Globally, India has the largest number of people, more than 620 million still defecating in the open. About half the population of India use toilets. 

With 44 per cent of mothers disposing their children’s faeces in the open, there is a very high risk of microbial contamination (bacteria, viruses, amoeba) of water which causes diarrhoea in children. 

Here's list of reasons to support our post 2015 Water and Sanitation petition:

1) Children weakened by frequent diarrhea episodes are more vulnerable to malnutrition, stunting, and opportunistic infections such as pneumonia. About 48 per cent of children in India are suffering from some degree of malnutrition. Diarrhea and worm infection are two major health conditions that affect school age children impacting their learning abilities. 

2) Although access to sanitation in rural India is improving, the increase is not equitable. Open defecation is still almost universal among the poorest 20% of the population.

3) Women and girls face shame and a loss of personal dignity and safety risk if there is no toilet at home. They have to wait for the night to relieve themselves to avoid being seen by others.

4) A very low proportion of the rural population in India uses improved sanitation (faciilities which ensure hygienic separation of human excreta from human contact). Almost 70 per cent do not have access to toilets in rural India.

5) There has been good progress in providing toilet and hand washing facilities in schools in India. The number of schools having toilet facility in India has increased from 0.6 million (52%) in 2005-06 to 1.14 million (84%) in 2010-11.

6) In Indian rural schools, toilet facility increased from 0.4 million schools (49%) in 2005-06 to 0.7 million schools (79%) in 2009-10, where they have at least one toilet facility. Almost 28 million school children across India do not have access to school toilet facilities.

7) The number of schools having separate toilet facility for girls is increased from 4.20 lakh (37.4%) in 2005-06 to 10.05 lakh (72.16%) in 2011-12. However, there are huge issues of quality of construction of these facilities, functionality and use.

8) Adolescent girls are especially vulnerable to dropping out, as many are reluctant to continue their schooling because toilet facilities are not private, not safe or simply not available. The number of schools in India having separate toilet facility for girls increased from 0.4 million (37%) in 2005-06 to 0.8 million (60%) in 2010. 

9) Adequate, well-maintained water supply and sanitation facilities in schools encourage children to attend school regularly and help them achieve their educational goals. Inadequate water supply and sanitation in schools are health hazards and affect school attendance, retention and educational performance.

10) India, at the current rate of progress will only achieve the sanitation target of MDG 7-c in 2054.

Please support Global Citizen's post 2015 Water and Sanitation petition to help countires like India achieve their goals.