Monday, July 25, 2011
Rural sanitation: Bill Gates Foundation team visits Mandi
Express news service
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 0000 hrs IST
Shimla, October 23 Mandi’s success in the community-led rural sanitation drive has started attracting international agencies, who are offering to replicate the experiment in other countries, besides Indian states. More than 150 gram panchayats in the district have already attained status of ODF (open defecation free ) - one of the basic pre-requisite of total sanitation.The district has set a target of becoming completely ODF by August 2008, perhaps the first in northern India.
Yesterday, a 10-member team from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USA, visited two gram panchayats of Mandal and Barsu in Balh Block to see how the community has collectively made a change in their living standards.The team was accompanied by officials of the World Bank, whose water and sanitation programme (WSP) is also actively associated with the drive.
Paitty Stonesifer, the foundation’s CEO, led the team and met local community leaders and members of mahila mandals to share their experiences. “What actually impressed the foundation’s CEO was the fact that the campaign is completely led by the community and involves no element of subsidy or funding,” said Subhasish Panda, Mandi’s Deputy Commissioner.
Though the foundation, which works on health issues, has earlier also visited Orissa and Maharashtra, this is the first time the CEO headed for Himachal Pradesh. Some of the local natural water sources maintained by the villagers were also visited by the team leader.
Next, a team of Pakistan’s media professionals is also reaching Shimla to collect first-hand experience on working of the rural sanitation campaign in the district. Narkanda block in Shimla with 16 panchayats has also recently become ODF. In all, 360 gram panchayats have already become ODF in the state, barring districts of Kangra, Una and Hamirpur, where the campaign has not yet taken up well.
Strikingly, Kinnaur district in the state’s tribal belt has shown change faster than even some of the bigger districts like Kangra. Now, Bilaspur, Shimla and Solan districts are also witnessing a change, says Director, Rural Development and Panchayats, Rakesh Kaushal.
“Our focus is to see a collective behaviour change in the rural community. Once that’s achieved, the people will start realising the advantages,” he feels.
In Solan, the district plan prescribes for regular monitoring of the water quality in and around the panchayats that have become ODF.
“This is a very good test to monitor community behavior and also prevent re-occurrence of diseases like diarrhoea and gastroenteritis,” said Deepak Shanan, principal secretary, IPH. Shanan says the department is already working on a plan to introduce internal water quality monitoring system for drinking water supply schemes in the state.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Sanitary napkins for rural girls from August
Aarti Dhar
Napkins will be sold at subsidised price of Rs. 6 per pack
Ensuring better menstrual health and hygiene
Safe disposal of napkins at community level
NEW DELHI: The Centre's ambitious and much-awaited scheme of making available subsidised sanitary napkins to adolescent girls in the age group of 10-19 years in rural India will be operational by August.
As part of promotion of menstrual hygiene, the napkins will be sold to girls at a cost of Rs.6 for a pack of six - Re. 1 per piece - in the village by the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA).
This scheme is aimed at ensuring that adolescent girls in rural areas have adequate knowledge and information about menstrual hygiene and the use of napkins. The girls will be provided a pack of six napkins under the National Rural Health Mission's brand ‘Freedays.'
Use to increase
In the first phase, the scheme will cover 25 per cent of the population — 1.5 crore girls in 152 districts of 20 States. It is expected that with availability of sanitary napkins at the village level, their use will increase. Easy access and convenient pricing are the strategies adopted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for increasing usage of safe and hygienic practices during menstruation.
The ASHA will get an incentive of Re. 1 on sale of each pack, besides a free pack of napkins every month.
Evidence suggests that lack of access to menstrual hygiene (which includes sanitary napkins, toilets in schools, availability of water, privacy and safe disposal) could contribute to local infections including Reproductive Tract Infections (RTI). Studies have shown that RTIs are closely inter-related with poor menstrual hygiene and pose grave threats to women's lives, livelihood, and education. Services for the prevention and treatment of RTI/Sexually Transmitted Infections are integral part of the Reproductive Child Health II Programme (RCH II).
Clouded by taboos
In India, menstruation and menstrual practices are clouded by taboos and socio-cultural restrictions for women as well as adolescent girls. Limited access to safe sanitary products and facilities is believed to be one of the reasons for constrained school attendance, high dropout rates and ill-health due to infection.
With specific reference to ensuring better menstrual health and hygiene for adolescent girls, the government is launching this scheme as part of the Adolescent Reproductive Sexual Health (ARSH) in the RCH II.
Self-help groups involved
The sanitary napkins will be manufactured and supplied by the Hindustan Latex Limited (HLL) and self-help groups. Tamil Nadu, Haryana and West Bengal will depend totally on self-help groups for the supply of the napkins.
Uniform price
The Mission Steering Group — the highest decision-making body of the NRHM — had approved the proposal for supplying the napkins at a highly subsidised cost of Re.1 a pack of five to the girls below poverty line while the rest would have to pay Rs.5 a pack. However, the price has been made uniform for all girls now.
For safe disposal of the napkins at the community level, deep-pit burial or burning are the options being considered. Due environmental clearance has to be obtained from the States for this. Installing incinerators in schools that can be manually operated is another option which is being explored.
Aarti Dhar
Napkins will be sold at subsidised price of Rs. 6 per pack
Ensuring better menstrual health and hygiene
Safe disposal of napkins at community level
NEW DELHI: The Centre's ambitious and much-awaited scheme of making available subsidised sanitary napkins to adolescent girls in the age group of 10-19 years in rural India will be operational by August.
As part of promotion of menstrual hygiene, the napkins will be sold to girls at a cost of Rs.6 for a pack of six - Re. 1 per piece - in the village by the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA).
This scheme is aimed at ensuring that adolescent girls in rural areas have adequate knowledge and information about menstrual hygiene and the use of napkins. The girls will be provided a pack of six napkins under the National Rural Health Mission's brand ‘Freedays.'
Use to increase
In the first phase, the scheme will cover 25 per cent of the population — 1.5 crore girls in 152 districts of 20 States. It is expected that with availability of sanitary napkins at the village level, their use will increase. Easy access and convenient pricing are the strategies adopted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for increasing usage of safe and hygienic practices during menstruation.
The ASHA will get an incentive of Re. 1 on sale of each pack, besides a free pack of napkins every month.
Evidence suggests that lack of access to menstrual hygiene (which includes sanitary napkins, toilets in schools, availability of water, privacy and safe disposal) could contribute to local infections including Reproductive Tract Infections (RTI). Studies have shown that RTIs are closely inter-related with poor menstrual hygiene and pose grave threats to women's lives, livelihood, and education. Services for the prevention and treatment of RTI/Sexually Transmitted Infections are integral part of the Reproductive Child Health II Programme (RCH II).
Clouded by taboos
In India, menstruation and menstrual practices are clouded by taboos and socio-cultural restrictions for women as well as adolescent girls. Limited access to safe sanitary products and facilities is believed to be one of the reasons for constrained school attendance, high dropout rates and ill-health due to infection.
With specific reference to ensuring better menstrual health and hygiene for adolescent girls, the government is launching this scheme as part of the Adolescent Reproductive Sexual Health (ARSH) in the RCH II.
Self-help groups involved
The sanitary napkins will be manufactured and supplied by the Hindustan Latex Limited (HLL) and self-help groups. Tamil Nadu, Haryana and West Bengal will depend totally on self-help groups for the supply of the napkins.
Uniform price
The Mission Steering Group — the highest decision-making body of the NRHM — had approved the proposal for supplying the napkins at a highly subsidised cost of Re.1 a pack of five to the girls below poverty line while the rest would have to pay Rs.5 a pack. However, the price has been made uniform for all girls now.
For safe disposal of the napkins at the community level, deep-pit burial or burning are the options being considered. Due environmental clearance has to be obtained from the States for this. Installing incinerators in schools that can be manually operated is another option which is being explored.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Announcement
Water for Life Best Practices Award 2011
Winners of first award edition will be announced and celebrated at World Water Day 2011
UNITED NATIONS, Zaragoza, Spain: As part of the World Water Day celebrations, two outstanding programmes will be receiving on 22nd of March 2011 the “Water for Life” Best Practices Award in two categories:
* Category 1 - Best water management practices
·Category 2 - Best Participatory, Communication, Awareness-raising and Education Practices
The winners will be awarded their prize during the “Water for Life” Best Practices Award Ceremony in Zaragoza, Spain, with live connection to the main United Nations World Water Day event in Cape Town, South Africa.
The annual prize aims to highlight those organisations or individuals displaying outstanding merit and achieving particularly effective results in the field of water management or in raising awareness in water issues.
The first Award edition 2011 focuses on urban water, reflecting the theme of the 2011 World Water Day. The “Water for Life” Best Practices Award is organized by the United Nations Office to Support the International Decade for Action “Water for Life” 2005-2015, which implements the UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication (UNW-DPAC), and the United Nations World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP).
Water for Life Best Practices Award 2011
Winners of first award edition will be announced and celebrated at World Water Day 2011
UNITED NATIONS, Zaragoza, Spain: As part of the World Water Day celebrations, two outstanding programmes will be receiving on 22nd of March 2011 the “Water for Life” Best Practices Award in two categories:
* Category 1 - Best water management practices
·Category 2 - Best Participatory, Communication, Awareness-raising and Education Practices
The winners will be awarded their prize during the “Water for Life” Best Practices Award Ceremony in Zaragoza, Spain, with live connection to the main United Nations World Water Day event in Cape Town, South Africa.
The annual prize aims to highlight those organisations or individuals displaying outstanding merit and achieving particularly effective results in the field of water management or in raising awareness in water issues.
The first Award edition 2011 focuses on urban water, reflecting the theme of the 2011 World Water Day. The “Water for Life” Best Practices Award is organized by the United Nations Office to Support the International Decade for Action “Water for Life” 2005-2015, which implements the UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication (UNW-DPAC), and the United Nations World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP).
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