Published: September 5, 2025
Global Handwashing Day is a global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness of the importance of hand hygiene and triggering lasting change from policy-level to community-driven action. Founded by the Global Handwashing Partnership, the day serves as an opportunity to encourage people to wash their hands at critical times and to catalyze advancement of hand hygiene supportive environments.
“Be a handwashing hero” is the multi-year theme for Global Handwashing Day. Everyone, from young children to senior business and government officials, can be a handwashing hero. Anyone who wants to see the benefits of good hand hygiene in their community or country can lead efforts in their workplaces, schools, and communities to champion clean hands for all. Clean hands are a fundamental defense against the spread of infections and illnesses not only in healthcare settings, but also in schools, workplaces, businesses, public spaces, and homes. Proper handwashing with soap not only contributes to positive health outcomes but also a wide range of well-being benefits. Progress depends upon our collective responsibility to safeguard public health, prevent infections, enhance dignity and promote wellbeing for all.
Be a handwashing hero!
Good hand hygiene, through handwashing with soap and/or alcohol-based handrub, can help reduce the transmission of a range of diseases and also brings benefits beyond health.
Proper hand hygiene has also been linked to benefits beyond disease reduction, such as reduced rates of school absenteeism and improvements in wellbeing, dignity, and productivity.
The benefits of clean hands and ways to support hand hygiene advocacy and programming are described in the Handwashing Handbook.
Every individual and organization has a role to play to ensure that everyone benefits from clean hands.
To learn more about our collective efforts to achieve clean hands for all, visit the Global Handwashing Partnership website here.
Clean hands are crucial for public health and global health security. For governments, prioritizing hand hygiene is not just about preventing the spread of everyday illnesses; it is a strategic move to strengthen national defenses against disease outbreaks and rising global threats such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Including hand hygiene in government plans and budgets improves public health, boosts the economy by reducing the burden on health services and increasing workforce productivity, and supports better educational outcomes. Investing in hand hygiene ensures safer, more effective healthcare, enhances quality of care and patient safety, and fosters wellbeing and resilience among communities.
Hand hygiene is incorporated explicitly in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but improving hand hygiene practice can also contribute to attaining multiple SDG targets, including nutrition, education, health, and economic growth targets. Integrating hand hygiene into health, education, and nutrition programming is necessary to achieve these targets and also to improve overall health and development outcomes. Resources to support and guide governments in prioritizing hand hygiene targets include the WHO/UNICEF Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Community Settings (launch date October 15, 2025).
Handwashing heroes can ensure that hand hygiene is prioritized and adequately funded in government policies and programs, improving public health and contributing to economic stability.
Government leaders, be a Handwashing Hero!
Investing in handwashing behavior change and facilities results in a substantial return on investment through building healthier, more resilient communities. Supporting clean hands represents a donor’s commitment to public health, equity, and sustainable development. The return on investment is substantial. Cost-benefit analyses show that every dollar spent on hand hygiene can yield 35 to 92 times the value through reduced healthcare costs and increased economic productivity. Yet, despite these returns, the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector remains underfunded, and meeting these SDG targets will require an annual increase of investments of $131 to $141 billion – nearly tripling current spending in developing countries, according to the World Bank.
Targeted donor investments are essential. Prioritizing poorer and more rural communities will help to close access gaps and ensure no one is left behind. Donor champions for hand hygiene can help to build a more equitable, resilient world – promoting better health, stronger economies, educational achievement, and sustainable futures.
Donors, be a Handwashing Hero!
Promoting hand hygiene is crucial for all businesses. Effective hand hygiene practices can significantly reduce the spread of infectious diseases, leading to fewer employee sick days and increased productivity as well as better protection for customers. Hand hygiene programs in businesses can lower the incidence of hygiene-preventable health care claims by over 20%. Businesses that prioritize employee health and safety through strong hand hygiene practices can benefit from enhanced reputation, improved employee satisfaction, and better workplace morale. To support hand hygiene practices effectively, businesses should install and maintain handwashing stations in key areas near toilets, in the kitchen, and in other spaces; ensure a steady supply of hand hygiene products; and educate and motivate employees to practice proper handwashing techniques. Integrating hand hygiene into workplace health and safety policies helps to institutionalize these practices and sustain long-term impact.
Companies that supply hand hygiene products have a special responsibility to ensure a consistent supply of their hand hygiene products as a vital element to support public health. Available and affordable hygiene products are a pre-condition to practice good hand hygiene. By collaborating with governments, NGOs, and other health system actors, suppliers can help create resilient supply chains that withstand disruptions and meet the demand for essential products. Supply chains that ensure hand hygiene products are accessible and affordable to underserved communities reduce health disparities and promote overall public health.
Handwashing heroes lead their companies in adopting improved hand hygiene strategies to protect employee and customer health, enhance the company’s reputation, and support broader public health efforts. Handwashing heroes at companies supplying hand hygiene products build sustainable supply chains to support the practice of good hand hygiene. This unified approach enhances workplace well-being, supports the public health of the customer base, and strengthens overall resilience against business disruption.
Businesses of all kinds, be a Handwashing Hero!
Hand hygiene is a critical component to support public health in institutional settings. Institutional actors, such as healthcare, educational, and other facilities, should prioritize the support for effective hand hygiene practices which can significantly reduce the spread of infectious diseases, especially in high traffic settings where people frequently interact. By promoting hand hygiene, stakeholders can help prevent outbreaks of illnesses such as diarrhea, respiratory infections, and other communicable diseases. This not only improves overall community health but also reduces disruptions to the mission of the institution.
Hand hygiene investments should be guided by proven interventions to ensure they are effective and culturally appropriate such as ensuring numerous handwashing stations to provide adequate coverage at key locations, a reliable soap and water supply, along with implementing hand hygiene behavior change programs. Regular monitoring and evaluation of these programs measure impact which can help to justify the investment and can also help identify areas for improvement and ensure that the interventions are inclusive and effective for all staff, students, patients, and visitors.
Handwashing heroes lead their institutions in prioritizing hand hygiene to create a healthier, more resilient community for everyone around the institution.
Leaders at institutions, be a handwashing hero!
Research is needed for a better evidence base of best practices for hand hygiene promotion. Researchers have a unique opportunity to address knowledge gaps by focusing on the practical questions that community, government, and NGO staff have around the best ways to ensure good hand hygiene. To maximize impact, researchers should go beyond typical academic publishing and publish clear, concise take-aways that practitioners can readily apply in real-world settings.
By engaging in participatory research, researchers can co-create solutions with communities that are culturally appropriate and sustainable. This collaborative approach not only addresses the immediate hand hygiene research needs but also fosters a culture of community health and safety that can have a lasting impact on public health outcomes.
Handwashing hero researchers can lead the way in closing evidence gaps in hand hygiene practice and programming by translating findings into practical tools and guidance for programs and policies.
Researchers, be a Handwashing Hero!
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© 2017 The Global Handwashing Partnership (GHP).