Awareness and Communication Strategy CHAPTER 5. WATER SUPPLY, SANITATION AND HYGIENE 5.1 Strategic Objectives The access to water supply, sanitation services and hygiene is among the essential services for basic human needs. The universal access to water is one of the targets for measuring poverty eradication. Awareness on water supply, sanitation and hygiene should aim at promoting the development and maintenance of water supply and sanitation infrastructures and the associated public health hygiene services in order to increase and maintain universal access to potable water and sanitation services. The strategic objectives in communicating this should include: - a) To empower and create awareness to Member States, implementing institutions and agencies on provision of good water supply and sanitation services as well as hygiene education based on good practices; b) To improve awareness and buy-in on the importance of an integrated approach to water supply, sanitation and hygiene; and c) To increase understanding on ways of sustaining water supply and the importance of making clean water accessible and productive. 5.2 Key Message Areas 5.2.1 Legal and Regulatory Issues Communicate that it is critical to create a legal and regulatory framework that promotes the universal access to water supply and sanitation services. To who: Policy makers in Member States, regional institutions, NGOs, cooperating partners. How: Mass media, flyers, fact sheets, posters (and other forms of publications) and regional workshops The legal and regulatory environment, in which water supply and sanitation service provision functions, helps to ensure equity, protection of the environment and support to the poor. The majority of countries in the region do not have adequate policies and legislation that can facilitate universal access to water supply and sanitation service provision, including the achievement of MDGs on water and sanitation. There is a need to enact such instruments to provide an enabling environment for efficient delivery of the service. The messages should target those who facilitate and enact such instruments in their respective countries to always recognise the benefits of such interventions. Even where these instruments exist, there is still a daunting challenge of their reforms, enforcement and programmes for their implementation, mainly due to inadequate human and financial resources and political will. Page 25