World Toilet day

The World Toilet Day campaign, coordinated by UN-Water, is promoted on social media with the hashtag #WorldToiletDay. Individuals, organizations, governments, companies and schools promote the issues online and hold real-life events.

Why are toilets important?

Sanitation is a human right.

Everyone should have access to a toilet that is secure, hygienic and private, and connected to a safely managed sanitation system to properly dispose of waste.

When toilet systems are inadequate, damaged or broken, pollution spreads and deadly diseases get unleashed.

For women and girls in particular, a lack of safely managed sanitation, water and hygiene services leaves them more vulnerable to abuse, attack and ill-health, affecting their ability to study, work and live in dignity.

Today, the world is seriously off track to achieve safely managed sanitation for all by 2030 – one of the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6).

This slow progress hinders efforts across many other SDGs, particularly on nutrition, health, gender equality, education, sustainability and the environment.

Faster and greater action on improving access to safe toilets will drive gains across sustainable development, human rights and peace.

Key messages you should know on World Toilet Day 2024

1. Toilets are a place for peace. This essential space, at the centre of our lives, should be safe and secure. But for billions of people, sanitation is under threat from conflict, climate change, disasters and neglect.
2. Toilets are a place for protection. By creating a barrier between us and our waste, sanitation services are essential for public and environmental health. But when toilet systems are inadequate, damaged or broken, pollution spreads and deadly diseases get unleashed.
3. Toilets are a place for progress. Sanitation is a human right. It protects everyone’s dignity, and especially transforms the lives of women and girls. More investment and better governance of sanitation are critical for a fairer, more peaceful world.