Handwashing in Low-Income Urban Kenya: Findings and Recommendations

Goal 6 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for universal access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Handwashing with soap remains one of the most effective measures against diarrhoeal and respiratory diseases, yet access to facilities is uneven. In Kenya, only 33% of the urban population had access to basic handwashing facilities by 2020, with poorer households in low-income areas most affected. This study explored the determinants of access to handwashing facilities and practices in low-income settlements across Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, and Kisumu. These findings provide insights and recommendations to strengthen WASH interventions in urban Kenya.