Annex 5
PUBLIC AWARENESS ACTION PLAN
Key Afghan Stakeholders: Ministry of Health,
Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Ministry of Refugees
and Repatriation, Ministry of Information and Culture, Ministry
of Women's Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Afghan Radio, Local Press,
Counter Narcotics Department.
Key International Stakeholders: BBC World Service,
ISAF/Coalition, IRAN Radio, Inter-News Agency, UK (as lead nation
on counter narcotics), US, UNODC, GTZ
AFGHAN NATIONAL
DRUG CONTROL
STRATEGY
The Afghan National Drug Control Strategy calls
for the citizens of Afghanistan to be aware of the internal consequences
of poppy cultivation. Public awareness projects should be carefully
designed to complement initiatives, which address supply and demand,
particularly in poppy cultivation areas. Opium poppy cultivation,
which has now become the cultural norm in many parts of Afghanistan,
needs to be combated in national education and treatment programmes.
Women in particular should be educated, so they may act as agents
of change in the household. Use should be made of tribal and religious
structures, as well as modern media channels, to get the message
across.
Current Situation
The Counter Narcotics Directorate (CND) is working
on Afghanistan's Counter Narcotics Public Awareness Campaign,
which has included broadcasting Islamic-based counter-narcotics
messages on a variety of Kabul and provincial radio stations.
Although the impact of the PR campaign is very difficult to assess,
IJNODC research suggests that religious messages appear to be
a strong influence.
The BBC World Service, Afghanistan's most listened
to radio station, has also broadcast counter narcotics messages,
including through the use of high-level political messages, as
well as interviews with the public and religious leaders throughout
Kabul. The BBC also runs a weekly radio soap opera which addresses
many issues, including drugs.
However, the task of disseminating counter narcotics
messages in Afghanistan is complicated by a poorly-developed media
infrastructure, and largely informal traditional means of communication.
There is a lack of capacity within the Afghan Government for developing,
the information materials necessary to feed an intensive CN public
awareness campaign. The Afghan government, together with international
assistance, needs to make more use of traditional and informal
means of influence (tribal structures, mullah networks) to get
the drugs message across.
Areas for Future Work
The Afghan Government needs to develop, together
with international assistance, a more structured, regular and
ongoing national drug awareness campaign which involves the National,
Provincial and Local Government, media outlets and traditional
structures. This should be done by:
— Development regular updated Public
Awareness Campaigns on Drugs, via Radio, TV and Press throughout
Afghanistan.
— The creation and distribution of
Posters and Drug Awareness Pamphlets to relevant institutions,
such as Schools and Health facilities, throughout Afghanistan.
— Regular speeches by the President,
Governors, Ministries and influential Religious leaders aired
and updated on a regular basis.
— Regular reporting on arrests, drug
seizures, interdiction and eradication activities.
— The provision of Radios to Schools,
Community Groups, Religious Leaders and any other relevant institution,
to enable messages to be passed onto Provinces throughout Afghanistan.
— Monthly newsletter to be provided
and distributed to all relevant Ministries and relevant organisations,
providing updates on Drug activities in Afghanistan.
— Capacity building of Public Relations
Section within CND (Interview Techniques, Script and Report Writing,
Communication Skills etc.) and assessment of equipment needs to
assist with the necessary documents and PR materials needed for
any effective future campaign.
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