Translated with AI
Nearly 3.4 billion people, nearly half the world's population, lack access to safe sanitation and cannot use toilets, the UN reminds on the occasion of World Toilet Day, celebrated on November 19, the UN press service reports.
Over the past decade, approximately 1.2 billion people have gained access to safe sanitation. However, 354 million people continue to practice open defecation—defecating in the open without access to soap. This practice is most common among residents of rural areas in Central, South, and East Asia, as well as sub-Saharan Africa.
The lack of safe toilets is associated with high disease risks: approximately 1,000 children under 5 die every day due to a lack of clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. Women and girls, forced to use unsafe and open spaces, are particularly vulnerable.
In addition, untreated waste pollutes the environment and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, which exacerbates the problem of global warming.
In his message for World Toilet Day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for access to safe sanitation and "toilets fit for the future."
