Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools: A Catalyst for Upholding Human Rights to Water and Sanitation in Anápolis, Brazil

Ensuring access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, along with behavior change education in schools, is essential for fostering a conducive learning environment and promoting principles of inclusion, dignity, and equality. This study focuses on 12 primary schools in An & aacute;polis, Brazil, with a total of 4394 students and 248 teachers. WASH assessments were conducted using a questionnaire, observations of water and sanitation facilities, and microbiological analysis. Between 2018 and 2020, the proportion of schools with safely managed drinking water increased from 42% to 92%. However, sanitation conditions in the schools were categorized as basic, with hygiene services rated as limited in 92% of the schools due to the absence of soap. While this study shows that An & aacute;polis schools generally meet WASH guidelines for basic/advanced drinking water services, there is a crucial need for improvements in both hardware and software facilities to address sanitation and hygiene challenges.