Ghana joined the global community in commemorating World Toilet Day 2025 on November 19, an observance emphasizing the urgent need for improved sanitation. Leading organizations, including Safe Water Network Ghana (SWN) and World Vision Ghana (WVG), highlighted the country’s persistent sanitation challenges under the global theme, “We’ll Always Need the Toilet.” The day underscored the importance of investing in robust sanitation systems as communities contend with population growth, infrastructure gaps, and the escalating impacts of climate change.

Safe Water Network Ghana stressed that sanitation is an essential human need, not a privilege. Despite progress, many households and institutions still struggle to access clean and reliable sanitation services, largely due to limited water supply. SWN has actively worked to bridge this gap, extending piped water connections to over 15,000 households, schools, clinics, and small businesses, benefiting more than 600,000 Ghanaians. These improvements empower communities to maintain cleaner environments, strengthen public health outcomes, and build climate resilience.

Charles Nimako, Country Director of SWN Ghana, emphasized the inseparable connection between safe water and sanitation, stating, “Every piped connection we deliver brings us closer to a future where every household and institution can maintain clean, dignified, and sustainable sanitation.” SWN reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with the government, private sector, and local communities to accelerate progress toward universal access to safe water and sanitation. The organization also thanked key partners, including the Government of Ghana, Stone Family Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, One Foundation, Helmsley Charitable Trust, and Uptime Global for their continued support.

Meanwhile, World Vision Ghana commemorated the day with a multi-sector summit, bringing together stakeholders from Ghana’s creative arts and media industries to explore strategies for promoting improved hygiene practices. The summit, themed “Reawakening the nation’s sanitation conscience: Unlocking the puzzle,” provided a collaborative platform to discuss interventions targeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for clean water and sanitation by 2030.

Participants deliberated on gaps within the national hygiene ecosystem, highlighting the need for collective action through advocacy, strategic partnerships, and public education. Yaw Attah Arhin, WASH Technical Specialist at WVG, emphasized these measures as essential to drive widespread behavioral change. A panel discussion featured prominent voices from the sector sharing insights on innovative communication approaches to influence public behavior effectively. Attendees included representatives from the Ghana Musicians Association, Ghana Film Makers Association and Actors, New Media Association, alongside key influencers and journalists.

World Vision Ghana expressed confidence that partnerships with creative and media practitioners will ignite a national movement, inspiring Ghanaians to adopt healthier hygiene practices and safeguard public health. Together, SWN Ghana and World Vision Ghana illustrate a multifaceted approach to solving Ghana’s sanitation challenges, combining infrastructure development, advocacy campaigns, and community engagement to ensure every citizen has access to dignified and sustainable sanitation, thereby improving health outcomes and climate resilience nationwide.