World Toilet Day - squat's it all about?

Notice anyone randomly stoop into a squat position yesterday? Well, there's a small chance they're a bit loopy but it's probably safe to say they were doing their bit for World Toilet Day 2009.

The campaign celebrates the importance of sanitation and aims to raise awareness for the 2.5 billion people (nearly half of the world's population) who don't have access to toilets and proper, clean facilities.

The stark reality is that poor sanitation risks people's health, strips their dignity, and kills 1.8 million a year with the majority being children - whilst diarrhea diseases kill five times as many children in the developing world as HIV/AIDS, totally 5,000 child deaths every single day.

The facts make for grim reading, emphasising the mammoth task that the campaign faces but with a little bit of help, they feel they can start putting things right.

Numerous events took place across the UK to raise awareness and, ultimately, funds to help solve this global sanitation crisis, including a chilling scene constructed in the Hyde Park Corner men's toilets - complete with rubbish dump, maggots, rusted pipes, a stagnant stream and a unique toilet scent, Eau de Toilet. Members of the public hesitantly entered and experienced first-hand the paradox between the above-ground world of London's beautiful Hyde Park and the loos below.

Donations can be made for this worthy cause at the World Toilet Day website.