Kathmandu, Mar 14: Surprising though it may sound to those with better potty habits, twelve per cent of Kavrelis do not wash hands after defecation. Statistics from a baseline survey conducted for the UNICEF-supported Decentralised Planning for the Child Programme (DPCP) reveal that 68 per cent of households in Kavre–a district adjoining the capital and considered relatively better-off in many respects–do not have toilets of any kind. Lack of sanitation and hygiene has resulted in 60 per cent of children suffering from long-term malnutrition brought about by debilitating water-and-sanitation related diseases.

With the above situation being a backdrop, an interaction on Child Health and Sanitation & Hygiene is being held on March 16 (Thursday) in Dhulikhel. Hosted by the Kavre District Development Committee and Nepal forum of Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ) with assistance from UNICEF, the gathering is bringing together over fifty social and political workers, journalists, health workers, women volunteers and other community workers opinion leaders of Kavre.

According to a NEFEJ press release, the objective of the interaction is to discuss how to galvanise ocmmunity action to better the sanitation and hygiene situation as well as sensities media for the purpose of launching an advocacy campaign to put the so-far-much-ignored sanitation and hygiene up on the national agenda.

The Kavre gathering is the first of the series of interactions to be held in 13 high hill, mid-hill and terai districts where DPCP is in action.