The Drum Beat 192 - Communication and Change News and Issues

PROGRAMMES

1. Peru Youth for Christ HIV/AIDS Project - Peru
A prevention and training programme addressing youth in public high schools in Lima. It incorporates the showing of an educational video with face-to-face interaction with peers who have had experience with HIV/AIDS or sexually transmitted infections. The video defines "risk behaviour" and details the consequences of risk behaviours on young peoples' lives. Discussions focus on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections with students, explaining how infection occurs. The project also includes student leadership training sessions.
Contact Manuel Paredes [email protected]

2. Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals (ISAP) - India
Aims to provide information to farmers through a network of food and agriculture professionals. Includes query assistance services for corporates and farmers, agribusiness clinics, and consulting services through e-mail and electronic mailing lists. In addition, motivated agricultural graduates will be recruited and trained by ISAP to create agribusiness clinics that will deliver products and services, as well as information on technology and markets, to the farming community. The clinics will also help entrepreneurs arrange financial support and launch services.
Contact [email protected] or Frederick Noronha [email protected]

3. Community Health and Awareness Puppeteers (CHAPS) - Kenya
A puppetry group that consists of more than 400 puppeteers performing in 40 troupes scattered around Kenya. Each troupe constructs its shows around issues of local concern and performs in local languages. The purpose of the programme is to raise awareness among adults and children about social issues such as government corruption or gender inequality and health issues like HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS education is a central component of live performances that take place in the slums. CHAPS members beat drums, whistle, wave placards, and hit various instruments in the tune of various cultural beats of the major communities that inhabit the slum to attract attention. Once the residents gather, they are grouped according to age and gender. Various types of puppets are used deliver suitable information to each category of audience about HIV/AIDS. CHAPS puppeteers also visit surrounding schools to disseminate AIDS messages.

4. Fight Against Dowry - Pakistan
A 5-year advocacy project designed to inspire the public to think about the institution and practice of dowry and dowry violence in Pakistan. Dialogue is promoted through mass media and other channels, with the aim of involving young people, parents, policy-makers, and the media. Activities include: research on perceptions, attitudes and practices in connection with dowry; discussion meetings in community centres, Mohallas, and in villages; more formal awareness and sensitisation seminars in the provincial capitals; television public service announcements (PSAs); a television series; contests for awareness-raising materials; and, an ongoing signature campaign.
Contact Dr. Rakhshinda Perveen [email protected]

5. AIDS Early Adolescent Prevention Project - Nigeria
A 3-month awareness-building programme designed to reach boys and girls aged 10-13 in primary schools in Osun state. 10 schools participated in the programme which focused on training, information, education and counselling. 50 teachers were trained in HIV/AIDS education. Health promotion activities, such as clubs to encourage healthy practises, outreach programmes, and other group education initiatives, were also developed. Another component of the programme was the design, promotion, and distribution of IEC/BCC (Information, Education & Communication/British Broadcasting Corporation) materials.
Contact Bola Odutolu & David Atamewalen [email protected]

6. LI-BIRD Ko Chautari Radio Programme - Nepal
A rural participatory radio programme that focuses on biodiversity-related issues from Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research & Development (LI-BIRD). The word 'Chautari' means "a resting-place under the shade of a tree" where social, cultural, and religious information of value is exchanged. This radio programme is part of a wider package of efforts to increase local awareness about the importance of agro-biodiversity through sharing the methods and approaches developed in the project activities at local, national, and international levels. Local content is shared at festivals, rituals, and dances, as well as through publications, posters, video films, and TV programmes. Prizes for the best questions and suggestions and the correct answers given for the week have been introduced to create interest and motivation among young listeners.
Contact Krishna Prasad Baral [email protected]

7. Network for News Safety - Global
A global network to counter attacks on media and violence against journalists launched by a coalition of media companies, journalists, press freedom groups, and international organisations, under the guidance of the International News Safety Institute. This initiative is based on the building of solidarity between various media groups - broadcast and print media alike. Conscious of the threats of possible new media casualties in the worsening political climate in the Middle East and elsewhere, an inaugural discussion was organised in late 2002. As of Feb 2003, more than 80 organisations working for news safety have committed to membership in the network.
Contact Sarah de Jong [email protected]

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The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria is recruiting experts to serve on the Technical Review Panel (TRP) to review the 3rd Round Proposals.

Individuals with expert technical knowledge and extensive experience in one of the following areas are sought: HIV/AIDS Tuberculosis Malaria Cross cutting issues

Click here for more details and an online CV form. Applications CV using the CV form on the website (above) should be should be sent to [email protected] to arrive no later than Tuesday April 15 2003.

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EVALUATION

8. Impact Data - National Mental Health Community Awareness Campaign - Australia
This campaign included television/cinema advertisements, billboard advertisements, and a mental health information kit that was mailed out to secondary schools, doctors, and mental health professionals. Over half of respondents who saw the television/cinema advertising reported that it made them think about their own attitudes toward people with a mental illness. 41% (compared to 36% in a benchmark survey) of respondents strongly agreed that "people with a mental illness should have the same educational opportunities as other people". Similarly, 82% (as compared to 74% in a benchmark survey) totally agreed that "people with a mental illness have the same rights as others to employment". When asked if they had enough information about mental illness, 57% answered in the affirmative.
Contact Mental Health Branch [email protected]

9. Systematic Review of HIV Behavioral Prevention Research in Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders (API)
The studies reviewed focused on 4 major risk groups: men who have sex with men (MSM), injection drug users (IDU), heterosexuals, and youth/adolescents. Only 2 interventions included 100% API participants, most studies included less than 80% API participants, and no studies featured separate analyses for API participants. Only 1 study focussed on either API MSM or gay men (some large-scale studies focusing on HIV prevention in MSM have recently been initiated). No studies focussed on adolescents. 1 study including API heterosexual women was identified.

STRATEGIC THINKING

10. The Internet: Towards a Deeper Critique - by Roberto Verzola
"...popular movements have used the Internet to reach millions. Email and mailing lists have led to the emergence of virtual communities. Future e-commerce offers tantalizing possibilities to small economic players for competitive advantage and huge markets. All these have enhanced the seemingly democratizing image of the technology. But today, the Internet's reach in most developing countries ranges from less than 1 to perhaps 5% of the population. In the Philippines, for example, it is currently in the range of 2-3%..."

11. Refugees' right to information and communication in the Australia & Pacific region - by Nic Maclellan
"As journalists, how can we avoid negative reporting that encourages well-off people to turn against 'others' fleeing from tyranny, while maintaining our responsibility to accurately report on a crucial issue facing the country and the region?..."

12. A Behavior Change Perspective on Integrating PMTCT & Safe Motherhood Programmes - by Mona Moore
This discussion paper from The CHANGE Project (AED/The Manoff Group) focuses on those PMTCT programme elements related to improved obstetric practice and discusses the potential synergies of integrating PMTCT and Safe Motherhood programmes, particularly the behavior change components. It makes literature-based recommendations for increasing the emphasis on and funding for the improved obstetric practice component of PMTCT programmes; and shows how the PMTCT literature supports the need to prioritise operations research to better document the contribution of improved obstetric practice to reduce MTCT during labor, delivery and early postpartum.

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PULSE POLL

Celebrities or leaders who have high profile roles in campaigns must always practise what they preach.

Do you agree or disagree?

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AWARDS

13. Women's Voices in War Zones Writing Contest
For unpublished essays by women that address living in a war zone or under a state of terror. Prizes will awarded in 3 categories: Residents of the US; Residents of other countries; Immigrants or refugees in any country. Deadline: May 1 2003.

14. Tech Museum Awards
Honors innovators (individuals, for-profit companies, and not-for-profit organisations) from around the world who use technology to benefit humanity. Awards are presented in the categories of: Education; Equality; Environment; Economic Development; Health. Deadline: May 16 2003

15. Global Junior Challenge
To identify and reward best practices on the use of new technologies in education and training of youth. The Challenge is for all young people, from school children, to teenagers and youth taking their first step to the job market. Deadline: June 30 2003.

MATERIALS

16. The Handbook of New Media: Social Shaping & Consequences of ICTs
Divided into 6 sections that cover major problem areas and research findings, such as technology design and related policy developments.

17. Rebuilding Civil Society, Democracy Indeed: A 3-part Radio Series
Each part consists of 13 12-minute episodes that include music and a recurring soap opera. 1) "The Role of Local Governance in Rebuilding Civil Society." 2) "The Role of Community-Based Organisations in Rebuilding Civil Society." 3) "The Role of the School & Education in Rebuilding Civil Society."

18. Video for change: A practical guide for activists
This training video uses footage shot by human rights activists from around the world, and illustrates various strategic ways video and communications technology can be used to further human rights advocacy. The video is accompanied by a written manual.

LINKS

19. Choike
Aimed at improving the visibility and impact of southern NGOs and civil society organisations and what they publish and produce on the Internet.

20. ENVINDIA (Network of Indian Environment Professionals)
An electronic community that links Indian and international environment and nature professionals and organisations in a global network that enables interaction, the exchange of ideas, and means to promote energy-efficient and eco-friendly products and services.

21. Peace Diaries
An international education programme in which students worldwide utilise Internet technologies to learn, share, and collaborate on projects that produce educational content and global dialogue and commentary for dissemination through books, radio broadcast, and this site.

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The Drum Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.

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