World Toilet Day (WTD) is an official United Nations international observance day on 19 November to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis.
The Observance celebrates toilets and raises awareness of the 3.6 billion people living without access to safely managed sanitation. When some people in a community do not have safe toilets, everyone’s health is threatened. Poor sanitation contaminates drinking-water sources, rivers, beaches and food crops, spreading deadly diseases among the wider population.
History of World Toilet Day
World Toilet Day had been established unofficially by the World Toilet Organization (a Singapore-based NGO) in 2001.
The UN General Assembly declared World Toilet Day an official UN day in 2013, after Singapore had tabled the resolution. It was the first resolution of Singapore before the UN's General Assembly of 193 member states.
UN-Water is the official convener of World Toilet Day. United Nations Water is an interagency mechanism that coordinates the efforts of United Nations entities and international organizations working on water and sanitation issues
World Toilet Day Themes
This year’s theme is about valuing toilets. The campaign draws attention to the fact that toilets – and the sanitation systems that support them – are underfunded, poorly managed or neglected in many parts of the world, with devastating consequences for health, economics and the environment, particularly in the poorest and most marginalized communities.
2020 – Sustainable sanitation and climate change
2019 – Leaving no one behind
2018 – Nature-based solutions (slogan: "When Nature calls")
2017 – Wastewater
2016 – Toilets and jobs
2015 – Toilets and nutrition
2014 – Equality and dignity
2013 – Tourism and water
