Latest data from the World of Statistics based on the WHO/UNICEF’s Joint Monitoring Programme, the highest percentages of people practicing open defecation are found primarily in African countries, with Eritrea leading at 67%, followed closely by Niger (65%), Chad (63%), and South Sudan (60%).
Benin and Namibia also face significant challenges with 49% and 37% respectively. Other African countries like Liberia (35%) and Madagascar (34%) have similarly high rates.
Nigeria shows an 18% rate of open defecation, representing a large number of people given its population size, although the country has been working on sanitation campaigns to reduce this practice, with mixed progress reported. Ethiopia and Sudan have rates around 17-18%, while India, despite major governmental sanitation initiatives, still has 11% of its population practicing open defecation.
Outside Africa and South Asia, countries such as Afghanistan (9%), Bolivia (9%), Pakistan (7%), and Kenya (6%) report notable percentages. Meanwhile, many developed countries including the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, Japan, Russia, and several Latin American nations report effectively zero open defecation.
Globally, about 5% of the world population still practices open defecation, a practice linked strongly to poverty, lack of sanitation infrastructure, and rural living. The WHO/UNICEF definition includes defecation in open fields, forests, bushes, open water bodies, beaches, and other open spaces or disposal with solid waste.
Efforts to reduce open defecation include large-scale sanitation campaigns such as India’s Swachh Bharat Mission and Nigeria’s Clean Nigeria Campaign, yet significant sanitation challenges remain in many regions, especially in rural areas of low-income countries.
This data underscores the persistent global public health challenge posed by open defecation, emphasizing the urgent need for improved sanitation infrastructure and behavior change programs.
