{"id":46266,"date":"2019-12-12T18:17:59","date_gmt":"2019-12-12T17:17:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/?p=46266"},"modified":"2019-12-13T12:17:36","modified_gmt":"2019-12-13T11:17:36","slug":"ada-oko-williams-childrens-potential-is-wasted-without-toilets-at-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2019\/12\/12\/ada-oko-williams-childrens-potential-is-wasted-without-toilets-at-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Ada Oko-Williams: Children\u2019s potential is wasted without toilets at school\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Their education suffers, particularly for girls with nowhere to manage their periods, says<\/span> Ada Oko-Williams<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

It may not be the most glamourous of inventions, but the humble toilet saves lives and creates futures. Yet one in four people do not have access to even a basic toilet and 620 million of the <\/span>world\u2019s schoolchildren\u2014<\/span><\/a>almost twice the population of the United States\u2014do not have decent toilets at school. Living without a basic toilet threatens the health and safety of children and has a major impact on their chances of an education.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tragically, many children don\u2019t even make it to primary school, with diarrhoea caused by dirty water and poor sanitation killing around <\/span>310,000 children under the age of 5 every year<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dirty water and diarrhoea\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

For those children who do survive repetitive bouts of diarrhoea, prolonged undernutrition can cause them to be malnourished and their growth stunted, which means they are likely to struggle with impaired emotional, social, and cognitive development. A quarter of all stunting is attributed to five or more episodes of diarrhoea in the first two years of life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Having decent toilets at school means children don\u2019t have to run home during lessons to use the toilet or relieve themselves outside in potentially unsafe situations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a particular problem for women and girls when they are on their period. If they have no toilets that lock properly, no adequate period products or bins to put them in, and no water to wash themselves clean it can be humiliating, limit their opportunities to learn and develop, and can also be unsafe. Embarrassment often forces them to stay at home, instead of working or going to school. Ultimately, it means\u00a0<\/span>millions of girls and women have fewer\u00a0opportunities<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and are disadvantaged at every stage of their lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rotten wooden floor\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Where there are toilet facilities, many are not maintained and can pose risks to children\u2019s physical safety. Recently, a South African 5 year old died after falling through the rotten wooden floor of her school latrine. The case caused such an outcry that the government pledged to install decent toilets in all state schools within two years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The situation is particularly grave in Niger in West Africa, where three quarters of schools do not have adequate facilities and <\/span>only 28%<\/span><\/a> of children <\/span>complete primary school<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> Ethiopia doesn\u2019t fare much better: just 40% of primary schools have\u00a0 toilets, and more than <\/span>nine in 10 people<\/span><\/a> lack basic facilities at home as well<\/span>. In<\/span> Madagascar meanwhile, <\/span>one of the poorest countries in the world, one in three schools don\u2019t have a functioning toilet<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe share the old toilet with the boys, and when the door was not working properly you can imagine how it felt,\u201d explains 15 year old Melakie from Ethiopia. \u201cI had a friend who missed school days every month because of her period.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite Nigeria having the continent\u2019s largest economy, the situation there is getting worse. The proportion of people with decent toilets is decreasing and a staggering 52% of schools lack toilets. In Chad, Africa\u2019s fifth largest nation, nine in 10 people live without even basic sanitation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Achieve their potential<\/b><\/p>\n

Thankfully, there are success stories in countries where governments have made decent toilets in schools a priority, ensuring that children are able to attend their lessons and achieve their potential. Although Burkina Faso and Zambia are lagging in provision of household sanitation, 70% and 66% of their schools have basic toilet facilities, allowing children to complete their education.<\/span><\/p>\n

At WaterAid we work with local communities and partners to build toilets in schools to keep children in lessons and to provide girls with a safe space to manage their periods. The charity also persuades governments and decision makers that building and maintaining toilets is a good investment that can drastically improve the health and lives of their people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Safe toilets are a human right and a key component of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which world leaders have promised to deliver to everyone everywhere by 2030. The rights to health, education, women\u2019s rights and equality cannot be achieved without the basic provision of clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The BMJ<\/span><\/i>\u2019s readers can help by donating to WaterAid this Christmas: please give generously.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ada Oko-Williams<\/strong>, senior WASH manager \u2013 Sanitation, WaterAid, London<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
WaterAid needs your support: please give generously<\/b><\/p>\n