KATHMANDU: Tenth National Sanitation Action Week (NSAW) started on Friday with the slogan of ‘we are proud of having toilets in our homes’ in the initiation of Nepal Red Cross Society . Speaking at the opening programme organised in the capital, Purna Kumari Subedi, vice chairperson of the Constituent Assembly, stressed the need for awareness about personal hygiene and sanitation among the common people. She further said people’s health rights should be guaranteed in the constitution to be drafted. Gillian Mellsop, a UNICEF representative, said personal hygiene is crucial for a child’s survival, growth and development. She informed that a decade long programme has been creating awareness and encouraging people to construct latrines and wash hands with soaps. Mellsop hinted that nearly half of the diarrhoeal cases can be reduced by proper hand washing. She blamed lack of water supply to be responsible for poor sanitation. “Only 46 per cent households have access to toilets and 80 per cent to water supply in Nepal,” Mellsop revealed. She said the UNICEF has been trying to coordinate all the stake-holders to bring about behaviour changes in sanitation related behaviour among mothers, children and youths. The programme will also focus on capacity building activities among the youths so that they can advocate for sanitation and hygiene. Uma Kanta Jha, secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, said the country should formulate specific plans and policies regarding sanitation to achieve 2017 Millennium Development Goals. He sought help from various NGOs for this campaign.