The United Nations (UN’s) World Toilet Day(WTD) is annually observed across the world on 19 November to raise awareness about sanitation, public health, and dignity, and to promote access to safe toilets for all.
Theme:
2025 Theme: “ Sanitation in a changing world”
Focus: This year’s theme emphasizes that access to toilets will remain essential, no matter what the future holds.
Tagline: ‘We’ll always need the toilet’.
Exam Hints:
- Event: World Toilet Day(WTD) 2025
- When? November 19
- Theme 2025: Sanitation in a changing world
- Tagline: We’ll always need the toilet
- Origin: Declared by WTO in 2001
- UN Recognition: UNGA adopted resolution A/RES/67/291 in 2013;
- First UN observance: November 19, 2013
- Events in India:
- Summit: 3-day World Toilet Summit, New Delhi
- Campaigns: MoHUA launched Toilet Paas Hai & Main Saaf Hi Achha Hoon
- Reckitt unveiled six commemorative stamps under Dettol Banega Swasth India initiative
Background:
Origin: In 2001, the World Toilet Organisation (WTO) declared November 19 as WTD.
- The WTO was founded by Jack Sim, a philanthropist from Singapore, on November 19, 2001.
Recognition: On July 24, 2013, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted resolution A/RES/67/291, officially declaring November 19 of every year as World Toilet Day.
First UN Observance: The first UN-recognized World Toilet Day was observed on November 19, 2013.
SDG Target: “Safe toilets for all by 2030” is a key target under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.
Key Facts:
Lack of Sanitation: 3.4 billion people, nearly half the world’s population, still lack safely managed sanitation services.
Open Defecation: 354 million people continue practising open defecation, raising disease and safety risks, especially for women and girls.
Child Mortality: Unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene cause around 1,000 deaths of children under five every day.
Future Projection: At current progress rates, 3 billion people will still lack safe toilets by 2030.
2025 Events:
Event in India: In India WTD 2025 is observed with the theme“Sanitation: Collective Responsibility for Dignity and Planet”.
Summit: On November 19 2025, Sulabh International and the WTO launched a 3-day World Toilet Summit 2025 in New Delhi, Delhi.
Key People: The event was attended by Union Minister Manohar Lal, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs(MoHUA); Union Minister C.R. Patil, Ministry of Jal Shakti(MoJS); David Mahlobo, Deputy Minister of Water & Sanitation in South Africa; ambassadors from Sri Lanka and Bhutan, and representatives from 25 countries and leading organizations including Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the World Bank(WB).
Campaign: The MoHUA launched ‘Toilet Paas Hai’ and ‘Main Saaf Hi Achha Hoon’, a year-long campaign to promote responsible toilet use and hygiene habits across communities.
- The initiative includes advisories and training resources such as the – CT&PT Guide: Commonly occurring gaps and solutions for Design of Public Toilets,, city-specific plans for HUL-Suvidha centres, and Swachh Aadatein – 21 Dinon ka Swachh Aadat Prashikshan Pathyakram to instil good sanitation habits in children.
Reckitt Launches Postage Stamps: Reckitt, under its ‘Dettol Banega Swasth India’ initiative, unveiled six commemorative postage stamps on WTD 2025 to honour India’s sanitation workers, celebrating their dignity, resilience, and vital role in building a cleaner, healthier nation.
About Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM):
Overview: SBM, also known as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or Clean India Mission, is a nationwide initiative launched by the Government of India(GoI) on 2 October 2014 to eliminate open defecation, improve solid waste management, and achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) villages.
Nodal Ministry: MoJS, formerly Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
