WASHplus Weekly – Global Handwashing Day 2012 Special Edition

Issue 74 October 12, 2012 | Global Handwashing Day 2012 Special Edition 

For Global Handwashing Day 2012, this Weekly issue contains a literature review of 2012 handwashing studies that was compiled by the Global Public-Private Partnership on Handwashing. The review summarizes studies on the health impacts of handwashing, handwashing behavior, hand contamination and provides recommendations for implementers of handwashing programs.

Periodic Overview of Handwashing Literature: Summary of Selected Peer-Reviewed and Grey Literature, January – June 2012. Prepared for the Global Public-Private Partnership on Handwashing with Soap (PPPHW) by: Jelena Vujcic (University at Buffalo), Pavani K. Ram (University at Buffalo), Dan Campbell (WASHplus), Katie Carroll (FHI 360).

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“Poo-free” films win Golden Poo Awards 2012

You will not see any real poo in the two short films that won the 2012 Golden Poo Awards today. A relief for those who find the sight of the real thing offensive, but unlikely a prime concern of the 2.6 billion who have no relief from open defecation.

The “Number One” Golden Poo Award went to Andrew Oxley for Men, Loos and Number Twos.

Paul Rey-burns won the “Number Two” award for his film Pushing4Change.

The winning films will form part of the Global Handwashing Day (October 15th) and World Toilet Day (November 19th) awareness-raising campaigns. The films will be also screened amongst the programme of films at The London Short Film Festival (4-13 January 2013) .

Global Handwashing Day celebrates 5th anniversary on 15 October

Global Handwashing Day is a global celebration of handwashing with soap involving over 200 million people in over 100 countries worldwide

In 2012, Global Handwashing Day will share its 5th anniversary with over 121 million children who are also celebrating their 5th birthday this year. Handwashing with soap can reduce the incidence of diarrhoea among children under five by almost 50 per cent, and respiratory infections by nearly 25 per cent. That’s why this year’s theme is “Help More Children Reach Their 5th Birthday”.

Logos, guidelines and information packs can be downloaded from the Global Handwashing Day website. There is a promotional Twitter/Facebook game called “World Wash Up”. The official Twitter hashtag for Global Handwashing Day is #iwashmyhands

Web site: globalhandwashing.org/ghw-day

The “World WASH UP” game created by Periscopic for the Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing (PPPHW)