We are most likely far from imagining that there is a “World Toilet Day” celebrated on November 19th… Except, in reality, it is a major public health issue that is no laughing matter.
The day highlights the importance of sanitation and advocates for access to cleanliness and toilet safety for everyone.
Originally created by the World Toilet Organization in 2001, the day has gained momentum among international partners, and in 2013, the United Nations (UN) adopted a resolution recognizing World Toilet Day as an official UN international day (UN Resolution A/67/L.75).
Indeed, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, around 60% of the world’s population lives without toilets, exposing affected populations to the spread of deadly diseases.
Throughout history, people have sought solutions for sanitation management. The sanitation facilities, discovered through archaeological excavations and writings, also tell the story of societies.
It seems that the Greeks, 2,500 years B.C., were the first to equip their cities with wastewater systems and toilets. Depending on social status, polished stones or better, leek leaves, served as toilet paper. Clever and always good to remember in case of a toilet paper shortage.
The Romans were then very advanced in terms of latrines, which they liked to be public and collective. A kind of open space…
Well, later on, depending on the era, hygiene experienced ups and downs, and in the Middle Ages as in the Renaissance, vigilance was necessary. The chamber pot had an unfortunate tendency to crash to the ground from the upper floors of homes.
For a long time, as in England, one could eat at the table with the latest model of chamber pot at hand to be able to use it during the meal. Chic and practical!
But it was truly in the 19th century that hygiene took hold, with the growing health awareness, the invention of running water, and the arrival of toilets!
