A Right to Pee

Mumbai, with 20 million inhabitants, has a unique problem. There are far too many people for the number of public toilets. In a city, where millions of people depend on public toilets, even a small amount to pay to urinate, can mean less food on the table or other necessities. In a slum known as Shivaji Nagar, there is one toilet for every 300 people. And, unlike men, women have to pay to urinate.

“Women must adapt their daily routines: Many visit the bathroom early in the morning to avoid lines and leering. They avoid drinking much water. And they carry change.” After months of canvassing and campaigning by social activists, the local government has agreed to build hundreds of public toilets for women across the city.



Reference: Yardley, Jim, In Mumbai, a Campaign Against Restroom Injustice, New York Times, June 14, 2012
 

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