On November 19, 2025, the world paused to recognize a subject that’s often the butt of jokes but remains deadly serious: toilets. World Toilet Day, observed annually on this date, is more than just a quirky calendar entry. It’s a global call to action, highlighting the ongoing sanitation crisis and the urgent need for safe, accessible toilets for everyone, everywhere.
This year’s theme, according to U.N.-Water, is “We’ll Always Need the Toilet” or, more formally, “Sanitation in a Changing World.” The message is clear: no matter how much the world transforms—be it through climate change, population growth, or technological leaps—sanitation remains a non-negotiable human right. As the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasize, toilets are fundamental to protecting public health, maintaining dignity, and safeguarding the environment.
But the facts are sobering. The WHO reports that 3.4 billion people—nearly half the world’s population—still lack access to safely managed sanitation services. That’s not just an inconvenience; it’s a crisis that claims 1.4 million lives each year due to inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Diarrhoeal diseases, largely preventable with proper sanitation, account for more than two-thirds of these deaths. Perhaps most heart-wrenching: around 1,000 children under the age of five die every single day from diseases linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation.
“On this World Toilet Day, let us commit to accelerating progress: investing in toilets fit for the future, and ensuring that every person, in every place, can count on safe sanitation,” urged Dr. Rüdiger Krech, a senior director at WHO, in a statement quoted by Hindustan Times. The call isn’t just for more toilets, but for toilets that are resilient—able to withstand floods, droughts, and other climate shocks—and accessible to all, regardless of circumstance.
The origins of World Toilet Day trace back to Singaporean philanthropist Jack Sim, who founded the World Toilet Organization on November 19, 2001, to shine a spotlight on global sanitation challenges. The movement gained momentum in 2010 when the United Nations declared water and sanitation a human right. By July 2013, the UN officially designated November 19 as World Toilet Day, cementing its place on the international agenda.
According to MissionNewswire, this year’s campaign underscores the mounting pressures on toilets worldwide. Demand is rising, infrastructure is aging, and climate change is making the situation more unpredictable. As the UN puts it, “As time goes by, the pressure on sanitation is only increasing. Across the world, aging infrastructure is failing. Investment hasn’t kept pace with demand. And climate change is reshaping our world—with glaciers melting, weather worsening, and sea levels rising.”
One organization answering the call is Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Their “Clean Water Initiative” aims to ensure that every community they serve has access to clean water and proper sanitation. The initiative is a lifeline in places where the need is most acute.
In Assam, India, for example, Salesian missionaries installed a new borewell at Don Bosco College Chapaguri. This project, funded by the Clean Water Initiative, now provides a reliable water source to the college and the 100 students living in the hostel, reducing reliance on external supplies and improving campus hygiene. A careful survey identified the best spot for drilling, and a high-capacity submersible pump was installed to ensure efficient water extraction.
Meanwhile, in Nairobi, Kenya, Don Bosco Utume Salesian Theological College has unveiled new, modern bathrooms on their multi-use field—another Clean Water Initiative project. The previous facilities, over 25 years old, were no longer fit for purpose. The new block features sensor-flushing toilets to conserve water, as well as changing rooms, lockers, and showers. The field, rented out for community activities and used by the neighboring Karen Hospital, now has the infrastructure to support both revenue generation and public health.
In Mandalay, Myanmar, 60 boys at the Don Bosco Youth Center—many of whom live on the street and lack parental support—now benefit from a new building for bathrooms and showers. Father Ken Lian James, provincial economer, expressed gratitude in a letter to Salesian Missions: “Thanks to your kindness, we are now able to provide our boys with a safer, healthier environment, which also promotes ecological care and overall well-being. Your generous contribution has greatly uplifted the standard of our center and has been a true blessing for our brothers in need.”
Uganda’s Palabek Refugee Resettlement Camp, home to thousands living in precarious conditions, recently saw the installation of a high-capacity water tank at the Salesian Vocational Training School. The tank is set to benefit more than 750 students and workers, as well as the broader refugee population. While the tank is in place, additional funding is needed for pumps to make it fully operational. A Salesian involved in the project noted, “The lack of sufficient storage capacity weakens the water supply, significantly increasing the risk of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and cholera. The tank, once operational, will address this critical need by improving the availability, consistency, and quality of water distributed in the camp.”
The scale of the challenge varies widely by region. According to the World Population Review, Africa remains the most inadequately sanitized continent. Niger tops the list, with 65% of its population lacking toilets, followed closely by Chad (63%), South Sudan (60%), Benin (49%), and Sao Tome and Principe (42%). The top ten countries with the highest percentage of people without toilets are all African, underscoring the continent’s acute need for investment in sanitation infrastructure.
India’s Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), launched in 2014, stands as a model for national action. The campaign has led to the construction of millions of household and community toilets, aiming to eliminate open defecation and improve sanitation. The WHO credits the movement with reducing diarrheal deaths and enhancing the safety and dignity of women and girls—a reminder that toilets are about far more than convenience.
Despite these efforts, the numbers remain daunting. Only 58% of the global population uses a safely managed sanitation service—defined as an improved toilet not shared with other households and with safe disposal of excreta. An estimated 354 million people still practice open defecation, putting themselves and their communities at heightened risk of disease and harm, especially women and girls. By 2030, WHO and UNICEF warn, as many as 3 billion people may still lack safe toilets if current trends continue.
As World Toilet Day 2025 draws to a close, one message rings clear: the world cannot afford to ignore the humble toilet. It’s a frontline defense against disease, a pillar of dignity, and a basic human right. The path forward demands investment, innovation, and unwavering commitment—because, as the campaign says, we’ll always need the toilet.
