Global Handwashing Day

Global Handwashing Day is an international handwashing promotion campaign to motivate and mobilize people around the world to improve their handwashing habits. Washing hands at critical points during the day and washing with soap are both important. Global Handwashing Day occurs on 15 October of each year.

Global Handwashing Day serves as a yearly reminder that handwashing with soap and water is one of the best steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. The observance was established by the Global Handwashing Partnership in 2008.

Aims

• Foster and support a general culture of handwashing with soap in all societies.
• Shine a spotlight on the state of handwashing in each country.
• Raise awareness about the benefits of handwashing with soap.

Clean Hands for AllThe 2019 Global Handwashing Day theme is “Clean Hands for All.” This year’s theme follows the push to leave no one behind in the Sustainable Development agenda.

Handwashing with soap removes germs from hands. This helps prevent infections because: People frequently touch their eyes, nose, and mouth without even realizing it. Germs can get into the body through the eyes, nose and mouth and make us sick