In an effort to promote awareness for World Toilet Day, supporters and campaign promoters set to work releasing their own poop inspired emojis.
The #GiveAShit campaign, developed by a nonprofit organization WaterAid, designed an app that allows users to make their own customizable swirly shaped dung emojis through changing its appearance and using accessories.
The #GiveAShit app, however, is not only meant to entertain users and inspire their creativity. After designing their unique poop inspired emoji, users are encouraged to share their creations online to promote awareness of the World Toilet Day Campaign and WaterAid's goals to ensure sanitary water and toilet access worldwide.
While users can do whatever they want with their emojis, app developers also encourage adding items and accessories that are reflective of the global crisis the app is meant to address. Users can choose to add a toilet paper, clean drinking water and even a toilet bowl, to name a few.
"Right now, the world's poorest people do not have access to safe water, sanitation or hygiene," WaterAid said. "This crisis is ruining lives and holding back development."
The lack of clean water and waste elimination facilities is a big problem in poorer areas in the world, putting victims at risk for health problems and social rights abuse.
WaterAid said that one in every three people doesn't have access to proper toilet facilities, and about 315,000 children die annually due to diarrhea caused by unsanitary conditions.
Aside from health problems, women put themselves at greater risk of being attacked and abused when they need to defecate in the open. Women and girls who have no choice but to relieve themselves in the open are more at risk for getting assaulted. Those who opt to hold it in until daylight hours put themselves at risk for contracting urinary tract infections, among other chronic health problems.
Lack of sanitary toilet facilities also reportedly discouraged children, especially girls, from attending school. If the school doesn't have a toilet facility, girls would rather stay home than to be exposed to male classmates while relieving themselves. This is an especially important issue for menstruating females.
To address this issue, the United Nations has added the goal of ending open defecation and establishing adequate toilet facilities all over the world as one of its Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
"By working together, and by having an open and frank discussion on the importance of toilets and sanitation, we can improve the health and well-being of one-third of the human family," U.N. secretary general Ban Ki-moon said.
