Handwashing/Hand hygiene

Hand hygiene saves lives. To contain the spread of COVID-19 and many other infectious diseases, it is critically important to clean your hands regularly with water and soap or alcohol-based hand rub

Until just 170 years ago, many people thought infections were caused by foul, polluted air or ‘miasma’. In the mid 19th century, physician Ignaz Semmelweis discovered how microbial infection works and found that handwashing with soap dramatically reduced the spread of deadly diseases. In the 20th century, leaders have continued to pioneer hygiene including Elaine Larson, a nurse professor working globally to improve standards

Expanding access to hand hygiene

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 includes a target to ensure everyone has access to ‘adequate and equitable’ hygiene by 2030. Progress towards that target will be measured by the proportion of population using safely managed sanitation services, including a hand-washing facility with soap and water. Standards also exist for healthcare. There should be facility-wide availability of alcohol hand rub at each point of care and a continuous supply of clean running water, soap and towels.

Facts and Figures

2 out of 5 people or 3 billion people around the world lack basic handwashing facilties at home: 1.6 billion have limited facilities lacking soap or water, and 1.4 billion have no facility at all. (WHO/UNICEF 2019)
Nearly three quarters of the population of Least Developed Countries lack handwashing facilities with soap and water. (WHO/UNICEF 2019)
Nearly 900 million children worldwide lack a basic hygiene service at their school. (WHO/UNICEF 2018)
Some 297,000 children – more than 800 every day – under five die annually from diarrhoeal diseases due to poor sanitation, poor hygiene, or unsafe drinking water. (WHO 2019)
Almost half of the schools in the world do not have handwashing facilities with soap and water available to students.
(WHO/UNICEF 2020)
Children younger than age 5 in countries experiencing protracted conflict are 20 times more likely to die from causes linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence. (UNICEF, 2019)
1 million deaths each year are associated with unclean births. Infections account for 26% of neonatal deaths and 11% of maternal mortality. (WHO/UNICEF 2019)
Hygiene promotion is the most cost effective health intervention. (World Bank 2016)
Universal access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation and hygiene would reduce the global disease burden by 10%. (WHO 2012)

Definitions in WASH

The JMP water and sanitation ladders

Handwashing/Hand hygiene

There is a global hygiene crisis

Handwashing is a lifesaver

Handwashing protects and empowers women and girls

Expanding access to hand hygiene

Handwashing and hygiene are vital to sustainable development

How to clean your hands properly

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