Awareness and Communication Strategy CHAPTER 11. COMMUNICATION ENABLERS FOR EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY 11.1 Strategic Objectives a) To enhance the communication, information and knowledge management systems within the SADC Water Division and established RBOs for innovative internal and external communications; b) To develop the human resources and institutional capacity of SADC Water Division and established RBOs in the area of communication and information management; c) To mobilize and build the capacity of communication specialists in the Water Sector, other communication intermediaries (such as media houses) and technical practitioners in the Water Sector to effectively engage in the delivery of the Awareness and Communication Strategy; d) To secure funding for the Strategy through development of project proposals and the integration of communication objectives into planned or existing projects; e) To strengthen mechanism for ensuring the use of research findings in communication and public awareness efforts in the Water Sector. 11.2 Areas of Focus 11.2.1 Information, Communication, and Knowledge Management Systems and Technology - Development of a meta-database for knowledge management in SADC Water Division; - Development of systems for internal and external communications in SADC Water Division; and - Transforming the SADC Water Division website into a water information portal and improving its content and access. There is need to improve the systems for managing information within the SADC Water Division and the established RBOs with secretariats to ensure effective documentation, management and sharing of information. Communication within Member States is the responsibility of Member States but SADC Water Division and RBOs need to facilitate the mobilisation and sharing of information between and with the Secretariat and the SADC structures (such as the SADC National Committees, Water Resources Technical Committee and the Water Sector Reference Group) and within and between river basins. For the SADC Water Division, emphasis should be on systems for managing converging information from various sources and managing it to support information sharing and communication activities. Most importantly, such systems should be capable of processing the needed data into information, knowledge and wisdom. A meta-database should be developed within SADC Water Division and this should link to existing databases in Member States and RBOs such as ZAMWIS (Zambezi) and ODIS Page 48