The Drum Beat 25 - Communication and Change News and Issues

PROGRAMMES

1. Community Based Drama - Tanzania - The Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the University of Dar es Salaam, the Department of Fine and Performing Arts have just ended a workshop with the Hanang Women Counseling and Development Association. It focused on community based plays designed to sensitise the Barbaig community on the negative impact of female circumcision, domestic violence and the importance of sending girls to school. 2 short plays were produced: one on domestic violence and the problems of forced marriages, the other on problems resulting from female circumcision. Question from Barbaig community after performance: what positive alternative can be suggested to this cultural activity (FGM), rather than simply telling them it is bad and should be stopped? Contact Dr. Augustin Hatar [email protected]

2. Geminis - Cuba - carried out by the Cuban Institute of Art and Cinematography Industry (ICAIC), this series of educational workshops for audiovisual communication has been developed with youth in their community environment. Through a process of understanding - critical reflection, valuation and creation of messages which enrich experience and communicative ways - combined with appropriation of audiovisual language with topics like child rights, the preservation of the environment, health education, prevention of AIDS and other problems youth have identified in their communities, Geminis has proved to be an innovative alternative to horizontal communication. Contact Pablo Ramos [email protected]

3. Soul City's 4th Series - South Africa - the recently launched 4th series of this highly popular multi-media initiative (radio, TV, & related communication activities) has a major focus on violence against women. It also addresses AIDS, youth sexuality, small business development, savings and high blood pressure. Contact Dr Shereen Usdin [email protected].

4. Albanian Children's Radio Club - Kosovo - in response to the need for elementary education of returning Kosovo refugee children, BBC World Service Education with the World Service Albanian Section will broadcast daily programmes focusing on basic science, literacy and cultural topics, and will include reports by children relating their own experiences. A team will train local radio producers and work with teachers, local representatives of UNICEF and Albanian NGO's to prepare for this 3 month pilot project funded by the DFID. Contact [email protected]

5. Women Speaking to Women - Cape Verde, Cameroon, India, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, Malawi & Nepal - This UNESCO project aims to increase opportunities for self-expression and communication for women with the development of community-based, low-cost radio stations designed and run by women. By responding to a variety of issues at the grassroots level, women in developing countries work towards sustainable dialogue and empowerment within their communities. Contact Iskra Panevska [email protected]

6. Reconstructing Kosovo with the Youths - Albania - UNICEF and the Albanian Youth Council implemented a youth participation project in Kukes, covering 6 refugee camps. Objectives included: providing youth with opportunities for participation (through sports and cultural activities); encouraging youth to acquire and develop analytical, organisational and leadership skills to be used in the immediate situation as well as in preparation for return to Kosovo; protecting and supporting youth by facilitating an organised dialogue between youth and the rest of the community, incl. other refugee groups, camp managers, and international organisations. Contact Bertrand Bainvel [email protected] 

7. Community Programmes - Global - Alfonso Gumucio-Dagron and The Rockefeller Foundation seek to identify 50 community driven communication programmes for social change. Must have been initiated by community in response to local situation and must remain managed by community personnel. Community participation must be the main characteristic. Programmes will be included in a book about communication for social change experiences worldwide. Deadline 31 Aug. 1999 in English, French or Spanish. Contact Alfonso Gumucio-Dagron Click here for Alfonso's website for more information or to contact him.


COMMUNICATION TRENDS

8. Latin America will experience a 175% growth rate in spending related to Internet commerce in 1999, although that figure could have been higher had the region been experiencing healthier economic conditions, says a Massachusetts research firm. The firm, International Data Corporation (IDC), says Internet-related spending reached nearly $167 million in 1998, an increase of 361% over 1997 levels. IDC said that throughout 1998, regional web commerce was increasing at a "rapid pace..." The firm said, however, that "economic difficulties being experienced by the major market - Brazil - are expected to dampen this robust growth. Honduras This Week - 12 July 1999, Washington, D.C.


IMPACT DATA

9. Sanjeevani - Nepal - This weekly TV series promoted health and delivered information to educate the public on child health issues. 30 min. programmes, 1/2 education, 1/2 soap opera. In the most recent evaluation, 21% of respondents learned the importance of vaccination, 11.8% learned how to lower fevers. 91.4% said that they learned something from the programme, especially the soap opera portion. 57.6% of respondents said that they learned that female education is of primary importance for the development of the community. 22.5% learned that health education is necessary, 12.5% learned that there should be no gender discrimination and that daughters and sons should have equal rights. 25% said that they applied the information that they learned in the treatment of diarrhea. Source: Report from the Field - Use of TV Soap Opera for Social Change in Nepal. Peter F. Chen, PhD. Sept. 1996. Contact [email protected]


WEB SITES

10. The Global Network for Education in Journalism and the Media (Globjournet) has been officially launched. Heads of regional journalism schools and institutes met 18-19 Mar. 1999 at UNESCO to form the global network of journalism schools and institutions in association with UNESCO, and to prepare its statutes. Click here for website.

11. BBC World Service Education has launched the Sexwise web site. In its 3rd phase, Sexwise aims to provide accurate and accessible information about sexual health and rights in over 40 languages. 
Click here for website.


GATHERINGS

12. In April 1999, 16 senior broadcasters and print journalists from the Southern African Sub region met in Zimbabwe with WHO African experts on malaria, HIV/AIDS, TB, reproductive health and cardiovascular diseases under the facilitation of Zambian physician broadcaster Dr Mannasseh Phiri and Kenyan health reporter Otula Owuor. Participants agreed there was a need for a "marriage" between health and media practitioners in Africa if the health of Africans is to be improved by better dissemination of accurate and relevant health information via electronic and print media. Contact Dr Mannasseh Phiri [email protected]

13. Partnerships for Health in the New Millenium - a conference hosted by Healthy People Consortium and Partnerships for Networked Consumer Health Information will be held in Washington, DC., 24-28 Jan. 2000. Call for abstracts - Deadline 6 Sep. 1999. Click here for website. Contact Adriane Griffen [email protected]


MATERIALS

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