Sanitation is Dignity

“Sanitation is more important than independence”
Sanitation has a strong connection not only with personal hygiene but also with human dignity and well-being, public health, nutrition and even education. Mahatma Gandhi had once said “Sanitation is more important than independence”. He made cleanliness and sanitation an integral part of the Gandhian way of living. His dream was total sanitation for all.
Sanitation saves lives and the faster we act the more lives we save. A child’s life could be saved every 20 seconds, if safe drinking water and basic sanitation were available. This improvement could reduce 80% of all sickness and disease; it could save more lives per year than are lost due to war. The dramatic health improvements would permit more dignified lifestyles – providing each man, woman or child with more time to work, learn or care for the family. Urinating and defecating are basic human needs just like eating, drinking, sleeping or breathing. Every human being should be able to fulfil that need in dignity. Sanitation provides privacy and protects everyone in the community. It is time we recognize the potential of sanitation for human development and act concertedly to make a difference.
 
Sanitation is the best preventive medicine.
The containment and treatment of human excreta – combined with hand-washing – protects humans from harmful bacteria, viruses and helminths. Sanitation dramatically reduces cases of diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid and worm infections. This particularly guards children from additional malnutrition and stunted growth. Without such illnesses, the body is more resilient against acute respiratory diseases, like pneumonia. Sanitation protects the health of AIDS patients with a weakened immune system. By preventing unneccessary death and disease, sanitation alleviates the psychological burden of permanent fear for loved ones from many families and communities. Safe sanitation and clean water can save the lives of 5,000 children under the age of five per day.
 
Sanitation contributes to gender equality, access to education and dignity.
Toilet facilities provide privacy and prevent women from experiencing abuse while defecating openly. As domestic caretakers of the sick in many societies, women benefit the most from a healthy community. Their own health is safeguarded while they gain time to further their education and contribute to their family's well-being.Clean toilets contribute to poverty eradication by protection one's health and ability to work. Good school sanitation is essential for keeping children in school – particularly girls during menstruation. Education is the foundation for development.194,000,000 school days could be gained every year, if sanitation improved.
 
Sanitation reduces poverty and fosters economic growth.
Access to toilets saves time otherwise lost seeking secluded spots to defecate as well as creating a more healthy society. Adults have more time to work and increase family income. Healthy children spend more time in school and help create an educated society. Sanitation protects the water and soil resources from pollutions which increases the regional economic potential. Utilising human excreta as a resource drives local economic development. Treated urine and faeces are excellent fertilisers. Biogas provides renewable energy. Reuse of treated wastewater results in water savings. Sanitation should teherefore be viewed as an opportunity, not as a problem.Each dollar invested into sanitation results in 9 dollars economic return.
 
Sanitation sustains human settlement and protects our planet's environment.
Safe collection and treatment of human waste and other various wastewaters protects drinking water sources and eco-systems. Sanitation creates clean and healthy living environments, particularly in urban areas. Sanitation can make agricultural production sustainable, by returning treated human excreta to the fields as a fertiliser. This practice saves energy and protects the world’s finite reserves of phosphorous, which are required for artificial fertilizer production. The treatment of faeces, manure and organic waste also produces biogas, a renewable energy, which reducesCO2 emissions.Global sanitation coverage could treat over 375,000 tons of faeces per day, which are currently being discharged untreated into nature.