{"id":257269,"date":"2016-10-11T17:53:28","date_gmt":"2016-10-11T17:53:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=257269"},"modified":"2016-10-11T17:53:28","modified_gmt":"2016-10-11T17:53:28","slug":"us-mens-toilets-to-get-baby-facilities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/10\/us-mens-toilets-to-get-baby-facilities\/","title":{"rendered":"US men’s toilets to get baby facilities"},"content":{"rendered":"
Male toilets in public buildings in the US must now have baby changing facilities, according to a new law signed by President Barack Obama.<\/p>\n
Both male and female bathrooms should have a “physically safe, sanitary and appropriate” place to change a nappy.<\/p>\n
Known as the Bathrooms Accessible in Every Situation (BABIES) Act, it was first raised back in April by Congressman David N Cicilline.<\/p>\n
“Federal buildings are paid for by taxpayers,” he says.<\/p>\n
“It’s important to ensure that they are as open, as accessible, and as family-friendly as possible.”<\/p>\n
The act makes public places “more accommodating for working moms and dads” across the US.<\/p>\n
There is no specific legislation in the UK regarding baby change facilities, Raymond Martin, director at the British Toilet Association (BTA) says.<\/p>\n
The organisation was set up almost 20 years ago to campaign for better public toilets across the country.<\/p>\n
Back then, he estimates, no more than one in ten male toilets had a proper place to change a nappy. Now it’s closer to two-thirds.<\/p>\n
“Putting baby change into male facilities was overlooked,” he tells Newsbeat.<\/p>\n
“We’ve been working with lots of organisations and major manufacturers, who come to us for advice and guidance.”<\/p>\n
But he is critical of the government, saying they don’t want to “take responsibility” for making sure the UK has adequate facilities.<\/p>\n
And one of the biggest worries, Mr Martin says, is the amount of public toilets being closed in recent years.<\/p>\n
At least 1,782 facilities have closed across the UK in the last decade, a BBC Freedom of Information request found earlier this year.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Male toilets in public buildings in the US must now have baby changing facilities, according to a new law signed by President Barack Obama. Both male and female bathrooms should have a “physically safe, sanitary and appropriate” place to change a nappy. Known as the Bathrooms Accessible in Every Situation (BABIES) Act, it was first […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":257273,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[117],"tags":[12541,3,594],"yoast_head":"\n