Can you imagine not having a toilet? Can you imagine not having privacy when you need to relieve yourself? Although unthinkable for those living in wealthy parts of the world, this is a harsh reality for many. One in three people in world does not have access to a toilet - that's about 2.5 billion people.
The health risks of poor or no sanitation are obvious - but we might not be aware of the deadly consequences. Diarrhoea, for example, kills one child every 20 seconds - that's more that HIV/AIDS, malaria and measles combined.
There are also issues of dignity and safety. Poverty and poor sanitation are closely linked. Improving sanitation often leads to a move out of poverty - as people get healthier they are able to work more, children are able to stay in school ...
Many charities are working with communities across the world to improve sanitation and build toilets.
That's why we have a World Toilet Day.
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