•  new york
• Saturday, October 30, 2010
• Inter Press Service

The Global Handwashing Day was commemorated last Friday with educators showing their students how to wash their hands. ''It sounds simple to an audience that is accustomed to automatic faucets. But sadly, hundreds of millions of children will not be able to practice their handwashing lessons at school'', said . Maria Otero, U.S. Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs. Addressing the Academy for Educational Development (AED) in Washington, DC, Otero said: 'No matter where you live-be it Boston or Bamako-schools are the foundation of strong communities. They are, of course, a place where teachers teach and children learn. But they are also a place where community health workers deliver life-saving messages and medicines. They are a place where adults gather in the evening for continuing education and town hall meetings. And they are a place where people come to vote and young democracies flourish.'

It is a tragic irony that those who go to schools to learn, congregate, and protect their health, are often put at risk from the school environment itself. The problem is clear, she said. More than half of all primary schools in developing countries do not have adequate water facilities and nearly two-thirds lack adequate sanitation. Even where facilities exist, they are often in poor condition, she added.

Nearly 30 organizations launched a campaign at the AED event last week to demonstrate that providing water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) education in schools globally can help solve the WASH and education challenge around the world. Through this campaign, and an exhibit called 'Bathroom Pass,' these organizations highlight the solutions they are currently implementing and urge the U.S. Government, the World Bank, and other actors in the education and health sectors to bring WASH to schools in the developing world.

Otero said, 'The bottom line is this: if we are serious about improving child health, achieving universal primary education, ensuring gender equity and stimulating economic development, we need to be serious about providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene in schools.'

© Inter Press Service (2010) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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