Today is World Toilet Day!

Yeah. You heard me. It's a UN recognized holiday organized to draw attention to the number of people around the world without access to sanitation.

In honor of this auspicious occasion, the team here at Global Citizen took a field trip to our bathroom to celebrate how much we love our toilets.

We also took a moment to remind ourselves why they're so important.

... Things are about to get weird so stay with me:

1. Say hi to Tom!

Global Citizen

About half the world's hospital beds are occupied by someone with a water related illness.

2. This is Taylor, he has an important point.

Global Citizen

Access to private toilets help keep children in school and out of trouble.

3. This is Zoe! (She's from the UK, where they spell things weirdly).

Global Citizen

Today almost 1,400 children will die from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation.

4. Say hi to Paul! (He's also from the UK. Side note: Why are their bathrooms so much nicer than ours?)

Global Citizen

More people around the world have a mobile phone than a toilet.

5. Justine has a particularly important fact.

Global Citizen

443 million school days are lost each year from water related illness.

6. Three cheers for Natalie!

Global Citizen

2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation; 1.1 billion still practice open defecation.

7. Sofia has a surprising fact.

Global Citizen

Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.

8. Tareian has something important to say.

Global Citizen

More than half of the girls in sub-saharan Africa who drop out of primary school do so because of lack of access to private toilets.

9. Brandon really wanted to make sure the seat was clean.

Global Citizen

Access to sanitation, the practice of good hygiene, and a safe water supply could save 1.5 million children a year.

10. Hilary has an important message.

Global Citizen

1.1 billion people practice open defecation.

11. Mikey is also from the UK (And the US office is STILL jealous of their bathroom)

Global Citizen

2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation; 1.1 billion still practice open defecation.

12. This is me on an especially good hair day.

Global Citizen

Every dollar invested in sanitation saves $7 in health costs and productivity.


We had a lot of fun making this piece, but in all seriousness, we realize that having a safe, clean bathroom is a privilege. For the 2.5 billion people who don't have access to modern sanitation, toilets are no laughing matter.

That's why we're calling on Congress to pass the Water for the World Act, which will make better use of money dedicated to water & sanitation, strengthen accountability, and ensure that we have the greatest impact on communities all over the world without spending an extra penny. Sign the petition to make sure that every child, everywhere can enjoy the same privilege.

Editorial

Defeat Poverty

12 of our staff went on a field trip to visit our toilet (Yeah. I know)

By Sofia Van Raan  and  Tom Blake