The Ministry of Women and Child Development- WCD celebrated Swachhta Pakhwada between 1st to 15th of this month, throughout the country along with the International Women's Day. <br/><br/>Briefing the media in New Delhi, WCD Secretary Leena Nair said the women and children have a pivotal role to play in the Swachhta Mission. She said the theme of Pakhwada was to spread swachhta awareness and implementation across the country with a focus on role of women and children in taking a leadership role for community led sanitation initiatives. <br/><br/>Ms. Nair said it has been realized that lack of sanitation and hygiene has a far reaching impact on women and children's health and safety, dignity, education and livelihood. The Secretary disclosed that the ministry has been focusing on constructing toilets in anganwadi centres during the last three years and as a result, the number of anganwadis with toilets has increased from 49 percent to 63 percent.