NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 19 – A Kenyan non-governmental organisation is mobilising people to participate in the World’s Longest Toilet Queue this Saturday ahead of World Water Day on Monday.
Maji na Ufanisi supported by the African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (ANEW) said in a statement that the event would be held in Kibera Soweto East Village.
“This is a crucial moment in fighting against the global sanitation and water crisis that is killing 4,000 children every single day,” said the statement.
Around 500 people comprising communities, pupils and different institutions are scheduled to take part in the event to mark UN World Water Day and to stand in solidarity with 2.6 billion people worldwide who are still waiting in line to use a safe and dignified toilet.
“This event is taking place in many other countries across the world and by this in Kenya we will be calling the Government to think about the millions of Kenyans without access to safe water and sanitation, and to prioritise,” said ANEW.
Globally, the World’s Longest Toilet Queue will be pushing politicians to prioritise water and sanitation by committing aid and resources at the first High-Level Meeting on water and Sanitation to be held in April 2010 in Washington DC.
Lack of access to clean water and basic sanitation is killing more children than HIV/Aids, malaria and measles combined, said the NGO.
“Over half of hospital beds in developing countries are filled with people suffering diarrheal illnesses, while the UN estimates that half of girls stop attending primary schools in Africa because of the lack of safe and private toilets.”
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