It’s not known for certain who invented the toilet. Early candidates include an ancient settlement in Scotland dating back to 3000 BC and a palace in Crete built around 1700 BC.
Today, approximately 60% of the world (4.5 billion people) doesn’t have a toilet that safely manages human waste at home. Here’s why this is important:
- Toilets save lives! Without toilets, deadly diseases spread rapidly. More than 750 children under five die every day from diarrhea caused by unsafe water, poor sanitation, and poor hygiene.
- Would you go to class if there were no restrooms in your school? Worldwide, 1 in 3 schools lack adequate restrooms, and 23% of schools don’t have any at all.
- Schools without toilets can cause girls to miss out on the opportunity to study. Without adequate sanitary facilities, many are forced to miss school during their periods.
- Toilets are a great investment. Every dollar invested in sanitation generates a return of US$5.50, according to a WHO study.
- Still, 892 million people worldwide practice open defecation, meaning they do so on the side of the road, in bushes, or in garbage piles.
- It’s often a question of where they live: 90% of people who practice open defecation live in rural areas.
- It’s time to make a scene! To get everyone using bathrooms, we need to triple our efforts. This doesn’t just mean more bathrooms, but also encouraging the desire to use them.
