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- 1 in 3 people worldwide don’t have access to a toilet
- Each year, nearly 1 million people are killed by water, sanitation, and hygiene-related diseases
- Women who defecate in the open are twice as likely to experience sexual violence
Today, Harpic have launched its ‘More than a toilet’ campaign to support Water.org in its effort to end the water and sanitation crisis around the world. They will be raising awareness and funds to support the international non-profit co-founded by Matt Damon and Gary White in time for World Toilet Day on Monday 19th November 2018. In addition, their parent company, RB, has donated $1 million to Water.org’s efforts to change lives.
The campaign aims to bring to light the exceedingly high number of people in India and other developing countries living without access to basic sanitation and highlight the alarming effect this has on people’s health, safety and education.
The ‘More than a toilet’ campaign was announced yesterday (18th October) at One Young World: a summit that discusses and shares innovative solutions for the pressing issues the world faces, attended previously by Meghan Markle, Emma Watson, Bob Geldof and Cher.
To launch, Harpic will announce that the toilets at the summit will not be available to use, before premiering their campaign film (available to view here: https://bit.ly/2RTtaRp). The stunt seeks to bring attention to the reality billions of people face and create a moment in which attendees realize that something we do every day looks very different for many people around the world.
Figures by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and International Telecommunications Union reveal that there are more people in the world with access to a mobile phone than a toilet. 1 in 3, that’s 2.3 billion people, do not have access to a toilet, with a staggering 892 million people defecating in the open; putting their health and safety at risk.
For billions of people, not having access to a toilet can be incredibly dangerous and comes with many risks, with nearly 1 million people being killed by water, sanitation, and hygiene-related diseases each year.
Mong, a mother in Cambodia, describes life before Water.org enabled her family to install a toilet at home: “Our daughters were always at risk of unwanted attacks at night, and my kids could get bit by snakes when they walked to find water or defecate. It scared them, and me.”
Women living without access to a toilet are twice as likely to experience sexual violence when defecating in the open, and along with their children, can spend hours each day finding a place to go. Time that could be spent at school and work.
Harpic, the leading toilet cleaner in India, are campaigning to end the water and sanitation crisis by encouraging the public to join the movement, contribute and donate at https://water.org/morethanatoilet/ to fund a toilet and change a life.
Global Category Director at Harpic; Alice Moore says “We are very grateful to be working towards Water.org’s efforts to end the water and sanitation crisis around the world. It is exceptionally shocking to see just how many people around the world are still living without access to basic sanitation and the worrying effect this has on their health, safety and education. We are so passionate about our ‘More than a toilet’ campaign and the positive contribution we at Harpic can make through raising awareness and fundraising, alongside RB’s $1 million donation.”
About Water.org
Water.org is an international non-profit organization that has positively transformed millions of lives around the world through access to safe water and sanitation. Founded by Gary White and Matt Damon, Water.org pioneers market-driven financial solutions to the global water crisis. For more than 25 years, they've been providing families with hope, health and the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. Learn more at https://water.org/
The Water Crisis: https://water.org/our-impact/water-crisis/
Download Water.Org's key water and sanitation crisis facts: https://water.org/about-us/resources/
About Harpic
Launched in England in the 1920s, our toilet bowl cleaner has been successfully developed and is now in 47 countries. We provide a full range of liquid toilet bowl cleaners, tablets, wipes, toilet bowl blocks, cistern blocks.
About RB
RB is the global leading consumer health, hygiene and home company. Driven by a purpose to build healthier lives and happier homes, RB has operations in over 60 countries. From the foundations of wellness and infant nutrition, to the fundamentals of a hygienic home, our global brands help people live healthier, happier lives. RB has world leading Powerbrands which include household names such as Enfamil, Nutramigen, Nurofen, Strepsils, Gaviscon, Mucinex, Durex, Scholl, Clearasil, Lysol, Dettol, Veet, Harpic, Cillit Bang, Mortein, Finish, Vanish, Calgon, Woolite and Air Wick. RB’s unique culture is at the heart of its success. Its drive to achieve, passion to outperform and commitment to quality and scientific excellence are manifested in the work of over 40,000 RB employees worldwide.
Sources
Statistic revealing there are more people in the world with access to a mobile phone than a toilet was created based on:
Over 7B cellular phone subscriptions.
7.3B people – 2.3B lack toilets = 5.2B with toilets
From the following sources:
(Source 1) Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation: 2017 Update and SDG Baselines. World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), 2017.
(Source 2) The World in 2015 ICT Facts and Figures. International Telecommunication Union, 2015.
Ends
B-roll and other materials will also be made available on Red Robots MediaGRAB:https://www.mediagrab.press/presskit/Water.org
Broadcasters Contact:
paul@redrobot.org
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1. Campaign Film
2. Matt Damon introduces video at One Young World
3. Toilet Takover at One Young World
4. Reactions from One Young World
5. Infographics
6. water.org video
7. Graphic case studies
18 October 2018
