Counter Narcotics Public

Awareness Campaign

2010/1389

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Ministry of Counter Narcotics

Counter Narcotics Advisory Board CNAB/MCN ©

Table of Contents ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS ..................................................................................................................... 3

Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 4

Background ................................................................................................................................................... 5

Implementation Strategy .............................................................................................................................. 7

Policy Objectives ....................................................................................................................................... 7

Campaign Objectives ................................................................................................................................. 7

Target Audience ........................................................................................................................................ 8

Key Activities ........................................................................................................................................... 10

Procurement Arrangements ................................................................................................................... 11

Financial Management ............................................................................................................................ 12

Staffing .................................................................................................................................................... 12

Organizational Chart ............................................................................................................................... 13

Risks ......................................................................................................................................................... 17

Monitoring and Evaluation ......................................................................................................................... 18

Annexes ....................................................................................................................................................... 19

Annexes 1: Implementation Plan ............................................................................................................ 19

Annexes 2: Coordination Structure ......................................................................................................... 21

Annexes 3: Budget Breakdown ............................................................................................................... 24

Annexes 4: CN Messages and Themes .................................................................................................... 27

ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS

CDC Community Development Council

CJTF Criminal Justices Task Force

CN Counter Narcotics

CNAT Counter Narcotics Advisory Team

CNPA Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan

CNPAC Counter Narcotics Public Awareness Campaign

DDR Drug Demand Reduction

EU European Union

GoA Government of Afghanistan

IDLG Independent Directorate of Local Governance

ISAF International Security Assistance Forces

MAIL Ministry of Agriculture Irrigation and Livelihood

MCN Ministry of Counter Narcotics

MoH Ministry of Haj

MOI Ministry of Interior

MoPH Ministry of Public Health

MRRD Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NDCS National Drug Control Strategy

PCNWG Provincial Counter Narcotics Working Group

RAS Rapid Assessment Survey

UNAMA United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan

UNODC United Nation Office for Drug and Crime

Executive Summary

Public Awareness acts as a cross-cutting pillar of the National Drug Control Strategy (NDCS) to inform,

educate, deter and dissuade the population and thereby achieve sustainable decrease in cultivation,

production, trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs. The objectives of the campaign are

communicating messages through traditional and modern means of communication in 28 provinces and

137 districts; promoting attitudinal change to increase public support for CN and to maintain the

reduction of poppy cultivation; and ensuring behavior changes for selected audience segments against

drug involvement; and coordinating CN communications activities.

The proposal is based on discussion during the Governors Workshops of 2009 and 2010 and findings of

Rapid Assessment Survey (RAS), 2010. The governors emphasized using traditional means of

communication through provincial consultation. Findings of the RAS identified local community-inspired

measures, such as shura-driven campaigns, governor-led eradication and development assistance as the

most important factors for CN successes. The survey also identified reasons for not cultivating poppy,

such as pressure from government authorities, decisions of the elders and shuras, and religious

preaching.

The strategic context of the campaign is based on a holistic approach, integrated modern and traditional

communication tools, realistic messages and facilitating compelling audience discussions. Four focus

areas were chosen for this year’s campaign, such as 1) ability of the government authorities to exert

pressure, 2) community driven mechanisms, 3) religious platform and 4) coordinated efforts with other

stakeholders, particularly in the development sectors.

Seven target audiences are identified for the campaign: key opinion leaders, decision makers, youth,

women, urban population, the general public, and international audiences. Ten categories of CN

messages are created as a guideline for the provincial officials. The provinces will prepare their own

message pack.

Four communication programs are identified for the campaign: outreach events, mass media campaign,

training, and monitoring and evaluation.

Strategic Communication and Relations Directorate (previously PRPI) will be MCN’s sole planning and

coordinating body, and the MCN provincial directorates will be the implementing bodies. The CNAT and

CP will be merged under the leadership of MCN at central and provincial level to implement this year

public awareness plan. At the provincial level, MCN provincial directors initiate or revitalize co-operative

relationships with the provincial government officials, provincial and Ulema council members, UN focal

points, NGOs and media organizations. CP and CNAT staff will increase the capacity of the MCN central

and provincial officials in the areas of monitoring and evaluation.

Background

Over the past three decades, the destruction of rural infrastructure – particularly irrigation – as well as

other rural assets – such as timber forests, natural pistachio forest and orchards, and public grazing land

– has reduced licit livelihoods opportunities in rural areas. This situation is compounded by the

weakness of the licit rural economy: fractured value chains, a lack of improved seed and fertilizer,

inadequate transport infrastructure, as well poor processing, storage and marketing facilities and a

dearth of non-farm income earning opportunities in rural areas.

In this situation, poppy cultivation has been a mainstreamed act in the lives of comparatively few

farmers under the influence of the current situation and drug dealers and traffickers.

The expansion of poppy and other illicit narcotics cultivation in Afghanistan forced the government of

Afghanistan and the international community to fight against it. In general, poppy eradication,

fragmented outreach activities, radio and television programs and print materials have been seen an

important part of the counter narcotics (CN) efforts to target those involved in drug trade cycle through

counter narcotics messages.

One of the problems with previous CN public awareness efforts was that, although law enforcement and

development ministries often included CN themes in their campaigns, they were not well-integrated

under the MCN public awareness policy umbrella. Instead, these efforts should be integrated and

mainstreamed with the goal of rehabilitating the licit rural economy.

The Ministry of Counter Narcotics (MCN) is frequently criticized for the government’s failure to deliver

on CN promises such as alternative livelihoods – which is not MCN’s responsibility.

A key problem with the CN campaign was that people still do not believe in the long term benefits of

giving up poppy and narcotics cultivation. Changing this kind of attitude and behavior needs long term,

comprehensive and national campaign.

Public CN awareness campaigns have been implemented in isolation so far that increased the chances of

failure of the CN public awareness campaigns. The CN public awareness activities and packages have not

been coordinated with the development programs, and with credible threats to illicit cultivation and

drug involvement through law enforcement and criminal justice in some of the provinces.

Therefore, this document focuses on the strategy to identify, develop and implement effective and

efficient means of communication for the Counter Narcotics Public Awareness Campaign (CNPAC). The

means of communication have also been identified based on discussions during the Governors

Workshop held on 10 Jan, 2009 in the Intercontinental Hotel and the findings of the Rapid Assessment

Survey (RAS) of February 2010. During the Governor’s workshop the Governors requested not to waste

the public awareness budget in western style mass media campaigns and encouraged the MCN to use

traditional means of communication especially the use of religious leaders. Based on RAS, local

community-inspired measures, such as shura-driven campaigns, governor-led eradication and

development assistance are considered important in increasing the poppy-free provinces in 2010. RAS

identified the reasons behind the farmers’ intention and decision not to cultivate poppy. The most

important reasons were pressure from government authorities, decisions of the elders and shuras and

religious preaching. Therefore, this document focuses on using different communication techniques for

the CNPAC 2010: 1) communication tools to accelerate pressure of the government authorities and 2)

using community-driven mechanism and religion in CN efforts.

Based on the RAS, respondents reported the main reasons for not cultivating opium in 2010 throughout

the country is pressure from government authorities, and the collective decision of elders and shuras,

Islamic prohibition, and low price of opium.

This plan is developed to allocate part of the CN public awareness funds to the line ministries’ initiatives

to eliminate the need for isolated CN public awareness events by them. This year the public awareness

campaign will be the mixture of all the community-inspired measures as identified in RAS 2010:

1) shura-driven campaign,

2) law enforcement threats (particularly eradication risks, and

3) inclusion of development assistance with public awareness campaign.

Implementation Strategy

Policy Objectives

The public awareness campaign constitutes one of the important pillars of the GOA’s overall CN program

contributing to the achievement of the overall CN policy goal to secure a sustainable decrease in

cultivation, production, trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs.

The aim of the pillar is to inform and educate, deter and dissuade the population from involvement in

or support to the illicit drug trade, cultivation of illicit crops and abuse of drugs.

Campaign Objectives

- To persuade provincial officials to become effective and credible CN message carriers

- To produce and disseminate messages using traditional means of communication in 28

provinces.

- To produce and disseminate messages using modern means of communication in 28 provinces.

- To promote attitudinal change that will increase public support for counter narcotics efforts

including lower levels of poppy cultivation throughout Afghanistan.

- To consolidate attitudinal changes in order to maintain the reduction of poppy cultivation that

has already occurred in provinces.

- To persuade behavioural changes of different audience segments throughout Afghanistan

against everything to do with narcotics.

- To co-ordinate the counter narcotics communications activities of GOA line ministries including

the Ministry of Interior (MoI), Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Ministry of Haj (MoH), Ministry

of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development

(MRRD) as well as the Counter Narcotics – Criminal Justice Task Force (CN-CJTF), the

Independent Directorate for Local Governance (IDLG).

Strategic Context

The activities covered within this document cover all parts of the CN public awareness activities that will

take place throughout the year including the pre-planting, planting and poppy eradication periods. The

UK and US Embassies as well as ISAF and other partners will identify their other efforts through specific

projects to complement the year long plan of the public awareness campaign. At a provincial level

individual Provincial Reconstruction Teams and Task Forces will be conducting independent public

information activities in co-ordination with CNPAC one year plan. Every effort has been made to inform

and involve actual and potential stakeholders. A clear commitment exists to take a holistic approach to

Counter Narcotics (CN) communications;

- Holistic Approach: Informs and involves potential stakeholders.

- Integrated Tools: Identifies media suitable for target audiences integrating modern and

traditional means of communication

- Realistic Messages: Uses messages that are realistic and do not promise what cannot be

delivered

- Generate Discussions: Appreciate the sophisticated nature of the target audience that needs to

be engaged in the complex arguments around the counter narcotics issue.

Target Audience The campaign focuses on key opinion-formers across the country based on the multiplication of the

means of communications and audience segmentation. Because of the multidimensional context of the

drug problem, multidimensional activities will be carried out to the fragmented and broader target

audience mentioned below:

- Key Leaders (community, religious, and government, including members of the provincial

councils)

- Decision Makers (farming families and those families involved in drug trafficking)

- Youth

- Women

- Urban Population

- the Afghan Public

- International Audience

Governors:

They are the representatives of the President at provincial level. Their commitment is necessary for the

success of the pre-planting campaign. They have the complete authority on district governors and also

know the community decision makers better than the officials in Kabul.

District Governors:

They are the representatives of the President at district level. They are controlled by the governors in

the majority of the provinces. If a governor asks a district governor to carry out a task he feels duty

bound to do it.

Community Leaders at District Level:

They have access to media, are comparatively well-informed of the development process, understand

the dangerous consequences of the narcotics. If they are persuaded for counter narcotics efforts, CN

messages can be disseminated easily and effectively. Members of the provincial council are also part of

this category.

Religious Leaders at Provincial and District Level:

Religion is a dominant factor in the life of Afghans. People usually defer to religious leaders to solve

almost all their problems. Religious leaders are thought to say everything based on the teachings of

Islam. It is important to include them for CN efforts in order to change the perceptions, attitudes and

practices of those who are involved in drug cultivation, production, trafficking and consumption.

Youth:

They constitute the majority of the Afghan population, and in poppy-growing areas the majority of them

are involved in drug cultivation, production and trafficking. They are also at risk of drug addiction. It is

very important to convince them to give up the drug involvement for the sake of the development

process in the country and their own health.

Women:

They also constitute an important part of the Afghan population, but have not been focused intensively

for the CN communication efforts so far. They can be effectively persuaded as a decision-making

audience for CN message multipliers, particularly in the rural communities. In addition, women who are

drug-addicts will be targeted and persuaded to live drug-free life.

General Public:

Besides focusing on participants groups (target audience), it is important to target the general

population. This group will receive general messages in order to create a supporting environment for

counter narcotics efforts. They might not be involved in poppy cultivation, consumption or trafficking,

but they need to be aware of the problems and progress.

International Audience:

It is very important to track the public opinion surveys in foreign countries to understand their impact on

their governments’ support to CN efforts in Afghanistan. A communication strategy including media

monitoring, interviews with international media, etc. is needed to target the international audience

regularly. They will also be targeted to focus on managing expectations of the people and not to make

promises that cannot be delivered.

Campaign Messages

A key component of the campaign will be to develop a short one-pager of messages in co-ordination

with the line ministries and departments mentioned above prior to the commencement of public

outreach activities in July both at central and provincial levels. Provincial officials will come up with their

own message pack based on the particular narcotics issues at the provincial, district and village levels.

Four message themes and various kinds of messages are identified based on lesson-learned during the

previous campaigns. Provincial officials may use them as a guideline and develop their own messages,

themes and message packs related to their provincial differences and specific drug problems. Messages

that generate risk, counter economic necessity for poppy cultivation, show actual alternative livelihood

options, and clarify the illegal drug trade is against the Islamic teachings, Quranic Verses and Hadith

Sharif (sayings of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)) through logical comparison of intoxicant stated in the

Quran and the illegal crop and its production and involvement in this era are effective. The detail

message themes and message pack can be read in Annex Four.

The table in Annex Five shows the incidence of poppy cultivation, hashish cultivation, drug trafficking

and addiction for each province. This gives provincial officials an overall reference to help develop

specific messages.

Target Provinces and Districts

This year the public awareness campaign will be implemented by MCN HQ in Kabul and provincial

offices, therefore, 28 provinces and 137 districts will be targeted. The provincial officials will identify

these districts based on specific drug problems and feasibility of conducting specific public awareness

activities.

Public Awareness Key Packages

A consultation process will start with the line ministries to identify and include their main public

awareness initiatives in the CNPAC. Also the MCN provincial officials will discuss with the line ministries’

provincial directorates and based on their previous experience to come up with specific concepts that

will have greater impact and that can be used as best means of communication at provincial level to

effectively spread CN messages.

There are four broader categories of the events identified for the provincial officials to guide their types

of events; however, if their events cannot fit in one of these categories, they need to send the PRPI

Directorate their proposals and justification for the new event for approval.

Key Activities

The main activities of the program have been categorized under four main areas; a) Outreach Activities,

b) Mass Media Activities, c) Training and d) Monitoring and Evaluation. These four categories are

explained briefly in this section and further details have been provided in the Annex one.

Outreach Activities

The main focus of the events will be based on two-way communication to encourage discussions and

compelling arguments. The provincial officials must rethink the regular list of the participants. There are

people identified by governors who regularly participate in the public awareness events on behalf of the

community. It became a routine task for them. Similarly, for the district level events, the provincial

public awareness campaign implementers must be sure to invite those who represent each big family at

village level, because every big family has its own leader who not only represents and clearly transfers

the problems and needs of that family unit, but also informs them about the important government

decisions.

1. Organizing Governors’ workshops to officially launch the nation-wide public awareness

campaign in Kabul;

2. Organizing district jirgas (councils) in 137 districts based on their specific problems;

3. Organizing youth events either at central, provincial, district or village level through provincial

consultation;

4. Organizing women’s events to sensitize them about the danger of drugs;

5. Organize CN mainstreaming events with other line ministries at provincial level to align CN

public awareness package with the activities and programs i.e agricultural, health, educational,

law enforcement, criminal justice and religious events of other line ministries;

Mass Media Activities

While some mass media programs will be produced and broadcast or disseminated from Kabul, the

largest part of it will be developed and disseminated at the provincial level. However, their contents will

be sent to PRPI Directorate for comments and the approval processes.

6. Producing and disseminating print materials;

7. Producing and broadcasting radio and television spots and drama series and documentary films;

8. Text messaging through mobile; MTN charges 1-1.5 Afghani/ sms to MTN users, and 1.5 Afghani

to Roshan and AWCC users. MTN and Roshan have around 3 million subscribers each and AWCC

has 2m subscribers.

9. Organizing mobile theatres;

10. Installing billboards in Kabul and important localities at provincial level.

Training

11. Conduct training for the MCN central and provincial staff, line ministries’ officials and journalists

at central and provincial levels for the effective contribution in CN efforts through training them

in strategic communication and informing them about CN law etc.

Monitoring and Evaluation

12. Facilitating the visits of MCN officials to participate and monitor the implementation of the

public awareness campaign-related events and activities at provincial level;

13. Facilitating the visits of MCN provincial officials to conduct research at district level about

communication, target audience, communication tools, specific drug problems etc.

Procurement Arrangements

The entire project procurement process will be undertaken according to the government procurement

law and regulations. Where required an implementing partner will be contracted through an open

bidding process to carry out specific activities.

All required materials and tools will be procured from local market. Both MCN and the donor(s) will

oversee the entire procurement process from selecting qualified contractors and major purchases

through execution. The entire process will comply with government law and donor requirements.

Transparency and quality will be maintained at all levels of the process.

The process can be summarized as follows:

� Once the project is approved, the project-specific activities that require outsourcing will be sent

to the Procurement Unit (PU) to launch an open tender process based on given specifications.

� The Procurement Unit then prepares documentation for the tender, such as Bill of Quantities

and other specifications. The processing time goal is 4 working days.

� Once the tender documents are prepared they are sent to the higher management in MCN for

approval, and upon approval the tender is advertised through local newspapers for 14 days.

� The PU receives and registers all the bids and organizes the bid opening meeting. The MCN bid

evaluation committee, which is appointed by the MCN and includes donor representive(s), is

responsible for the bid opening and subsequent evaluation of all the bids received. (Evaluation

time - 5 days).

� Once the bid evaluation has taken place and a bid evaluation report is prepared with a bidder

recommended, it is forwarded to the MCN Minister/Deputy Minister for approval.

� The PU also prepares the contract and reviews the contract terms with the Bid Committee, if

necessary. All documentation is then sent to the donor for approval and for any necessary

advance payments.

� PR&PI and MCN Deputy Minister to verify project invoices.

� The PR&PI Directorate monitors implementation and provides routine progress reports.

Financial Management

A full budget breakdown has been supplied in annex three. The total amount is to be financed by the

donors. A committee will be established for financial accountability and transaction. The members of

the financial committee will be appointed by the Minister. Money will be transferred to the MCN upon

receipt of an approved invoice.

Activities can only be invoiced if they have already taken place or if the activity is imminent and needs

advance financing. Invoices will be approved for payment and then forwarded to the donor. After

review and approval, the donor will transfer funds to the designated MCN account.

The PR&PI Directorate will ensure that MCN Higher Management and donors receive periodic financial

reports. The MCN Higher Management will ensure that the financial management process meets both

the government’s and the donor’s requirements.

Staffing

The PR&PI directorate together with provincial directorates/offices will have the sole responsibility of

delivering this plan. Currently, the PR&PI directorate lacks technical skilled and qualified employees to

carry out all activities envisaged under this program. The PR&PI Directorate will retain qualified and

experienced individuals from Colombo Plan and CNAT in order to transfer their knowledge and expertise

to MCN. They will have the responsibility of mentoring and providing on job training to MCN staff.

Subsequently, the MCN will take actions to retain the qualified staff. This could be done on a phased

approach and this will start from senior positions with PR&PI directorate via MCP, PRR-super scale and

other potential packages.

The core team consists of 12 people in Kabul managing the project activities throughout 28 provinces.

There will be three individuals in each of the 27 provinces who will be responsible to carry out public

awareness activities, monitor and report progress back to Kabul. Please see below a draft organization

structure with detailed description of activities under each position.

Organizational Chart

PRPI Director

CNPAC Program

Manager

2000

Media Monitoring

Coordinator

1000

Mass Media Campaign

Coordinator

1500

Community Outreach

Coordinator

1500

Research & Evaluation

Coordinator

1200

Finance Officer

1500

Admin & Reporting

Officer

1500

Research, Evaluation

& Reporting

Coordinator

(27; one in each

province)

Public Information

Coordinator

(27; one in each

province)

Mass Media Assistant

800

Graphic Designer

800

Community Outreach

Assistant

800

Religious Outreach

Assistants

(2 Persons)

800 x 2 =

1600

Friday Prayer

Mosques Imams and

Assistants in 137

Districts

(274 Persons)

$100 + 50

Religious Outreach

Coordinator

(27; one in each

province)

$ 500

Main Responsibilities:

Kabul Positions:

1). CNPAC Program Manager

This person will be responsible for:

• assisting the PRPI Director in implementation and coordination of the CN Public Awareness Campaign 2010

• the implementation of the overall CN Public Awareness Campaign 2010 at central and provincial level;

• ensuring the central and provincial teams are fulfilling their duties according the plan;

• providing the campaign implementation status report to the PRPI Director;

• gathering and dissemination of financial and narrative reports on behalf of the PRPI Directorate.

Justification:

It is important to have such a person focusing solely for the coordination and implementation of CNPAC 2010 plan and supporting the PRPI Director who may

be involved in overall government strategic communication and strategically involved in other tasks in the Ministry of Counter Narcotics.

2). Media Monitoring Coordinator

This person will be responsible for:

• Media placement and broadcasting activities such as radio or TV broadcasted spots, dramas and other programs, billboards installments, etc.

• Gathering news reports from the provinces and at Kabul and prepares media monitoring reports.

Justification:

The donors will need regular monitoring reports about the media placement and broadcasting to convince them their money is being used properly. Also, they

will provide the MCN leadership and donors the reports about the broader media coverage reports in terms of outreach events whether they are picked and

broadcasted properly in different media outlets.

3). Mass Media Campaign Coordinator

• This person will be responsible for coordinating script writing, production, editing, dissemination or broadcasting and placement of different of different

media programs at central and provincial level and check for their quantity and quality.

i. Mass Media Assistant: will help the mass media campaign coordinator to implement the mass media campaign effectively.

ii. Graphic Designer: will help in producing print production such as posters, stickers etc.

Justification:

Mass media production and dissemination or placement is a difficult task and fulltime job. A year long media campaign needs a group of people for its effective

and efficient implementation. They will need to coordinate with outsource media production and dissemination companies regularly.

4). Community Outreach Coordinator

• This person will prepare the implementation plan of the CNPAC 2010 and will ensure all the outreach events are implemented on schedule in all 34

provinces and all the districts selected taking the events’ professional quality into serious consideration.

i. Community Outreach Assistant: will help the community outreach coordinator for the effective implementation of the CN outreach activities.

Justification:

The event management is one of the most important and time consuming task of the campaign. The quality preparation and implementation of the events will

give the MCN credibility and funding sustainability privilege through the efforts of the community outreach coordinator. The monitoring role of the this person

will keep the campaign implementers on track.

5). Research & Evaluation Coordinator

• This person will ensure the collection of facts of specific drug problems at provincial and district level working closely with the provincial research,

evaluation and reporting staff in order to prepare specific messages and to organize specific event suitable for addressing that problem.

• He/she will ensure and recommend specific communication means and tools are appropriate for the dissemination of specific CN messages.

• He/she will evaluate the implementation of the CNPAC 2010 in terms of its impact and changing the identified attitude, behavior and practice of the

participant groups/target audience.

Justification:

It is important having this person to develop indicators to track progress in reaching the objectives. Research studies conducted during the initial stages of

program and message development including reviews of existing research studies, pre-testing concepts and messages, or trying out the CNPAC on a small scale

before full implementation.

6). Finance Officer

• He/she will take the responsibility of establishing budget transaction mechanism based on the MoU signed between the MCN and the donors;

• He/she will produce financial reports for the MCN leadership and the donors.

Justification:

The credibility and accountability of the MCN depends on its quality and regular financial reporting and its budget transaction mechanism that will be taken

seriously into account. For the next campaign, the finance officer will develope a budget ensures that the financial resources are well-defined to carry out the

public awareness campaign using different approaches for the development of a comprehensive budget based on the lesson-learnt during this year campaign.

7). Admin & Reporting Officer

• He/she will focus on administrative and salary record preparation and tracking.

• He/she will be responsible for gathering, preparing and dissemination of narrative reports of the campaign at central and provincial reports.

• He/she will be responsible for administrative arrangements and contacting obligation with the provincial staff.

• He/she will ensure gathering the discussion points, problem identification and messages dissemination reported in the narrative reports and feedback to

the line organizations.

Justification:

A consistent project narrative reporting mechanism and review schedule help the CNPAC team to focus on project objectives and keep track of progress. Every

weekly, monthly, quarter, progress on activities is reported to MCN leadership and the donors will help the MCN to develop and maintain the credibility of the

MCN.

Provincial Positions:

1). Research, Evaluation & Reporting Coordinator (27; one in each province).

• This person will ensure the collection of facts of specific drug problems at provincial and district level in order to prepare specific messages and to organize

specific event suitable for addressing that problem.

• He/she will ensure and recommend specific communication means and tools are appropriate for the dissemination of specific CN messages.

• He/she will evaluate the implementation of the CNPAC 2010 in terms of its impact and changing the identified attitude, behavior and practice of the

participant groups/target audience.

• He/she will be responsible for preparing financial and narrative reports of the events and send them to Kabul.

• He/she will also help with the provincial PI Coordinators.

Justification:

The same justifications mentioned for Research and Evaluation and Admin and Reporting Coordinators.

2). Public Information Coordinator (27; one in each province)

• He/she will be responsible for the coordination, organization and implementation of the CNPAC 2010 at provincial level.

Justification:

It is important to have a person solely responsible for the implementation of the CNPAC 2010 at provincial level mentoring the provincial MCN staff in

coordination, organization and implementation of the campaign.

Risks

1. Outsourcing of public awareness activities directly by donors without coordinating with MCN.

2. Insecurity in some of the provinces and districts where our public awareness coordinators and provincial will not be able to travel.

3. Lack of commitment of some of the ministries and provincial leadership.

Monitoring and Evaluation

There are two options to conduct Monitoring and Evaluation. We recommend that an independent company should be contracted to carry out monitoring and

evaluation tasks regarding the Counter Narcotics Public Awareness Campaign. The company will help the MCN to establish a Monitoring and Evaluation system.

The contracted company can posit detailed M&E strategies. The issue will be to ensure key strategies and activities are recognized, clustered together in a

logical manner, and then done in an appropriate sequence. As an alternative retained CNAT and CP staff could conduct this activity.

Annexes

Annexes 1: Implementation Plan

CN Public Awareness Campaign delivery Schedule

Tasks

Duration

Kickoff Event (Press Conference) Early June

Ou

tre

ach

Pro

gra

m

Governors’ workshop Early June 10

Provincial Conference Jun-10

District Jirgas Jun10 -Sep 10

Youths Events(Poem Competition, Sports Events) Jun10-May 11

Women events Jun10-May 11

Ministerial visits Jun10-May 11

CN Celebration events

CN Mainstreaming events

Agricultural events Jun10-May 11

Health events Jun10-May 11

Educational events Jun10-May 11

Law enforcement events Jun10-May 11

Criminal justice events Jun10-May 11

Religious events Jun10-May 11

Ma

ss M

ed

ia Print material production and distribution Jul 10- May 11

Radio production and broadcasting Jul 10- May 11

TV production and broadcasting Jul 10- May 11

Mobile theaters road shows Aug 10- May 11

billboard production and installment Jul 10- May 11

Tra

inin

gs

Trainings to MCN central and provincial officials, line

ministries’ staff and journalists (as needed) Jun10-May 11

M&

E

Participating and Monitoring visits of MCN officials Jun10-May 11

Visits of MCN provincial officials to conduct research Jun10-May 11

Annexes 2: Coordination Structure

District Level Jirgas

District Level Jirgas

Celebrationevents

Celebrationevents

Travel& Monitoring

Provincial conferences

Youth& womenevents

Youth& womenevents

Product Development&Massaging massMedia activities

Product Development&Massaging massMedia activities

Provincialtraining

Provincialtraining

CNMainstreaming

events

CNMainstreaming

events

Direction and Funding to

Provincial Level Working Groups

Direction and Funding to

Provincial Level Working Groups

Kabul Governors Conference

Kabul Governors Conference Product

Development and MessagingMass Media Activities

Product Development and MessagingMass Media Activities

Visits by high level GIROA

officials to provinces

Visits by high level GIROA

officials to provinces

Central TrainingCentral Training

CNPAC- 2010 Coordination Structure

The proposal is based on joint planning among PRPI (and retained CNAT and CP employees together with MCN’s provincial directorates. At Kabul level, the coordination team will be consisted from PRPI, Provincial Relations and Coordination Directorate, line ministries including IDLG, donors,.etc.

A suggested sequence to win stakeholder support for the campaign is that:

• The Minister of MCN presents the campaign plan to the President for approval. MCN organizes a CN National Conference. The President will be the keynote speaker.

• MCN surveys the different capacities of line ministries including MoI, MoPH, MoH, MAIL, MRRD, as well CN-CJTF and IDLG. The MCN seeks their input in terms of messaging themes and broadly coordinates the available capacity towards the CNPAC.

• MCN discusses plan with IDLG and MoI and agrees on action plans. Success of the campaign depends on the cooperation of governors, district governors, provincial and district chiefs of police.

• MCN discusses plan with ISAF and agrees on action plans. • MCN discusses plan with UNODC and agrees on action plans. • MCN discusses plan with UNAMA and agrees on action plans. • MCN discusses plan with US and UK embassies and agrees on action plans.

It is vital that MCN provincial directors and public awareness implementers find a way to form cooperative relationships with the following stakeholders:

1. Governor (the chairperson) 2. MCN Provincial Director (Secretariat) 3. Provincial Council 4. Community Development Councils 5. Provincial Ulema Council 6. Chief of Police 7. Directorate of Public Health 8. Directorate of Agriculture Irrigation and Livestock 9. Directorate of Haj and Awkaf 10. Directorate of Education 11. Directorate of Borders and Tribal Affairs 12. Directorate of Rural Rehabilitation and Development 13. UN Organizations 14. Media organisations 15. NGOs

Annexes 3: Budget Breakdown

Budget Summary for 28 Provinces

Activities Budget Breakdown

Total Budget

Outreach Activities 1.1 Governors’ workshop

20,000.00 1.2 Provincial Conference

128,000.00 1.3 District Jirgas

205,500.00 1.4 Youths Events - 1.4.1 Poem Competition

168,000.00 1.4.2 Sports Events

202,200.00 1.5 Women events

155,200.00 1.6 Ministerial visits

91,900.00 1.7 CN Celebration events

120,000.00 1.8 CN Mainstreaming events - 1.8.1 Agricultural events

170,400.00 1.8.2 Health events

119,900.00 1.8.3 Educational events

106,300.00 1.8.4 Law enforcement events

96,700.00 1.8.5 Criminal justice events

87,600.00

1.8.6 Religious events 309,400.00 including salaries

of 56 Mullahs and their assistants at 137 districts

Total Outreach Budget 1,981,100.00

1,981,100.00

Mass Media Activities 2.1 Print material production and distribution

240,800.00

2.2 Radio production and broadcasting

422,948.00

2.3 TV production and broadcasting

301,540.00

2.4 Mobile theaters road shows 130,000.00

2.5 billboard production and installment

74,700.00

2.6 Mobile SMS 288,000.00

Total Mass Media Budget 1,457,988.00

1,457,988.00

Training 3. Trainings to MCN central and provincial officials, line ministries’ staff and journalists (as needed)

140,000.00

Total Training Budget 140,000.00

140,000.00

Monitoring and Evaluation

4.1 Participating and Monitoring visits of MCN officials

81,100.00

4.2 Visits of MCN provincial officials to conduct research

56,000.00

Total M&E Budget 137,100.00

137,100.00

Total Public Awareness Budget 3,716,188.00

Total Operational Budget (Salary & Operational) 842,400.00

Grand Total 4,558,588.00

Annexes 4: CN Messages and Themes

A key component of the campaign will be to develop a short one-pager of messages in coordination with the line ministries and departments mentioned above prior to the commencement of public outreach activities in July both at central and provincial levels. Provincial officials will come up with their own message packs based on the particular issues at the provincial, district and village levels.

Message Themes

The majority of the target audience is illiterate but sophisticated receivers of messages. They have their own strong justifications not only for poppy and narcotics cultivation but for other kinds of drug involvement. Therefore, messages should be tailored to reflect not only linguistic and cultural circumstances but also counter justification for poppy and narcotics cultivation and drug involvement based on the provincial, district and village specific issues. The provincial officials may consider, but are not limited to, the following themes.

Risks

Threats of punishment for opium poppy cultivation that do not result in action against farmers are counterproductive and reduce the credibility of the government at national and local level.

Economic Necessity

The main justification given by farmers for opium poppy cultivation is that it is financially so lucrative that it overrides any alternatives or objections.

Alternative Livelihood

Public awareness campaigns that stress the benefits of alternative livelihood options that are not actually available are counterproductive and increase resentment against the government.

Islam and the Quran

Based on some research, the Mullahs’ preaching is respected as having the highest moral authority and all their statements are in accordance with Islam and the Quran. Despite being aware of Islamic law and the exhortations of the Mullahs, farmers continue opium poppy cultivation out of economic necessity. There are farmers who are not convinced that they will be punished by Allah (SWT), because they say there is no reference in the Quran to opium poppy as something harmful. This position varies province by province. The regionalized concept should be applied while delivering CN Islamic messages.

Area-Specific or Regionalized Messages

In poppy-free or in those provinces where poppy cultivation has reduced significantly, credible development messages through effective outreach programs should be carried out, particularly in the centre-North, in order to ensure that farmers do not revert back to cultivating opium poppy. These messages should be based on massive investments in infrastructure, education and health, coupled with activities to target the immediate needs of farmers. In the South, higher risks must be injected, through law enforcement public awareness events, into the act of cultivating opium poppy for farmers, and in participating in the trade for corrupt officials and drug traffickers. One of the focuses of the public awareness campaign in the South or in those provinces where drug related problems have significantly increased should be to publicize interdiction activities and fighting corruption.

The provincial officials will develop their own messages. Based on previous years’ activities some sample messages are listed below as a guide

Message Package

General Messages against poppy cultivation

• Poppy and drug cultivation is against our laws, constitution and Islamic values.

• Both the cultivation of poppy and drug and consumption of narcotic substances have been declared haram through many fatwas by the central and provincial councils of ulemas (religious councils).

• Poppy and drug cultivation fuels criminality and corruption and causes local level violence

• Poppy and drug elimination is the key to reconstruction process.

• Poppy and drug cultivation benefits drug traffickers and international drug mafia. Traffickers cannot create jobs, build schools, hospitals and infrastructure and provide basic services.

• Poppy and drug cultivation causes addiction in Afghanistan. Addiction destroys families and communities. Many addicts come from poppy growing families or communities.

• Government is stronger, more capable, more determined than ever to fight and eliminate poppy. The number of poppy free provinces has increased steadily from 6 in 1386 to 13 in 1387 to 18 in 1388 to 20 in 1389. This year the government expects a further increase in poppy free provinces.

Messages Targeting Poppy Farmers

• The Government of Afghanistan knows where poppy is cultivated because of the modern equipment, satellites and photographic imaging. The information will be made available to governors, provincial chiefs of police and eradication forces before your crop is harvested next year.

• The GoA conducted an eradication campaign in 1388; it has even greater eradication capability in 1389. If you plant poppy this year, you run a real risk of having your crop eradicated, and losing all your investment.

• The CN Law imposes tough penalties on those involved in the narcotics trade, including those who grow poppy and those who allow poppy to be cultivated on their land.

• Those who encourage poppy cultivation such as moneylenders and buyers have more to gain from cultivation than the farmers. They are becoming rich while bringing disruption to the local community.

Messages Targeting Officials

• The government is taking action against those involved in the narcotics trade, no matter who they are. The primary and appeal courts convicted 614 people in 1388. 35 tonnes of opium and almost 2.5 tonnes of heroin, 5 tonnes of morphine, 13 tonnes of hashish and 44 tonnes of drug-making chemicals were seized in 1388.

• The GoA will not tolerate officials turning a blind eye to poppy cultivation or drug trafficking and its process.

• Other Afghan provinces should follow the model of the northern region where leadership and security have led farmers to turn their backs on opium cultivation.

Eradication Messages

• Cultivating poppy is haram because the addiction and violence that surround poppy are offensive to God.

• Poppy is illegal and the government has the right to eradicate land where poppy is grown as well as fine and imprison farmers who grow poppy

• The money for bullets and bombs comes from the profits of the poppy trade. If you cultivate poppy you help fuel violence and insecurity

• The Government is destroying more and more poppy every year. When your poppy field is eradicated, you’ll lose all your

investment. Uproot your poppy and plant something else now.

• Rich landowners and corrupt officials will not be protected from eradication.

• What you do makes a difference to the development of your province. According to Presidential decree, poppy-free provinces will get 50 million Afghanis of extra development assistance, and those reducing cultivation by more than 10% will be eligible for rewards of up to 500 million Afghanis.

• The Government of Afghanistan is winning the war on drugs. Last year cultivation fell by 22% and the number of drug free provinces increased from 18 to 20. Help us make Afghanistan poppy free.

• Eradication is done by the Government of Afghanistan for the good of the Afghan people

Health Messages

• If you grow poppy, you fuel drug addiction, which ruins the lives of your sons and daughters.

• Poppy leads to violence, which leads to insecurity that stops development. If you want your children to be educated, healthy and have jobs, you will not grow poppy.

• Instead of poisoning our countrymen, we should grow food for their families.

• It is the shame of the nation that Afghanistan cannot feed itself with food but does feed the world’s drug addiction.

Law Enforcement

• Growing poppies and producing drugs are against our Constitution and Law, because of the harm poppies do to us all.

• Those involved in any aspect of cultivation, production and trafficking of illegal drugs, face penalties, including long prison sentences.

• The Government has a range of forces acting to destroy the drug industry, including Counter Narcotics Police, which are now more than 2,600 strong with 8 mobile detection units. In 1388 the CNPA seized 2501 kg of Heroin, 35040 kg of Opium and 13109 kg of Hashish. In addition 9 laboratories were destroyed. They are cracking down on those producing and trafficking drugs all over the country.

Criminal Justice Messages

• The Criminal Justice Task Force is convicting more and more people each year who have broken the Counter Narcotics law. The CJTF is part of Afghan government’s wider strategy to crack down on the evils of the criminal drug trade.

• Cultivating poppy, producing and selling illegal drugs are against the laws of the Government of Afghanistan (Constitution Article 7: “The state shall prevent any terrorist activities, and cultivation, production and smuggling of drugs”).

• Those violating the Counter Narcotics Law face large fines and long sentences of up to 20 years.

• The CJTF is committed to the highest standards of investigation, evidence gathering and prosecution, and to strengthening the rule of law in the country as a whole.

• The CJTF is committed to fighting official-level corruption, which is harming the lives of ordinary Afghans, and stopping the country’s development.

• The Counter Narcotics Criminal Justice Task Force has convicted 761 people and acquitted 156. The Supreme Court has confirmed 435 CN cases in 1388.

• The Government is committed to bring to justice those who traffic and profit from the production of illegal narcotics here in Afghanistan.

• These criminals have direct impact on ordinary people’s lives by causing crime, corruption, general insecurity and bringing shame to Afghan Nationals.

Development Messages

• Thousands of farmers across the country have stopped cultivating poppy and are earning a good living in other ways.

• Billions of Afghanis in aid is being invested in improving the rural economy and infrastructure, encouraging markets for other

crops, and setting up micro-credit schemes. This is creating more opportunities for farmers to make a living in legal ways.

• 20 provinces are poppy-free so far and have received financial rewards for development to help their communities. Help your province win extra funding by stopping poppy cultivation.

• Thousands of projects have been completed around the country in the last 8 years, in areas such as agriculture, education,

health, irrigation, power, public buildings, transport, water supply and institution building.

• Poppy production brings shame on Afghanistan and all Afghans involved in the opium economy. • Rural Development will mean developing opportunities for everyone that they never had before. It will include making families

and communities a great deal better off than if they grew illegal crops.

• Improving opportunities will be beneficial to farmers, rural workers, their families and their communities, much more than the very short term gains that the opium economy may bring

• Rural Development is not just substituting crops for poppies, it includes: roads, markets, irrigation, schools, health clinics, training etc.

• The government is putting into place both short-term and long-term programs to provide individual Afghans and Afghan families with incomes derived from alternative work and crops.

• The government is working to provide the whole of Afghanistan with rural development. This will take time, but it will be done.

• Afghanistan needs a fully developed licit rural economy, and it is not possible with an illegal economy.

• Afghanistan produces some of the best fruits and vegetables in the world. Afghans are proud to buy Afghan-produced goods. •

Religious Messages

• You have a clear choice – stand for what is right, legal and Halal or stand for what is evil, illegal and un-Islamic. • Poverty is no excuse to commit crimes, including growing poppy. There are many poor people in Afghanistan who have already

chosen legal and halal crops.

Messages Targeting International Audience

• The multiple consequences of Afghan drugs move through neighbouring states, along the Balkan and Eurasian and Pakistan and Iran routes, ending up in Europe, the Russian Federation, even China and India.

• International community should realize the fact that we all are part of the Afghan drug problem: hence, we all must work for its

solution, addressing all links of the drug chain: (i.) assistance to farmers to reduce supply, (ii.) drug prevention and treatment to curb demand, and (iii.) law enforcement against intermediaries.

• Afghan and International mafias are linked with each other.

• The catalogue of casualties caused by Afghan narcotics is gruesome at international level.

• Every year, more people die from Afghan opium than any other drug in the world: perhaps 100,000 globally.

• The number of people who die of heroin overdoses in NATO countries per year (above 10,000) is five times higher than the

total number of NATO troops killed in Afghanistan in the past 8 years, namely since the beginning of military operations there in 2001.

• The number of addicts in the Russian Federation has multiplied by 10 during the past 10 years, and they now consume a staggering 75-80 tons/year of Afghan heroin. More Russian people die from drugs per year (at present 30,000-40,000, according to government estimates) than the total number of Red Army soldiers killed during the Soviet invasion and the ensuing 7-year Afghan campaign.

• Despite major efforts to cope with drug trafficking, the Islamic Republic of Iran is swamped by Afghan opium: with its estimated

1 million opiate users, Iran faces one of the world’s most serious opiates addiction problems.

• Central Asia, once only a conduit for Afghan heroin, is now a major consumer – a habit that is resulting in an HIV epidemic caused by injecting drug use.

• Even worse, countries of South-Eastern Europe, including EU members like Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, are intercepting

less than 2% of the heroin flow.

• While in recent years opium has generated up to $1 billion per year to Afghan farmers, the global heroin market is worth many times that much ($65 billion).

• Insurgents have derived enormous sums of money from the drug trade to fuel their terrorist activities in the world.

• Every year, the equivalent of some 3,500 tons of opium flow from Afghanistan to the rest of the world, via its immediate

neighbours: 40 per cent through the Islamic Republic of Iran, 30 per cent through Pakistan, and the rest through Central Asia (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan).

• Demand for drug is increasing in Afghanistan that will add up with another problem in Afghanistan. Also, the main opiate

consumer market is Europe (about 19 per cent of global consumption, with a market value of US$ 20 billion), the Russian Federation (15 per cent), the Islamic Republic of Iran (15 per cent), China (12 per cent), India (7 per cent), Pakistan (6 per cent), Africa (6 per cent) and the Americas (6 per cent).

• A large quantity of controlled and non-controlled chemicals is required to produce heroin from Afghanistan’s opium crop –

around 13,000 tons per year. None of these chemicals are produced in Afghanistan. They are diverted from licit channels in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and then smuggled to Afghanistan.

Campaign Branding

The slogan used in previous pre-planting campaigns was “we do not want poppy.” However, this time we will use a slogan and an image that can reflect both religious and legal prohibition. One suggestion could be we carryout the campaign under the slogan of “everything to do with narcotics is haram and illegal.” The brand will be open for discussion with line ministries.