Inclusive Public Toilets for Kolkata’s Women and Trans Communities

This executive brief, jointly produced by Sabar Institute and Azad Foundation, examines the status of public toilets for women and trans/queer people in Kolkata. The study included 7,578 cis women and 38 trans/queer people; 53% of the women respondents worked in informal sectors.

The occupational profile was led by street vendors (43%), retailer salespersons (15.7%), domestic workers (13.8%), janitors and building cleaners (4.9%), construction workers (3.9%), gig workers (1.2%), and women drivers (0.9%), with other occupations accounting for 16.6%.

Key Findings:

• Public-toilet provision is disproportionate to footfall at major stations. Howrah handles more than 900,000 people daily but has 33 toilets for men, 19 for women, and 5 for people with disabilities. Sealdah handles 1.5-1.8 million people daily but has 23 toilets for men, 24 for women, and 3 for people with disabilities.
• 72% of women pay to access public toilets, and the expense can consume 10% of their daily income.
• 62% of respondents find public toilets inaccessible to people with disabilities. Lactation points and diaper-changing stations are generally unavailable.
• Basic hygiene gaps include non-availability of handwash, while 30% rated toilets as “dirty” or “very dirty”. The brief also records the absence of sanitary-napkin disposal facilities and vending machines, and notes that women and queer people reduce water intake to avoid using public toilets.
• 53% feel unsafe while using public toilets, 52% of trans/queer respondents report harassment, and 38% report missing door locks. Insecurity is further heightened by men stationed outside women’s toilets.
• 51% believe that inadequate, non-inclusive, or poorly maintained public toilets restrict their ability to work outside the home and reduce their income.

The recommendations include matching toilet provision to footfall, stationing women staff outside women’s toilets, providing adequate facilities for cis women and trans/queer people, establishing an independent monitoring committee, improving water and handwashing facilities, installing sanitary-napkin vending machines, and ensuring adequate lighting.