With a clean tiled floor, a lock that works, a washbasin with a running water faucet, soap to wash our hands and face, and a flush that does its duty — this place is what we call a toilet or a restroom. A place so ordinary, almost unnoticeable. Yet, it is one of the greatest privileges we own without ever thinking of it as a big deal.

Before you read on, have you ever considered having a toilet a blessing? Perhaps never, because there is already so much happening around us that it’s hard to think of this ordinary space as a privilege or a blessing. However, for millions, this simple place with all the aforementioned features is a luxury they cannot afford — something they can only dream of.

World Toilet Day arrives each year on November 19, and like many global observances, it slips past us too. Perhaps this is the first time we are covering it on a larger scale, because Young World believes the youth really need to know the importance of sanitation and toilets for every individual on Earth.

Unfortunately, even in this advanced age where we talk about online shopping, new trends, travelling and eating out, nearly half the world still lacks safe sanitation facilities. Millions are still struggling to find a proper place to attend to their basic bodily needs.

When there are no toilets, the entire human cycle begins to break down. Public health, education and safety, everything falls into chaos.

Ordinary and unnoticed, a toilet is something we use every day — but for millions, it’s still a dream. Here’s why safe sanitation matters

Unfortunately, talking about sanitation and toilets is often seen as something impolite or unrefined. People get uncomfortable and, therefore, avoid it, which is why such important issues are left untreated and unsolved.

Why are there no toilets?

When we say “there are no toilets” in many parts of the country and the world, it literally means that proper toilets do not exist in those areas. The reasons are many.

Financial struggle:

In rural areas, there is financial strain due to low income, so people prioritise food and shelter above everything else. A toilet feels like a luxury — a separate room, plumbing and water, when they believe the outdoors can serve the same purpose. So the idea of building a toilet never becomes a priority.

Water shortage:

Water is scarce all around the world. Not just in urban areas, but villages also struggle to access clean water even for drinking and cooking, so using precious water for a toilet simply isn’t on their priority list.

Tradition and habit:

Some communities have been going out in the open for generations. For them, it’s just a normal routine. Having a toilet inside the house feels disgusting, because they consider the house to be neat and pure.

Lack of awareness:

Many people don’t see sanitation as a need. They prefer what they have continued from their forefathers, because they’ve always felt it’s easier than changing a system they don’t view as harmful.

But many do want a toilet, yet due to financial or practical constraints, they are forced to continue without one. The practice of going out into fields or bushes is still common, not only in Pakistan but in many underdeveloped countries around the world.

Like many other things, going outdoors may seem easier for men at any time of the day, but it’s harder for women. Yes, women often have no choice but to wait till sunset; when there’s no crowd, they make groups or pairs to go for the need. It sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. To avoid trips in the day, some women even drink less water. This sounds frustrating to imagine, but this is what their life is.

A moment that opened my eyes

I visited a friend in a rural region of Sindh some time ago. She taught at a local school. I didn’t know what to complain about, whether the education system, the lack of furniture, the dilapidated condition of the building, or the absence of basic human facilities like clean drinking water, let alone a toilet. Because there was none.

I did see a small brick room with a lock on it. It was a toilet, but because there was no proper plumbing or water, the drainage clogged within weeks and they locked it forever. There wasn’t even drinking water for the students.

When I asked why nothing was done, there were no answers. Just silence. Can you imagine growing up without something so simple, so basic, something every human should have?

The cost of ignoring sanitation

According to the United Nations, about 3.5 billion people don’t have toilets that actually work. Around 419 million people still go out in the open, with nothing at all. All of this ends up contaminating water and spreading deadly diseases like cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of children die just from drinking dirty water — water that is mixed with human waste.

And the worst part? It’s completely preventable. Yet it’s still happening because no one’s paying enough attention.

The blessing we forget

The world for us is different. We complain about slow Wi-Fi, an old phone, or a new food spot we haven’t tried. In all this, we never give a thought to the basics we already have. Do we? No, we never do.

We don’t wake up wondering where we’ll go. We don’t have to carry water from far away or hide in the bushes.

For some people, a toilet is not just a thing, it’s a dream. A symbol of progress. A sign that their lives are finally changing, and they can go to a place designed for this very purpose.

When you realise that, it really changes your perspective. You start feeling thankful for small things. You start noticing how lucky you are just to live cleanly, safely and with dignity. Change begins with understanding, and perhaps the first step is simply noticing what most of us never see.

Small actions matter

You’ve been spreading awareness about a greener world, pollution, wasting water and protecting our resources. Now it’s time to take one step further, to add one more point to that awareness campaign.

It’s about safe sanitation and toilets for all. Spread awareness about this privilege that you have and about those who still don’t, even in this era.

A thought for you

Look at the tiles, the toiletries, the clean water and the flush that really works with just one push. Think about how effortless that is for you — and how, for someone else, that simple act could change their entire life.

We often measure how “rich” we are by the things we own, such as phones, cars and clothes. But maybe real wealth is about not having to worry about the basic things. And that includes having clean water, a safe toilet and a roof over your head. In my opinion, that’s what real comfort is — and that’s what makes us truly rich.

Life is easy for most of us, so the first time you hear about World Toilet Day, you might laugh and think, “How can anyone celebrate a toilet?” But even if it seems funny, you already have what half the world is still dreaming of.

Sometimes the smallest things we take for granted mean everything to someone else.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 15th, 2025