User:JustinePorto/Public toilets in Egypt

Public toilets in Egypt, called Alhamam, toiletas or WCs, are sometimes available, but there are fewer government maintained ones that private ones at places like hotels and restaurants. They are often sex segregated, and may or not provide toilet paper depending on the class of the establishment.

Public toilets
Toilets are called Alhamam, toileta or WC. Across the whole of the country, 95% the country had sanitation coverage. In contrast, only 5% of the country had public or community toilet coverage. There are few government run public toilets in the country. When public toilets are available, there are often men's toilets and women's toilets. Many sit down toilets have an attached bidet function. Most toilets in public spaces do not have toilet paper. People can sometimes buy it from vendors by the sheet or by the roll. Toilet paper generally costs around £0,50 to £1,00 a roll. Those that charge often charge around EGP1-2.

Many public toilets in less affluent areas are grimy and poorly maintained. Some toilets in public spaces have attendants that may sell toilet paper in addition to keeping the space clean. People often use toilets in hotels and restaurants, whether or not they are clients. Toilets in bus stations and lower end hotels are often squat toilets. Budget hotels in Alexandria often do not have toilet paper or soap. Shared toilets in mid-range hotels often have toilet paper.

There are public toilets at the base of the Sphinx. Felucca do not have toilets onboard. When people need to use the toilet, then tend to do so over the side of the boat or wait until they can go ashore. Some felucca pilots have portable screens or installed screens to give passengers the ability to use the toilet while maintaining some degree of privacy.

Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egyptian cities provided residents with public toilets, public baths and drainage systems. Despite that, these ancient cities also faced the issue of how to improve public sanitation for the health of the local population.

The Hebrew Bible has a scene where Moses tells people to dig holes to use as toilets and cover those holes with dirt when done. This was an early example of laws around public toilets.

Regional and global situation impacting public toilets in Egypt
An issue in developing countries is toilet access in schools. Only 46% of schools in developing countries have them. Many schools around the world in 2018 did not have toilets, with the problem particularly acute in parts of Africa and Asia. Only one in five primary schools on earth had a toilet and only one in eight secondary schools had public toilets.

In developing countries, unisex public toilets have been a disaster because they make women feel unsafe and fail to consider local religious beliefs. Across Africa, open defecation had social consequences. These included loss of dignity and privacy. It also put women at risk of sexual violence.

There are generally two toilet styles in public bathrooms in Africa. One is a traditional squat toilet. The other is a western style toilet with bowl and a place to sit. Sit flush toilets are the most common type of toilet in North Africa. Islamic teachings suggest using water for cleaning after using the toilet. A popular item for Arab travelers to take with them on trips is a handheld portable bidet.