A recent report ‘State of the Judiciary,’ published by the Supreme Court of India’s Centre for Research and Planning, has uncovered disparities in gender-specific facilities within district court complexes across the country. The report highlights issues such as an inadequate number of separate toilets for women, an absence of sanitary napkin vending machines, and a lack of toilets for transgender persons.
Key Findings of the Report
One of the significant points made clear through the report is the inadequate women-friendly facilities. Nearly one-fifth of district court complexes lack separate toilets for women, and only 6.7% of women’s toilets have sanitary napkin vending machines. The existing washrooms often face issues like broken doors and irregular water supply. Certain cases like the Peren district of Nagaland also highlighted the absence of allocated maintenance facilities to clean the toilets, causing staff members to tidy up the washrooms themselves.
The Dismal State of Inclusive Facilities
The study underlines the critical lack of inclusive facilities in most district courts, with toilets for transgender persons being virtually non-existent. It emphasizes the need for “gender-inclusive toilets” in every court complex. In states like Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu, only a handful of washrooms for transgender persons exist; their absence could cause severe discomfort and potential harassment to transgender persons.
Issues Resulting from Deficient Sanitation Amenities
Insufficient toilet facilities can lead to a host of health and hygiene risks such as infections and diseases. The lack of separate toilets specifically could raise safety concerns for women, especially in poorly lit or secluded areas, making them susceptible to harassment or assault. Furthermore, it also violates United Nations Human Rights that entitle everyone to have physical and affordable access to sanitation.
Improvement Measures
A series of steps can be taken to improve the state of sanitation facilities in courts. These measures include allocating dedicated resources, upgrading existing facilities, developing sanitation guidelines, and encouraging user feedback. The National Judicial Infrastructure Authority of India (NJIAI), as suggested by the former CJI, could be established to serve as a central body for mobilizing funds for sanitation improvement projects in courts.
State of Toilet Facilities in India
In India, sanitation falls under the state’s jurisdiction, implying that providing toilets, initiating behaviour change activities, providing Solid and Liquid Waste Management arrangements, and sustaining these activities are responsibilities of the states. Findings from the National Family Health Survey indicate that 69.3% of households have access to improved toilet facilities, while 19.4% of Indian households did not use any toilet facility between 2019-2021.
State-wise Access to Toilet Facilities
The access to improved toilet facilities varies across states. For instance, Bihar has the lowest access to a toilet facility (available only in 61.2% of households), followed by Jharkhand (69.6%) and Odisha (71.3%). On the positive end of the spectrum, Lakshadweep reports a 100% household access to toilet facilities.
Initiatives Related to Sanitation in India
There have been several initiatives related to sanitation in India such as the Swachh Bharat Mission, World Health Organization (WHO) Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) – India, and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). The Swachhata Abhiyaan App has also been launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to collect data about insanitary latrines and manual scavengers involved in their cleaning.
