Global Handwashing Day 2026; October 15th.

FORUM:  “Be a Handwashing Hero.” Global Handwashing Day 2026. Clean hands are a fundamental defense against the spread of infections, illnesses, and harmful germs. Whether in hospitals, schools, or in everyday interactions, practicing handwashing with soap contributes to better health outcomes and a safer world for everyone. While we've made significant progress in promoting handwashing with soap, our journey is far from over and we need handwashing heroes as we move towards our vision that all people benefit from clean hands. We need leaders from every part of society and everyone can “Be a Handwashing Hero.“ The celebration takes place on 15 October, with this year’s campaign continuing the multi-year theme “Be a Handwashing Hero.” The theme recognizes the people who help make handwashing an everyday practice that protects health, while emphasizing that everyone can play a role.Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #HandHygiene, #Cleanhandsarewithinreach, #GlobalHandwashingDay.

EVENT: October 15th; To mark the Global Handwashing Day 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will host a global webinar to consult on the forthcoming Hand Hygiene Guidelines Implementation Toolkit. The session will present draft tools designed to help countries translate the 2025 global guidelines on hand hygiene in community settings into national action. Participants will also be invited to contribute to a public consultation, helping to ensure that the final toolkit reflects practical implementation realities in different settings. Register to participate!

ACTIONS TO TAKE

Governments – Prioritize the integration and funding for hand hygiene programs within national strategies and plans. Use the WHO/UNICEF Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Community Settings for a resource and guidance. 

Donors – Invest in programs that promote access to hand hygiene facilities and support behavior change, recognizing that improved hand hygiene not only protects public health but also strengthens community wellbeing and economic resilience. 

Hand Hygiene Product Suppliers – Collaborate with governments, health systems, and nongovernmental organizations to ensure sustainable supply chains for hand hygiene products. 

Businesses – Prioritize hand hygiene for employee and customer health and safety. 

Schools, Healthcare Facilities and Other Institutional Actors - Implement a multi-faceted approach to scale up hand hygiene within their institution, combining promotion, accessible facilities, regular monitoring, and behavior reinforcement. 

Academics – Fill hand hygiene evidence gaps and translate research into practical resources for hand hygiene programming.

COMMUNICATION MATERIALS: Campaign resources are also available to support national and local Global Handwashing Day activities, including theme guidance, key messages, summary one-pagers and social media assets in English, French, Spanish and Arabic. For media and interview requests, contact us on: unwater@un.org mentioning [Media request] in the subject heading.