New Delhi: To tackle the phenomena of open defecation in the world, November 19 marks the ‘World Toilet Day’. A Singaporean businessman Jack Sim in 2001 decided to associate a particular day with toilets in 2001, as poor sanitation was killing people and costing millions. In 2012, he founded the World Toilet Organisation and declared November 19 as World Toilet Day. One year later, in 2013, the United Nations adopted the day and passed a resolution recognising November 19 as an official UN international World Toilet Day. Two years later, the UN also set a target to ensure everyone has access to a household toilet in the world by 2030.
Every year, the day is celebrated with a unique theme. This year, the theme for the day is “Leaving No One Behind” with a message that ‘a toilet is not just a toilet. It’s a life-saver, dignity-protector and opportunity-maker. Whoever you are, wherever you are, sanitation is your human right.’
According to the United Nations, today, around the globe, 4.2 billion people live without safely managed sanitation. With the target to give access to safe sanitation, leaving no one behind, this year World Toilet Day will be celebrated across the globe.
Sharing the success story of India’s sanitation and Swachh Bharat Mission, today, leaders took to social media to wish netizens World Toilet Day 2019 and urge people across the globe to continue the use of toilets and help make India a better and swachh country.
Also Read: PM Modi Declares India Open Defecation Free, Says More Than 11 Crore Toilets Built
Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan said,
In last five years, rural sanitation coverage in the country has increased from 39 per cent to 100 per cent. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin, 10.13 crore toilets were constructed and 5.99 lakh villages were declared open defecation free. Moreover, 60.36 lakh toilets were constructed in urban areas and 4,320 cities were made open defecation free. This is the beginning of New India. On the occasion of #WorldToiletDay, I call upon the countrymen and urge them to continue their efforts towards making our country clean by making use of toilets on a daily basis.
#WorldToiletDay के अवसर पर देशवासियों से स्वच्छता, स्वास्थ्य और सम्मान के लिए #शौचालय प्रयोग करने का आह्वान करता हूं। PM श्री @narendramodi जी के अथक प्रयासों से सरकार ने पिछले पांच वर्षों में 10 करोड़ से अधिक ग्रामीण शौचालयों का निर्माण कराया है। @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/awRQ26IU0E
— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) November 19, 2019
Sharing the impact of the Swachh Bharat Mission, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Param Iyer said,
Happy World Toilet Day from Team SBM. With India now being an ODF country, 3,00,000 diarroheoal deaths have been avoided since 2014, as per the World Health Organisation survey 2018.
He further added, “According to UNICEF 2017, a household in an ODF village saves Rs 50,000every year on an average on account of health costs avoided. Moreover, between 2014 to 2019, approximately, 75.5 lakh full-time equivalent jobs have been created by Swachh Bharat Mission, as reported by UNICEF 2019.”
Happy World Toilet Day from Team SBM. @swachhbharat @gssjodhpur pic.twitter.com/TIzM3N0Sp0
— Param Iyer (@paramiyer_) November 19, 2019
Minister of Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also reiterated these positive statistics and said,
Under the leadership of PM @narendramodi the successful #SwachhBharat Mission has been the biggest behavioral change program, which is unprecedented & historic even at the global stage. On this day, let’s pledge to keep the momentum going for sanitation. Let’s spread the word.
Today is #WorldToiletDay & India has been recently declared Open Defecation Free.
We have built more than 10 crore toilets, covered 100% of rural sanitation & have taken a big leap towards achieving sustainable development goals. #SwachhBharat #SDG6— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) November 19, 2019
Under the leadership of PM @narendramodi the successful #SwachhBharat mission has been the biggest behavioral change program, which is unprecedented & historic even at the global stage.
On this day, let's pledge to keep the momentum going for sanitation. Let's spread the word.— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) November 19, 2019
Other political leaders who shared messages on World Toilet Day 2019 are:
1.6 million people die every year due to poor sanitation. Thanks to the initiative and efforts of Hon'ble PM @NarendraModi Ji, India is open-defecation free for the 1st time in history.#WorldToiletDay pic.twitter.com/4dbQEADtDK
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) November 19, 2019
शौच के लिए हमेशा शौचालय का ही इस्तेमाल करें। बच्चों के मल को भी शौचालय में ही बहाएं। ये आपको कई बीमारियों से बचाएगा। #ZaruriHaiSafai #WorldToiletDay pic.twitter.com/3BHqUUP6LY
— Sangeeta Chetan Chauhan (@ChetanChauhanCr) November 19, 2019
PM Modi is building a New India of Mahatma Gandhi's dreams.
On #WorldToiletDay, India is open-defecation free for the 1st time in history.
Rural sanitation coverage in India:
2014 – 39%
2018 – 76%
2019 – 100% pic.twitter.com/8Cd3QmvVhy— Amitava Chakravorty (@Amitava_BJP) November 19, 2019
We Indians have achieved great success in last few years in terms of providing toilets to our large unserved population. On #WorldToiletDay, let's work together to make this change permanent.
Jai Hind#SwachhBharat @narendramodi @gssjodhpur— Arjun Ram Meghwal (@arjunrammeghwal) November 19, 2019
स्वच्छता के संकल्प से स्वस्थ समाज का होगा निर्माण।#WorldToiletDay pic.twitter.com/xybQpgVYOk
— Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) November 19, 2019
शौच के लिए हमेशा शौचालय का ही इस्तेमाल करें। बच्चों के मल को भी शौचालय में ही बहाएं। ये आपको कई बीमारियों से बचाएगा। #ZaruriHaiSafai #WorldToiletDay pic.twitter.com/3hIOdqG0kl
— Dhirendra Singh (@DhirendraGBN) November 19, 2019
Spiritual Guru Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev also took to social media to spread awareness about the use of toilets, he said, “As it is important to have access to food and water, it is equally important for a human being to have access to a clean toilet to bring health, well-being and to establish human dignity. This becomes a very important dimension.”
As it is important to have access to food and water, it is equally important for a human being to have access to a clean toilet to bring health, well-being and to establish human dignity. This becomes a very important dimension. -Sg https://t.co/lRTJT39KTO #WorldToiletDay
— Sadhguru (@SadhguruJV) November 19, 2019
Apart from the leaders, founder of World Toilet Organisation and the man who first thought of associating toilets with a day, Jack Sim also congratulated PM Narendra Modi on the success of Swachh Bharat Mission, he said,
I would like to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and everyone on the success of Swachh Bharat Mission. After building all these toilets, now is the time for behavioural change, safe sanitation practices and protection of the underground water and sewage treatment. If you can do all this well, you will soon have healthy and wealthy people. Enjoy the use of toilets.
Today is UN #WorldToiletDay. Friend & founder @jackwto congratulates PM @narendramodi on #SwachhBharat.
Great when global leaders endorse the astonishing scale of #India's progress. ???? pic.twitter.com/ovE9TYZ12R— Anuraag Saxena (@anuraag_saxena) November 19, 2019
