What is World Toilet Day all About?

Toilets save lives, because human waste spreads killer diseases. World Toilet Day is about inspiring action to tackle the global sanitation crisis.

World Toilet Day is celebrated on 19th November every year. It’s all about inspiring action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and help achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which promises sanitation for all by 2030. World Toilet Day 2019 is drawing attention to those people being left behind without sanitation.

2019 Theme: Leaving No One Behind

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. And yet, today, 4.2 billion people live without safely managed sanitation. How can anyone lift themselves out of poverty without sanitation? We must expand access to safe toilets and leave no one behind.

What is 'Safely Managed Sanitation'?

When someone has a 'safely managed sanitation service', it means they use hygienic toilet facilities that are not shared with other households and where excreta are either separated from human contact and safely disposed of in situ or transported and treated off-site, thereby protecting people and the environment from disease agents. Examples include flush/pour flush toilets connected to piped sewer systems; septic tanks or latrine pits; ventilated improved pit latrines; composting toilets; or pit latrines with slab covers.