World Toilet Day: Women Continue To Suffer Indignity And Health Risk For Lack Of Better Sanitation. How Can We Change This?
Toilet access is every woman's right!
Every single day, we wake up to news reports of rapes and molestations. Over the years, I’ve noticed that it’s not very uncommon for women to be raped when they step out of their homes to relieve themselves. These women are much more vulnerable to attacks as well as health problems because they step out to relieve themselves in the open due to the lack of toilets. Another thing to note is that even in big cities and towns women have bathrooms in their homes but when they step out of their homes, the public toilets are so unhygienic that it’s impossible for them to use them. And because of this, they tend to hold their urine for long hours which often leads to health problems in the long run. So, on this World Toilet Day, let’s understand this issue in depth and try to figure out what we can do the change things for the better.
Why Do We Make Our Women Relieve Themselves Outside And Risk Their Safety?
In a country like ours, a woman’s honour and dignity are of utmost importance. We talk so highly about our “ghar ki izzat” but effectively fail at providing women with basic facilities like toilets so, they can relieve themselves as and when they want in a safe and comfortable space. As per the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS) report, 19.4% Indian households in rural and urban areas do not have or use any toilet facilities. And you know who faces the brunt of this? The women.
The lack of toilets forced people to turn to open defecation and apart from being a public sanitation issue, this also poses health risks. Since women’s dignity and safety are so important to us, they tend to be openly defecated only during the wee hours of the morning or late in the night. During the day, they cannot relieve themselves due to which they tend of avoid consuming too many liquids and often end up staying dehydrated. Hydration is extremely important for our bodies as urination flushes out any bacteria and toxins from our bodies but not urinating frequently means that you’re at extremely high risk of developing UTIs. Taking into consideration the fact that women are already at higher risk of developing UTIs, this increases the risk and makes them more prone and they end up repeatedly contracting UTIs. And all of this in the name of culture and izzat only ends with women having health issues.
Apart from this, over the years we’ve come across numerous cases of women getting assaulted, raped, gang-raped, molested, recorded and whatnot when they go out to relieve themselves in the open. Is that how we protect our women, dignity and izzat? By forcing our women to defecate in the open? By forcing them to fear for their safety and end up having health issues because of it? When will this really end? In all honesty, being realistic, we cannot expect rapes and assaults to end completely but we can keep our women safe and healthy by providing them with a basic facility like a toilet that every single human being deserves.
Also Read: How To Clean And Use A Menstrual Cup In Public Toilets?
Dirty Public Toilets Also Pose A Risk For Women
Not just lack of toilets but public toilets are also a part of the problem. Women who travel for work are not any better off. These women travel and one would assume public toilets make it easier for them to relieve themselves but sadly, that is not the case. Public toilet infrastructure is another problem. While these toilets are easy to access, we all know how stinky and unhygienic they are. If you’ve ever walked into a public toilet in case of an emergency, you know their condition very well. The stink makes it impossible to breathe in there forget using them. And even if you manage to hold your breath for a few minutes as you relieve yourself, these toilets are so unhygienic that it makes one wonder what diseases they’ll be taking home. With how prone women are to UTIs, we often tend to squat and pee but the lack of cleanliness makes it extremely hard to do that too sometimes. And you know what that means? We hold our urine and avoid drinking too much water so we don’t feel the urge to urinate. And the cycle of unhealthy behaviour leading to health problems continues. Unlike men, we just cannot pull our pants or skirts down and urinate anywhere and everywhere.
What Can We Do To Change This?
One would say a good restaurant or mall has clean toilets but when you’re travelling, the public toilets just aren’t decent enough to use. So, can privatisation help? Well, in this case, not really. Malls and restaurants have to keep up a certain standard and hence they manage to maintain the toilets but when it comes to public toilets, these toilets are used by anyone and everyone and sadly, a large number of people in India lack civic sense or just don’t care. Unless this changes, nothing will change. Apart from this, we need to understand that women too are humans and require access to toilets. Lack of safe or clean public toilets and toilets at home forces women to go outside which leads to indignity and health and safety-related problems. Spreading awareness about it is the first step forward and following our civic duties to keep public toilets clean and hygienic can also help.
Also Read: Poor Menstrual Hygiene Management Facilities, Unclean Toilets For Girl Students Is Denial Of Basic Human Rights: Bombay HC
This World Toilet Day, let’s try to make toilets accessible for women for the sake of their health, safety and dignity.
Abandoned By Her Family, Woman Lived In A Toilet For A Year. She Is Now Being Rehabilitated.
