Assistance to the Palestinian people – Addendum – SecGen report

Assistance to the Palestinian people

Report of the Secretary-General

Addendum

1. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been following up with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) the activities proposed in 1985 relating to (a) a technical meeting to address specific environmental problems confronting the Palestinian people and (b) assistance in training sanitary staff of Arab municipalities in occupied territories (see A/40/353-E/1985/115, paras. 97 and 107). The matter is now being considered by the PLO.

2. UNEP proposes the following project proposal for 1987:  Training course for environmental health officers on problems of water supply, sanitation and health for the Palestinian people, to be conducted either in Jordan or the Syrian Arab Republic for the benefit of the Palestinian people in one or both countries, and if feasible in the occupied territories.

3. The purpose of the project is as follows:

(a) To train up to 50 environmental health officers and public health officers on the problems of water supply, waste disposal and sanitation in relation to water-borne diseases and general health and the significance of such matters in the protection of surface waters and to instruct them on means to deal with such matters;

(b) To demonstrate and assess the impact of adequate, safe and convenient water-supply systems, excreta disposal and general sanitation measures constructed with community participation, carefully adapted to local conditions and including provisions for adequate and continuous maintenance both in fixed villages and in camp sites for refugee populations;

(c) To survey and assess local habits, attitudes and conditions related to human contact with infected waters and to waste and excreta disposal and the use of domestic water supply, and to determine local preferences and interests regarding improved water-supply and sanitation facilities;

(d) To develop health education activities aimed at promoting the interest, acceptance and participation of the population regarding recommendations on facilities for water supply, excreta disposal and community sanitation;

(e) To help further development of committees in refugee camps or in communities as a means of securing the collaboration of the people and the promotion of self-help systems;

(f) To prepare a restricted publication of course lectures for distribution to health officers in order to improve their knowledge of the subject.

4. The cost of this project to UNEP is estimated at $50,000.  UNEP would seek the collaboration and support of the WHO Regional Office at Alexandria, Egypt, in the implementation of the project.

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