Improving nutrition outcomes with better water, sanitation and hygiene

Overview

A growing body of evidence indicates that access to safe drinking-water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services has an important positive impact on nutrition. Achieving the six Global Nutrition Targets 2025, as well as global goals for WASH and health, will require greater investments in nutrition and WASH. It will also require maximizing impact through smart and sustainable integrated actions.

This document, jointly prepared by WHO, UNICEF and USAID, summarizes the current evidence on the benefits of WASH for improving nutrition outcomes. It describes how WASH interventions can be integrated into national nutrition policies and programmes to add value. It will also serve as a valuable tool to help countries implement the policy options on WASH recommended in the Framework for Action adopted by the 2nd International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), Rome, November 2014.