Healthy habits, healthy schools: good practices for hand hygiene and menstrual health in schools in the pan-European region

Overview

Access to safe drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in schools is fundamental to protecting children’s health, dignity and educational opportunities. Further, promoting adequate hand hygiene and menstrual health in schools is not only a public health priority but also a driver of gender equality, inclusion and lifelong healthy behaviours. Supported by the Protocol on Water and Health, countries have advanced policies and practices to strengthen WASH in schools, but available data reveal persistent gaps in hand hygiene culture and provisions, alongside considerable unmet menstrual health needs. This publication showcases good practices in promoting hand hygiene and menstrual health in educational settings from across the pan-European region, illustrating how political commitment and international frameworks can be translated into concrete improvements. By sharing these experiences, it seeks to inspire governments, policy-makers, education and public health professionals, schools and communities to advance efforts towards ensuring an enabling environment for hand hygiene and menstrual health in every school, and for all.