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USAID Information:
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USAID-Funded NGOs Lead a Successful Environmental Advocacy
Campaign
A public advocacy campaign by the Karaganda Civil Society Support Center (CSSC) EcoCenter and the NGO Reflection has recently resulted in a government decision to delay the construction of a mercury disposal site until citizens’ concerns are addressed. The campaign was initiated when local authorities selected a popular recreation site three kilometers from Temirtau City for the disposal of mercury from a long-closed Karaganda Oblast (region) industrial plant. Because the proposed site is so close to the rapidly expanding city and many people visit the area, the risk of current and future mercury exposure to the general population is high.
The CSSC EcoCenter along with the NGO Reflection, both USAID grantees through the Community Action Grant Program, conducted a series of public hearings to gauge public opinion on the controversial issue and to ensure compliance with environmental conventions. In response to voiced concerns, the two organizations initiated an advocacy campaign to facilitate local citizen participation in the decision-making process. The campaign attracted attention from a variety of government institutions, including Parliament. As a result, the construction of the site has been postponed indefinitely.
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A local official explains his position at a roundtable organized to discuss
the proposed mercury disposal site
Photo Credit: Counterpart International |
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