The ‘Occupy Men’s Toilet’ agitation launched in China by the women there is now set to come to Mumbai and Maharashtra.
Fed up with the state’s apathy towards building more urinals for women, 32 NGOs that have been championing the cause of right to pee for women plan to replicate the agitation here. They will start by blocking access to men’s toilets in government buildings.
The NGOs have planned a day-long seminar on the issue on June 15 after which they plan to start their agitation. Officials of the MMRDA, BMC and town planning department are expected to attend the seminar.
For the last three years, the 32 NGOs have been fighting to get the free urinal facility for women. At most public toilets, the caretaker charges women for using the facility, while for men it’s free.
Besides this, there is a severe shortage of public toilets in city. The NGOs’ long-pending demand has been an increase in the number of public toilets for women. However, NGOs’ officials lamented that other than assurance nothing has been done about it.
Mumtaz Shaikh, campaign spokesperson and executive president of Mahila Mandal Federation, an NGO that works for women’s rights, said, “It’s high time now. How long should we continue to battle with the government for our basic right? To fix this problem, we have decided to organise the seminar. We have called all authorities, including state government officials, for it. We want to know why the issue hasn’t been solved yet.”
“Why should women have to pay for a facility that is provided free for men? All we have been given are assurances so far. Nothing has moved forward. Hence, we have decided to take the campaign to the next level,” she added.
Social activist Supriya Sonar, who too is involved in the campaign, said, “The BMC is not taking the issue seriously. There is a provision in the budget but it’s not doing anything.
We hope the seminar helps sort out the issue. Or, we will have to take action.”
According to a reply to an RTI query filed by the right to pee campaigners two years ago, in 2011, there were 2,848 toilets for men as against none for women in Mumbai. Details about toilets in K-East and K-West (Andheri) and P-South (Goregaon) wards were not provided then.
Last year, the civic body had assured construction of toilets for women across 24 administrative wards in 2013. It had also talked of building 50 toilets across the city. The solid waste management department had even issued a circular to ward offices, which are responsible for identifying locations where toilets will come up, but nothing happened.
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