India: empowerment through toilets?

In India, only 30% of the population has toilets in their homes. Not having a toilet takes a heavy toll on women. Women risk their health and security by waiting until late at night or early in the morning to seek privacy. Reporter Will Everett shares one woman’s effort to bring toilets to homes in northern India.

In densely packed urban slums, having a private toilet is not always an option. Slum Dwellers International’s Celine D’Cruz explains how slum residents have used community toilet blocks to improve sanitation, communication--and even to prevent gentrification.

The group WaterAid has helped with the Indian government’s campaign to encourage toilets as a precondition for marriage—No Toilet, No Bride. Country Director Lourdes Baptista says toilets not only help women’s health—they also help girls get an education. He explains WaterAid’s efforts to make sure there are good bathrooms for girls in schools.