00:00 [Music]
00:15 A toilet is more than just a convenience.
00:27 Some call it a private room for reflection.
00:30 Others call it the ultimate architectural element.
00:33 Some people have never used a toilet.
00:36 Around the world, fewer than one in three persons have access to one.
00:42 More people in the world have access to a mobile phone than toilets.
00:47 People who take it for granted to have a toilet in their home,
00:50 in their school or their office,
00:52 don't think about all the benefits that come with that small private space.
00:57 A toilet can reduce illness, save money, and even impact safety and education.
01:04 Access to school toilets increases the girls' enrolment by 11%.
01:10 Today, about half of all girls worldwide attend schools without toilets.
01:17 That means that when they reach puberty and start to menstruate,
01:20 they have no place to go to change their cloth pads.
01:23 And this makes many of the girls drop out.
01:26 Also, at home, menstruating or just having to pee can be a huge problem for women and girls.
01:33 In some countries, it is not even acceptable for a woman to relieve herself during the day.
01:39 Women have to hold their bladders and wait for hours for nightfall just to have privacy.
01:45 Sometimes they have to travel long distances alone in the dark,
01:49 putting themselves at risk of sexual harassment or rape.
01:54 Access to water and sanitation is a human right that can save lives.
01:59 Lack of sanitation is the cause of death for 3.5 million people every year.
02:05 3.5 million people.
02:08 That is the equivalent of the population of Sydney.
02:12 For every $1 spent on sanitation, there is a $5.50 economic return from keeping people healthy and productive.
02:23 Now that's worth some reflection next time you go to the private room.
02:28 [Music]
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