Taking action this World Toilet Day: let's get the world back on track

Downoad Off-track, off-target now.

18 November 2011

World Toilet Day is a major event in the WaterAid calendar but, for many, the idea of having a global day dedicated to the humble toilet seems pretty funny.

We don't tend to talk about going to the toilet after all, and owning one just seems bog standard.

However, for 2.6 billion people across the world, a toilet is an unimaginable luxury item that's currently out of reach, while almost 900 million people are forced to risk their lives every day by drinking dirty water because they have no other option.

World leaders made commitments under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to cut global poverty. These include the promise to halve the proportion of people without access to sanitation by 2015; but with just three years to go, this target is wildly off track.

This World Toilet Day, we are launching a hard-hitting new report, Off-track, off-target ( PDF, 3.25Mb), and new global campaign, Water Works, to emphasise the effectiveness of water and sanitation aid and encourage world leaders to prioritise it in aid efforts.

Our report shows that current aid is not reaching the people who need it the most – people living in poor rural communities and urban slums. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the MDG target won't be reached for another 200 years. That's a long wait for a toilet!

• Dirty water and inadequate sanitation cost sub-Saharan Africa around 5% of its gross domestic product (GDP) every year.
• The human cost is even starker – 4,000 children dying every day because of diarrhoeal diseases caused by drinking dirty water and poor sanitation making diarrhoea the biggest killer of children under five in Africa.
• Investing in water and sanitation not only saves lives, it is excellent value for money; for every $1 invested in water and sanitation, $8 is returned in increased productivity (UNDP).

Watch this short news release to find out more:

Investment saves lives

Off-track, off-target shows that a vicious cycle of poor performance and low investment plagues the water and sanitation sector. Donors are reluctant to invest in water, hygiene and improved sanitation in areas most in need due to concerns over the effective use of the money, while a lack of money undermines existing weak performance.

Breaking this cycle requires a serious shift in approach. The sector needs stronger leadership to ensure better targeting and sustainability.

Furthermore, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to spend at least 3.5% of their GDP on sanitation and water while off track countries in South Asia need to spend at least 1% of GDP on sanitation. Meanwhile, donor governments need to step up to the mark and double the aid they dedicate to these services by an additional $10 billion per year.

In addition to increased financing, the report states that governments should better target water and sanitation resources and services to the people and countries that need it the most.

Investment in water and sanitation doesn’t just save lives; it also offers an outstanding economic return. With an $8 return for every $1 invested, it is a deal that will pay off for the world’s poor.

You can help spread the word about the effectives of water and sanitation aid by supporting our new Water Works campaign.

Case study

Dr Denis Bamouni

Credit: WaterAid/Germain Kiemtoré

Dr. Denis Bamouni is head of the local health clinic in Polesgo, Burkina Faso.

He says: "Around 80% of the illnesses we see are due to a lack of drinking water and sanitation so interventions in this field would reduce the incidences of these diseases."

The situation in Burkina Faso is repeated all around the developing world. 

At any given time, half the hospital beds in developing countries are filled with people suffering from diseases associated with poor water, sanitation and hygiene.