We know that providing handwashing facilities alone will not always mean they are used. Making handwashing part of daily life is influenced by a range of social, physical and cognitive nudges. Hygiene programmes are more successful when they combine improvements to handwashing infrastructure with ‘soft’ hygiene promotion which addresses a range of determinants - not just education about disease prevention.
But access to clean and convenient handwashing facilities with soap and water is still a key factor in making sure people regularly wash their hands. We work with disability person’s organisations and other representative groups to ensure that older people, children, people with different disabilities and their carers can use the facilities.
We have experience designing and delivering context-specific and innovative handwashing facilities across South Asia and Africa in various places, including healthcare facilities and schools, and public places such as markets and bus stops.
WaterAid’s Technical Guide to Handwashing Facilities in Public Places provides guidance on best practice and innovation from our hygiene response to COVID-19.
WaterAid’s work on hygiene technologies
- Bangladesh: an easy-to-use technological and context-based manual on handwashing stations
- Bangladesh: Handwashing on wheels - technical brief
- Nepal: Contactless handwashing stations - how do they work?
- Nepal: Contactless handwashing stations – technical brief
- East Africa: Curbing the spread of COVID-19 at border points
Top image: A pedestrian washes his hands using a contactless handwashing station at Lagankhel bus station, Lalitpur, Nepal.