In Asia, it's time to talk about toilets - AlertNet

In Asia, it's time to talk about toilets - AlertNet: "The economic impact of sanitation is enormous. A World Bank study on the Economic Impact of Sanitation in Southeast Asia found that poor sanitation brought economic losses of at least US $9 billion per year, with communities suffering from illness, loss of life, high medical costs and time away from work. For the millions of boys and girls who miss school every year due to illnesses resulting from poor sanitation the implications are far-reaching, affecting their ability to learn and fully participate in their education.

Poor sanitation also has a big impact on the safety and wellbeing of women and girls; the day-to-day humiliation and risks faced by women and girls without access to appropriate sanitation facilities have been demonstrated time and again. In countries such as Pakistan, women and girls who do not have sanitation facilities but still observe strict social codes will only defecate at night, further increasing their risk of violence and abuse. As recently as last month a girl was raped in East Java, Indonesia, on the way back from defecating near her home. "

'via Blog this'