Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, (WSSCC) Nigeria Chapter has reitrated its commitment in Bridging the sanitation gap and driving an inclusive National Agenda for sustainable access to Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Nigeria.
WSSCC made this known her official Press Statement released in commemoration of this year’s World Toilet Day (WTD).
According to the statement, “Every year November 19, we join people around the globe to observe the World Toilet Day – to renew our commitment in fostering access to water, sanitation and building healthier communities.
“The 2019 theme for WTD is “Leaving No One Behind,” and it adequately justifies the need for an inclusive agenda for global sanitation and a purposeful drive for wider sanitation access for the over 4.5 billion people who live without safely managed sanitation.
By global statistics, at least 2 billion people use a drinking water source contaminated with faeces according to World Health Organization (WHO) 2019 Report.
“297,000 children under five are estimated to die each year from diarrhoea as a result of unsafe drinking water, sanitation, and hand hygiene” says the report.
“One third of all primary schools lack basic sanitation and hygiene services, affecting the education of millions of school children, particularly girls managing menstruation. 1.5 billion people use health care facilities with no sanitation services.”
“The 70.8 million people who have been forced to flee their home as a result of war and persecution regularly face barriers to accessing safe sanitation and water services.”
“In Nigeria, the stats are equally troubling – as over 47 million people practice open defecation; only 11% of the population has access to complete basic water, sanitation and hygiene services; only 21% Households have access to basic hand hygiene services; only 9% Markets and Motor Parks have basic water and sanitation services; only 6% Health facilities have basic water and sanitation services; only 13% Schools have basic water and sanitation services; and only 7% of all schools have access to combined basic water, sanitation and hygiene services.”says the statement.
WSSCC Nigeria aims to improve access to WASH facilities at public and private spaces, as well as communities in Nigeria; and also reaffirm our commitment to bridge the sanitation gap and continuously drive an inclusive national agenda for sustainable access to WASH facilities and sanitation services across Nigeria – and help achieve SDG 6, target 2, which promises sanitation for all by 2030; as well as achieve results in other sectors including health, education, and gender equality.
The World Toilet Day 2019 coincides with the official launch at Eagle Square, Abuja, of the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign – which aims to make Nigeria Open Defecation Free by 2025.
Sanitation is a human right; and together, we must leave no one behind in ensuring access to safely managed sanitation services.