Be a part of The Big Squat

November 19 is World Toilet Day. To help raise awareness for the 2.5 billion people who don't have access to sanitation, thousands of people are going to squat for one minute.

All over the world, in malls, in offices, on city streets - everywhere you turn, people will be squatting. And we want you to take part! The Big Squat is just one of many World Toilet Day events. Check them all out here.

Start a Squat Squad or find one near you
Participating in the Big Squat is simple. Simply squat for one minute in a highly visible location, and then have a plan to explain to anyone who notices WHY you're all squatting. We have flyers you can hand out that give all the details in our Big Squat Toolbox.

What is the relevance of squatting?
Squatting is actually a very healthy bathroom stance, but it's also a symbol of the problems in the developing world, where a lack of sanitation forces people to squat in fields, on train tracks, or in other open places. Open defecation is actually one of the worst problems facing the developing world:

1. Open defecation spreads disease.
   With open defecation, people accidentally create breeding grounds for disease. That's why 1.8 million people die from fecally-transmitted diseases every year.
2. Open defecation hurts women the most.
   Open defecation threatens absolutely everyone, but women have further problems: in many developing countries, modesty forces women to poop in the fields before sunrise, or to hold it until after the sun sets. Imagine if you weren't allowed to relieve yourself during daylight hours, no matter how bad you wanted to go! What's more, many cases of rape occur in these dark and deserted areas.

This is a very important cause. And all you have to do to spread the word is squat! Visit our Big Squat Toolkit to get started.