Remarks by H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly
New York,
19 November 2021
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I thank the Permanent missions of India, Nigeria and Singapore for hosting today’s event.
We mark this year’s World Toilet Day by acknowledging the fact that nearly half of the world’s population lacks access to safe and proper sanitation services.
We recognize the marginalized and poor communities confronting health consequences of poor sanitation, including diarrhea, cholera, polio, and all sorts of vector-borne diseases.
It is reported that, every day, 700 children under the age of 5 succumb to a diarrhea-linked health complication. This is truly heartbreaking.
Yet, global sanitation crisis remains underfunded and often overlooked.
Excellencies,
Valuing toilets is a collective obligation.
We must bear in mind that the adverse impacts of improper sanitation go beyond health.
It affects our education, our environment, and our economies.
It disrupts the ability of women and girls, and persons with disabilities, to attend work or school. It also undignifies the well-being of an individual.
In essence, if we are to effectively sustain development and address other global issues, we must place universal access to toilets at the centre of our policies.
While SDG6 on clean water and sanitation was already off track well before the pandemic, the impacts of COVID19 have only further eroded or stalled our efforts.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
The task ahead of us is clear.
Technologies and practices have innovated. So too should our strategies to address the challenges of a global sanitation crisis.
It is incumbent upon national governments and the international community to prioritize greater support for sustainable innovations.
We must allow for practical and context-specific solutions to take off.
Let us also not forget the contributions of countless sanitation workers around the world who work in conditions that endanger their lives and health, and violate their dignity and rights.
Let us use this opportunity to mobilize dedicated and scaled-up funding for toilets, and to deliver action on equitable and accessible sanitation systems for all.
Let us put an end to global sanitation crisis for everyone, everywhere.
I thank you.
Throughout our disarmament efforts, it is my conviction that women and youth can make a meaningful contribution. Let us take special pains to ensure that women and youth, as well as civil society, are more actively engaged in this work going forward.
