International Human Rights Days

UNICEF/UN0376829/Esiebo 

Every October 15th the Global Handwashing Day is celebrated and was initiated by the Global Handwashing Partnership in 2008. Here, this day is “dedicated to advocating for handwashing with soap as an easy, effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives” (Global Handwashing Partnership, n.d.). Its importance lies in the inaccessibility to basic handwashing facilities at home. Here UNICEF warns that 3 in 10 people do not have basic handwashing facilities at home, causing the spread of diseases. This lack of accessibility is critical to human rights, as this affects mainly the most vulnerable and underserved communities, especially in developing countries where the number is 6 in every 10 people.

With this, handwashing is the simplest and easiest way to stop or hinder the spread of diseases. The Centers for disease Control and Prevention, here states that simple handwashing education can reduce the number of people who get sick with diarrhea by 23-40%, reduce the number of school days children missed because gastrointestinal illness by 29-57%, reduce diarrhea illness in people with weakened immune systems by about 58%, and reduce respiratory illnesses, like colds by 16-21%. These numbers are especially important as 9% of deaths in children under the age of 5 are caused by diarrhea, it is with that one of the leading killers of children.  With this the Global Handwashing Day promotes not only SDG 3 “Good Health and Well-being” but also  SDG 6 “Clean Water and Sanitation”, alongside having an indirect impact on many others, such as quality education (SDG 4).

Therefore, due to 2.3 billion people having limited or no access to handwashing facilities, it is important to continue celebrating this day and highlighting the existing inequalities within something as simple as handwashing, in order for people to achieve not only sustainable development but also their human rights to live.