Every year, November 19 is commemorated as World Toilet Day by the United Nations to raise awareness about people living without access to clean toilets and proper sanitation facilities. On this occasion, as a citizen of India and in my capacity as the National Advocate for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), I, Bhumi Pednekar, am reaching out to you all for an important cause — the importance of clean toilets for a healthy life.
Access to clean and safe sanitation is a fundamental human right, one that directly impacts our health, dignity, and overall well-being. The Swachh Bharat Mission, the world’s largest sanitation initiative, was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, 2014, with the aim of making the country Open Defecation Free (ODF) by 2019.
This ambitious goal was achieved, with all states and Union Territories reporting themselves ODF. As of 2022, over 11 crore toilets and 2.23 lakh community sanitary complexes were built across all states and UTs under the Swachh Bharat Mission – Grameen. This is hugely significant because access to clean and functional toilets saves lives and drives improvements in gender equality and society as a whole.
By 2030, the goal is to achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations. However, challenges persist globally. Right now, we are seriously off track to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6: safe toilets and water for all by 2030.
A staggering 3.5 billion people live without safe toilets and 2.2 billion don’t have access to safe drinking water worldwide.
Leaving so many people behind without safe toilets puts in jeopardy the entire 2030 agenda, with the poorest and the most vulnerable, particularly women and girls, paying the highest price in terms of poor health, missed education, loss of productivity and insecurity.
In my role as UNDP India’s National Advocate for SDGs, I am committed to raising awareness about the transformative power of clean toilets. As an actor, I am extremely proud to be part of an important film like Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. Proper sanitation is not merely a matter of convenience; it is a prerequisite for a healthier and more equitable society.
As we strive to achieve the SDGs by 2030, I urge people, communities, and policymakers to prioritise investments in sanitation infrastructure, hygiene education, behaviour change and sustainable practices.
A clean toilet is not just a necessity; it is a symbol of human dignity and a cornerstone for achieving several interconnected SDGs. It directly contributes to better health outcomes, improved gender equality, and enhanced educational opportunities, creating a ripple effect that uplifts entire communities.
I invite you to join hands in this mission for a healthier tomorrow. Let us work together to break the stigma surrounding sanitation and foster awareness to ensure that every individual has access to clean and safe toilets.
By championing the cause of clean toilets, let’s make a lasting impact on the lives of millions and contribute to the global effort to achieve the SDGs.
Actor Bhumi Pednekar is the UNDP’s first National Advocate for Sustainable Development Goals. Her movie Toilet: Ek Prem Katha has been credited with amplifying the Swachh Bharat Mission. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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