Highlights
- Pink toilets will have both Indian and Western toilets facilities
- Pink toilets will be mapped on Google app
- Sanitary napkins will be available at minimal cost in pink toilets
New Delhi: With an aim to provide a safe and hygienic environment to the women of Karnataka, the government may soon install pink toilet across the state. The idea of bringing highly equipped toilet was inspired from Delhi’s model of ‘Pink Toilet’. After the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) recommended to the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KCPCR) to follow the suit, it sent circulars to state administrations. The project will either be initiated in Bengaluru on a pilot basis or in a phased manner throughout the state.
Speaking to NDTV, Kripa Alva, Chairperson, KCPCR says,
A set of guidelines that list out the requirements of a pink toilet have been sent to the district administrators, municipal commissioners, urban development ministers and department of women and child welfare. The ‘how’ and ‘when’ of the execution is entirely dependent on them. As elections are just round the corner, we have requested all the political parties to include construction of pink toilets in their manifestos. We have not left a single stone unturned to encourage local administrations in addressing women’s health and hygiene. We will do our follow-ups regularly until we get our job done.
As per the guidelines sent, a pink toilet must have the following 15 things:
- Separate toilet facility only for women, adolescent girls and children
- Pink coloured for easy identification by women
- Clean washrooms with both Indian and Western toilets facilities
- Low height toilets and basins for children
- Easy signage
- Bright and vibrant with proper lighting
- Availability of lady caretaker 24/7
- Sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators for women (napkins available at marginal cost)
- Instruction for care of toilet and usage of napkins to be put up in board
- Helpline numbers to be placed in boards
- Disabled friendly, availability of ramps
- Private area for child care inside toilet campus
- Seating area outside the pink toilet
- Feedback mechanism to share inputs about experience of usage
- Availability of toilet location in app
This one-of-its-kind facility is a significant step towards revolutionising menstrual hygiene and even if one administrative body executes the plan it can change the image of a ladies public toilet in the eyes of women, believes Dr Alva, “We cannot expect every single rural and urban body to install pink toilets. However, one act towards improving the menstrual hygiene can inspire other authorities to do the same.”
She further says that such toilets can encourage women, especially young school girls to think about their own well-being, “The pink toilet make sanitary napkins easily accessible and affordable to half of India’s population. Instead of defecating in open or controlling themselves they can simply find a pink toilet nearest to them on the Google app locator and utilise it.”
Last year in October, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation became the first municipal body in the capital to install a pink toilet in an area which witnesses a substantial footfall of women and girls. The step was taken in a bid to provide hygienic toilets to women and the local body plans to set up more such toilets in areas that fall under their jurisdiction.
