ISLAMABAD (December 5): A Memorandum of Understanding and a website mark the start of a new phase of partnership between the Ministry of Environment and UNICEF to spread awareness and motivation in the affected districts about Hygiene, Safe Drinking Water, Sanitation and Waste Management, according to a press release issued by: Emergency Hygiene & WES Communication Unit, Ministry of Environment.

The MoU, comprising activities amounting to more than Rs. 24 million, was signed on Monday by the Major (Retd.) Tahir Iqbal, Minister of Environment, and Mr. Omar A. Abdi, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan during a ceremony at the Ministry of Environment.

“These activities will complement the Ministry’s other initiatives in response to the earthquake,” said Major (Retd.) Tahir Iqbal. “They are aimed at motivating people to drink only safe and clean water, to construct and use latrines and to preserve the local environments as much as possible.”

The Environment Minister and UNICEF Representative jointly inaugurated the Pakistan Earthquake Relief & Rehabilitation Communication Plan website (www.pakquakecommunication.org), which has been developed by the Emergency Hygiene and WES Communication Unit, Ministry of Environment, as part of the new phase of partnership. The website will serve as a meeting place for WES partners and the media for information-sharing, discussion and resources related to Hygiene, Water and Sanitation.

“Since the earthquake, UNICEF has signed more than 10 agreements relating to Water and Sanitation in the affected districts. This partnership will ensure that people in those areas know how they can protect their health and environment and what services are available to support them in this,” said Mr. Omar A. Abdi.

Under the agreement, various channels of communication will be used to reach the affected population, particularly the most vulnerable segments such as families living in camps, women and children. Proactive engagement of media and programming partnerships on hygiene and WES will be developed.

Thousands of tent-to-tent communicators, or “Rahbers”, will be mobilized to persuade families in camps to practice good hygiene and water and sanitation practices. Fortnightly “Cleanliness Drives” will be held to mobilize people to clean their living space, hospital/medical camp, neighbourhood, camp, etc. Community TV Corners will be organized at strategic locations and equipped with television sets and dvd players. Entertaining information videos, such as the Meena series, will be shown and activities such as role playing will be organized to re-enforce messages.

In addition, the Ministry of Environment will facilitate four water filtration plants, each with a capacity of 2,000 gallons/hour, which will be installed and maintained by UNICEF in affected areas.

The Ministry of Environment and UNICEF have set up the Emergency Hygiene and WES Communication Unit in the Ministry of Environment to lead communication activities related to hygiene, water and sanitation.