Social Sustainability

WASH

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Definition

WASH stands for water, sanitation and hygiene. It denotes the interlinked services and behaviours — safe drinking-water access, adequate sanitation facilities, and hygiene practices such as handwashing with soap — that together prevent disease and support dignity, particularly in schools, health facilities and communities.

References

washdata.orgBulk import source

Source imported for editorial provenance.

sdgs.un.orgBulk import source

This reference provides supporting context for how “WASH” is defined and used.

Overview

How it is used

Development agencies, NGOs and governments frame programmes and funding around WASH; humanitarian responses prioritise WASH in emergencies; businesses address WASH in supply chains through commitments such as the WASH4Work pledge; and ESG frameworks treat workplace WASH access as a social issue.

Why it matters

Inadequate WASH is a leading driver of diarrhoeal disease, child mortality and lost educational and economic opportunity, and climate change is intensifying stress on water and sanitation systems.