As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark the International Women’s Day, the WaterAid Nigeria in collaboration with UNICEF and Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP), has called on government at various level to provide high-quality public and community toilets which take into account women’s requirements to alleviate the problem of female harassment.
The organisations in a statement to mark the day signed by the Communications and Media Manager, Oluseyi Abdulmalik, on Friday, said the country need to act now to ensure the safety and well-being of all women and indeed other marginalised groups.
She said, “There’s no denying that the world has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women’s and society’s thoughts about women’s equality, but despite men’s role in the society being more varied and gender roles being more fluid, in most societies women and girls are still responsible for water, sanitation and hygiene related chores in their households.
“They have to source for water for their families, they are responsible for taking care of other family members who come down with WASH related diseases, and they also risk their lives in search of safe places to defecate and manage themselves during their menstruation.
“The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day #BalanceForBetter is at the core of WaterAid’s vision and work – a world where everyone, everywhere has access to clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene – particularly for women and girls who bear the brunt of the burden caused by a lack of access to these basic and life-saving services.
“There is an urgent need to address the lack of adequate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, particularly in public places in cities around Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Without access to high-quality public toilets that are both safe and adjusted to their needs, women will often choose to stay at home, limiting their social and economic involvement in society.
“Negative effects on health, safety, working life and the ability to participate in public life should no longer be tolerated as normal. This new guide provides practical steps for local authorities to address those barriers and to ensure that everyone can enjoy their right to decent sanitation. We need to act now to ensure the safety and well-being of all women and indeed other marginalised groups.”
She said high-quality public and community toilets which take into account women’s requirements could alleviate this problem.
Adding that the Female-friendly Public and Community Toilets Guide, written jointly by WaterAid, UNICEF and Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP), covers six requirements for female-friendly toilets: safety and privacy; allowing for menstrual hygiene management; accessibility; affordability and availability; good maintenance and management; and meeting the requirements of caregivers.
She said, “The requirements of women and girls are too often ignored in the planning and design of public toilets, leaving them unable to use the toilet where and when needed, a new guide from WaterAid, UNICEF and Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor has highlighted this International Women’s Day.
