World Toilet Day: Romania Ranks First in EU

World Toilet Day: 2.5 billion people don’t have access to basic toilets #toilets4all #water4all pic.twitter.com/n3i23Jp4Gz

— UNECE (@UN_ECE) November 19, 2013

I just found out that on 19 November we are celebrating World Toilet Day. First, I found it too funny, afterwards I thought sanitation is a serious issue and awareness should be promoted not only in least developed, developing countries, but even more so in developed states.

Some local input on why sanitation is just as important in developed countries. As an EU member state, Romania ranks first on “open-air” toilets which is nothing to brag about, it just shows that people’s basic needs especially in rural areas are not met. Pools, tennis or other sports facilities are built in areas where people lack basic sanitation and basic road infrastructure. So much for smart policy processes when you have nowhere to go!

Open-air toilets across Europe:

40,7% Romania

25% Bulgaria

15,8% Latvia

…

0% Denmark

0% Spain

0% Sweden