Marni Sommer and colleagues reflect on priorities needed to guide global, national, and local action to address girls' menstrual hygiene management needs in schools.

Background Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions are frequently implemented to reduce infectious diseases, and may be linked to improved nutrition outcomes in children. Objectives To evaluate the effect of interventions to improve water quality and supply (adequate quantity to maintain hygiene practices), provide adequate sanitation and promote handwashing with soap, on the nutritional status of children under the age of 18 years and to identify current research gaps. Search methods We searched 10 English-language (including MEDLINE and CENTRAL) and three Chinese-language databases for published studies in June 2012. We searched grey literature databases, conference proceedings and websites, reviewed reference lists and contacted experts and authors. Selection criteria Randomised (including cluster-randomised), quasi-randomised and non-randomised controlled trials, controlled cohort or crosssectional studies and historically controlled studies, comparing WASH interventions among children aged under 18 years. 1 Interventions to improve water quality and supply, sanitation and hygiene practices, and their effects on the nutritional status of children (Review)

The American Society of Civil Engineers claim that corruption accounts for an estimated $340 billion of worldwide construction costs each year. Corruption (including bribery, embezzlement, kickbacks and fraud) in construction projects undermines the delivery of infrastructure services. Furthermore, corruption poses significant risks to construction and engineering companies themselves. What progress has been made, therefore, in reducing the risk of corruption to construction projects? It is the purpose of this paper to argue that with improved accountability, attention to ethics and cultural considerations, and reduced corruption, it is possible to construct, operate and maintain adequate quality and quantity of infrastructure on a more sustainable basis and thereby improve construction practice. This paper will demonstrate how accountability initiatives in construction projects, in developed and developing countries can be of benefit internationally to the public and private sector as well as Non Government Organisations and researchers in their efforts to reduce corruption in infrastructure services.

In this study, we report on the results of a trial of an intervention to improve five food hygiene behaviors among mothers of young children in rural Nepal. This novel intervention targeted five behaviors; cleanliness of serving utensils, handwashing with soap before feeding, proper storage of cooked food, and thorough reheating and water treatment. Based on formative research and a creative process using the Behavior-Centered Design approach, an innovative intervention package was designed and delivered over a period of 3 months. The intervention activities included local rallies, games, rewards, storytelling, drama, competitions linking with emotional drivers of behavior, and “kitchen makeovers” to disrupt behavior settings. The effect of the package on behavior was evaluated via a cluster-randomized before–after study in four villages with four villages serving as controls. The primary outcome was the difference in the mean cluster level proportions of mothers directly observed practicing all five food hygiene behaviors. The five targeted food hygiene behaviors were rare at baseline (composite performance of all five behaviors in intervention 1% [standard deviation (SD) = 2%] and in control groups 2% [SD = 2%]). Six weeks after the intervention, the target behaviors were more common in the intervention than in the control group (43% [SD = 14%] versus 2% [SD = 2%], P = 0.02) during follow-up. The intervention appeared to be equally effective in improving all five behaviors in all intervention clusters. This study shows that a theory-driven, systematic approach employing emotional motivators and modifying behavior settings was capable of substantially improving multiple food hygiene behaviors in Nepal.

The global community of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) researchers, practitioners and policy makers has to date inadequately addressed the challenge of vulnerability to violence in relation to access to water and sanitation in development and humanitarian emergency contexts. Reasons may include the lack of valid and reliable documentation of girls', boys', women's, and men's experiences of violence while accessing water and/or sanitation facilities; the sensitivity of the topic, with secrecy around individuals' experiences of violence and their sanitation needs further hindering the collection of reliable data; the complexity of understanding the gendered dimensions of vulnerability to violence, with girls and women at least anecdotally reported to be more likely to experience violence in relation to WASH; and the likelihood that many WASH practitioners lack training in gender and violence, affecting their ability to deliver adequate programming and evaluation. In an effort to encourage increased action and learning on the intersection of gender, violence and WASH, a review of the existing evidence and practice was conducted. Findings indicate the need for more systematic, reliable, and ethically conducted monitoring and learning on this topic to build a more solid evidence base, while also refining key principles for improved policy and programming.