The National Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Commission, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and water sector partners, commemorated World Toilet Day 2024 under the theme “Every Toilet Counts. Leave No-one Behind.”
The day, celebrated globally, aims to raise awareness about the urgent need for improved sanitation and its impact on health, the environment, and social well-being.
Giving the overview of the day and its essences, George Yarngo, the Chief Executive Officer of the National WASH Commission, emphasized the importance of access to safe sanitation for national development.
He noted that the lack of proper toilet facilities forces over 35% of Liberia’s population to practice open defecation, which contributes to the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea.
“Sanitation is not just about infrastructure; it is a matter of justice, equality, and human dignity,” Yarngo said. “We must accelerate progress to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for sanitation by 2030.”
Yarngo highlighted the grim global and national sanitation realities, citing statistics from the 2020 UNICEF-WHO report, which reveals that over half of the world’s population lacks access to safely managed sanitation.
In Liberia, the Joint Monitoring Program’s 2017 report shows that 59.8% of rural populations and 17.9% of urban populations defecate in the open, leading to significant health and economic costs.
The commemoration event also featured a speech by the Managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC), Mo Ali, on behalf of First Lady Katumu Boakai.
Ali reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing the sanitation crisis through the ARREST Agenda, with sanitation as a key pillar.
He announced two major initiatives to combat open defecation and improve sanitation: the roadmap to End Open Defecation and the Presidential WASH Compact 2030.
These plans aim to mobilize resources, build resilient infrastructure, and ensure equitable access to sanitation.
These statements and many other remarks made underscored the critical role of education and stakeholder collaboration in changing sanitation narratives.
Many speakers called on government ministries, development partners, and communities to work together to ensure sustainable practices and innovative solutions.
The event held in Monrovia brought together several students and actors in the WASH sector to raise a call to action for all Liberians to prioritize sanitation as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of national development. “With open defecation, no one is safe. Together, we must build a healthier, more equitable future for Liberia.”
Alarming many challenging conditions facing WASH programming in the country, the commission’s international partners committed themselves to supporting the sector after gathering the importance of providing support to life saving activities.
USAID Mission Director Jim Wright intimated that proper sanitation is more than just a convenience in Liberia which gets attention to dignity, health and privacy for women and children who are sometimes victims of exposure to many effects.
World Toilet Day was initiated by the World Toilet Organization in 2001 and recognized by the United Nations in 2013. It aims to highlight the global sanitation crisis and advocate for the dignity, health, and safety of all.
