World Toilet Day celebrated with huge toilet-shaped cake!

www.ndtv.com/article/offbeat/world-toile...-style-toilet-624078

I came across this news today. This is certainly a step towards 'breaking the taboo'around toilets.

Hello Arno,

City sanitation systems

As an "off grid" thinker, I like innovations that don't rely on expensive, hard to maintain, prone-to-failure systems, whether in power (infra: centralised grids, power stations; negative impacts: high costs, high maintenance, transmission loss and blackouts - instead think energy efficiency, local power generation through renewables, etc) or in sanitation (sewered systems, waste treatment plants, loss of nutrients etc).

In rural, low density population areas, I see how a change of thinking, and more understanding, by communities and authorities can lead to installation of technology options such as UDDT's on a widespread basis.

In rural and low density settings, the transport of the nutrients (ie urine) can be used in direct benefit to the local community through agri land application, and the faeces can be safely managed through pathogen kill drying and storage.

But - I have to admit to struggling with thinking about effective re-use sanitation solutions (ie non "flush and forget") in urban and particularly peri-urban settings (particularly as the % of the overall population in cities grows).

My question to readers is, how can we systemise the nutrient separation and re-use in these city settings as a city wide alternative?

It will require effective separation technologies that cater for all sorts of dwellings (highrise, commercial, landed properties, squatter homes, etc) and even more effective collection, processing, management and distribution systems (not even counting the government and public awareness and acceptance of such re-use).

Just a few thoughts to leave you with....

Marie that video is superb!

This would be great to be translated / overdubbed in multiple languages for showing at community sanitation presentations and discussions - can this be made available for that purpose?

There is a lot of belief in the "western, modern" sewer systems (the "flush and forget" and this could be useful in raising awareness bout why it's not the best option

Happy World Toilet day!

Many of the organisations and eminent personalities have voiced their opinion on gender violence and education issues due to lack of toilets this year.

"We have a moral imperative to end open defecation and a duty to ensure women and girls are not at risk of assault and rape, simply because they lack a sanitation facility.", said the UN Secretary general in his message for World Toilet Day.

A sneak peek of some tweets on sanitation from today:



Please share with us DETAILS ON ANY WORLD TOILET DAY EVENTS in this thread.

Here's a link to an interesting photo blog by Panos pictures on the theme 'My toilet'showing toilets used by woman all around the world and its impact in their lives.

Do have a look at the posters by fit for school programme for World toilet day.

Although the path ahead is difficult, lets try to put toilets a priority to bring equality.

(Posted by Shobana)

Dear Marie,

Welcome to SuSanA forum ! And thank you for posting these brilliant poster and animation video.
When you have time, let us know more about your thesis.
Hope to hear from you again soon on the forum !

Cecile

As we mark this year’s World Toilet Day, take a moment to imagine what life will be like without a toilet. Dramatic as it may sound, imagine a scenario where presidents and powerful people in the world and the rest of the about 7 billion people around the world empty their bowels in the fields and bushes, in uncompleted buildings, in street corners and behind their houses. Take a moment to think about the consequences. Take a moment to imagine the stench and filth that would be all around you.

In Africa, 37 % of the population for real do not have access to improved sanitation. For this percentage, sometimes in entire communities they live with fecal matter and filth all around them. This should not be seen as just statistics, but a life threatening situation for millions of men, women and children around the continent potentially undermining development. For many women and young girls in Africa, this constitutes daily threats of being raped and/or dropping out of school, and exposure to reptile attacks, not counting the indignity suffered. For many children and other more vulnerable groups, it is even worse. They have to live with lifelong consequences like stunted growth, and other impairments all arising from poor health.

The invention of toilet has been voted the greatest medical milestone of the last 150 years by the British Medical Journal. This is in recognition of the contributions of the toilet towards reducing the burden of disease and other inconvenience and discomfort to the general populace. In recognition of the huge impact on human wellbeing, several global and regional initiatives over the course of time have galvanized action towards creating increased access to improved sanitation. The MDGs recognize this, thus making access to improved sanitation a target under goal 7.

In order to accelerate progress in achieving the MDGs for Africa, the eThekwini commitments were undertaken by African Governments during the 2008 international year of sanitation. This was a product of the AfricaSan movement which went further to develop the AfricaSan action plan. AfricaSan is an AMCOW initiative to generate dialogue among thought leaders in sanitation and political will to take action at the highest level. The eThekwini commitments have since been the centre piece of AfricaSan. Other global initiatives include the Sanitation and Water for All and the UN Deputy Secretary-General Sanitation Drive to end open defecation, just to mention but a few. AMCOW have always brought attention on the global initiatives in Africa to ensure that they affect work on the ground positively.

As the plans for the next AfricaSan conference which will take place in May 2015 continue, (you will recall that it was earlier planned to hold in October 2014), it is important to take a look at the performance of African countries on the eThekwini commitments. We must acknowledge the effort made by African countries to increase access to sanitation and hygiene, however, there is still a lot to be done. Interestingly, out of the priorities on the action plan, the issues in which most African countries are still lagging behind are coordination, finance, networking and leadership. For us then to begin to win this war we must first of all tackle these pressing issues.

As we march on to breast the tape of the MDGs, there will be a time for stock taking. Now that it is clear that most countries in Africa will not meet the MDGs target for sanitation and hygiene, we have to double our effort to achieve the Africa Water Vision 2025 and other commitments. We must not lose heart as we work to review our progress and set new targets for ourselves in the post 2015 SDGs. Luckily, AMCOW has championed a dedicated water security and improved sanitation goal. This will help Africa towards achieving its Africa Water Vision of access to water and sanitation forall by 2025. The necessary synergy has been created between this vision and the SWA and the UN Deputy Secretary-General sanitation call to end open defecation.

This is the kind of partnership that if reinforced and sustained will see Africa begin to change the trend of falling access to sanitation. As mentioned earlier, the AfricaSan 4 processes have started this with the theme of ‘Making Access to Sanitation for All a Reality in Africa’. This fits into the momentum generated by other similar global initiatives. As we in Africa leverage on existing global and regional financing opportunities, we must also make our contribution to end open defecation, investing our time, efforts, and other resources into facilitating access to sanitation. In doing this there are opportunities to turn waste resource into energy and other useful resources for agricultural purposes so that we close the loop on sanitation and contribute to creating energy and food security.

In line with this year’s theme, “Equality, Dignity and the Link Between Gender-Based Violence and Sanitation”, we must all join hands to eliminate the inequality in access to sanitation for all Africans, especially the poor less privileged African women and girls.
As we mark the world toilet day, I call on the private sector, civil society and all to come together as African governments to end open defecation and facilitating access to sanitation for all. This is the only way we can end the cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, polio, diarrhoea, worm infestation, and stunted or impaired cognitive function often caused by poor or lack of sanitation. It is only by addressing these challenges that we will end the deaths of children under 5 that happen every 2.5 minutes due to this scourge.

Bai-Mas Taal
Executive Secretary AMCOW.
November 19, 2014.

Today is World Toilet Day, a brilliant occasion to raise awareness on the importance of sanitation!
Me and my friend have made a poster for anyone to share online, or to print and hang up in a nearby toilet





Link to download it in high resolution here: we.tl/BaCuyxkWYg Co-creator is the awesome Ole M. Ødegaard



Also, last year, me and my friend Tine made an animation on sanitation – "Sanimation" to raise awareness on the challenges and potentials of sanitation (we used the word ecosan but perhaps the word sustainable sanitation would have been better…). The idea behind this short movie is the same as the poster, we are students with few resources but still think it is possible to make sanitation a bit more “sexy” and visual, to communicate this important issue beyond academia and “enlightened circles” as SuSanA. Please let me know if you have any comments, and feel free to use and share it!


intro text: "The truth about the last taboo of our age. The reason for why you should give a shit.

Did you ever consider the environmental consequences every time you flush the toilet? Find out what happens, and why it is interesting, in this short and funny whiteboard animation. Learn more about the alternatives of sanitation, how energy and water can be saved and last but not least how life-essential nutrients can be recycled. Sanimation is an academic message served in a charming low-tech manner. "



Much more inspiration to make 19 of November 2014 a memorable day can be found here: worldtoiletday.org

Now I am also curious, how are you others in SuSanA celebrating world toilet day?





PS: Hi everyone! My name is Marie, I am a soon-to-be-finished student from Norway and I am a "little above average" interested in sanitation I wanted to post something here at SuSanA for a long time, and now finally found the occasion. Been following this forum for a while and also had the pleasure of attended the last SuSanA meeting in Stockholm. Just want to use the occasion of my first post to express gratitude of SuSanA's existence in general So happy and inspired to see this group of "Sanitation enthusiast" from all around the world, and SuSanA is such a great initiative for bringing them together!
Myself I am focusing mainly on urban sanitation, and is now part of the "cities" working group of SuSanA. My thesis is about decentralised urban greywater treatment by a constructed wetland situated in a courtyard in Oslo. I am also passionate about youth inclusion in the water sector and therefore work together with Amsterdam International Water Week and Water Youth Network, see links below.
Thanks!

Of course everyday is toilet day on the SuSanA Forum. But tomorrow is the official UN Day and this is only for the second time ever.

Here is official statement from Ban Ki-moon www.un.org/en/events/toiletday/2014/sgmessage.shtml

The theme this year is “Equality, Dignity and the Link Between Gender-Based Violence and Sanitation.” Question worth asking is whether increasing access to toilets is the key to gender-based violence. Or is the real question about lack of democracy, equity, sharing of wealth, community development and impacts of corruption. All these things seem to come together when open defecation is the net result. But who actually sees it that way?

Curious also that the UN in the midst of our worst ever Ebola crisis chooses to ignore the link between hygiene practices/sanitation and infectious diseases. Toilet day should produce several messages. One is that safe containment and treatment of faeces will save lives.


The Secretary-General writes:
Addressing the sanitation challenge requires a global partnership. This is especially crucial as countries work to formulate a sustainable development agenda for the period beyond the year 2015. Meeting the goal of sanitation for all will involve targeted policies, increased financing, and comprehensive planning underpinned by strong political will. Communities must be supported as they strive to become open defecation-free. Advocacy efforts must step up and taboos must be broken. These are the objectives of the UN Call to Action on Sanitation to mobilize global, national and community efforts to improve hygiene, change social norms and eliminate open defecation by 2025.

It's time to rally.

Regards

Hi all,

An update on the Urgent Run - a global event to commemorate UN World Toilet Day.

World Toilet Organization (WTO) in partnership with Unilever’s leading toilet cleaning brand, Domestos, has launched The Urgent Run, a global mobilisation event to commemorate UN World Toilet Day on 19 November and draw attention to the urgent calls for action to end the sanitation crisis. Seventeen Urgent Run events will be organised in 13 countries in 2014, the first year for this global event. The flagship event will be held in Singapore on 9 November, with others taking place in India, Germany, Italy, the Philippines, Indonesia, Ghana, Cameroon, Senegal, Benin, Gambia, Togo and Mozambique.

The theme of this year’s UN World Toilet Day on 19 November is dignity and equality, with a focus on inspiring action to end open defecation and putting a spotlight on how access to improved sanitation leads to a reduction in assault and violence on women.

“The global sanitation crisis is an urgent matter: 2.5 billion people on this planet still do not have access to safe toilets with adequate sanitation, and 1 billion people still defecate in the open, which spreads diseases and impacts on their safety and dignity,” said Jack Sim, Founder of World Toilet Organization. “As long as toilets and sanitation are considered a taboo subject, many people will be reluctant to address the issue. When you participate in The Urgent Run, you can help to break that taboo and make a difference by creating awareness of the global sanitation challenge.”

“It’s unthinkable that still today, one in three people still don’t have access to a clean and safe toilet – a fundamental human right,” said Jean-Laurent Ingles, SVP Household Care, Unilever. “This World Toilet Day, we encourage everyone to get involved in an Urgent Run near them to help us highlight the reasons why We Can’t Wait to improve sanitation. We must act now to save lives and tackle disease.”

Overview of Urgent Run events around the world:

SINGAPORE
The flagship Urgent Run event will kick off in Singapore, with a 5km fun run on 9 November in the picturesque East Coast Park. Organised by World Toilet Organization, the event will be attended by guest of honour Minister Lim Swee Say, WTO founder Jack Sim, and local and international run participants. Jack Sim will lead all participants in a ‘big squat’, a giant squat to symbolise solidarity with the 1 billion people who face the indignity of defecating in the open, and the run event will also feature toilet-themed games, musical performances and a lucky draw.

INDIA
Mumbai: In Dharavi, one of Asia’s largest slums, residents suffer from a lack of access to job opportunities, adequate sanitation, quality education and linkages to the rest of Mumbai, and there is only one toilet for every 1,400 inhabitants. An educational run event organised by Reality Gives on 14 November will involve children and youth in fun, educational games and sanitation training sessions.

PHILIPPINES
Manila: an educational fun run event on 15 November that will involve children from Tondo, Manila and promote health and sanitation in the areas that need it most. The event, which is organised by Smokey Tours is open to the public, and participants can join and donate their old shoes. Any money raised will be spent to build toilets in poor districts of Manila.

MOZAMBIQUE
Maputo: an event in KaMubukwana District on 15 November will involve local residents in a fun, awareness raising event, as part of a project that aims to provide basic sanitation in Maputo. The event will include a 2km run for children, and a 4km run for adult participants and music, dance, theatre, and games.

INDONESIA
Jakarta: A 5km charity fun run in Jakarta on November 16, organised by PT. Spektra Smartindo and Asosiasi Toilet Indonesia, will feature guest of honour Vice Governor of Jakarta, and the founder of the Indonesian toilet association, and musical performances.

ITALY
Milan: a 6km run on 16 November at the Idroscalo an artificial lake in Milan, organised by ACRA Association, with a small donation for participation. Barletta: A fun run event on 1 November in Barletta. Monza: a non-competitive 5km and 10km run in Monza Park, one of the largest urban parks in Europe on 9 November. Vimercate: this Urgent Run event on 15 November organised by ACRA Association will include treadmill runs, relays, races, and comedy performances.

SENEGAL
Bignona: a free 7km cross-country run on 9 November will involve students and members of local clubs and associations. Dakar: schools, local representatives, religious leaders, sport and cultural associations, women associations, and local community will be involved in an awareness-raising day in Pikine West District on 17 November, focussing on the importance of clean toilets and proper sanitation facilities. More than half of the population in Pikine West doesn't have a toilet.

BENIN
Djougou: a 3km and 5km running competition on 19 November, will mobilise communities and decision-makers around the issue of hygiene and sanitation, with participants from local communities and schools, and local government officials including the Minister for Health.

Urgent Run events will also be held in Germany, Cameroon, Gambia, Togo, and Ghana.

Visit urgentrun.com for more information. We welcome you to join an event near you, or to host an event!

Dear all,

Greetings from World Toilet Organization!

The Urgent Run is WTO’s main advocacy campaign for World Toilet Day 2014. It is a global mobilization event that involves citizens around the world joining/organizing a run to show solidarity with the global sanitation movement. Held in commemoration of UN World Toilet Day, The Urgent Run aims to draw attention to the international community’s urgent calls of action to end the sanitation crisis. The Urgent Run is being endorsed by UN Water.

The Urgent Run is a fun event; most importantly, it’s accessible and inclusive. Our aim is to provide a platform for individuals of all ages, regardless of their race, creed, skin color and socio-economic background, to urge global decision-makers to stay true to their universal commitments on improving access to sanitation for one third of the world’s population.

The run in Singapore hold on November 9th will kick off the campaign which will end in New York on November 19th. Meanwhile many events will be organize in Philippines, India, Italy, Mozambique, Senegal, Ghana, togo, Gambia, UK, Canada and US.

If you want more information, participate in these event or organize an event in your country, please visit: www.urgentrun.com

Thank you
Amandine