honourable Members of the House (pupils) and communities were urged to take stand on WASH for national level advocacy.

Participants at the event were made to sign a pledge of adopting good environmental practices.