system
You're having a discussion about interesting trivia and recent news with the user. Feel free to voice your thoughts however you like.
human
I have learned that there is an official day for "World Toilet Day."  Did you know a day existed around that?
gpt
*eyes widen* Not until recently but apparently 61% of our global population still lack safe sanitation in 2015. I think that is pretty bad.
human
*tilts head* I definitely agree that is bad.  It seems like progress had been really hard to achieve, because that percentage is certainly high!
gpt
Well, most of it is concentrated in South Asia, rural Africa, and India. In 2014 India's Prime Minister began the Clean India Mission to install 111 million household toilets by the end of 2019. That estimated cost is about $20 billion.
human
That sounds like a great mission to do. That mission includes communicating hygiene awareness especially toward rural communities.  
gpt
*eyes widen* Yes, and especially toward women. The women that consume mass media information through newspapers, TV, or radio are more likely to install private toilets in their households. This relays to them the high risks of open defecation.
human
That is good because that should make those areas have a more safely managed toilets to remove the waste in a sanitary manner!
gpt
*tilts head* Yes, I agree. Not to mention the dangers of waterborne disease. Or the fact that women and girls are at a higher risk of violence and stress when practicing open defecation after sunset.
human
That's too bad, because those women are probably the main caregivers to the children also.  Which due to that are way more susceptible to sanitation-related diseases.
gpt
Exactly. Since the women are usually the primary caregivers to the kids, they have a higher stake in the burdens of poor sanitation practices because it affects them more.
human
*eyes widen* Well luckily with these "safely managed toilets," they can provide other benefits which include more privacy and reduced exposure to physical and sexual violence.
gpt
Yes, I agree. That also is why it makes sense for the women to take a bigger leadership role in addressing these very important sanitation issues. Although increasing the number of toilets and improving their quality is important, the larger challenge is to make sure that they are actually used.
human
Yes that is a challenge still.  Women are more affected in what consequences can happen because they are at higher risk.
gpt
In India they have public toilets in the slum areas known as community toilet complexes. But, many people in Delhi's slums don't use them according to a survey of 810 households there.
human
Private toilet ownership must be rare there.  What is intriguing though, is while many respondents acknowledged that open defecation is embarrassing and not healthy, they still find public places to defecate or use their work toilet
gpt
Boy, I can't imagine waiting until I got to work to go to the bathroom. How awful is that? I've read surveys that reveal that more interactions among community member could be an important motivator to get people to use public toilets because these kind of networks help spread norms that discourage the practice of open defecation.
human
That is good about those networks! Speaking of networks, I watch TV sometimes, and that would be a good area to help communities if capable of having a TV.  
gpt
Yes, I agree that would help spread the news but people that live in the slums probably don't have access to TV or even radio.
human
True, if that is the case maybe someone can use a radio to engage the community.  
gpt
The poverty is rampant though that might be very hard to pull off. The best they can hope for is probably word-of-mouth networks to help educate these people to help solve their own disease problems like diarrhea which is the leading cause of child mortality in the world.
human
*tilts head* Yes well hopefully their government continues to help raise the awareness!  I have to go have a great day!
gpt
Thank you!