Action
Unhealthy compromises are imposed throughout the Palestinian territory to cope with the lack of clean water. At home, Palestinians are often forced to trade off household and personal hygiene so they will have enough water for cooking and drinking. Farmers spray crops with raw sewage, school toilets are left in unsanitary states and children face the risk of contracting disease.
In deeply impoverished communities where there are poor sanitary conditions children face the possibility of water-borne infections such as trachoma, conjunctivitis, dysentery, gastro-enteritis, ascariasis and hookworm. Hygienic conditions in many schools expose children to infections. A lack of clean drinking water also increases the risk of diarrhoea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, paratyphoid and gastro-enteritis.
UNICEF is working to help strengthen and improve water and sanitation systems, especially in schools and health facilities. In 2007, UNICEF will:
- Rehabilitate and build drinking water facilities (networks, wells, fountains, stainless steel filling points and taps) and sanitation units in schools, public health centres and un-served or poorly served communities.
- Procure water tanks, water testing and treatment kits for schools, public health centres and unserved or poorly served communities, as well as spare parts for water wells and rehabilitation of water and wastewater networks.
- Provide safe drinking water on a daily basis to 343 schools and 40 medical facilities in Gaza and to five medical facilities, 12 schools and 6,000 households in the West Bank;
- Support hygienic solid waste collection in schools and health centres.
- Help establish environmental clubs.
- Promote awareness among students, teachers, medical personnel and patients regarding hygiene, proper maintenance of water and sanitation facilities and environmental issues, especially water sources.
Indicators
Source: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Monitoring Program, 2007
