Our mission
We're on a mission to prevent a million deaths... every year.
Every day, we leave a trail of invisible passengers on everything we touch – germs. They’re hitching a ride all the way from your fingertips to…well, everywhere! The simple act of handwashing can stop this germ parade in its tracks, yet not everyone is on board with soaping up. In sneezes and coughs around the world, these tiny invaders are having a field day.
"Researchers estimate that if everyone routinely washed their hands, 1 million deaths a year could be prevented"
The Centre of Disease Control and Prevention reveal a startling reality – less than half of Americans use soap when washing their hands, and only 66 percent wash their hands after using the restroom. The consequences are significant, with researchers estimating that routine handwashing could prevent a million deaths annually. Studies also show that proper hand hygiene can reduce the incidence of respiratory diseases by up to 21 percent.
UNICEF's Hand Hygiene for All Initiative
UNICEF has scaled up hand hygiene efforts in various countries and regions through the Hand Hygiene for All Initiative. This sets ambitious targets for expanding access to hand hygiene in schools, health-care facilities, workspaces, displacement camps and other key areas of public interest.
To ensure that children, their families and surrounding communities have access to appropriate handwashing facilities and supplies, Unicef supports local and global product innovation and helps to find new ways of bringing affordable products and services to the most vulnerable.