Government of the Republic of Zambia Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Zambia National Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Communication Strategy 2019–2030 FIRST EDITION September 2019 © copyright Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Government of the Republic of Zambia All rights reserved. This document may not be reproduced, stored in retrieval systems or transmitted in any form or means – electronic, manual, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without the prior permission of the Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection. First edition September 2019 Office of the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection P. O. Box 31969, Lusaka Ministerial foreword In both its Vision 2030 and the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP), the Government of the Republic of Zambia aspires to make WASH services available to all citizens without leaving anybody behind. As stated in the 7NDP: “Access to water and sanitation services by all segments of the population is a key component of all aspects of sustainable development and this challenge becomes more important when the population growth by 2030 is factored in.” The legal and institutional reforms of the Zambian water supply and sanitation sector, which started in the 1990s, are now being consolidated. This streamlining of the management and operations of the sector has highlighted the need for a coordinated approach to communication, guided by a robust and comprehensive national strategy. The National Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Communication Strategy is an essential tool in the provision of WASH services and the promotion of behaviour change. The absence of a communication strategy to support behaviour change had the potential to slow the country’s progress towards achieving the development outcomes for water and sanitation. Recognizing this gap, the ministry initiated the development of this communication strategy to support advocacy for the sector and the adoption of recommended WASH behaviours by all Zambians. With this strategy, our goal is to increase the proportion of Zambians with access to clean water and adequate sanitation by 2030. The strategy aims to achieve this by securing the steady access to services that will enable Zambians to adopt and maintain positive WASH attitudes and behaviours. This strategy will therefore support the delivery of the WASH promotion components of both the national rural and urban water supply and sanitation programmes. It establishes a common agenda for communication and advocacy under the leadership of my ministry and is intended to guide and harmonize the efforts of the Zambian Government and all stakeholders and duty bearers in the WASH sector. Hon. Dr. Dennis M. Wanchinga, MP Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection | iii Acknowledgements On behalf of the Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection, I wish to extend my profound appreciation to UNICEF who, in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Zambia, supported and facilitated the development of this strategy. With the National WASH Communication Strategy 2019–2030 in place, the ministry now has a platform upon which to build and implement the country’s behaviour change programmes to improve the WASH conditions and well-being of all our people. This strategy was developed through a consultative and participatory process that benefited extensively from the technical knowledge, research expertise, and experience of stakeholders and civil servants who are actively involved in the planning, promotion, and delivery of WASH services and programmes. This guarantees that the strategy is a concrete product of the available evidence, is appropriate to the Zambian situation, and reflects a broad-based consensus on how to respond to, and deal with, the developmental challenges related to WASH. I am grateful to the various sector stakeholders for their participation and support in the development of this strategy, particularly the staff and representatives of line ministries, local authorities, provincial administrations, commercial utilities, cooperating partners, non-governmental organizations, traditional authorities, community-based health and WASH service providers, communities, and members of participating agencies in the Behaviour Change Communication Technical Working Group. All their individual and collective contributions helped to ensure that the strategy meets the expectations of the Zambian public. Mabvuto Sakala Permanent Secretary Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection iv | List of abbreviations and acronyms ARI Acute Respiratory Infection BCC Behaviour Change and Communication CFP Communication Focal Point CHW Community Health Worker CLTS Community-Led Total Sanitation CC Community Champion CP Cooperating Partner CSO Central Statistical Office CSOs Civil Society Organizations CSR Corporate Social Responsibility CU Commercial Utility DEM Department of Environmental Management (MWDSEP) DPI Department of Planning and Information (MWDSEP) D-WASH District Water, Sanitation and Hygiene DWSS Department of Water Supply and Sanitation (MWDSEP) DWRD Department of Water Resources Development (MWDSEP) EHT Environmental Health Technician FBO Faith-Based Organization FGD Focus Group Discussion GDP Gross Domestic Product GRZ Government of the Republic of Zambia HCF Health Care Facility HWF Handwashing Facility HWWS Hand Washing With Soap IEC Information, Education and Communication IWRM Integrated Water Resources Management JMP Joint Monitoring Programme (WHO/UNICEF) KAP Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices KII Key Informant Interview LA Local Authority LCMS Living Conditions Monitoring Survey LSP Lusaka Sanitation Programme LWSC Lusaka Water and Sanitation Company LWSSDP Lusaka Water Supply, Sanitation and Drainage Project M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MHM Menstrual Hygiene Management MOCTA Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs MOGE Ministry of General Education MOH Ministry of Health MLGH Ministry of Local Government and Housing MOU Momorundam of Understanding MWDSEP Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation & Environmental Protection NGO Non-Governmental Organization NRWSSP National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme 2016–2030 NUPUSS National Urban and Peri-Urban Sanitation Strategy 2015–2030 NUWSSP National Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Programme 2011–2030 NWASCO National Water Supply and Sanitation Council NWCS National WASH Communication Strategy 2019–2030 | v OD Open Defecation ODF Open Defecation Free O&M Operation and Maintenance PESTLE Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental P-WASH Provincial Water, Sanitation and Hygiene RWS Rural Water Supply RWSS Rural Water Supply and Sanitation SAG Sanitation Action Group SBCC Social and Behaviour Change Communication SC Steering Committee SCF Sector Coordination Framework SCP Sector Coordination Partner SDG Sustainable Development Goal SEM Socio-Ecological Model SLTS School-Led Total Sanitation SWA Sanitation and Water for All SWM Solid Waste Management TA Technical Adviser TOR Terms of Reference TOT Training of Trainers TWG Technical Working Group UN United Nations UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UWS Urban Water Supply UWSS Urban Water Supply and Sanitation V-WASH Village Water, Sanitation and Hygiene WARMA Water Resources Management Authority WASH Water, Sanitation and Hygiene WASHE Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Education WDC Ward Development Committee WHO World Health Organization WRM Water Resources Management WSC Water and Sewerage Company WSS Water Supply and Sanitation ZAMCOM Zambia Institute of Mass Communication ZEMA Zambia Environmental Management Agency ZDHS Zambia Demographic and Health Survey ZSHP Zambia Sanitation and Hygiene Programme vi | Behaviour change: “A research-based consultative process for addressing knowledge, attitudes and practices.Working Behaviour definitions change enables groups of individuals to engage in participatory processes to define their needs and demand their rights. The collaborative, transformative actions emphasize public and private dialogue to change behaviour on a large scale, including norms and structural inequalities.”1 Behaviour change communication: Application of communication principles and methods to inform, persuade and motivate people to adopt and sustain specified practices. Communication: The transmission and dissemination of information including the means and technologies used to convey the content or messages from source to receiver. Corporate communication: Internal and external communication activities managed strategically with the goal of conveying an organization’s mission and values and cultivating a favourable image and perception among its stakeholders. Coverage: The percentage or proportion of the population with access to WASH services. Faecal Sludge Management: “The collection, transport, and treatment of faecal sludge from pit latrines, septic tanks or other on-site sanitation systems. Faecal sludge is a mixture of human excreta, water and solid wastes (e.g. toilet paper or other anal cleansing materials, menstrual hygiene materials) that are disposed of in pits, tanks or vaults of on-site sanitation systems. Faecal sludge that is removed from septic tanks is called ‘septage’.”2 Household: “A person or a group of related and unrelated persons who usually live together