Hansard

I thank lain Gray for securing today’s debate and for recognising the importance of the issue to the public. Access to toilets is something that the majority of us in Scotland take for granted but proper sanitation has a major impact on people’s health, dignity and safety. That is especially true for girls and women around the world.

I was surprised to learn that 2.5 billion people do not have access to proper sanitation or toilets and that in 45 countries fewer than half the population have access to adequate sanitation. When preparing this speech, I took a look at the World Bank statistics on those countries and I was surprised to see India on that list. According to the data, only 40 per cent of the population has access to improved sanitation facilities. Another country on the list is Malawi, with 41 per cent access.

Improved sanitation is often a neglected area of investment when resources are scarce. It is generally seen as a result of economic growth, not as something that can enable growth. Countries with large and growing populations, such as India, have many challenges in improving sanitation, especially in rural areas. I have spent significant amounts of time in rural areas of India and Pakistan and I have seen for myself the impact that improved sanitation has on communities.

It is not just a matter of building sanitation facilities; we also need to encourage people to use the toilets and educate people on hygiene issues such as washing their hands properly, which has already been mentioned. We are basically asking people to break the habit of a lifetime and that is not easy.

The focus on gender equality is very important. In the absence of proper facilities, when seeking privacy, women might decide to go the toilet in the early morning hours or in the dark evenings. If women and girls are forced to manage their needs in the open, such as by the roadside after dark or in a field at dawn, they are particularly vulnerable to violence.

On another note, I congratulate Iain Gray’s constituent, Grace Warnock, on her campaign for better signs for accessible toilets. At a time when many local authorities are no longer providing public toilets, it is important that we provide accessible facilities for those in need. Many businesses display signs stating that facilities are for paying customers or for customers only. However, that causes problems for people who may not be visibly disabled but who need the toilet more frequently than others. I suggest that, in future, when businesses provide facilities, they should be open to all.

I congratulate Grace Warnock on her initiative and I wish her every success in it. I hope that the minister will take on board her suggestions, which were supported so validly by Iain Gray. I hope that we can change things for the people of Scotland and display to the rest of the world how the Scottish nation can, once again, lead on the issue.