New Delhi:
An overwhelming percentage of rural women who have no access to toilets at home
face the risk of being raped, the government has admitted ahead of a conference to review sanitation situation in the country.
"Sexual harassment and rape are a risk for many women who without a household toilet have to wait until nightfall to seek the privacy of darkness outside to relieve themselves," says the Centre's note on 'Swachh Bharat Mission' distributed to state ministers for discussion as they in New Delhi on Monday.
The note prepared by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation emphasised the need for sanitation, saying while having a toilet is important for everyone, access to safe, clean toilets brings particular benefits to women and girls.
The Ministry has prepared the note after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech, laid stress on "dignity of women" and pitched for making provisions for building toilets wherein women should not defecate in open.
The note says separate toilets at school mean more girls are likely to attend and continue even after puberty to complete their education.
The note also puts emphasis on changing the attitudes in rural India towards indoor toilets.
The Centre says many of the rural Indians already have a toilet but prefer to defecate in the open.
"The biggest challenge therefore is triggering behaviour change in vast section of rural population regarding need to use toilets. Changing mindset is very important," it says.