Global Handwashing Day 2023: Date, history, significance and theme

Global Handwashing Day 2023: Here's all you need to know about the date, history, significance and theme of Global Handwashing Day

To prevent diseases and save lives through an easy, effective and affordable way of washing hands with soap, the Global Handwashing Day was founded by the Global Handwashing Partnership. It is an opportunity to design, test and replicate creative ways to encourage people to wash their hands with soap at critical times.

Global Handwashing Day 2023: Date, history, significance and theme (Photo by CDC on Unsplash)

Date:

Global Handwashing Day is celebrated every year on October 15.

History:

The first Global Handwashing Day was held in 2008, when over 120 million children around the world reportedly washed their hands with soap in more than 70 countries and since then, community and national leaders have used Global Handwashing Day to spread the word about handwashing, build sinks and tippy taps and demonstrate the simplicity and value of clean hands. It is endorsed by governments, schools, international institutions, civil society organisations, NGOs, private companies, individuals and more.

Significance:

Global Handwashing Day emphasises that clean hands save lives and promotes the adoption of this simple yet impactful habit for better public health since the ultimate goal is to ensure that handwashing with soap becomes a habit for everyone, everywhere. The day promotes the practice of regular handwashing with soap as a simple yet effective way to prevent the transmission of germs and reduce the risk of illness such as diarrhea, respiratory infections and cholera, which are responsible for a significant number of deaths, especially among children in developing countries.

Theme:

The 2023 Global Handwashing Day theme is “Clean hands are within reach” and serves as a platform for educating people, particularly children, about the importance of hand hygiene along with how to wash their hands properly.