World Toilet Day2026 · Date · History · Messages · Quotes
A/RES/67/291
About World Toilet Day
World Toilet Day is observed on 19 November to raise awareness of the sanitation crisis and to encourage progress toward safe sanitation for all.
The campaign is coordinated within the UN system by UN-Water. It links sanitation with health, dignity, education, gender equality, environmental protection and resilient public services.
Why World Toilet Day matters
Safe sanitation depends on more than the presence of a toilet. Systems also need safe containment, treatment or disposal, hygiene, accessibility, maintenance and services that work for different users.
Because sanitation conditions and public-health statistics change, current figures should be refreshed rather than embedded permanently in evergreen history.
History of World Toilet Day
World Toilet Day was established by the World Toilet Organization and first celebrated on 19 November 2001.
On 24 July 2013, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/67/291, making the existing 19 November observance an official United Nations day rather than creating a new date from scratch.
The 2013 UN action also placed implementation of World Toilet Day in the “Sanitation for All” context and asked UN-Water, in consultation with relevant entities, to facilitate the observance.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
World Toilet Organization
World Toilet Day was founded by the World Toilet Organization on 19 November 2001, and the UN later retained 19 November when it recognized the observance in 2013.
World Toilet Organization (2001); United Nations General Assembly recognized it as an official UN observance in 2013
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/67/291
First documented observance
UN-Water states that World Toilet Day was established by the World Toilet Organization in 2001; the reviewed evidence records the first celebration on 19 November that year.
Recognized the existing 19 November World Toilet Day as an official United Nations observance in the context of Sanitation for All and assigned a facilitation role to UN-Water.
United Nations General Assembly · A/RES/67/291
UN-Water
UN-Water, the UN coordination mechanism for water and sanitation, coordinates the annual World Toilet Day campaign.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
2 fields not established in reviewed sources
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
How to Observe World Toilet Day
Learn how sanitation is managed locally, including who is responsible for public toilets, wastewater and safely managed services.
Audit a school, workplace or public venue for accessibility, privacy, handwashing and maintenance needs.
Use current UN-Water, WHO, UNICEF or competent national sources when presenting sanitation statistics.
Discuss the often-overlooked work of sanitation and wastewater workers with attention to safety and dignity.
Avoid stigmatizing communities that lack services; focus on infrastructure, rights, investment and practical solutions.
World Toilet Day Facts
World Toilet Day is observed on 19 November.
The World Toilet Organization established the observance in 2001.
The UN General Assembly recognized it as an official UN observance in 2013.
UN-Water coordinates the annual UN campaign.
Sanitation is connected with health, dignity, equality and environmental protection.
World Toilet Day Messages
On World Toilet Day, may awareness lead to informed discussion, practical action and respect for the communities at the heart of the observance.
May World Toilet Day encourage thoughtful participation, shared responsibility and action that continues after the observance ends.
Wishing everyone observing World Toilet Day a day of reflection, constructive dialogue and purposeful follow-through.
World Toilet Day Quotes
“The toilet is a mundane marvel. And access to one is a matter of rights, and survival.”
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
UN-Water — World Toilet Day (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/67/291 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/67/291 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — World Toilet Day (opens in a new tab)
World Toilet Organization — Our Movement (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — List of International Days and Weeks (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — Observances: who chooses them and how (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is World Toilet Day?
19 November The documented recurrence rule is: 19 November.
Does World Toilet Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is World Toilet Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United Nations / international observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes World Toilet Day?
The reviewed sources identify World Toilet Organization (2001); United Nations General Assembly recognized it as an official UN observance in 2013 as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as World Toilet Organization. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as UN-Water.
Is World Toilet Day international or country-specific?
The documented scope is international or global: United Nations / international observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-05.
Why is World Toilet Day on 19 November?
World Toilet Day was founded by the World Toilet Organization on 19 November 2001, and the UN later retained 19 November when it recognized the observance in 2013.
When did World Toilet Day become a United Nations observance?
The UN General Assembly recognized World Toilet Day in 2013 through resolution A/RES/67/291.
Who coordinates the UN campaign?
UN-Water, the UN coordination mechanism for water and sanitation, coordinates the annual World Toilet Day campaign.
How this differs from closely related observances
These distinctions use the cited evidence to clarify scope without treating related observances as identical.
Is World Toilet Day the same as World Water Day?
World Toilet Day on 19 November focuses on sanitation and safe toilet systems. World Water Day on 22 March is broader and centers on freshwater and water-related challenges.
Open World Water Day →Distinction sources
Other observances on November 19
These observances are also listed on November 19, 2026.
Día de la Puertorriqueñidad
Puerto Rico Law No. 91 of 1938, as amended, declares November 19 a holiday known as Día de la Puertorriqueñidad; current government calendar material also retains older discovery terminolog…
Garifuna Settlement Day
Belize Living Heritage/NICH documents Thomas Vincent Ramos’s 1941 founding role, 1943 regional recognition, 1977 nationwide extension/renaming and November 19 historical rationale.
Great American Smokeout®
The American Cancer Society hosts the Great American Smokeout on the third Thursday in November. ACS history identifies 18 November 1976 as the first official Smokeout in California and say…
International Men’s Day
The International Men’s Day organization states that the observance is marked each year on November 19 and confirms the 2026 edition and theme.
National Day
The Journal de Monaco explains that Prince Rainier III fixed 19 November as the Sovereign’s Feast from 1952 by Sovereign Ordinance no. 465 of 27 October 1951, choosing his enthronement day…
National Integration Day
Government of India Ministry of Home Affairs / Press Information Bureau