KATHMANDU, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- About 13,000 Nepali children die every year due to contaminated water and lack of cleanliness, and constructing toilet and maintaining hygiene still remains a great challenge to the country, especially in rural areas.

    According to The Kathmandu Post Monday's report, Nepal is to mark World Toilet Day on Monday to take action, increase awareness of the toilet user's right to a better toilet environment, and to demand it from toilet owners.

    According to 2003 national census, about 17 million people in the country defecate in the open every morning.

    Issuing a statement here Sunday, the Nepal Water for Health said, "To maintain hygiene, the toilet user's duty is to contribute to maintenance, cleanliness and hygiene of toilet."

    The government in 2003 had declared that 80 percent of diseases in the country was due to lack of safe drinking water and cleanliness. Diarrhea is the second main cause of children's death, after pneumonia.

    The statement said that construction of toilet alone is taken as the indicator of cleanliness in the country.

    It also said that due to lack of proper toilet, girl children remain absent from school during menstrual period. Of 130 million children who do not go to school, 60 percent are girls.

    "Improved toilet in the school can increase the number of girl children's enrollment in school," the statement added.