Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene September - October 2016 Vol. 11 No.4 | Page 30

About Global Handwashing Day
Global Handwashing Day is an annual global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about
the importance of handwashing with soap as an easy, effective, and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.
Celebrated annually on October 15, Global Handwashing Day was founded by the Global Public-Private Partnership for
Handwashing, and is an opportunity to design, test, and replicate creative ways to encourage people to wash their hands
with soap at critical times.

Global Handwashing Day is designed to:
• Foster and support a global and local culture of handwashing with soap
• Shine a spotlight on the state of handwashing around the world
• Raise awareness about the benefits of handwashing with soap
The first Global Handwashing Day was held in 2008, when over 120 million children around the world washed their
hands with soap in more than 70 countries. Since 2008, community and national leaders have used Global Handwashing
Day to spread the word about handwashing, build sinks and tippy taps, and demonstrate the simplicity and value of clean
hands. Each year, over 200 million people are involved in celebrations in over 100 countries around the world. Global
Handwashing Day is endorsed by a wide array of governments, international institutions, civil society organizations,
NGOs, private companies, and individuals.
The 2016 Global Handwashing Day theme is “Make Handwashing a Habit!” For handwashing to be effective it
must be practiced consistently at key
times, such as after using the toilet
or before contact with food. While
habits must be developed over time,
this theme emphasizes the importance
of handwashing as a ritual behavior
for long-term sustainability. Habit
formation is currently a hot topic
in behavior change and the water,
sanitation, and hygiene sector. This
theme taps into that interest and is
also a gateway to discussing what the
sector knows about how habits are
formed.
No matter what your role, you can
The handwashing procession passing thorough Bondeni informal settlements in Nakuru celebrate Global Handwashing Day.

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Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene • September - October 2016