American designer Anna Meddaugh has created a personal urinal that women in refugee camps can use in shelters at night to avoid the threat of sexual violence outside.
Meddaugh was named runner up in the US James Dyson Award for her prototype, Night Loo, a portable and reusable toilet box with polymer beads that soak up liquid and odours.
In the light and relative safety of day, users can dispose of the contents in a public toilet.
Meddaugh created Night Loo to provide a safe option for women and girls in refugee camps, who have reported feeling too scared to use the provided toilets at night.
Meddaugh's Night Loo uses polymer beads to soak up liquid and odours
"The circumstances within refugee camps can lead to unimaginable choices, having to weigh the likelihood of getting attacked and raped while making your way to the toilet, versus suffering through the night or possibly even soiling yourself," said Meddaugh. "Imagine being faced with this choice every night." Women sometimes avoid eating or drinking at night or request adult diapers to avoid having to use the facilities at night, the designer said.
She wanted to find a solution that would protect people from harm while preserving their dignity and being practical and simple to use.

Night Loo is a silicone container with flaps that open at the top like a takeaway box. These flaps provide a splashguard when the user squats over the box to use it.
After urinating, the user pours in a sachet of super-a...