These guidelines provide additional support and information on designing and implementing hygiene promotion programmes or elements of hygiene promotion in the programmes of other sectors. They should be used in conjunction with the UNHCR WASH Manual and the summary guidance in the Hygiene Promotion Chapter of this manual.
Refugees are at high risk for communicable diseases due to overcrowding and poor water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions. Handwashing with soap removes pathogens from hands and reduces disease risk. A hepatitis E outbreak in the refugee camps of Maban County, South Sudan in 2012 prompted increased hygiene promotion and improved provision of soap, handwashing stations, and latrines. We conducted a study 1 year after the outbreak to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the refugees in Maban County.