Manneken Pis temporarily stops peeing to break taboo on incontinence
The Manneken Pis statue in Brussels temporarily stopped peeing on Monday as a symbolic kick-off for World Continence Week. Under the motto Never Too Late, a Belgian and Dutch organisation are drawing attention to the problem, which affects about one in three people.
With the Never Too Late campaign, the Belgian organisation PlasPraat vzw and the Dutch organisation Bekkenbodem4all are trying to break the taboo surrounding incontinence. On average, people with incontinence or urination problems wait 6.5 years before seeking medical help.
According to urologist An-Sofie Goessaert, chair of PlasPraat vzw, shame is often the reason for the long delay.
“Many people wait a long time out of shame and, as a result, they miss out on help, isolate themselves and end up in social isolation,” she said. There is also a misconception that urine loss is simply part of ageing. “The risks do increase with age, but that does not mean that nothing can be done about it.”
Treatments
There are now numerous treatments available. “In the majority of patients, we can control the problem fairly easily with pelvic floor physiotherapy, nerve stimulation or medication,” explained Goessaert.
“In addition, there are more specialised techniques such as Botox injections or implantable nerve stimulators. We can often control the problem well so that people can resume their lives.”
“In the majority of patients, we can control the problem fairly easily"
The problem is not limited to adults. Children can also develop bad habits, partly due to poor hygiene in school toilets and insufficient drinking opportunities. “If children drink or urinate too little during the day, this can lead to problems later on.”
The campaign also draws attention to public toilets. “More public toilets would help a lot of people,” said Goessaert. “It's not a treatment, but it does make their lives much easier and prevents social isolation.”
Manneken Pis stops peeing to draw attention to World Continence Week on 16 June 2025 © BELGA PHOTO / VIDEO JASPER JACOBS
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