The government has approved in principle the draft “National Public Toilet Policy 2026”, which proposes separate public toilets for women and men at suitable places on roads and highways.

The draft policy was approved at a cabinet meeting on Thursday and prepared on the initiative of the Local Government Division.

The policy aims to ensure hygienic, standard and user-friendly public toilet facilities across the country. It also seeks to raise public awareness about the use, maintenance and cleanliness of public toilets.

According to the draft, easier access to hygienic public toilets must be ensured to improve public health and overall cleanliness.

The policy gives special importance to toilet facilities for women, children, persons with disabilities, elderly people and marginalised communities.

It also says an effective management model and funding system must be ensured to keep public toilets functional and sustainable in the long term.
The draft calls for proper monitoring and evaluation of the policy’s implementation and says it should be updated when necessary.

To build awareness among students about hygienic toilet use, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the Local Government Division, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will take necessary steps.

The draft also says separate toilets for women must be included in development projects related to physical infrastructure.

It makes septic tanks mandatory for storing waste from all toilets and says toilet waste must not be allowed to flow into rivers, canals or other water bodies to prevent water pollution.

The draft policy also says ministries and divisions must prepare time-bound action plans for its implementation.