Sanitation and Cleanliness for a Healthy Environment 5
What people want from toilets
Healthy sanitation
and hygiene =
+
A place to relieve oneself
(urinate and defecate)
A way to clean
oneself after
+ ++
Keeping urine and
feces away from
food and water
Making sure that
toilets stay clean
and safe
Turning urine and
feces into a healthy
resource
Health is not always the main reason why people want to have clean toilets, better
water supplies, or improved hygiene. Other needs may include:
Privacy: A toilet can be as simple as a deep hole in the ground. But the need for
privacy makes it important for a toilet to have a good shelter. Making a door or
enclosed entrance to a toilet, or building it away from where people usually walk,
will make it nicer to use. The best shelters are simple and are built from local
materials.
Safety: If a toilet is badly built it can be dangerous to use. And if it is far from the
home, women may be in danger of sexual violence when they take care of their
sanitation needs. For a toilet to be safe it must be well-built and in a safe place.
Comfort: People will more likely use a toilet with a comfortable place to sit or squat,
and a shelter large enough to stand up and move around in. They will also be more
likely to use a toilet that is close to the house and that gives protection from wind,
rain, or snow.
Cleanliness: If a toilet is dirty and smelly, no one will want to use it — and it may
spread disease. Sharing the task of cleaning or paying for cleaning with money or
other benefits will help to ensure that toilets are kept clean.
Respect: A well-kept toilet brings status and respect to its owner. Often this is a very
important reason for people to spend the money and effort to build one.
Safe water for washing and drinking is also important for health. So are other
kinds of cleanliness such as ensuring that women have a way to keep clean during
monthly bleeding. (For more about how women are hurt by poor sanitation, see
pages 21 to 22.)