In many urban areas of India, families live in old, one-room houses. The houses do not have toilets, so everyone is forced to rely on public toilets that are shared by several families.
No one is responsible for maintaining the toilets, but when the drainage gets blocked, the whole community pools money to fix it. The toilets are dirty and degraded.
The lack of dignity makes using these facilities a harrowing experience for young women.
“There are no proper latches in the toilet; one of us has to hold the door for the person inside. So, I cannot go alone,” says Nisha, a 13-year-old girl.
The public toilets are also very unsafe for girls, especially at night. They are often harassed by men on their way to use the facilities. But, without a toilet at home, girls in urban areas have no choice.
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