Description

UNICEF correspondent Amy Bennett reports on "Stand Up for Those Who Can't Sit Down," an event sponsored by UNICEF and UN Water to promote awareness about the importance of safe sanitation.

Transcript

World Water Day 2008: Stand Up For Those Who Can't Sit Down Amy Bennett: You are watching UNICEF television. When was the last time you had to stand in a line this long for the bathroom? Female: Maybe at a marathon. Amy Bennett: And many parts of the world, a line this long would be luxury since there are no toilets to begin with. Male: And then there is no bathroom at all. People in their house, they don’t have a bathroom. To go the bathroom, they go behind the tree or something. Amy Bennett: Two out of five people around the world do not have a basic toilet. That’s 2.6 billion people who are toiletless. Terese Dooley: Currently this 2.6 billion people without access and let's remember its billion, not million. Amy Bennett: To bring awareness to this issue, dozens of ordinary -- spent their lunch hour in line for the restroom. In an event sponsored by UNICEF in -- water. Standing outside a portable toilet, the participants in the demonstration told to stand up for those who can't sit down held signs illustrating the enormity of the problem. Imagine all you have for a latrine is a tree and all you have for toilet paper are leaves which begs the question, where would you hide. Male: We were on a mission strip to Bihar, India and in that area, you’ll see people, you know, basically using the restroom anywhere they can go. Amy Bennett: If all the people wouldn’t toilets would stand in line, how long would that going to be? Female: Yeah, I would imagine many thousand times around the globe. Amy Bennett: For impatient New Yorkers a line that long just isn't a good idea. This is Amy Bennett reporting for UNICEF Television. Unite for children.