The State of the World's Toilets

19 November is World Toilet Day. WaterAid has marked the date with the launch of a report; 'The State of the World's Toilets'. While most people avoid the subject WaterAid are embracing the opportunity to get the world talking about toilets - the good, the bad and the ugly.

WaterAid's report covers every aspect of the humble yet vital toilet from silly facts like: women are more apt to be grabbers and wadders of toilet paper, whereas men are more likely to be folders, to the world's greatest toilet 'a sleek, tankless, one-piece toilet with integrated washlet seat'. There's also a brief history of the Great British toilet and a description of the worst toilet in the world!

"Toilets are a taboo subject, but we cannot and we must not ignore the global crisis in sanitation, diarrhoeal diseases are the second biggest killer of children in the world. Simply providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene education could save 5000 children's lives every day. Governments must act now to prioritise sanitation provision for the world's poorest people." Oliver Cumming, WaterAid Sanitation and Environment Policy Officer.

'The State of the World's Toilets' ranks the worst countries in the world for sanitation provision, with 40% of the world's population lacking somewhere safe to go to the toilet the list is long and made up of some of the poorest countries in the world.

Download the full The State of the World's Toilets report ( PDF 491Kb)

For interviews, pictures other versions of the report contact:Charlotte Godber on 020 7793 4909 or charlottegodber@wateraid.org.

Notes to editors

• 1.1 billion people or roughly one sixth of the world's population do not have access to safe water, and 2.6 billion people or two fifths of the world's population do not have access to adequate sanitation
• 1.8 million children die every year as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation. This amounts to around 5000 deaths a day (WHO)
• WaterAid projects providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene education cost just £15 per head