Consumer ProtectionCP2BSensitize and educate consumers about their rights and obligations

Equally important to collecting information from consumers is to provide them with important global and regional sectoral messages.

Turning World Water Day or World Toilet Day into public events, for example, could be used to raise public awareness about consumer rights.

Celebrating human rights to water and sanitation through webinars or fairs could be another way of equipping consumers with the necessary tools to understand their duties as well as to defend their rights. Most importantly, regulators should create spaces and enabling environments for consumer awareness about their rights. Other regulatory possibilities are public meetings, conferences, or seminars.

Expected outcomes

  • There is awareness among the public about their rights and obligations.
  • There is enhanced public engagement in the sector.
  • There is feedback to a regulator about its potential actions regarding consumer protection.
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Objective: There are mechanisms to monitor and review information received about consumer protection rights
Area:
Consumer Protection
Cost:
Medium
Frequency:
Regular
Target group:
Regulators, Consumers, Civil society
Region:
Eastern Africa
Date:
Oct 23, 2022
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Example

In Zambia, the National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO) joins other stakeholders in observing World Water Daysince 1993 when the United Nations General Assembly declared 22 March as the World Day for Water. The UN and member nations devote this day to implementing UN recommendations and promoting concrete activities regarding the world’s water resources.

In 2001, the World Toilet Organization declared its founding day, 19 November, as World Toilet Day. Since then, this has been observed globally by its member organizations. In September 2009, a new website was launched, dedicated to the celebration of World Toilet Day.

NWASCO joins other stakeholders in organizing events.
Consumers are welcome to participate in activities on both days, that typically include exhibitions, drama, and various entertainment and awareness programmes.

Internal capacities needed and the role of partners

Public relations and communication skills are very helpful to regulators when conducting these kinds of actions. To that end, working with media agencies, consumer associations, and other related public services enhances success.

Development partners could support by bringing global events to local level, and by helping sector voices to reach international level. Regulators’ staff must be trained on public relations, event organization, and on issues related to the international WASH agenda.