Global Handwashing Day

Marked annually on October 15, Global Handwashing Day is the culmination of over two decades of multilateral advocacy programs focused on infection prevention through clean hands and hygiene promotion. The first #GlobalHandwashingDay in 2008 commemorated a break from pilot programs towards formal advocacy for policies that explicitly incorporated behavior change into international development agendas. The same WASH stations that Anera has supported in Gaza are found all over the world thanks to The Global Handwashing Partnership.

Global Handwashing Day 2024

Global handwashing day is an important reminder of how washing our hands is an easy but effective way to keep ourselves healthy and save lives. Handwashing with soap helps stop or slow the spread of diseases, especially those that persist in overcrowded spaces, and is a small but mighty line of defense against waterborne illness and disease.

However, in communities facing limited resources and ongoing conflict, the act of handwashing can become a matter of life or death. Access to clean water, a sink , and soap is often not guaranteed, making hygiene a significant challenge - especially in Gaza, where many Palestinians are currently displaced without access to these basic necessities.

Hygiene Challenges in Conflict Zones

In conflict zones, the act of handwashing becomes even more critical as armed conflict disrupts access to clean water for drinking and sanitation. the perfect conditions for waterborne illnesses like cholera and typhoid. At the same time, infections transmitted through close contact like polio and those of the lungs are also present.

Such conditions require additional medical services to be treated, so compounded shortages exacerbate an already difficult situation.

Multiple waves of displacement and consistent aerial bombardment also mean that already-deteriorating healthcare and transport infrastructure are not maintained, making it dangerous for all those who continue to use them. This leaves the population vulnerable to disease⚕️ outbreaks from defunct sanitary facilities and inaccessible treatments. The impacts of these shortages are already evident; in September 2024, Gaza reported its first case of polio , and the Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon confirmed a cholera diagnosis on October 16th.

Hygiene in Gaza Today

Historically, people in refugee camps strive for normalcy, but in Gaza today, the ongoing siege and shortages have made even basic hygiene a struggle. By nature, refugee camps are temporary settlements meant to house humans until their right to return home is granted. Fortunately, observation shows that people living in displaced communities will indeed try to embody their home routines if resources are available. Despite this resilience, for Anera, this is an explicit call to action, as the availability of such resources is not guaranteed, leaving families incredibly vulnerable to sickness.

Israel's complete siege on the region has also made it impossible for Gazans to filter water themselves, as the process requires fuel⛽ and electricity⚡. The Israeli blockades and man-made shortages exacerbate Gaza's hygiene crisis, worsening health risks for displaced people.

Low-resource fixes, like the reuse of greywater or sanitizer, are less-than-ideal alternatives to hygiene when it comes to staying clean. For some, however, these solutions are the only options.

Consistent bombardment has also caused once-separate systems for filtering water to mix, enabling contaminated water to flow into what little clean drinking water remains - already, 90% of Gaza's water is unfit to drink. Sewage flowing into the streets also greatly threatens public health given that the restoration of sanitation infrastructure is not necessarily a top priority at this moment. Therefore, efforts to support healthcare workers are best directed towards addressing the gaps where Gaza's infrastructure is insufficient.

What Can We Do?

Organizations play a crucial role in mitigating the hygiene crisis through practical solutions such as hygiene kits, medicine, portable handwashing stations, soap , and other equipment. In collaboration with Islamic Relief USA, Anera has successfully delivered sinks and WASH (also known as water, sanitation and hygiene or "WASH") stations throughout Jordan, Lebanon, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Free medical days and specialized clinics are additional demonstrably productive ways for orgs to provide healthcare service amidst the rubble. Hygiene education, in collaboration with community-based organizations, is another important safety tool.

No human, regardless of where they reside, deserves to live with preventable, treatable diseases in this twenty-first century. Israel's complete siege on Gaza and incessant bombardment of Gaza's healthcare infrastructure have made it incredibly difficult to mitigate the transmission of disease and ensure the right to health is upheld.

On this Global Handwashing Day, we think of Anera's team members and all of the other humanitarian aid providers addressing both intermediate medical needs and long-term healthcare challenges on the ground in Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan.

Our continued efforts to provide medicine, medical supplies, equipment, and hygiene-related products are made possible by the international community's consistent support. The ongoing conflict and persistent economic and political struggles have created a severe humanitarian crisis that demands urgent and ongoing assistance.

Your contributions can profoundly influence our ability to deliver vital medical services, enhance mental health programs, and meet essential sanitation needs through WASH stations and vaccination clinics. Your kindness is a vital resource.

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