Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda
Rwanda: Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas was 29.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda stood at 29.4%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 42.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda peaked at 29.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2000.
Rwanda ranks 94th of 113 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.0% | — |
| 2001 | 1.2% | — |
| 2002 | 4.5% | +267.5% |
| 2003 | 6.9% | +52.0% |
| 2004 | 8.1% | +18.2% |
| 2005 | 9.4% | +15.4% |
| 2006 | 10.6% | +13.4% |
| 2007 | 11.9% | +11.8% |
| 2008 | 13.1% | +10.5% |
| 2009 | 14.4% | +9.5% |
| 2010 | 15.6% | +8.7% |
| 2011 | 16.9% | +8.0% |
| 2012 | 18.1% | +7.4% |
| 2013 | 19.4% | +6.9% |
| 2014 | 20.6% | +6.5% |
| 2015 | 21.9% | +6.1% |
| 2016 | 23.1% | +5.7% |
| 2017 | 24.4% | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 25.6% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 26.9% | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 28.2% | +4.7% |
| 2021 | 29.4% | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 29.4% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 29.4% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 29.4% | +0.0% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 29.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 28.7%, 1.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 29.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.3%, 88% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +267.5% | 1.2% | 4.5% |
| 2003 | +52.0% | 4.5% | 6.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.0% | 0.0% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.3% | 15.6% | 26.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.2% | 28.2% | 29.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More reference data data for Rwanda
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2282 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9517 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1223 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7651 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9517 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.666 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda?
- Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Rwanda was 29.4% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 29.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2000.
- How does Rwanda rank for access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas?
- Rwanda ranks 94th out of 113 countries with data for 2024.
- Is access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proportion of people with access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.