In 2024, 3.5 billion people still live without access to safely managed sanitation. That's nearly half of humanity lacking one of the most basic human needs – a safe and private toilet. Even more concerning, an estimated 419 million people still practise open defecation, which not only increases the risk of infectious diseases, but also puts people—particularly women and girls—in unsafe and vulnerable situations.
For the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, ensuring access to safe and dignified sanitation is not just about building toilets – it's about understanding and addressing the diverse water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) needs of all community members.
"Equitable access to WASH services and facilities is a human right," says Alexandra Machado, IFRC Senior Officer for WASH in Public Health. "Water, sanitation and hygiene are fundamental for life, and for the dignity, health and wellbeing of everyone -- regardless of their age, disability, social status, gender identity, ethnicity or sexual orientation."
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide are working to ensure that sanitation facilities are accessible, safe, and appropriate for everyone. On World Toilet Day, let’s look at a couple of examples.
Making a Difference: Community-led sanitation in remote, underserved areas in Colombia
Children in Tumaco, Colombia wash their hands at a water point built by the Colombian Red Cross to provide clean water to underserved communities.
Photo: Colombian Red Cross
The Colombian Red Cross has been active in promoting community-led sanitation improvements, particularly in remote and underserved areas including Tumaco, Buenaventura, Condoto, and Timbiqui. These projects included installing and upgrading sanitation units in schools, homes, and community centres, directly benefiting children and families in both urban and rural areas.
Through workshops and hygiene campaigns, they’ve engaged community members to build and maintain latrines, which has significantly reduced the risk of water and sanitation related diseases. This effort is a collaborative approach that involves both local authorities and community representatives, enhancing ownership and sustainability.
For example, in Santa Rita primary school, upgrades to the sanitation facilities now serve 140 students, fostering better hygiene at school which can be a catalyst for change in the wider community.
Kenya: ‘Together we can end open defecation’
A health worker from Bomet County, Kenya supervises the building of a pit latrine in Emityot village as part of an initiative with the Kenya Red Cross and other partners to end open defecation and reduce disease risks.
Photo: Paul Wu/IFRC
Across Kenya, the Kenya Red Cross is supporting communities to adopt healthy WASH behaviours—including the building and using of latrines—to improve their hygiene and reduce their risks of infectious diseases.
Through the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3), Red Cross teams are partnering with the Kenyan government and WASH charities, such as Dig Deep, in a bid to end open defecation. Trained Red Cross volunteers regularly go out into their communities and educate people on why they should use latrines, how they can build their own simple pit latrines in their homes, and the importance of handwashing and other related hygiene practices to stay healthy.
Volunteers’ consistent engagement is already starting to pay off, with widespread uptake of latrines and positive WASH behaviour change observed within many communities covered by CP3.
“We used to have diarrheal diseases every now and then. And even we had cholera, which is fecal related. But when CP3 was introduced by the Red Cross, it has really assisted us in health education and even in tackling those diseases,” explains Lucina Bett, Sub-County Public Health Officer in Bomet County, Kenya.
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The IFRC’s approach to WASH
Successful WASH programmes are participatory and community-led. Our approach focuses on four key principles: dignity, access, participation, and safety. This means ensuring that:
- Everyone has access to sanitation facilities they can use with dignity
- Facilities are designed and built so that all people can use them
- Communities are actively involved in decisions about their sanitation facilities
- People feel safe and comfortable using toilets, day and night
"Vulnerability to violence is increased by a lack of safe and secure sanitation infrastructure," explains Peter Mamburi, IFRC Regional WASH Coordinator for Africa. “That's why our National Societies work closely with communities to ensure facilities are well-lit, private, and located in safe areas.”
On World Toilet Day, we renew our commitment to leaving no one behind in sanitation. Because everyone, everywhere deserves access to a toilet they can use safely and with dignity.
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Want to learn more about the IFRC’s work in water, sanitation and hygiene? Visit https://wash.ifrc.org or contact [email protected]