The World Health Organization and UNICEF have unveiled the world’s first Global Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Community Settings, a landmark framework to help governments reduce infectious diseases through everyday hygiene in homes, schools, workplaces, and public spaces. The new evidence-based recommendations position hand hygiene as a public good and a core government responsibility, not merely an individual habit. They aim to turn proven hygiene practices into sustainable national systems that prevent illness, save lives, and boost preparedness for outbreaks such as cholera and influenza.
A Preventable Crisis:
Despite decades of awareness campaigns, 1.7 billion people still lack basic hand hygiene facilities at home, including 611 million with no access at all. WHO says achieving universal hygiene coverage by 2030 will require a doubling of progress globally, and in some regions, an 8 to 11-fold increase.
Hand hygiene remains one of the world’s most cost-effective public health measures, reducing diarrhoeal diseases by 30% and acute respiratory infections by 17%, with clear economic and social benefits.
“Clean hands save lives, but results at scale require policy, financing and accountability,” said Dr. Ruediger Krech, WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change, One Health & Migration.
These guidelines help countries move beyond short-term projects to build systems that make soap and water available to everyone, everywhere.
The Guidelines define 5 critical moments for handwashing:
Before preparing food
Before eating or feeding others
After using the toilet or handling faeces
After coughing, sneezing, or blowing one’s nose
Whenever hands are visibly dirty
They recommend using plain soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub (≥60%) when soap isn’t available.
Governments are urged to:
Integrate hand hygiene into national health policies and budgets
Guarantee access to soap, water, or sanitizers in all public institutions
Promote behaviour change through education and social engagement
Monitor and evaluate hygiene access and habits
The Need to Address Systemic Gaps:
The report warns that current hygiene efforts often spike during disease outbreaks but fade once emergencies pass — a “cycle of panic and neglect” that weakens public health resilience. WHO and UNICEF call for long-term system-building, including:
Legal frameworks and regulations for hygiene standards
Clear institutional mandates
Dedicated human and financial resources
Ongoing community engagement and monitoring
“Children and young people pay the highest price when basic hygiene is out of reach,” said Cecilia Scharp, UNICEF’s Director for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. “These Guidelines offer practical steps to make handwashing possible and habitual — so every child can learn, play and grow in dignity.”
Why This Matters?
From cholera to COVID-19 pandemic, outbreaks have shown how fragile hygiene systems leave populations vulnerable. By embedding hygiene in national policy and everyday infrastructure, governments can build resilience against infectious diseases, protect children, and improve overall community health.
