If the system isn't hygienically used and operated, people's lives and health will not be improved.
Published on: 17/09/2013
This topic focuses on what users need to do in order to realise the benefits of water supply and sanitation services. For example, contributing to, using and operating water supply and sanitation facilities effectively and hygienically, holding service providers accountable, and reporting problems.
Ideally hygiene promotion should be seen as a public or environmental health function and therefore as a 'service'.
Handwashing with soap at critical times, access to a safe latrine and managing household water are the hygiene behaviours most widely accepted as having the greatest impact on health. But we know from research that hygiene promotion can only lead to sustainable behaviour change if users have access to the necessary facilities, and receive consistent messages from multiple sources.
Ideally, hygiene promotion should be seen as a public or environmental health function and therefore as a 'service'. In reality, hygiene promotion is usually an 'intervention' that happens in a WASH project cycle and is seldom linked up to ongoing public or environmental health services and initiatives. The link-up matters to changing behaviour.
On this site, you will find a wealth of material and evidence on behaviour change tools and methodologies; monitoring tools and indicators to assess the efficacy and costs of behaviour change approaches. There are recommendations for scaling up effective approaches with implications for water, sanitation, health and education sectors, for financing and policies, and for effective approaches to changing behaviour and assessing behaviour change. You will also find materials aimed at strengthening social accountability and citizens' voices.
