Communities need to have the appropriate knowledge and understanding of their watershed, the natural, social, cultural conditions, as well as policies and regulations, economic trends and development opportunities, to be involved in water management and conservation. They will also be more actively involved if they are organized. IHP will develop water education activities for communities and will partner with IHP National Committees.
Mass media professionals can play an important role in increasing awareness on water-related problems and issues. Yet limited efforts have been made to educate them on water issues, and so reports are mainly on extreme water-related situations, when preventive measures or actions relative to disasters, conflicts, contamination, loss of life and natural resources are no longer applicable.
If journalists, bloggers, radio, television, film, and other media professionals understand the importance of local, regional and global water issues, this will be an effective mechanism for increasing overall public awareness.
Objectives
- Develop and promote community education strategies related to water issues (state of the resource, conservation, co-management, among others).
- Provide technical assistance for the development of interdisciplinary support materials, such as guidelines, briefing papers, and case studies on leading practices in water education for communities.
- Provide technical assistance for the development of interdisciplinary support materials, such as guidelines, briefing papers, and case studies on leading practices in water education for mass and community media professionals.
- Engage leading mass media professionals in awareness raising campaigns and programs.