{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-post-query-tsx","path":"/blog-post/the-bbc-just-wrote-an-article-about-our-research/","result":{"pageContext":{"post":{"slug":"/blog-post/the-bbc-just-wrote-an-article-about-our-research/","title":"The BBC just wrote an article about our research!","date":"Oct 07, 2014","timeToRead":2,"description":"","body":"function _extends() { _extends = Object.assign || function (target) { for (var i = 1; i < arguments.length; i++) { var source = arguments[i]; for (var key in source) { if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(source, key)) { target[key] = source[key]; } } } return target; }; return _extends.apply(this, arguments); }\n\nfunction _objectWithoutProperties(source, excluded) { if (source == null) return {}; var target = _objectWithoutPropertiesLoose(source, excluded); var key, i; if (Object.getOwnPropertySymbols) { var sourceSymbolKeys = Object.getOwnPropertySymbols(source); for (i = 0; i < sourceSymbolKeys.length; i++) { key = sourceSymbolKeys[i]; if (excluded.indexOf(key) >= 0) continue; if (!Object.prototype.propertyIsEnumerable.call(source, key)) continue; target[key] = source[key]; } } return target; }\n\nfunction _objectWithoutPropertiesLoose(source, excluded) { if (source == null) return {}; var target = {}; var sourceKeys = Object.keys(source); var key, i; for (i = 0; i < sourceKeys.length; i++) { key = sourceKeys[i]; if (excluded.indexOf(key) >= 0) continue; target[key] = source[key]; } return target; }\n\n/* @jsxRuntime classic */\n\n/* @jsx mdx */\nvar _frontmatter = {\n  \"title\": \"The BBC just wrote an article about our research!\",\n  \"date\": \"2014-10-07\",\n  \"template\": \"post\",\n  \"slug\": \"the-bbc-just-wrote-an-article-about-our-research\",\n  \"postedLink\": \"https://riceinstitute.org/blog/the-bbc-just-wrote-an-article-about-our-research/\",\n  \"old-tags\": [\"squat-survey\"],\n  \"description\": \"\",\n  \"tags\": \"Blog Post\",\n  \"banner\": \"\"\n};\nvar layoutProps = {\n  _frontmatter: _frontmatter\n};\nvar MDXLayout = \"wrapper\";\nreturn function MDXContent(_ref) {\n  var components = _ref.components,\n      props = _objectWithoutProperties(_ref, [\"components\"]);\n\n  return mdx(MDXLayout, _extends({}, layoutProps, props, {\n    components: components,\n    mdxType: \"MDXLayout\"\n  }), mdx(\"p\", null, \"The\\xA0\", mdx(\"a\", {\n    parentName: \"p\",\n    \"href\": \"http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-29502603\",\n    \"target\": \"_blank\",\n    \"rel\": \"noopener noreferrer\"\n  }, \"BBC\"), \"\\xA0just wrote an article featuring a lot of r.i.c.e. research. Check it out\", mdx(\"a\", {\n    parentName: \"p\",\n    \"href\": \"http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-29502603\",\n    \"target\": \"_blank\",\n    \"rel\": \"noopener noreferrer\"\n  }, \"here\"), \". Here are some quotes from the article:\"), mdx(\"blockquote\", null, mdx(\"p\", {\n    parentName: \"blockquote\"\n  }, \"A staggering 70% of Indians living in villages \\u2013 or some 550 million people \\u2013 defecate in the open. Even 13% of urban households do so. Open defecation continues to be high despite decades of sustained economic growth \\u2013 and despite the obvious and glaring health hazards.\"), mdx(\"p\", {\n    parentName: \"blockquote\"\n  }, \"The situation is so bad that open defecation is more common in India than in that are poorer countries such as Bangladesh, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Burundi and Rwanda.\"), mdx(\"p\", {\n    parentName: \"blockquote\"\n  }, \"But building toilets may not be enough to end open defecation in India,\", mdx(\"a\", {\n    parentName: \"p\",\n    \"href\": \"http://www.epw.in/system/files/SA_XLIX_38_200914_Diane_Coffey_Aashish_Gupta_Payal_Hathi_Nidhi_Khurana_Dean_Spears_Nikhil_Srivastav_Sangita_Vyas.pdf\",\n    \"target\": \"_blank\",\n    \"rel\": \"noopener noreferrer\"\n  }, \"a new study has found\"), \".\"), mdx(\"p\", {\n    parentName: \"blockquote\"\n  }, \"A team of researchers asked people in 3,235 rural households in five north Indian states where they defecate and their attitudes to it.\"), mdx(\"p\", {\n    parentName: \"blockquote\"\n  }, \"Some 40% of Indians live in these states \\u2013 Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. They also account for 45% of households without a toilet. Also, a third of all people worldwide who defecate in the open live in these five states.\"), mdx(\"p\", {\n    parentName: \"blockquote\"\n  }, \"The study found that people in households with working toilets continue to defecate in the open, and that toilets provided by the state are especially unlikely to be used.\"), mdx(\"p\", {\n    parentName: \"blockquote\"\n  }, \"\\u201CIn short,\\u201D the study says, \\u201Cwe find that many people have a revealed preference for open defecating such that merely providing latrine access without promoting latrine use is unlikely to importantly reduce open defecation.\\u201D\"), mdx(\"p\", {\n    parentName: \"blockquote\"\n  }, \"The study found open defecation is very common, even in households with toilets. Toilet use did not necessarily increase with prosperity: in Haryana, one of India\\u2019s richest states, most people in the villages continue to defecate in the open. Also, men living in households with toilets are more likely to defecate in the open than women.\"), mdx(\"p\", {\n    parentName: \"blockquote\"\n  }, \"Why do so many Indians still prefer not to use toilets, even if they are available?\"), mdx(\"p\", {\n    parentName: \"blockquote\"\n  }, \"The survey found a range of replies \\u2013 most said they found it \\u201Cpleasurable, comfortable, or convenient\\u201D. Others said it \\u201Cprovides them an opportunity to take a morning walk, see their fields and take in the fresh air\\u201D. Still others regarded open defecation as \\u201Cpart of a wholesome, healthy virtuous life\\u201D.\")), mdx(\"p\", null, \"Further, they also link to our\\xA0\", mdx(\"a\", {\n    parentName: \"p\",\n    \"href\": \"http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/a-sanitation-sena-for-india/\",\n    \"target\": \"_blank\",\n    \"rel\": \"noopener noreferrer\"\n  }, \"Sanitation Sena op-ed\"), \".\"), mdx(\"blockquote\", null, mdx(\"p\", {\n    parentName: \"blockquote\"\n  }, \"So how do you promote behavioural and cultural change?\"), mdx(\"p\", {\n    parentName: \"blockquote\"\n  }, \"India, researchers say, \\u201Cneeds a massive campaign to change sanitation preferences\\u201D and promote toilets by linking sanitation behaviour with health. One of the ways it can be done is by raising\\xA0\", mdx(\"a\", {\n    parentName: \"p\",\n    \"href\": \"http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/a-sanitation-sena-for-india/\",\n    \"target\": \"_blank\",\n    \"rel\": \"noopener noreferrer\"\n  }, \"an army of sanitation workers\"), \"\\xA0and campaigners in the villages to spread the message.\")), mdx(\"p\", null, \"Finally, the article concludes by saying:\"), mdx(\"blockquote\", null, mdx(\"p\", {\n    parentName: \"blockquote\"\n  }, \"Mr Modi has announced plans to build more than 100 million toilets in the country to end a shameful practice. But many believe the money will not be well spent unless it\\u2019s accompanied by a massive awareness campaign, involving the government, non-profit groups and citizens.\")), mdx(\"p\", null, \"Exactly right!\"));\n}\n;\nMDXContent.isMDXComponent = true;","tags":[{"name":"Blog Post","slug":"blog-post"}],"banner":null}}},"staticQueryHashes":["318001574","3787687951","3787687951"]}