Sanitation

Sanitation refers to public health conditions related to clean drinking water and adequate treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. Preventing human contact with feces is part of sanitation, as is hand washing with soap. 31% of the global population (2.4 billion people) used private sanitation facilities connected to sewers from which wastewater was treated. Globally 2.3 billion people live without access to a basic sanitation service. The World Bank helps countries address the sanitation challenges:Sanitation is more than just toilets, it encompasses the facilities, behaviors, and services that prevent diseases caused by contact with human waste.The United Nations estimates that there are 2.5 billion people who still do not use an improved sanitation facility and a little over 1 billion practising open defecation.Open defecation rates declined globally from 24% in 1990 to 15% in 2011. In absolute numbers, this signifies a drop of 244 million people to 1.04 billion in 2011. The decline in the population practising open defecation has differed from region to region.Access to safe sanitation is essential for reducing deaths from infectious disease, preventing malnutrition and providing dignity.