UPSC Prelims 2024 Question:

Consider the following statements regarding World Toilet Organization

1. It is one of the agencies of the United Nations.
2. World Toilet Summit, World Toilet Day and World Toilet College are the initiatives of this organization, to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis.
3. The main focus of its function is to grant funds to the least developed countries and developing countries to achieve the end of open defecation.
   
   

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation:    

World Toilet Organization (WTO): 

• It is a global non-profit dedicated to enhancing toilet and sanitation conditions worldwide founded on November 19, 2001. The WTO empowers individuals by providing education, training, and developing local market opportunities, enabling them to advocate for clean and safe sanitation facilities within their communities.
  
  
• WTO established World Toilet Day and the World Toilet Summit in 2001; this was followed by the World Toilet College in 2005. Through its various initiatives, WTO continues to provide an international platform for toilet associations, governments, academic institutions, foundations, UN agencies and corporate stakeholders to exchange knowledge and leverage media and corporate support to promote clean sanitation and public health policies. So, statement 2 is correct.
  
  
• It was granted consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 2013. The silence surrounding the sanitation crisis is beginning to break as evidenced by the Sustainable Development Goal’s inclusion of sanitation on its global development agenda. Sustainable Development Goal #6 calls for universal access to adequate and equitable sanitation and the end of open defecation by 2030. So, statement 1 is not correct.
  
  
• Granting funds to the least developed countries and developing countries to achieve the end of open defecation is not the main focus of WTO. So, statement 3 is not correct.
  
  

Therefore, option (1) is the correct answer.

Subject: Environment | Environmental Organisations and Conventions