World Toilet Day

Last Updated on: December 13, 2023

World Toilet Day

World Toilet Day (WTD) is an official United Nations international observance day on 19 November to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis.

San Marino. 2015 World Toilet Day

In 2013, a joint initiative between the Government of Singapore and World Toilet Organization led to Singapore’s first UN resolution, entitled “Sanitation for All”, calling for collective action to address the global sanitation crisis through the commemoration of World Toilet Day. The resolution was co-sponsored and adopted by 122 countries at the 67th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. On July 24, 2013, World Toilet Day on 19 November became an official UN day.

San Marino. 2014 World Toilet Day

The resolution declaring World Toilet Day titled, ‘Sanitation for All’ (A/RES/67/291), was adopted on 24 July 2013. The resolution urges UN Member States and relevant stakeholders to encourage behavioral change and the implementation of policies to increase access to sanitation among the poor, along with a call to end the practice of open-air defecation, which it deemed “extremely harmful” to public health.

World Toilet Day seeks to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and help achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which promises sanitation for all by 2030.

Why Do We Need A Day For Toilets?

The ‘silent’ sanitation crisis is a ticking time bomb which affects billions of people around the world.

When World Toilet Organization was founded in 2001, the subject of sanitation received little media attention and it was severely neglected on the global development agenda. Sanitation has become more of a priority for world leaders in the 14 years since World Toilet Organization was founded, however the current level of prioritization is still far from what is needed, given the scale and impact of the sanitation crisis. It’s time for toilets to be treated as an urgent global priority.

We can’t wait while a lack of access to sanitation affects health, education, gender equality, nutrition, the environment and the economy! And in the words of our founder Jack Sim, “What we don’t discuss, we can’t improve.” We need to continue to address the taboo nature of toilets and shine a spotlight on sanitation each World Toilet Day. Sustainable sanitation is a matter of dignity, equality, and safety, and is crucial to improving the health and well being of one-third of humanity.