Documenting and Sharing Learning in Health Communication for Development - Section V

Resources that are on paper, electronic (web-sites, discussion lists), training packs, or institutions engaged in this area of work

1.Network of Alternative Communication for Women-Fempress

Created in 1981 as a Latin American Network of Information and Communication with the purpose of giving more visibility to women's issues, including reproductive health issues, and contributing to greater gender equity. This network includes correspondents in 14 countries in Latin America. Fempress has developed a regional communication strategy that seeks to articulate women's movements with a monthly newsletter and to disseminate information about women's issues through the media.

Website

2. Group on Information about Reproductive Choice

A non-profit organisation whose main objective is to disseminate information with special attention to three areas: production, systematisation and dissemination of reproductive health and sexual rights in Mexico.

Website

3. Medicina TV

Web site specialised in information about the most current advances in medicine. Includes summaries of the most important health news of the day, and opens forums for discussion of the most important health issues.

Website

4. Isis Internacional

Communication and information service for women whose objective is to stimulate women's participation in development processes, including health issues. Promotes the creation of networks and communication and information channels for the exchange of women's knowledge and experiences from differents parts of the world.

Website

5. National Forum of Women and Populations Policies in Mexico

A network that brings together several women's organisations in Mexico. Its work follows the agreements reached at the Cairo Conference.

Website

6. Movement Manuela Ramos

Includes information about reproductive and sexual health, law, and women's political participation. Includes a radio project called Manuela Ramos Radio.

Website

7. Latin American and Caribbean Women Health Network

Includes information about activities carried out by the network, its strategies, action plans, publications and participation in and coordination of health campaigns.

Website

8. Salud.com

A Spanish-speaking community in Internet focused on health. The site provides up to date information in the area of health and stimulates the exchange of information, knowledge, ideas, projects, and proposals on health issues.

Website

9. Social Medicine Institute, Programme for Research in Gender, Sexuality and Health

Instituto of the Univesity of Rio de Janeiro

Specialises in the analysis of issues related to gender, sexuality and health.

Website

10. Life Skills for Children and Adolescents' Healthy Development

This manual seeks to develop life skills in children and adolescents to give them tools for human development and to more effectively face their daily challenges. The manual identifies three types of life skills: social and interpersonal skills (communication, rejection, aggressiveness, empathy); cognoscitive skills (decision making, critical thinking, self-evaluation) and emotional skills (stress, self-control). Several studies show that these skills develop children's character and are mediators in children and adolescents' behaviors. Development of these skills can delay/deter use of drugs, prevent risky sexual behaviors, improve academic performance and promote positive social adjustment.

Contact

Matilde Madalenno, Director, Programme of Adolescent Health, Pan American Health Organisation

maddalem@paho.org

11. Fundacion Restrepo Barco

This Colombian foundation focuses on children's issues and has produced a variety of materials, especially on good treatment of children. Some of their most important products are:

Good treatment in the family and in school: This primer explains the five principles of good treatment (recognition, empathy, interaction, effective communication, and negotiation). Includes strategies for good treatment at different stages of children's development. Emphasises the need to take advantage of every child's individuality in order to enrich the schools's environment.

Young people discuss about ages, routines and tastes in Cali: An outcome of the project of social intervention "Cali ve joven", an initiative aimed at stopping to see the young through the stereotypes of the elder, making visible their ways of thinking, feeling and behaving. What the young talk to each other about, the roles of music, and the audiovisual world are explored in-depth.

1999, Sonia Muñoz

Social Responsibility and the Media: News Distortion and Sexual Abuse: A case in the Colombian Press). The way this case was covered by the regional and national media over a week helps show the failures of the news coverage, from the lack of imagination to search for information beyond the official sources, to the way headlines tell the stories, in situations when children are victims of criminal and sexual offenses.

Contact

Carlos Vélez, Director of Communications, Santa fe de Bogotá, Colombia, cvelez@funrestrepobarco.org.co

Website