Babywash And The 1,000 Days

Poor WASH conditions are thought to be one of the main causes of child stunting. The household environment in which children develop and grow is highly related to their nutritional status. Direct and indirect pathways exist between WASH and stunting, from diarrheal diseases and Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (EED), to socio-economic conditions and time constraints to child care practices.

The BabyWASH concept has recently emerged to link the WASH, Nutrition, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Early Childhood Development sectors. Its goal is to have a more profound impact on child health outcomes in order to improve well-being in the first 1,000 days of life. The prevention of stunting is probably the most significant impact expected from this approach through the reduction of the EED pathway and other WASH links.