The United Nations dedicated World Toilet Day to bring attention to the lack of sanitation for much of the world’s population.  Of the seven billion people in the world, 2.5 billion lack access to improved sanitation.  An alarming one billion people still have to defecate in the open.

World Toilet Day 2014 focuses on equality and dignity.  In particular, the campaign highlights how access to improved sanitation can also lead to a reduction in violence against women and girls.  Having to defecate in the open leaves women and girls exposed, especially when they have to wait until night falls because they lack access to privacy when using the toilet.

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the health and development crisis has claimed the lives of at least 10 million children under the age of five since 2000.  These deaths have been due to a lack of access to a basic toilet.  In addition, the absence of sanitation also leaves 1.8 million to drink fouled water.

It is estimated that 88 percent of mortality due to diarrhea can be attributed to a lack of sanitation, clean water, and hygiene.  Just last year, over half a million children died because they lacked those services.  It is alarming and concerning especially because these are preventable deaths.

Fortunately, it is not all doom and gloom.  There have been some improvements over the last two decades.  Between 1990 and 2012, 2.3 billion people gained access to an improved source of drinking water.  Also, fatalities from diarrheal disease fell from 1.5 million to 578,000.  Still, there is more work to be done and lives that can be saved.  World Toilet Day is one of the tools in this fight.