Looking at WASH in non-household settings : WASH away from the home information guide

Clearly, access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities at home is simply not enough to achieve complete behavioural change and sustainable impact. The availability of WASH facilities at schools, for example, for both students and teachers, is of critical importance so that they can work and learn effectively. As important is the availability of WASH facilities at hospitals, health centres and clinics, as this is key to preventing infections and other diseases. In addition, the availability of WASH facilities ranging from workplaces to prisons is fundamental so that people are able to survive in a healthy and safe environment. This information guide is therefore meant to provide an overview of WASH in a variety of settings beyond the household. Also known as WASH away from the home, it focuses on different settings outside of the home which include schools, health care facilities, workplaces, temporary use settings (e.g. restaurants, accommodation, transportation hubs, transportation vehicles, markets, places of worship and public WASH facilities), mass gatherings and dislocated population settings (e.g. internally displaced camps, refugee camps, prisons and orphanages).

This guide draws from the knowledge that this is the first compilation overview focusing on WASH away from the home. The typology used in the guide is based on the initial research undertaken by the Water Institute at the University of North Carolina on WASH in non-household settings. The aim of this information guide is to assist anyone involved in or planning to work in WASH within institutions outside of the home. This guide provides background information and reference resources that can be applied to WASH programmes globally. There are also a number of case studies of best practices and lessons learnt. [authors summary]