Sanitation and the Global Water Crisis

by Damian Piper

November 19th marked the very first International Toilet Day and though this was without a doubt, subject to many a laugh, a few giggles and some snickering; this was a very significant day for activists through out the world.

Though the business that happens behind the closed doors of every loo remains a private subject, leaving most uncomfortable to talk about. International Toilet Day was created to raise awareness of the global sanitation crisis, most people in this world lack access to the basic latrines we in the developed world take for granted.

The United Nations has also declared next year 2008 to be the International Year of Sanitation, which is a giant step forward for trying to alleviate those underdeveloped nations who do not have the means to clean themselves. 2.6 billion people on the planet lack access to any basic form of... well, a toilet. What this results in is... well, not pretty.

In some parts of the world, people have no choice but to defecate in the open, whether that open area is in the middle of a street or a hole in the ground. In many instances, people defecate in plastic bags, and throw them over top the roofs of their homes, or out into the streets.

One can only imagine the issue that could arise from such methods.

The holes in the ground may be home to many a variety of wild animals. As for doing private business in the open that leads for extremely unsanitary and unsafe living conditions. During rain or floods, the bags may get torn open and raw sewage runs through the streets and into the homes of the world's poor.

Sanitation is a serious problem especially for women in the forgotten part of the world, as women are most likely to face a number of health and safety issues. When walking at night to find a spot in public latrines, or into a forest or just a place in the streets, they are faced with the possibility of running into some... well, impolite men. They face the possibility of being attacked and raped.

Now imagine that every time you went to the bathroom, assuming you had bathroom, there was a scary vicious man who was waiting for you?

Another problem lack of proper toilet facilities poses is the gender gap. In Africa and similar environments where public or affordable education is underfunded, many children who sit all day learning their ABC's and 123's on a floor, don't have access to a toilet in or around there schools. This reason alone is why many young girls throughout the African region do not go to school. Girls who do not receive a socially liberating formal education have been documented to have higher incidences of getting HIV-AIDS, or having child bearing, at a younger age, (and correspondingly tend to have multiple children).

So assuming someone found a spot in the streets, in the forest, in the desert or a hole in the ground not home to wildlife and that they did what they had to do, another problem arises. How are they going to wash their hands?

I'm sure by this point we can imagine, where there are no toilets, there are no sinks. Without hand washing we begin to see the spread of disease simple diseases which could otherwise be prevented, malaria, tuberculosis, HIV-AIDS to name a few.

It doesn't help that when it rains, or floods the sewage which runs through the streets and into peoples homes contaminates the water supply which bring about other problems, such as water born disease which kill more than malaria, tuberculosis and HIV-aids combined.

But what are the solutions?

Well, there are covered pit latrines and sanitation blocks for one. Covered pit latrines are not something you will find at the Fairmont, but cost only $US 10.00 and as for sanitation blocks, they cost as little as $US 25.00 These help provide protection for families, communities and neighbourhoods from unhygienic conditions.

Of course hygiene education plays an essential role in this matter. Programs in schools and clinics can promote hand washing, soap and water, and the importance of footwear to avoid bacteria and infectious disease from entering the body through the cracks in the feet.

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) currently a lots 2% of it's budget to sanitation issues, which works out to be around $70 million dollars. If that number seems like a lot, it's not. Only a portion of the 70 million goes straight to providing clean water and sanitation for the world's poor. It is estimated that $10 billion dollars a year is needed to provide basic sanitation. If that number seems like too much, its actually less than 1% of world military spending.

The UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation established the Global Sanitation Fund (GSF) in October. The purpose of which is to help the worlds poor safe solutions and hygienic alternatives.

There are also many benefits of improved water and sanitation. According to the UN, financial returns would increase, as well as productivity and there would be much fewer health costs. The social impact would be incredible, and Canada is in the perfect place right now to stand forward, and begin the process of becoming a founding donor to this cause. There are many people out there who really need our help, and it's only just that we give it to them.

About the writer:

Damian Piper is an activist currently residing in Windsor, Ontario. He is an active board member of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG), Co-ordinator for the local chapter of Results Windsor creating the Political Will To End Hunger.

Mr. Piper is also an active volunteer at CJAM 91.5 FM, the non-profit community based radio station for Windsor, and Detroit across the border in the United States.

He is also the Host of “The Shake Up“, a spoken word program dedicated to social justice, human rights and environmental issues; and a frequent guest for “Make This Your Canada“, a political leftist-talk radio show dedicated to Canadian issues and concerns; correspondent for CJAM News.

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