Dear members,

All Indians have a toilet, according to the government’s data. However, studies have shown that owning a toilet is not the same as using it. The usage varies widely across regions, from a low of 67 per cent to a high of 95 per cent. On the occasion of World Toilet Day on 19th November, IRC, Water for People, WaterAid, UNICEF and the SuSanA India Chapter are asking people from different states what World Toilet Day means to them. We are reaching out to people from rural areas of about 10 states to send in their testimonials – audio, video or written. Through these testimonials we aim to highlight areas that communities believe have gone well and those that need attention of government and non-government organizations with respect to safe sanitation. These will be compiled into a synthesis document (or policy brief) and distributed through SuSanA and other channels.

We propose the following areas of inquiry that our partners can follow while gathering the testimonials: (please ask question/s most relevant captured via audio or video recording which is a maximum length of one minute)

• Do you have a toilet at home? Does everyone in your community/village have toilets?

1. If no, who is left out?
2. Why/how did they get left out?

• Does everyone use these toilets?

1. If no, why?
2. No water
3. Poor or incomplete construction
4. Don’t know how to use the toilet
5. Don’t know why to use the toilet
6. Too small and cramped
7. Have put the toilet to other uses

• What needs to be done to change this?
• Is water for sanitation an issue in your community/village?
• If yes, how do households manage to use their toilet such a situation?
• What needs to be done to address this?
• How is the faecal waste managed in your community/village? Do most households have twin or single pits or septic tanks?
• Has there been any challenges with respect to poor management of faecal waste? What has been done about this? Or what needs to be done about
  this? By whom?
• In your area, has drought or floods affected toilet use? How?

Submission of the testimonials
Please submit the testimonials by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or WhatsApp on 9810189408 by 26th November 2021 (Friday). You can send in the text and photos directly, but please provide ONLY LINKS to audio and video files. We will review them and upload them on the SuSanA forum and provide you’re the link to view them. Please keep video and audio to one minute.