The Drum Beat 572 - Communication and Change News and Issues
- STRATEGIC THINKING: ICTs & farming, right to be heard, treatment lit.
- Is your organisation interested in becoming a CI PARTNER?
- TRENDS: women & phones, evolution of news & internet, radio for peace.
- Updates from C-CHANGE.
- EXPERIENCES: radio for children & culture, participatory gov. exchange.
As 2010 comes to a close and a new year is on the horizon, all of us at The Communication Initiative extend our heartfelt thanks for the many ways you enrich The CI network every day by sharing your information, your ideas, your feedback, your support, and more. Moving into 2011, we wish you continued inspiration in your work and look forward to engaging with you again in early January.
In the meantime, may this transition into a new year be one of peace and joy for you and yours.
~ The CI team
1. From the Web to the Phone: Information System Sends RSS Feeds to Chilean Farmers via SMS
by Meghan Cagley
This February 2010 article describes a Chilean programme that organises searchable agricultural information from the internet into news feeds (RSS) and then passes that content on to farmers via text messaging (SMS). The programme designers developed the system to work on simple, low-cost mobile phones, and to operate effectively even over slow networks with intermittent connectivity.
2. Miss Landmine Cambodia Pageant: Provocative Art or Pejorative 'Project'?
by Masum Momaya
From July 2010, this opinion article weighs in on a beauty pageant held in Cambodia for girls and women who had lost limbs in landmine explosions. The author explores gender concerns on the use of beauty pageants as awareness raising tools, the question of whether publicising disabilities through individuals with disabilities enhances their empowerment or agency, and the sustainability and benefits to the disabled of such awareness raising.
3. Speaking Out: Case Studies on How Poor People Influence Decision-Making
by Nikki van der Gaag, ed. and Jo Rowlands, ed.
This December 2009 book from Oxfam Great Britain focuses on how the right to be heard can strengthen the participation of economically poor people in formulating public policy and enable them to hold decision-makers accountable.
by Regina Görgen, Akwilina Mlay, Babette Pfander, and Siegrid Tautz
From December 2007, this report presents an experience that involved developing a set of question and answer sex education booklets designed to meet the needs of young people. As stated here, there is little doubt among youth experts that active involvement of young people in designing information and education approaches is a prerequisite for successfully meeting their informational needs. This has, however, not often been translated into practice.
by Alina Rocha Menocal and Bhavna Sharma
This policy brief shares insights from a project, Evaluation of Citizens' Voice and Accountability (CV&A), which was conducted from October 2006 through February 2009 90 CV&A donor interventions in an effort to examine the relationship between the state and its people - in particular, the relationship between citizens' capacity to express their voices and claim their rights and government accountability.
6. Treatment Literacy: Empowering Communities to Access AIDS Treatment
by Alison Dunn, ed.
This 2006 paper proposes that with effective communication, communities in developing countries are better informed about anti-retroviral therapies (ARTs) drugs and can improve their understanding of ARTs, why they are needed, and what they can and cannot do. The paper examines the challenges of communicating effectively about ARTs and highlights some of the latest research in this area.
7. Business Models for Equitable Access
by Muriuki Mureithi
According to this July 2008 paper, "[r]ecognising the potential of information and communications technologies (ICTs) for socioeconomic development is the first critical step towards exploiting their benefits. Yet a gap exists between the opportunity and the exploitation. The challenge is multifaceted and the consumer, the supplier, as well as the governance of the policy and operating environment have a role to play..."
8. Using Theory to Design Effective Health Behavior Interventions
by Martin Fishbein and Marco C. Yzer
"This [May 2003] article demonstrates the usefulness of two theories for the development of effective health communication campaigns. The integrative model of behavioral prediction focuses on changing beliefs about consequences, normative issues, and efficacy with respect to a particular behavior. Media priming theory focuses on strengthening the association between a belief and its outcomes, such as attitude and intention toward performing the behavior....The article describes the theories, shows how they can be applied to the selection of target beliefs, and, for each theory, defines the criteria for belief selection. The two theories as well as their appropriate analytic strategies are complementary rather than conflicting."
9. Children and Transitional Justice: Truth-Telling, Accountability and Reconciliation
by Sharanjeet Parmar, ed., Mindy Jane Roseman, ed., Saudamini Siegrist, ed., and Theo Sowa, ed.
This March 2010 volume analyses key issues from the transitional justice agenda through a child rights lens, such as: how to end impunity for crimes against children; what policies and procedures can better protect children and enable them to contribute to reconciliation and reconstruction efforts; which strategies are most effective in supporting children's roles and ensuring their voices are heard in peace-building efforts; how to enable children to reunite and reconcile with their families, peers, and communities; how to build children’s skills to become part of a stable economy; and how to reaffirm children's self-esteem and agency in the aftermath of armed conflict that has violated their childhood.
10. Argentina's Community Media Fights for Access and Legal Reform
by Marie Trigona
In this July 2009 article, Marie Trigona explores Argentine groups that have emerged to produce alternative and independent media for television, radio, and video in an effort to counter what she describes as misinformation and lack of access in the mass media.
Become a Communication Initiative Partner
The CI Partners (a) collectively provide the strategic guidance and direction for The Communication Initiative - ensuring that it meets the overall development priorities and needs of the communication and media community and (b) provide significant resources to support this overall initiative.
Click here to view the current CI Partners.
Please contact Warren Feek [email protected] if your organisation is considering providing this significant level of support to The CI.
by Ben Garside
From February 2010, this study analyses data, surveys, a market sizing model, and expert interviews to report on mobile phone use among women in low- and middle-income countries. It finds that women are 21% less likely to own a mobile phone than their male counterparts, a figure that rises slightly in the Middle East and Africa and rises to 37% in South Asia.
12. The Evolution of News and the Internet
by Sacha Wunsch-Vincent
Published in March 2010, this study examines the global newspaper publishing market and its evolution, particularly the development of online news and related challenges. It shows that "many promising forms of news creation and distribution are being experimented with, some of which are empowered by increasing technological sophistication and resulting decentralised forms of content creation and broad-based participation..." It also examines a number of policy issues.
13. Online Survey Report: Radio for Peace Building Workshops
by Francis Rolt
From this 2010 survey of radio professionals around the world: The majority is interested in "workshops on radio journalism for peace building, and on talk shows for peace building, rather than in soap operas or youth programmes. However, a high percentage (30.5%) is also interested in a more generalised workshop approach, that of radio for conflict prevention/management.
C-Change Supports Launch of President's Malaria Initiative in DRC
C-Change led public relations efforts for the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) launch in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). U.S. Global Malaria Coordinator Admiral Timothy Ziemer travelled to East Kasai's capital Mbuji-Mayi, for the ceremony on November 17, marking DRC's new status as PMI's 16th focus country. Click here for information.
PMI Special Collection on C-Hub
Showcasing communication materials developed by USAID/President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) partners, this special collection on C-Hub is a central place for staff working in malaria to download/share communication materials, strategies, research, testing, and evaluation documents. Browse the PMI Special Collection. Email [email protected] to contribute materials.
C-Modules Version 2
The C-Modules: a learning package for social and behaviour change communication (SBCC). The changes include a revised socio-ecological model and expansion on the application of theories and tipping point for change. For more information, click here.
14. Kuziva Mbuya Huudzwa and Luthando: Children's Rights Radio - Zimbabwe
Children First, in conjunction with Population Services International (PSI) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), produced 2 radio dramas on children's rights in Zimbabwe. Kuziva Mbuya Huudzwa, the Shona-language drama, focuses on creating awareness of the rights of children; Luthando, the Ndebele-language drama, focuses on child protection. The dramas are complemented by support materials such as workbooks and exercise packets, which are provided to teachers and other child rights groups for use during discussions.
Launched in June 2010 by CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, PG Exchange is a global virtual platform for knowledge development, sharing, and learning on participatory governance (PG).
16. Radio Ñomndaa [The Word of the Water] - Mexico
Broadcasting in the Mexican state of Guerrero, this indigenous community radio station transmits (on 100.1 FM and streaming online) the customs and traditions of the Nanncue Ñomndaa, rooted in respect and recognition for the region's cultural diversity. Radio Ñomndaa is not envisioned as an end in itself, but, rather, as a tool to encourage a broader reflection which will help strengthen the culture and the organisation of the Nanncue Ñomndaa people.
The Editor of The Drum Beat is Kier Olsen DeVries.
Please send additional project, evaluation, strategic thinking, and materials information on communication for development at any time. Send to [email protected]
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