In the past, headlines narrated harrowing tales of women and girls facing harassment while relieving themselves in the open—a stark reality during the nation's sanitation crisis. However, a transformative shift occurred under PM Modi's leadership, focusing on providing access to toilets and safeguarding the dignity of women and girls.
PM Modi has been known to have touched upon topics that no other Prime Minister has. From the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day in 2014, he spoke of the plight of women who have been alien to the existence of a toilet in their home or neighbourhood, whose safety is compromised, who were raped or harassed or violated as they are forced to defecate in the open. This marked the beginning of a significant change.
Access to Toilets for All
Building toilets or ‘izzat ghars’ has been about providing the basic right of access to toilets to women and enhancing their convenience. Therefore, the success of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen can be measured in several ways. With over 11 crore toilets built under the scheme, over 80% of Indian villages are declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) and over 4.89 lakh villages across India have achieved the ODF plus status in 14 states and union territories. Moreover, 4 states and Union Territories have also achieved the ODF Plus Model status and demonstrated excellence in sanitation practices. This is a testament to the tremendous participation of people in the proper implementation of the scheme.
More toilets in schools translate to reduced absenteeism among girls and fewer girls dropping out of school and completing their education due to sanitation-related issues. More toilets in workplaces means more women who don’t opt out of workplaces due to lack of access to sanitation. Toilets have also opened up employment opportunities for women as masons, entrepreneurs and sanitation workers as women are more involved in the planning, implementation and monitoring of sanitation programmes. This has cumulatively impacted women-led development in the nation.
Urban Success
When PM Modi made the clarion call and asked Indians to participate in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and to help implement the Swachh Bharat Mission through Mann Ki Baat, people from all parts of the country answered and participated in large numbers. The success of the scheme can largely be attributed to the mass mobilization and people’s relentless efforts that have proven the transformative nature of Jan Bhagidari.
Urban India achieved the Open Defecation Free status, with all 4,715 Urban Local Bodies declared completely ODF. This underscores the nationwide success of the Swachh Bharat Mission, extending its positive impact on urban centres.
Educational Impact
From the time when girls were forced to drop out of school upon reaching puberty due to the lack of hygienic toilets, to the present when girls are encouraged to complete their education and pursue higher studies, India’s nari shakti has steadfastly proven that with the right opportunities and facilities, they are bound to shine.
Taking a comprehensive look at the numbers, we see that the female enrolment has increased to 2.01 crore from 1.88 crore in 2019-20. There has roughly been an increase of around 44 lakh since 2014-15. More and more girls are choosing to continue schooling and the percentage of female enrolment to the total enrolment has increased from 45% in 2014-15 to 49% in 2020-21.
Efforts are also in place to encourage building model schools called ‘Swachh Vidyalayas; to enhance access to essential facilities like drinking water, handwashing stations, toilets, and soap facilities within the school premises for students and staff. This in turn leads to favourable conditions within schools while promoting healthy hygienic practices and working towards preventing diseases.
Health and Safety
According to a study by UNICEF, it has come to light how the primary motivation of households surveyed about 80% wanted to acquire newly constructed toilets to enhance the safety of women and girls. This shows an active participation of families towards reducing instances of vulnerability for women and girls. Moreover, nearly 40% of households chose to construct toilets as a prospective measure against animal attacks such as snake and reptile bites and to curb diseases spread due to open defecation.
Another aspect which was highlighted by the survey conducted by UNICEF was that more than half of the households expressed a desire for toilets to prevent transmission of diseases linked to open defecation.
Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan has also been successful in raising awareness about menstrual hygiene management. The increase in sanitation facilities has contributed to better menstrual hygiene practices among women and girls whilst also ensuring an increase in awareness about menstrual hygiene management. According to the National Health and Family Survey-5, approximately 78% of women and girls in India use hygienic menstrual methods.
To conclude, PM Modi's commitment to building 'izzat ghars' has not just provided toilets; it has restored dignity, safety, and security for Nari Shakti. The Swachh Bharat movement stands as a testament to India's collective effort to ensure a cleaner, safer, and more empowered future for women and girls.
