Good hygiene practices can improve India’s GDP
We must find innovative ways of communicating with people and convincing them to adopt the toilet habit
Millions of Indians still defecate in the open. A practice that is linked to a host of conditions which ham per a child’ s right to survive and thrive. Di ar rho ea alone, for instance, kills 13 children under five in India every hour. Ultimately, this is a practice that is affecting the nation’s productivity and it’s GDP.
The prime minister himself has taken on this challenge and set a goal to end open defecation by October 2019. By setting such an ambitious and essential target, the Swacch B ha rat Mission( S BM) has been able to create a once-in-a-generation movement supported by the public and private sector as well as public budgets. The important role of civil society including traditional and religious leaders is crucial to creating awareness around this seemingly intractable problem. As a result, the strides this country has already made in creating open defecation free (ODF) villages is exemplary – to date, it stands at 39% of 6,30,000 villages. But there is still a huge challenge before us.
From UNICEF’s perspective, we need to focus on sustainable results for children; especially aspects such as improved hygiene practices, using toilet sand washing hands with soap. This is a complex issue in India where open defecation is a deeply rooted habit for many. We must therefore focus on innovative ways of communicating with and convincing people to adopt the habit of using a toilet. This can achieved by fostering social movements and creating the aspiration for every household to own and use a toilet.
UN ICE F’ s current commitment to focus on 15 states and 150 districts where the situation is most challenging, will be accelerated. A UNICEF study found that in a fully OD F environment, the economic benefits of sanitation per household outweigh the cumulative investment by 4.3 times over a 10- year period. There is clearly an overwhelming case for investments in improving sanitation access.
Over the coming months, our focus will be primarily on the most marginal is ed households and their children, including tribal communities, Dal its as well as those living in urban slums, drought and flood affected areas. Working with the poor est quintile of the population helps society to achieve the greatest return on investment. It also directly improves the dignity and safety of women which is an imperative for the socio-economic development of any country.
UN ICE F’ s commitment to equity–giving a fair chance in life to every child, especially those most disadvantaged–is built on the evidence and conviction that it is right in principle and right in practice. I strongly believe that the Swachh Bharat Movement, rooted in equity, will contribute to a healthy India.