Cambodians Need More Toilets

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Re: Cambodians Need More Toilets

Post by hdgh29 »

AndyKK wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 1:37 pm
Tootsfriend wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 12:34 pm
AndyKK wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 12:05 pm It would be an amazing achievement to stop open defecation. Maybe in the main cities it will be achievable, but I think overall the problem will be the effectiveness of the sewer systems that will have to cope. Also there's the certain individuals, mainly driver's, tuk-tuk and truck driver's, maybe fines should be in order.
But for the countryside it would be more difficult because of the toilet having inadequate waste management.
I can remember 10 years ago or maybe longer there was a law bought in with fines to stop urinating in a public place. Just like traffic laws, they are there, it's the enforcement of the laws that is the problem.
Yes, I remember that time when the law came into force too. You are so right about the law enforcement, then it is the authority that is failing.
Is this a case of people trying to impose Western values on traditional societies? I have been all over Angkor and I dont recall seeing any toilets, open defecation is a tradition going back thousands of years, then Johnny white man comes along and says, oh no, we humans are better than that, you must stop or you will get sick. Its just a missionary imposition.
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Re: Cambodians Need More Toilets

Post by nemo »

hdgh29 wrote: Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:21 pm
AndyKK wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 1:37 pm
Tootsfriend wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 12:34 pm
AndyKK wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 12:05 pm It would be an amazing achievement to stop open defecation. Maybe in the main cities it will be achievable, but I think overall the problem will be the effectiveness of the sewer systems that will have to cope. Also there's the certain individuals, mainly driver's, tuk-tuk and truck driver's, maybe fines should be in order.
But for the countryside it would be more difficult because of the toilet having inadequate waste management.
I can remember 10 years ago or maybe longer there was a law bought in with fines to stop urinating in a public place. Just like traffic laws, they are there, it's the enforcement of the laws that is the problem.
Yes, I remember that time when the law came into force too. You are so right about the law enforcement, then it is the authority that is failing.
Is this a case of people trying to impose Western values on traditional societies? I have been all over Angkor and I dont recall seeing any toilets, open defecation is a tradition going back thousands of years, then Johnny white man comes along and says, oh no, we humans are better than that, you must stop or you will get sick. Its just a missionary imposition.
In 2020, 54% of the global population (4.2 billion people) used a safely managed sanitation service.
Over 1.7 billion people still do not have basic sanitation services, such as private toilets or latrines.
Of these, 494 million still defecate in the open, for example in street gutters, behind bushes or into open bodies of water.
In 2020, 45% of the household wastewater generated globally was discharged without safe treatment.
At least 10% of the world’s population is thought to consume food irrigated by wastewater.
Poor sanitation is linked to transmission of diarrhoeal diseases such as cholera and dysentery, as well as typhoid, intestinal worm infections and polio. Poor exacerbates stunting and contributes to the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Poor sanitation reduces human well-being, social and economic development due to impacts such as anxiety, risk of sexual assault, and lost opportunities for education and work.
Overview
Some 829 000 people in low- and middle-income countries die as a result of inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene each year, representing 60% of total diarrhoeal deaths. Poor sanitation is believed to be the main cause in some 432 000 of these deaths and is a major factor in several neglected tropical diseases, including intestinal worms, schistosomiasis, and trachoma. Poor sanitation also contributes to malnutrition.

In 2020, 54% of the global population (4.2 billion people) used a safely managed sanitation service; 34% (2.6 billion people) used private sanitation facilities connected to sewers from which wastewater was treated; 20% (1.6 billion people) used toilets or latrines where excreta were safely disposed of in situ; and 78% of the world’s population (6.1 billion people) used at least a basic sanitation service.

Diarrhoea remains a major killer but is largely preventable. Better water, sanitation, and hygiene could prevent the deaths of 297 000 children aged under 5 years each year.

Open defecation perpetuates a vicious cycle of disease and poverty. The countries where open defection is most widespread have the highest number of deaths of children aged under 5 years as well as the highest levels of malnutrition and poverty, and big disparities of wealth.



Benefits of improving sanitation


Benefits of improved sanitation extend well beyond reducing the risk of diarrhoea. These include:

reducing the spread of intestinal worms, schistosomiasis and trachoma, which are neglected tropical diseases that cause suffering for millions;
reducing the severity and impact of malnutrition;
promoting dignity and boosting safety, particularly among women and girls;
promoting school attendance: girls’ school attendance is particularly boosted by the provision of separate sanitary facilities;
reducing the spread of antimicrobial resistance;
potential recovery of water, renewable energy and nutrients from faecal waste; and
potential to mitigate water scarcity through safe use of wastewater for irrigation especially in areas most affected by climate change.
A WHO study in 2012 calculated that for every US$ 1.00 invested in sanitation, there was a return of US$ 5.50 in lower health costs, more productivity and fewer premature deaths.



Challenges


In 2013, the UN Deputy Secretary-General issued a call to action on sanitation that included the elimination of open defecation by 2025. The world is on track to eliminate open defecation by 2030, if not by 2025, but historical rates of progress would need to double for the world to achieve universal coverage with basic sanitation services by 2030. To achieve universal safely managed services, rates would need to quadruple.

The situation of the urban poor poses a growing challenge as they live increasingly in cities where sewerage is precarious or non-existent and space for toilets and removal of waste is at a premium. Inequalities in access are compounded when sewage removed from wealthier households is discharged into storm drains, waterways or landfills, polluting poor residential areas. Globally, approximately half of all wastewater is discharged partially treated or untreated directly into rivers, lakes or the ocean.

Wastewater is increasingly seen as a resource providing reliable water and nutrients for food production to feed growing urban populations. Yet this requires regulatory oversight and public education. Inadequately treated wastewater is estimated to be used to irrigate croplands in peri-urban areas covering approximately 36 million hectares (equivalent to the size of Germany).

In 2019 UN-Water launched the SDG6 global acceleration framework (GAF). On World Toilet Day 2020, WHO and UNICEF launched the State of the world’s sanitation report laying out the scale of the challenge in terms of health impact, sanitation coverage, progress, policy and investment and also laying out an acceleration agenda for sanitation under the GAF.

WHO response


In 2010, the UN General Assembly recognized access to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right and called for international efforts to help countries to provide safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinkinAnitg water and sanitation. Sustainable Development Goal target 6.2 calls for adequate and equitable sanitation for all.

As the international authority on public health, WHO leads global efforts to prevent transmission of diseases, advising governments on health-based regulation and service delivery. On sanitation, WHO monitors global burden of disease and the level of sanitation access and analyses what helps and hinders progress. Such monitoring gives Member States and donors global data to help decide how to invest in providing toilets and ensuring safe management of wastewater and excreta.

WHO works with partners on promoting effective risk assessment and management practices for sanitation in communities and health facilities through the WHO Guidelines on sanitation and health, safe use of wastewater, recreational water quality and promotion of sanitation safety planning and sanitary inspections. WHO also supports collaboration between WASH and health programmes such as neglected tropical diseases, cholera, polio and antimicrobial resistance. Aspect of climate resilience are incorporated in all WHO sanitation guidance documents.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-shee ... sanitation
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Re: Cambodians Need More Toilets

Post by Clutch Cargo »

hdgh29 wrote: Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:21 pm
AndyKK wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 1:37 pm
Tootsfriend wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 12:34 pm
AndyKK wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 12:05 pm It would be an amazing achievement to stop open defecation. Maybe in the main cities it will be achievable, but I think overall the problem will be the effectiveness of the sewer systems that will have to cope. Also there's the certain individuals, mainly driver's, tuk-tuk and truck driver's, maybe fines should be in order.
But for the countryside it would be more difficult because of the toilet having inadequate waste management.
I can remember 10 years ago or maybe longer there was a law bought in with fines to stop urinating in a public place. Just like traffic laws, they are there, it's the enforcement of the laws that is the problem.
Yes, I remember that time when the law came into force too. You are so right about the law enforcement, then it is the authority that is failing.
Is this a case of people trying to impose Western values on traditional societies? I have been all over Angkor and I dont recall seeing any toilets, open defecation is a tradition going back thousands of years, then Johnny white man comes along and says, oh no, we humans are better than that, you must stop or you will get sick. Its just a missionary imposition.
I think a case of many comparing developed with developing society values.
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Re: Cambodians Need More Toilets

Post by Freightdog »

hdgh29 wrote: Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:21 pm Is this a case of people trying to impose Western values on traditional societies? I have been all over Angkor and I dont recall seeing any toilets, open defecation is a tradition going back thousands of years, then Johnny white man comes along and says, oh no, we humans are better than that, you must stop or you will get sick. Its just a missionary imposition.
More likely, those in a more developed country being able to identify the shortfalls, and wanting to do something about it. Not every observation about a developing nation needs to be labelled with racist undertones. Children drinking dirty water out of sheer necessity is still wrong, irrespective of whether they have brown, black, yellow or white skin. It's very easy to blame Johnny white man for trying to do something, just as much as it is easy to blame the same person for not doing something.
Clutch Cargo wrote: Wed Apr 13, 2022 8:47 pm
I think a case of many comparing developed with developing society values.
I don't think either of those is true or even fair, in the context of the underlying problem.

It might be wrong to expect a certain level of understanding in the short term, without appropriate education or development, and overcoming other barriers to understanding. But poor water quality and poor sanitation have been well documented for quite some time. If it happens that some bigot stands up and proclaims that people in certain regions do this or that because of colour, that would be wrong. It doesn't alter the argument, it's just one more barrier or distraction to acceptance.

Does Cambodia need more toilets? Or does it need better education and some self control?
Go to a pub in the UK, and you'll no doubt find someone relieving themselves in a dark corner somewhere.
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Re: Cambodians Need More Toilets

Post by John Bingham »

hdgh29 wrote: Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:21 pm I have been all over Angkor and I dont recall seeing any toilets.
I've been all over there a few times. There are plenty of toilets there. There is a modern block of them about 100 meters south of the main Angkor Wat temple for example. There are loads of them in the car park area to the east. Maybe you expected that there would be toilets along the main causeway and in the temples? That's not going to happen. :?
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Re: Cambodians Need More Toilets

Post by AndyKK »

hdgh29 wrote: Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:21 pm
AndyKK wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 1:37 pm
Tootsfriend wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 12:34 pm
AndyKK wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 12:05 pm It would be an amazing achievement to stop open defecation. Maybe in the main cities it will be achievable, but I think overall the problem will be the effectiveness of the sewer systems that will have to cope. Also there's the certain individuals, mainly driver's, tuk-tuk and truck driver's, maybe fines should be in order.
But for the countryside it would be more difficult because of the toilet having inadequate waste management.
I can remember 10 years ago or maybe longer there was a law bought in with fines to stop urinating in a public place. Just like traffic laws, they are there, it's the enforcement of the laws that is the problem.
Yes, I remember that time when the law came into force too. You are so right about the law enforcement, then it is the authority that is failing.
Is this a case of people trying to impose Western values on traditional societies? I have been all over Angkor and I dont recall seeing any toilets, open defecation is a tradition going back thousands of years, then Johnny white man comes along and says, oh no, we humans are better than that, you must stop or you will get sick. Its just a missionary imposition.
This is nothing of western values, it is simply hygiene.
But I would say you need to teach people about cleaning any public toilet.
Have you ever been to a public toilet in a government hospital?
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Re: Cambodians Need More Toilets

Post by Pseudonomdeplume »

truffledog wrote: Sat Dec 26, 2020 9:19 pm coming soon..

Image

started already in Thailand and Vietnam..anybody interested in the Cambodia franchise?

http://www.misterloo.com/
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Re: Cambodians Need More Toilets

Post by Pseudonomdeplume »

Tuktuk drivers, and others, piss on the street and I nearly tried to explain that apart from hygiene, it stinks with no rain due for awhile. But I didn't know any of those words in Khmer.

I also figured there wasn't any alternative, other than as far from my place as poss, and if I said at home, he could say "I am home. Where are you?"
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Re: Cambodians Need More Toilets

Post by Clutch Cargo »

I'm sure khmers would ideally love to have clean and available toilets (private or public).

However seems to me that until this country lifts it's standards beyond that of a developing country, many folk here will continue to not have proper toilet facilities and sewerage systems due to economic circumstances. As far as public toilets are concerned, there are presumably limited resources and $$ to have a better situation that westerners are generally accustomed to. Or a case of public funds are not used equitably.

When I first came to Cambodia I was shocked to hear of the standards in the public hospitals in that relatives of the sick have to take care of the patient's every basic need ie food, washing, clean clothes et al. Seems to me it's a case of being under resourced both of having sufficient staff and funds to run it to a better standard. Sad but it is what it is at the moment and in time, I hope it can improve with more resources devoted to public toilets and hospitals imho.
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Re: Cambodians Need More Toilets

Post by John Bingham »

Pseudonomdeplume wrote: Thu Apr 14, 2022 4:30 pm Tuktuk drivers, and others, piss on the street and I nearly tried to explain that apart from hygiene, it stinks with no rain due for awhile. But I didn't know any of those words in Khmer.

I also figured there wasn't any alternative, other than as far from my place as poss, and if I said at home, he could say "I am home. Where are you?"
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