Access to Handwashing Facilities with Soap and Water

Definition: Proportion of schools (including pre-primary, primary and secondary) with handwashing facilities, which have soap and water available Handwashing facility : A handwashing facility is any device or infrastructure that enables students to wash their hands effectively using running water, such as a sink with tap, water tank with tap, bucket with tap, tippy tap, or other similar device. Note: a shared bucket used for dipping hands is not considered an effective handwashing facility. Soap and water: Both water and soap are available at the handwashing facilities for girls and boys on the day of the questionnaire or survey. Soapy water (a prepared solution of detergent suspended in water) can be considered as an alternative for soap, but not for water, as non-soapy water is needed for rinsing. Note: ash or mud may be available for hand cleansing but is not an acceptable alternative to soap for global monitoring.

The core hygiene questions support increased monitoring of this important aspect of WASH
in schools, including not only the presence of infrastructure (Question H1), but also the provision of soap and
water (Question H2).

Calculation: the number of schools where QH1 = YES and QH2 = YES water and soap, divided by the total number of schools surveyed.

RECOMMENDED SURVEY QUESTIONS (Q) A

QH1: are there handwashing facilities at the school? : A handwashing facility is any device or infrastructure that enables students to wash their hands effectively using running water, such as a sink with tap, water tank with tap, bucket with tap, tippy tap, or other similar device. Note: a shared bucket used for dipping hands is not considered an effective handwashing facility.
Response options: yes / no
QH2: are both soap and water currently available at the handwashing facilities? To be considered available, water and soap must be available at one or more of the handwashing facilities at the time of the survey or questionnaire. If girls and boys have separate facilities, soap and water should be at both. Soapy water (a prepared solution of detergent suspended in water) can be considered as an alternative for soap, but not for water, as non-soapy water is needed for rinsing. Surveys may choose to add other response categories for ash or alcohol hand rub, but these should be kept as separate categories from soap to support SDG monitoring.
Response options: yes water and soap / water only / soap only /neither water or soap