Opportunities existing in the external environment to practice the behaviour, e.g. soap and water available, gender relations allow the practice. Ensure that there is opportunity to change behaviour
Published on: 29/06/2011
Opportunity at the household and community level
People must have the opportunity to try out new behaviours and this requires certain enabling factors such as sufficient water, toilets, acceptable and affordable products as well as social support in the environment. For example, when households have a convenient and logical place where all handwashing materials are available, then actual handwashing practice is better. Building low-cost (or no cost) handwashing stations can help individuals take the step from simply understanding the importance of handwashing, to actually practicing handwashing with soap. Case study 3; Case study 22
Opportunity at the institutional level
For hygiene behaviour change to be successful in integrated WASH programs, there must be a specific hygiene promotion strategy, a dedicated budget for hygiene, an M&E component for behaviour change and adequate skilled staff. The responsibilities of institutions and staff must be clear. Who really deals with hygiene in the government, in water programs and schools? Cooperation among government and NGO agencies should ideally be coupled with clear institutional roles. Case study 1; Case study 14; Case study 15; Case study 21
Volunteers often are at the centre of hygiene promotion activities, for example, as promoters or members of WASH or health committees. Effective hygiene promotion requires well-trained and supported promoters who help bring about change through community action-planning and follow-up. This crucial role needs to be valued and incentivised, for example through encouraging a career structure for volunteers to gradually enter paid positions. Similarly, the members of WASH committees need continuing support and capacity building. Case study 1; Case study 6; Case study 8
Success of hygiene promotion depends on the quality and commitment of field staff. Their difficult work needs to be valued. This should include repeated staff training on hygiene promotion, on-site supervision and discussions in staff meetings on problems that arise in their work. Case study 1; Case study 4; Case study 13
Consider the value of partnerships with the private sector, for example, food companies, banks and mobile phone companies, soap manufacturers, small manufacturers of menstrual pads. Private companies are not usually natural partners for governments and NGOs, but there is huge potential to raise awareness about hygiene through partnerships with private companies at the national and local level. Companies can market and mobilise their customer base at a rate and speed which is hard for an NGO to achieve. Specific events such as Global Handwashing Day can represent an opportunity for partnership. Partnerships need to be built in a way that protects negative developmental effects; for example, do not crowd out small, local soap producers. Case study 16; Case study 17; Case study 19
