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Q24 (IAS/2024) Economy › Schemes, Inclusion & Social Sector › Public health programmes Official Key

Consider the following statements regarding World Toilet Organization : 1. It is one of the agencies of the United Nations. 2. World Toilet Summit, World Toilet Day and World Toilet College are the initiatives of this organization, to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. 3. The main focus of its function is to grant funds to the least developed countries and developing countries to achieve the end of open defecation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Result
Your answer: —  Âˇ  Correct: A
Explanation

The correct answer is option A (statement 2 only).

**Statement 1 is incorrect:** The World Toilet Organisation was founded by Jack Sim in Singapore on 19 November 2001[1], making it an independent non-profit organization, not a UN agency. While the WTO initiated the United Nations World Toilet Day[1], it remains separate from the UN system.

**Statement 2 is correct:** WTO established World Toilet Day and the World Toilet Summit in 2001; this was followed by the World Toilet College in 2005[2]. The aim of both the organization and the summit was to draw the world's attention to the global sanitation crisis[3], confirming these initiatives were designed to inspire action on sanitation issues.

**Statement 3 is incorrect:** World Toilet Organization is one of the few organizations whose sole focus is on toilets and sanitation[4], and breaking the silence on the sanitation crisis is at the heart of WTO's efforts[5]. The documents describe WTO's work in terms of advocacy, mobilization, and breaking taboos—not as a funding agency. There is no evidence that granting funds to countries is its main function.

Sources
  1. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Toilet_Organization
  2. [2] https://worldtoilet.org/web-agency-gb-about-us/
  3. [3] https://www.theearthandi.org/post/world-toilet-summit-and-promoting-healthy-sanitation-efforts
  4. [4] https://worldtoilet.org/web-agency-gb-about-us/
  5. [5] https://worldtoilet.org/web-agency-gb-about-us/
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Consider the following statements regarding World Toilet Organization : 1. It is one of the agencies of the United Nations. 2. World Toi…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 ¡ 10/10
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This is a classic 'Imposter Trap'. UPSC exploits the generic name 'World Toilet Organization' to trick you into thinking it's a UN agency (like WHO or WMO). The key is distinguishing between Intergovernmental bodies (UN) and Civil Society NGOs, and recognizing that NGOs rarely have the financial capacity to 'grant funds' to sovereign nations.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is the World Toilet Organization an agency of the United Nations?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 4/5
"The World Toilet Organization was founded by Jack Sim on November 19, 2001... Since the first summit, the event has attracted the support of NGOs, the private sector, civil society organizations, and the international community."
Why this source?
  • Describes the World Toilet Organization as founded by an individual (Jack Sim) on a specific date, indicating an independent organization.
  • States the group's aims and that it has attracted support from NGOs, private sector and civil society—suggesting it is not presented as a UN agency.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"The WTO is also the organizer of the World Toilet Summit, the Urgent Run and initiated the United Nations World Toilet Day. The World Toilet Organisation was founded by Jack Sim in Singapore on 19 November 2001."
Why this source?
  • Identifies the World Toilet Organisation as an independent body that organized events and 'initiated the United Nations World Toilet Day', implying it is not itself a UN agency.
  • Gives founding details (founded in Singapore on 19 November 2001), supporting its status as a separate organization.
Web source
Presence: 3/5
"UN-Water is the United Nations (UN) inter-agency coordination mechanism for freshwater-related issues, including sanitation. ... UN-Water is comprised of UN entities with a focus on, or interest in, water-related issues as Members and other non-UN international"
Why this source?
  • Explains that UN-Water is an inter-agency UN coordination mechanism composed of UN entities and 'other non-UN international' organizations, indicating that organizations working with the UN on sanitation can be non-UN bodies.
  • Supports the interpretation that initiating a UN observance does not make an organization a UN agency.

History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The World after World War II > Yalta Conference > p. 252
Strength: 5/5
“On 24 October 1945 the UNO came into existence with 51 members. The main organs of the UN are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the UN Secretariat. The Norwegian Foreign Minister, Trygve Lie, was elected the first UN Trygve Lie The World after World War II 252 Secretary-General. In addition to its main organs, UNO has currently 15 specialised agencies. Some of the prominent agencies are: International Labour Organisation (ILO - Geneva), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO - Rome), International Monetary Fund (IMF - Washington (D.C)), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO - Paris), World Health Organization (WHO - Geneva), and World Bank (Washington (D.C)).”
Why relevant

Gives a clear list of the UN's 'specialised agencies' (ILO, FAO, IMF, UNESCO, WHO, World Bank), illustrating what kinds of organisations are officially classed as UN specialised agencies.

How to extend

A student could compare that canonical list of specialised agencies with the name 'World Toilet Organization' (and check whether it appears on official UN lists) to judge whether it is one of them.

Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: International Organisations > Chapter 4 International Organisations > p. 50
Strength: 4/5
“Social and economic issues are dealt with by many agencies including the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Human Rights Commision (UNHRC), the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Childr en's Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), among others.”
Why relevant

Shows examples of international/social-economic organisations associated with the UN (WHO, UNDP, UNICEF, UNESCO), many of which explicitly carry the 'United Nations' or 'UN' label.

How to extend

A student could use the pattern that many UN bodies include 'UN' or 'United Nations' in their formal title to check whether 'World Toilet Organization' is similarly titled or officially linked to the UN.

Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: International Organisations > Human Rights Watch > p. 60
Strength: 4/5
“One veto can stall a Security Council resolution.• 2. Mark correct or wrong against each of the following statements about the way the UN functions. • a. All security and peace related issues are dealt with in the Security Council.• b. Humanitarian policies are implemented by the main organs and specialised agencies spread across the globe.• c. Having consensus among the five permanent members on security issues is vital for its implementation.• d. The members of the General Assembly are automatically the members of all other principal organs and specialised agencies of the UN. E x e r c i s e s”
Why relevant

States that 'humanitarian policies are implemented by the main organs and specialised agencies spread across the globe', indicating that UN agencies are organisationally tied to the UN's principal organs.

How to extend

A student could look for organisational ties (e.g., governance, founding treaties, listing on UN websites) between the World Toilet Organization and UN principal organs to test if it is an official agency.

Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 6: Environment and Natural Resources > Environmental Concerns in Global Politics > p. 83
Strength: 3/5
“International agencies, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), began holding international conferences and promoting detailed studies to get a more coordinated and effective response to environmental problems. Since then, the environment has emerged as a significant issue of global politics. The growing focus on environmental issues within the arena of global politics was firmly consolidated at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 1992. This was also called the Earth Summit. The summit was Collect news clippings on reports linking environment and politics in your own locality.”
Why relevant

Notes that international agencies like UNEP operate within UN-led environmental processes, illustrating that many UN-related agencies participate in UN conferences and programmes.

How to extend

A student could check whether the World Toilet Organization is a participant in or created by UN conferences/programmes (e.g., listed as a UN partner) to assess its formal UN agency status.

Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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