Awareness and Communication Strategy
(Okavango) an SADC Hycos. Existing and relevant regional projects should also be included
in the database. The SADC Water Division website should be positioned as a regional webbased water information portal. The content of and access to the SADC Water Division
website should therefore be improved.
Also important are systems for communicating updates on the implementation of the RSAP,
linkages between SADC Secretariat and Member States and between the SADC National
Committee and the respective role players within the Member States.
11.2.2 Human resources and training
- Recruitment of an information and communication specialist in SADC Water Division;
- Training in basic communication and media relation and management for water specialists
in RBOs and water ministries;
- Capacity building activities for the media and other communication specialists in the Water
Sector
- Establishment of the Information and Communications Reference Group for the SADC
Water Sector
The implementation of this Strategy rests on the availability of requisite skills in the Water
Sector to deliver the communication activities and reach as many target audiences. In this
regard, the Water Sector needs to focus attention in human resources development in the area
of communication and information management. The human resource development should
be looked at in different dimensions such as:
f) Development of communication capacity in the SADC Water Division;
g) Development of the communication capacity in RBOs and water ministries within the
Member States and improving basic communication and media relations skills; and
h) Engaging and building the capacity of communication specialists in the Water Sector
and communication intermediaries (for example media houses) in the region.
To steer the implementation of this Strategy, SADC Water Division needs to bring on board
an information and communication specialist as part of its internal capacity strengthening
effort. The 2007 report on Capacity Support to the SADC Water Division recommended that
the SADC Water Division should address key areas of responsibility including RSAP
management and the management and dissemination of information. The report
recommended Technical Assistant (TA) Support to the Water Division on information and
communication.
The TA will assist the Water Division in dealing with short-term
communication, information, and stakeholder confidence building functions.
Communication specialists in the RBOs, water ministries and other communication
intermediaries should be mobilized to support communication activities of Member States.
This should include the establishment of the Information and Communications Reference
Group for the SADC Water Sector comprising the media, communication officers, and
educators. This will provide a link between the SADC Water Division and members States in
the delivery of this Strategy.
In addition, capacity of communication intermediary organizations, such as media houses,
should be strengthened to enable them communicate water issues competently. Activities
such as media training, media visits and awards should be facilitated and the targeted media
should be included in the Information and Communications Forum for the SADC Water
Sector.
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