Open defecation is the human practice of defecating outside rather than into a toilet.
People may choose fields, bushes, forests, ditches, streets, canals, or other open spaces for defecation.
They do so either because they do not have a toilet readily accessible or due to archaic traditional cultural practices.
Open defecation contaminates sources of drinking water and spreads diseases such as cholera, diarrhea and dysentery.
