"Open Defecation Free(ODF): Requirement of Time"

A report by WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP) (http://www.unicef.org/media/files/JMP-2010Final.pdf) says “Indians comprised 58 percent of all people who defecate in the open.  Eighteen percent of urban India still defecates in the open while the percentage of rural India is as high as 69 percent.” 

It is scientific facts that open defecation or lack of sanitation is a major factor in causing various diseases like- diarrhea and intestinal worm infections, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis, polio, trachoma and others. Those countries where open defecation is most widely practiced have the highest numbers of deaths of children under the age of five, as well as, high levels of under nutrition, high levels of poverty and huge disparities between the rich and poor. Open defecation is directly affecting the economic condition of the family as the heavy expenditure on treatment of diseases keeps people poor. It is also important to note that children who are exposed to the diseases spread by open defecation are unable to grow to their full physical and intellectual potential. Open defecation takes the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent children in India and the world each year. 

I strongly believe that every human being wishes to live its life with full human dignity and respect. While interacting with the women of my village; I come to know that they are not happy with open defecation and find it against their social respect. They want toilets in their own houses and use; it however they are helpless as not being the economic decision makers in their households. It is a bitter truth that our mothers, sisters, daughters or daughters-in-law have to compel to compromise with their health by controlling the natural process of defecation as inevitably they use to go for defecation during the morning or in the dark. Going for open defecation during the last stage of pregnancy and immediate to delivery is a nightmare for women. It not only cause physical pains, but also causes a lot of infection to mother as well as for infants.  I have witnessed of situations where our beloved daughters or sisters come to their in-law’s houses as a bride with a lot of expectation of love and respect, but ironically they have to go for open defecation on the same day by compromising with their dignity and respect.  In my native place, brides/women have to take long “GHUNGHAT” (called as evil of पर्दाप्रथा) and they are not allowed to go before men without “GHUNGHAT”, but in paradox they have to go for open defecation.  I strongly feel this pain of our mothers, sisters, daughters or daughters-in-law. I also realise the difficulties being faced by old men and women due to non-availability of toilets, especially when they suffer from any disease.   Thus, toilets have equal importance for children and men also; moreover toilets should be considered as basic amenity for the human life. Toilets are inextricably linked with health and economic condition of the family. 

It is high time to create awareness about sanitation among society and to make it a mass movement. It is true that our Government Originations as well as NGOs are contributing their best to create awareness about sanitation and to help the needy to build the toilets. In spite of these facts, there are families who are suffering with poverty for generations and cannot build toilets without our help. We must come forward to support Government efforts and contribute our share to society by helping the needy. We can postpone our one day dine out, kitty party or outing and may contribute that saving for the betterment of society in addition to what we are paying to Government as taxes. In my opinion, it's our moral, social and national duty to contribute for achieving the goal of ‘Open Defecation Free’ (ODF) India. We as citizen of India have a responsibility towards our fellow citizens who need our support. Let’s come together to create mass movement and awareness. Let’s come to help needy. Let's help to give a quality life to every human being. Let’s help downtrodden to participate in the development process of society. Our small contribution may make a huge difference. 

Let’s join hand in hand against the open defecation!

Let’s join hand in hand for the women's dignity!

         Let’s join hand in hand for the healthy nation!