IFRC WASH Guidelines for Hygiene Promotion in Emergency Operations

The aim of these guidelines is to ensure that all Red Cross (RC) emergency water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programmes include effective hygiene promotion (HP), which is relevant to the context. These guidelines assist RC staff and volunteers to work systematically, working through all the important steps for planning, implementing and monitoring hygiene promotion, starting with understanding the problem, the barriers and motivators for behaviour change; with the community involved at all stages – listening and working with the affected community, ensuring the response is effective and appropriate to the needs. Although every situation is different, this approach with a clear pathway assists with quality assurance, linking with agreed standards; assuring effective implementation, with monitoring and training appropriate to the needs.