Submit a striking WASH communication case

 Submit a striking WASH communication case

There are two alternative ways to submit your striking WASH communication case study:

1. An abstract of maximum 400 words. (for more details see below in “Requirements”)
2. A power point presentation of maximum 12 slides. If a power point is used, please limit the number of words per slide, use only font sizes equal to or above 32; extra weight will be given to those with visual elements. (for more details see below in “Requirements”)

Email your submission to Nick Dickinson, IRC, using the email address strikingwashcomms@irc.nl.

Requirements
Striking WASH communication cases should address the thematic area of water, sanitation and/or hygiene in cities, peri-urban areas and informal settlements. Presentations and abstracts should address at least two of the following questions:

• How has communication and information sharing led to improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in the urban context?
• Can media, marketing, public relations and advocacy make an impact?
• Can the impact be measured and, if so, how?
• What are the success stories and lessons learned from communication about WASH in cities, peri-urban areas and informal settlements?

Striking case studies from the following seven categories can be submitted. Please indicate in which category / categories your striking case study fits best. In case you choose “Other” please specify:

• Marketing
• Social marketing & behavior change communications
• Advocacy and lobbying
• Public relations & media relations
• Information & knowledge sharing
• Transparency & accountability
• WASH journalism / WASH in Media
• Other

Please consider the following questions when preparing:

1. Why is your case study specifically interesting?
2. What major issues, challenges or problems were faced?
3. What were the solutions proposed & the related communication objective?
4. How were the communication activities approached, planned & implemented?
5. How many & which people were involved, what budget was necessary, how long did it take?
6. (How) did communicators and WASH experts collaborate?
7. What was the impact made - positive or negative?
8. What is the take home message?
9. What is the background of your organization / initiative?
10. Who do we get in touch with to learn more? (Contact information)

References and links to further information, if available, are recommended. Please indicate in which of the following categories your striking case study fits best. You may choose more than one category, if it is not clear which is more appropriate.

Selection

The cases to be presented in Stockholm will be selected on the basis of their relevance as well as on their uniqueness and innovative approach. Preference is given to cases that are both qualitatively strong and well communicated for the lay person including engineers, policy makers and other decision makers. Cases will be reviewed by a jury of communication experts from IRC, WSSCC, UN-WDPAC and pr audit.

Six cases from various categories will be selected to present in the side event at World Water Week 2010. In addition, a number of cases, based on quality and interest, will be published on the blog: http://washcommunication.blogspot.com/
On the blog, they will be accompanied by interviews, visual materials and references so that readers can find more information.

IUCN - Species

IUCN - Species

The Fight Against Invasives

08 June 2011 | Article / IUCN/ The words ‘invasive aliens’ tend to conjure up images of little green men flying in from outer space and waging war against Earth. Granted, if this were to occur it would be a rather frightening experience, but the fact is we have a far more serious and immediate issue to tackle: the invasive aliens that are already here.

Biodiversity is being lost at an unprecedented rate, with a whole host of factors contributing to the disastrous declines. Habitat destruction is well-documented as being one of the leading causes of species extinctions, but invasive alien species are also to blame. But what exactly is an invasive species? Invasive species are those organisms which have been introduced by man, either accidentally or on purpose, to areas in which they are not naturally found, and have thrived to the extent that they have taken over their new environment.

It is important, however, to make the distinction between these species and ‘non-native’ species. Plenty of species are introduced to areas outside of their natural range, and are hence non-native, but not all of these will become invasive. Many will not be able to adapt to the new environment at all, and may eventually die off. Other non-native species cope well in their new surroundings without ousting native species from the ecosystem, co-existing without competition. An ecosystem can support this change as its original components and key players are still there. The non-native species may itself prove beneficial to human wellbeing and in some cases may become part of the landscape, as in the case of the Mediterranean Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) in Tuscany or the Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) in many areas of North America and Europe. What causes a species to be labelled as invasive rather than simply non-native is its ability to out-compete native species, impacting on the biological diversity of the region and even on the livelihoods of human communities.

There are hundreds of invasive species around the globe, from European Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) wreaking havoc on farmlands in Australia to Water Hyacinths (Eichhornia crassipes) limiting access to water and also contributing to the spread of malaria in Africa. Invasive species are now acknowledged as the primary cause of extinctions globally, with rats and feral cats being the top predators of endemic birds, particularly on islands. Furthermore, the number of new invaders is increasing at an extraordinary pace, so the development of new responses to this threat is all the more urgent.

The good news, however, is that all hope is not lost. Many countries are now preventing the arrival of new invaders, in this way protecting their territories. Attempts to remove the most harmful invasive species are proving to be increasingly successful, with more than 1,000 eradications completed worldwide to date. In many cases, these actions contributed more than any other conservation work to the recovery of threatened species and to the protection of the livelihoods of many human communities.

One example of a success story is the eradication of feral cats on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean. Ascension Island was once home to large seabird colonies, but the introduction of cats in the early 1800s, which raided and decimated nesting sites, led to a rapid decline in bird numbers on the island. All that remained were relict populations living on inaccessible cliff ledges or offshore stacks. In 2001 a feral cat eradication programme was put into play on the island, and by March 2004 the last known feral cat was removed from the mainland. Seabirds such as the Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) and the White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus) began to recolonize the mainland, and numbers have since been steadily increasing. The Working for Water programme in South Africa has been a dramatic success in invasive species control aimed at securing water for the people, and enhancing the productive uses of the land; further, it has employed tens of thousands of the area’s poorest inhabitants. Programmes to control smothering infestations of various water hyacinth species in Central Africa are critical to the reduction of their impacts on essential fisheries, the preservation of access to potable water and water transport, and the protection of water reservoirs.

It is, of course, wonderful news that these programmes combating invasive alien species have been successful, but it is clear that these should really only be a last resort in responding to what is a serious threat. By introducing preventative measures and setting up early detection and response systems, the risks, as well as the costs incurred through the far more costly alternative of management after the fact, are greatly minimized.

Recently, articles have been published in prominent scientific journals questioning the need to continue the fight against invasives. Yet, in October 2010, the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted a new Strategic Plan, including a target dedicated to the prevention, control and eradication of the world’s most harmful invasive species, showing that this issue is of major global importance. The Invasive Species Specialist Group and the Invasive Species Initiative of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission and Global Species Programme, respectively, are working together with other experts to alleviate the problem of invasives and achieve this target, thereby honouring their commitment to the Strategic Plan. This work will be of utmost importance in saving species for future generations and sustaining our home, spaceship Earth.

La production artisanale de l’huile de palme menace l’environnement dans le lac Tanganyika

Rumonge – Environnement

La production artisanale de l’huile de palme menace l’environnement dans le lac Tanganyika

RUMONGE, 8 juin (ABP) – Les propriétaires des unités de production d’huile de palme de la commune Rumonge en province Bururi (sud-ouest) ont dernièrement avoué publiquement devant le représentant de l’administration communale, le directeur de l’Office de l’huile de palme du Burundi (OHPB) et le commandant de la région sud de la police nationale du Burundi (PNB) que leurs activités constituent une menace sérieuse de l’environnement, apprend-on sur place. Ils demandent certes un appui financier pour la modernisation de leurs unités de production (mahweniya) afin de pouvoir minimiser la pollution des rivières environnantes et du lac Tanganyika.

Le directeur de l’OHPB leur recommande de se regrouper en mouvements associatifs afin de pouvoir contracter des crédits bancaires et ainsi moderniser leurs unités de production. Cette pollution quotidienne des eaux des rivières du lac Tanganyika ne devrait pas se poursuivre avec la présence des éléments de la PNB disposant des unités de la protection civile. Signalons qu’à Rumonge, il n’y a plus de police de l’environnement, ce qui handicape toute action publique allant dans la protection de l’environnement. Par ailleurs, la population de la commune Rumonge se plaint d’une pollution grandissante de l’eau des robinets, des rivières et celle du lac Tanganyika, a-t-on appris sur place. Cette pollution dont les conséquences sur la santé publique sont prévisibles trouve une source dans les acides palmitiques, les oxydes de fer polluant la nappe phréatique et les déchets ménagers qui se déversent au quotidien dans les eaux des rivières et du lac Tanganyika sans traitement préalable. La population de la commune Rumonge a maintes fois saisi, mais sans succès, l’administration, les élus locaux et ses représentants au parlement. Elle vit dans une peur panique de voir la santé publique se détériorer par les conséquences fâcheuses consécutives à la consommation quotidienne d’une eau polluée. Signalons que la REGIDESO devrait entreprendre une activité de déférisation avant toute forme de distribution de cette eau pour la population du centre urbain de Rumonge et de ses environs, selon la même population.

Des experts appellent à adopter la stratégie de financement du secteur de l'eau

CEEAC – Eau

Des experts appellent à adopter la stratégie de financement du secteur de l'eau

KINSHASA, 2 juin (XINHUANET) – Les experts des pays de la Communauté économique des Etats d'Afrique centrale (CEEAC) en charge de l'eau et les institutions régionales du secteur de l'eau ont recommandé à leurs gouvernements d'adopter la stratégie de financement du secteur de l'eau. Ils ont formulé cette recommandation à la clôture mardi des travaux de l'atelier régional de lancement du projet de mise en œuvre de la politique régionale de l'eau de la CEEAC, organisé à Kinshasa les 30 et 31 mai. Ils ont également demandé de sensibiliser les institutions universitaires et de recherche à intégrer dans leur curricula les modules de recherches de financement et de rédaction des propositions des projets et d'assumer les charges de fonctionnement des investissements des réseaux de mesure d' observation des ressources en eau. La réunion des experts a enjoint le secrétaire général de la CEEAC de transmettre formellement les documents de référence du projet à chaque Etat membre pour une meilleure appropriation et un suivi de sa mise en œuvre et à prendre en compte les ressources en eau souterraine dans la réalisation de l'étude PARGIRE (Plan d’action régional de la gestion intégrée des ressources en eau). Elle lui a demandé de veiller, lors de l'étude institutionnelle, d'accorder un accent particulier sur le relèvement institutionnel susceptible de garantir à terme une meilleure émancipation de l’organe de coordination régionale de la gestion des ressources en eau. Pour les participants, le secrétaire général de la CEEAC est appelé à appuyer la mise en place d'un réseau d'association de la société civile œuvrant dans le domaine de l'eau et de l’assainissement et à développer un programme de vulgarisation de la politique régionale de l'eau en vue de sa meilleure appropriation par les Etats, les acteurs de l'eau et les populations.

Célébration de la Journée mondiale de l’environnement, édition 2011

Burundi – Environnement

Célébration de la Journée mondiale de l’environnement, édition 2011

BUJUMBURA, 1^er juin (ABP) – Le Burundi va s’associer samedi à d’autres nations du monde pour célébrer la Journée mondiale de l’environnement, édition 2011 dont le thème est : « Forêts, la nature à notre service », a-t-on appris mercredi au département des Forêts au ministère de l’Eau, de l’Environnement, de l’Aménagement du territoire et de l’Urbanisme. Le thème choisi au niveau national de cette journée commémorée mondialement le 5 juin de chaque année depuis une décennie, est : « Les forêts et leurs diversités, notre richesse », a-t-on précisé. En outre, la célébration de cette journée au niveau national sera combinée avec le lancement de la campagne sylvicole 2011-2012. Selon la même source, les cérémonies marquant cette journée, qui se tient au cours de cette année internationale dédiée à la forêt, seront rehaussées par la  présence des hautes autorités dans les provinces Karusi  (en commune Buhiga, centre-est du pays), Gitega (en commune Gitega, centre), Bururi (en commune Vyanda, sud-ouest), Bujumbura rural (en commune Kabezi, ouest) et Kayanza (en commune Kabarore, nord). Les principales activités qui seront menées samedi dans ces provinces seront le lancement de la campagne sylvicole 2011-2012 ainsi que l’entretien des boisements identifiés, a-t-on indiqué. En revanche, la grande activité qui marquera cette journée mondiale, édition 2011  en  mairie de Bujumbura  sera le ramassage des sachets et des bouteilles en plastique en vue de rendre la ville propre, a-t-on informé.