Bauchi partners committed to provision of female friendly hygienic public toilets
From Abdullahi Idris,Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government in collaboration with Wateraid Nigeria committed to provide female friendly public and community toilets that are hygienic to the citizens in the State.
This medium reports that the stakeholders have conducted a toilet design workshop as part of their efforts to review existing toilets designs by various line Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs
Mrs Wando Akossu, the State team lead WaterAid Nigeria stated this while giving overview of impact Accelerator Project Workshop for Stakeholders weekend in Bauchi.
She said Bauchi Government and Stakeholders are determined to work assiduously on provision of female friendly public and community toilets that cater for menstrual hygiene management and other hygiene requirements.
“We need an inclusive , well designed neighborhood outdoor and public space to improve people’s health and quality of Life,” she said.
Akosu said the objective of the workshop was to identify gaps and improve on the new user’s center toilet designs which is tailored towards improving females, persons with disabilities, females and children.
According to her, the project was hinged on a user-centered design of public toilets with an objective of influencing the state government
“To provide toilet facilities that women and girls can use with dignity and without concerns using evidence from research,” she said.
Akosu explained that during the project implementation, accessibility and safety audit was conducted in 15 toilets in the motor parks and markets in the state.
“Some of the findings was that there were no separate toilet compartments for women, common entrance for men and women,
“No provision of separate compartments for menstrual hygiene and sanitary waste management, no access ramps for persons with disabilities to use Independently.,” She said.
Mr Ojelabi Mayokun, WaterAid Consultant in his presentation said when designing a toilet it should include accessibility and safety audit, climate resilience, financial considerations and Service Providers inputs.
He added that in the design of female-friendly toilets, it must be accessible, safe and privacy, affordable, cater for menstrual hygiene and meet the needs of care-givers.
The Stakeholders include WaterAid Nigeria implementation partners Women Development Association for Self-Sustenance (WODASS)
In another development,those in attendance are the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency(BASEPA),Bauchi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) among others.
The goal of the meeting was to provide the basic practices based on the globally acceptable standard on modern toilet facilities,personal hygiene education,safety and privacy accessibility.
