FHI 360 Celebrates 2011 Global Handwashing Day
Originally created for children and schools, Global Handwashing Day has grown substantially since its inception in 2008, with millions of people involved in celebrations in over 100 countries worldwide. Global Handwashing Day, held each year on October 15, is endorsed by a wide array of governments, international institutions, civil society organizations, NGOs, private companies, and individuals.
In 2010, Global Handwashing Day was celebrated by over 200 million people and in 300,000 schools around the world. The primary purpose of Global Handwashing Day is to foster and support a global culture and awareness of handwashing with soap, as well as highlight the state of handwashing in every country. Click here to view the 2010 Global Handwashing Day Survey Results.
Camille Saadé, CPSHI Project Director and Director of Strategic Partnerships with FHI 360, marked the occasion by presenting at the WSSCC Global Forum for Sanitation and Hygiene in Mumbai in October to talk about the campaign. During his stay in India, Mr. Saadé was featured in a video interview about the importance of handwashing. An informative handwashing demonstration with Mr. Saadé is also available.
Despite its lifesaving potential, handwashing with soap is seldom practiced in many cultures and can be difficult to promote. Handwashing with soap is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent diarrheal and acute respiratory infections, which take the lives of millions of children in developing countries every year. Together, they are responsible for the majority of all child deaths.
The annual event, now celebrating its fourth year, is organized through a groundbreaking public-private collaboration among 14 international partners:
- World Bank
- Colgate-Palmolive
- FHI 360 (Secretariat)
- ICCDR, B
- John Hopkins School of Public Health
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- Procter & Gamble
- Unilever
- UNICEF
- USAID
- WaterAid
- WSSCC
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Water and Sanitation Program
Click here to take Mr. Saadé's "handwashing pop quiz" to learn more about the benefits of proper handwashing procedures.
For more information on handwashing with soap, including research, tools, and news visit www.globalhandwashing.org.
Posted October 2011