Dignity – Ellie (left) fighting for better toilet access for women Access for rural women’s toilets call
Observed annually since 2013, the United Nations’ World Toilet Day is held on November 19th. The day celebrates toilets and raises awareness of the 3.6bn people living without access to safely managed sanitation, writes Keith Hatch.
World Toilet Day 2023 focuses on the need to accelerate change and Unite got involved by highlighting the problems many women workers in the UK still have accessing appropriate toilet facilities at work, and well as the union’s Period Dignity Campaign.
Speaking up for rural women workers was of course Landworker friend, Ellie Jones, Unite branch secretary and an animal rescue officer for the RSPCA, based in Avon and Somerset. Ellie who often works in rural areas has experience of poor access to adequate toilet facilities in rural areas and has campaigned for women to have better access.
Ellie explained, “As a mobile worker myself, and through supporting members who frequently work in rural areas, I have seen first-hand the
difficulty that can be faced finding toilets and hand washing facilities that are accessible to the public. “This challenge can often be heightened for female members who have an additional need for facilities during their monthly cycles. Furthermore, for those members facing menopausal symptoms this difficulty can be even more urgent.”
Ellie has been campaigning on these issues as a Unite rep and said: “This year my employer, the RSPCA, has signed up to provide access to free sanitary items at all sites and office bathrooms. This is a really positive step to ensuring positive and dignified access to facilities and is a great step towards improving female members' health and wellbeing.”
“I would therefore call on employers, firstly, to ensure that they are providing toilet facilities wherever possible, but to also sign up to the Period Dignity campaign and provide free access to sanitary items. For those employers with mobile workers, I would encourage employers to enter into third party agreements wherever possible to
8 uniteLANDWORKER Winter 2023/24
increase the availability of facilities but to also encourage reporting of any businesses who deny workers access to toilets.”
“In 2023 it is time that we de- stigmatise periods and other gynaecological issues. An important step towards this goal is to acknowledge that sanitary items should be as easily accessible as toilet paper and as a union we should work together to encourage healthy discussion and focus on this area.”
“Finally, I would call for employers to provide sufficient and flexible toilet break opportunities to allow for their staff to source and use facilities, giving allowance for health issues that increase the need for toilet access.”
Find out more
Unite’s fight for period dignity is available on the Unite website campaigns page
Mark Thomas
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