UN campaign aims to ‘break the silence’ on open defecation
The United Nations is today (28 May) rolling out a ‘bold’ new campaign to help end the practice of open defecation and improve access to toilets for the 2.5 billion people without basic level sanitation.
The campaign aims to ‘break the silence’ around talking about open defecation and also the deaths and diseases, particularly among children, that have occurred because of the lack of decent toilets or latrines.
“It is time to talk about open defecation,” said UN deputy secretary-general Jan Eliasson.
“To discuss the facts, the consequences and the solutions. And it is time to talk about the many countries around the world where community members, local leaders and politicians are taking positive action to end this practice.”
The campaign, created pro bono by Mother will run to the end of 2015, and is being launched in response to the UN’s Call to Action on Sanitation.