WaterAid Advocates for Toilets to be a Top Priority

Toilets should not be overlooked in the context of climate change, particularly in vulnerable regions like the Pacific, WaterAid Australia has warned.

The non-governmental organisation dedicated to improving access to safe water and hygiene, said it is important to remember that access to sanitation is a human right and essential for health and dignity.

“However, for millions across the Pacific, access to safe, reliable sanitation remains out of reach,” said Tom Muller, WaterAid Australia’s Chief Executive, on World Toilet Day (Oct. 24).

“The Pacific Islands, despite contributing the least to global climate change, face some of its most devastating impacts.”

Between 2000 and 2020, over half a million people in the Pacific gained access to basic sanitation, but population growth has outpaced these gains.

Today, about 70 of the population still lacks basic sanitation, and open defecation rates in Papua New Guinea are increasing faster than any other country in the world.

Collectively, the region accounts for less than 0.03 percent of global emissions yet is among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels and extreme weather events, according to the organisation.

Muller said that the crisis in the Pacific extends beyond water.

“They are about human health, livelihoods, and access to essential services—especially sanitation,” he said.

Saltwater renders traditional sanitation systems ineffective, while flooding and extreme rainfall events overwhelm toilets, causing contamination of communities’ water supplies and spreading diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea.

Widespread damage to sanitation infrastructure from a natural disaster causes contamination of drinking water sources from overflowing septic tanks and pit latrines, which endangers aquatic ecosystems and exposes people to pathogens.

For women and girls, the impacts are even more pronounced.

“In many communities, they bear the responsibility of collecting water and managing household sanitation. When toilets are flooded or unavailable, women and girls often have no choice but to wait until dark to go to the toilet, putting them at risk of harassment and violence,” WaterAid pointed out.

Governments Must Prioritise Functional Toilets

WaterAid Australia’s work in the region focuses on creating sustainable sanitation and water systems that tackle urgent health needs caused by a lack of access to clean water and functional toilets.

“World Toilet Day is just one day. WaterAid is calling on governments, donors, and the international community to prioritise investment in sanitation infrastructure in the Pacific every day,” WaterAid said.

Muller stressed that for Pacific communities, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies, and more frequent and severe cyclones threaten homes, health, and futures.

“Traditional approaches to sanitation are no longer sufficient. Instead, we need solutions that are adaptable, sustainable, and resilient to extreme weather and environmental changes,” he said.

With this goal, the organisation is working to influence communities and governments across the Pacific to garner collective action and investment.

“Governments in the Pacific need to prioritise sanitation within their national adaptation plans and seek international support to fund and implement these changes,” Muller said.

Muller pointed out that sanitation is not just a health issue.

“It’s also about gender equality, safety, and dignity,” he said.

“International donors and development partners must recognise that sanitation is a cornerstone of climate resilience and direct more resources towards ensuring everyone has access to a toilet that works, no matter the weather.”