Urgent need for accessible toilets with adequate water facilities, handwashing stations & sanitary pad dispensers should be addressed to support people with disabilities, women and other marginalized groups: Disability Rights Activist Swagat Jhankar Mallick

Bhubaneswar(19/11/2024): The World Toilet Day 2024, was jointly observed by over 400 community representatives, students, CSO partners, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), and CFAR. The day began with a Pride March flagged off by Ananta Narayana Jena, MLA, Madhyam, Bhubaneswar, with Manjulata Kanhar, Deputy Mayor, BMC; Dr.Manoranjan Sahu, Sub-Collector, Bhubaneswar; and local corporators.

In his inaugural speech, Ananta Narayana Jena praised the communities, CFAR, and BMC for their progress “in ensuring safe household toilets, freeing the city from open defecation, and contributing to Smart Bhubaneswar.” Delivering the presidential address, Dr.Krushna Chandra Mohapatra, Cabinet Minister of Housing and Urban Development, spoke about the critical role of World Toilet Day in achieving the goals of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

“I commend CFAR and BMC for their tireless efforts in building public toilets, as this will contribute to ensuring health, safety, and overall progress in Bhubaneswar,” he said.

The Minister also released two songs written by the Community Callers Club and published on Janhit Vaani, celebrating the spirit of World Toilet Day 2024 for wider dissemination Ratnakar Sahoo, Additional Commissioner, BMC, emphasized the importance of toilets for dignity, safety, and progress, especially for women and girls.

“For me the key markers for sustainable and inclusive sanitation are dignity, progress, and equity for all citizen", he said. Meghna Sahoo, Chairperson of the Third Gender Welfare Trust, advocated for gender-inclusive public toilets for trans persons.

She said, “I appeal to the government to take this forward in mission mode.” Resonating this, Meera Parida, Founder of SAKHA, highlighted that toilets are a basic human right.

“We need sustained advocacy to ensure sanitation is safe, inclusive, and accessible for everyone, so that we do not leave anyone behind,” she added. Ganesh Parida, TSU, BMC, spoke about the importance of going “Beyond Toilets” by focusing on fecal sludge management.

He applauded the TG Sweekruti SHG for managing the city’s Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant, contributing to making Odisha the second-ranked state for clean toilets in India. Dr.Chayanika Mishra, State Program Manager, UNFPA, highlighted the strong connection between sanitation, health, and peace.

"I encourage all of us to prioritize sanitation as a means to maintain health and foster societal harmony," she said. Rani Kinner, transgender rights activist, reiterated Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of safe sanitation and urged participants to transform this vision into actionable policies.

“We need inclusive and equitable sanitation for marginalized communities, including trans men and trans women,” she said.

Swagat Jhankar Mallick, Disability Rights Activist, added, "We must address the urgent need for accessible toilets with adequate water facilities, handwashing stations, and sanitary pad dispensers to support people with disabilities, women, and other marginalized groups.” Sachikant Pradhan from The Humanity, stressed the need for child-friendly toilets and shared that “promoting health and safe sanitation practices among children is very important.” Bikash Pati from WaterAid Expert, appreciated CFAR’s contribution to promoting behavior change and climate-resilient toilets.

He added, “Effective and climate-resilient sanitation includes resilient infrastructure, accessible design, and safe management practices.” Sudarshan Chhotray from Focus Odisha Foundation urged the audience to contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 6 by focusing on ensuring safe drinking water and sanitation for all collectively. Samir Ranjan Dash from State Lead, thanked the collaboration between the community, BMC, and MSF partners in ensuring safe and inclusive sanitation.

He said, “There is a need to strengthen our collective efforts to achieve climate-resilient and inclusive sanitation and to provide support to the community.” The event concluded with the felicitation of community champions and multi-stakeholder partner CSOs by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Nearly 400 community members, partners and officials attended this event which is a part of two-city intervention of CFAR titled,” Building Climate-resilient WASH for Climate Impacted Vulnerable Populations,” supported by Water for Women, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government .