Händewaschen mit Seife ist Pandemieschutz – in Deutschland und weltweit

Pressemeldung der German Toilet Organization:

Schülerinnen und Schüler beim Gruppenhändewaschen an einer Schule auf den Philippinen
(© GIZ, Fit for School Programm)

Berlin, 21.03.2020 – Die COVID-19 Pandemie greift um sich. Neuartige Viren oder Multiresistente Keime kennen keine Grenzen. Sie entstehen in der Regel dort, wo hygienische Mängel am gravierendsten sind. Obwohl führende Hygieneforscher dem Händewaschen mit Seife im Kampf gegen Pandemien eine ähnliche hohe Bedeutung wie dem Impfen zumessen, haben 36 % der Schulen weltweit keine Handwaschvorrichtungen. Die German Toilet Organization fordert, dass Deutschland die internationale Verantwortung annimmt und das Thema Hygiene auf die Agenda der G7 und ihrer EU Ratspräsidentschaft im zweiten Halbjahr dieses Jahres setzt. Continue reading “Händewaschen mit Seife ist Pandemieschutz – in Deutschland und weltweit”

#WorldToiletDay: School Pupils in Berlin Demand Safe Sanitation for Everyone Worldwide

the toilet exhibition tent in Berlin (©Wöhlert)

Dressed in suits, Berlin school students publicly demonstrated on the occasion of World Toilet Day 2019. They invited passers-by to a “toilet exhibition tent” at Potsdamer Platz in the heart of Germany’s capital. Inside the tent, a self-built, “inadequate” toilet demonstrated the poor sanitary conditions, which are reality in many parts of the world. Bottles of dirty water were handed out and a toilet-cake was on offer. The message: Toilets can save lives!

The students are highlighting the fact that the global community can only achieve their self-imposed development goals, if they show solidarity with those, who are most affected by the sanitation crisis: the elderly, sick, refugees, children, otherwise marginalised groups and all those affected by disasters who are most affected by the world’s sanitation crisis. Continue reading “#WorldToiletDay: School Pupils in Berlin Demand Safe Sanitation for Everyone Worldwide”

IncLOOsion: Students in Berlin demanded the inclusion of 4.5 billion people who have no access to safely managed sanitation

The following is a guest blog post by the German Toilet Organization of which this blog is a supporting member:

Berlin, 29 Nov 2017 – 11th grade students of Berlin’s Kaethe-Kollwitz-School surprised tourists at the city’s Brandenburg Gate with a flashmob and an ensuing “reverse-demonstration” on the occasion of the World Day of People with Disabilities. One student began proclaiming “Toilets save lives” in sign language – over and over again. With each repetition he was joined by more peers. And even passers-by joined in. Afterwards the group orbited Pariser Platz with a reverse demo, walking backwards to draw attention to the fact that not enough progress is being made concerning the issue of inclusive sanitation.

InKLOsion (IncLOOsion): Berlin students in front of the Brandenburger Tor demanded the inclusion of 4.5 billion people who have no access to safely managed sanitation. (src)

Continue reading “IncLOOsion: Students in Berlin demanded the inclusion of 4.5 billion people who have no access to safely managed sanitation”

World Food Day in Berlin

Pupils from Berlin celebrated World Food Day, connecting nutrition with sanitation, water and hygiene.
Pupils from Berlin celebrated World Food Day, connecting nutrition with sanitation, water and hygiene.

Together with pupils from Berlin, the German Toilet Organization celebrated World Food Day at the symbolic Worldtime Clock at Alexanderplatz, connecting nutrition with sanitation, water and hygiene. The pupils exhibited their crafts to the public, showing the serious influence of missing toilets on global hunger. 795 million people in the world are still suffering from hunger. One third of the world’s population does not have access to basic sanitation and good hygiene. Children under 5 years of age in particular suffer from chronic and life-threatening diarrheal diseases, which lead to deficiency of nutrition and permanent impairment of the mental and physical development. The World Health Organization estimates that 50% of all malnutrition goes to the account of poor sanitation, unclean water and poor hygiene. Thus, access to good toilets can make a significant contribution to eliminating hunger and malnutrition worldwide.

(guest post by German Toilet Org)

WORLD WATER DAY 2015 – #WASSERMARSCH

GTO_2015_WasserMarsch_fb-header_851x315

Members of the German WASH Network wrote in to inform us about their activities for World Water Day 2015:

“Under the slogan #WasserMarsch we will walk 4 km through Cologne starting at the Aachener Weiher and ending with a final announcement at the Bahnhofsvorplatz. Together we will fetch water at the Aachener Weiher with buckets and jerrycans (please bring something!) which are used in many countries to collect water. With a 4 km march through Cologne`s inner city we want to solidarise with the 780 million people worldwide who still do not have access to clean drinking water and have to walk this distance every day to get water. Water and sanitation are human rights and should be available for everybody – here in Europe and in the so-called developing countries as well as in crises, wars and catastrophes.”

The event will take place on March 21, 2015 at 2pm in Cologne, Germany. For more details, pls visit the Facebook event page!

P.S.: World Water Day 2015 is on March 22!