Communication for Peace and Reconciliation in Africa
This issue of The Soul Beat looks at the role of communication in supporting peace and reconciliation initiatives in Africa. The edition covers a range of project descriptions, strategic thinking documents, evaluations, materials and resources that explore the role of radio, journalism, advocacy and education in contributing towards peace on the continent.
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1. Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP) - Liberia
This is an organisation that aims to address peace, freedom of expression, democracy and development in Liberia. It aims to do this by increasing the role of the media in the democratisation process by providing media training and relevant research. The organisation has also developed a website for media professionals to enhance their role in building a peaceful society.
Contact info@liberianmedia.org AND centerforpeacebuilding@yahoo.com OR Malcolm W. Joseph malcolmjoseph2000@yahoo.com OR Calixte S. Hessou calixtehessou@yahoo.com
2. Moyamba District Children's Awareness Radio (MODCAR) - Sierra Leone
Plan, a child-centred community development agency based in the UK, worked in partnership with Sierra Leone's local communities to establish Moyamba District Children's Awareness Radio (MODCAR), a child-led community-based radio station contributing to peace and reconciliation in the region. The station aims to encourage the process of national integration and trauma healing as well as raise awareness of children's rights and responsibilities. Children's involvement in the radio project is seen as key to reflecting their needs and reaching the intended audiences. This involvement is achieved through consulting children in all aspects of radio production, their representation on decision making bodies and through the use of childrens radio clubs.
Contact mail@plan-international.org.uk
3. USAID/OTI Sudan Programme - Sudan
The United States Agency for International Development's Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI) programme focuses on increasing access to balanced information, promoting good governance, providing conflict resolution expertise in areas vulnerable to violence, and supporting people-to-people peace processes in southern Sudan. The programme activities include the establishment of an Independent Southern Sudan Media as the provision of balanced information is viewed as critical to the expansion of citizen participation in local governance and peace-building activities.
Contact Nhelly Saleh Ramirez nsaleh@usaid.gov
4. Centre for Common Ground (CCG) - Angola
This is a programme of Search for Common Ground, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to transforming the way the world deals with conflict. CCG uses community peace building and media projects to support sustainable peace and national reconciliation in Angola. They do this by facilitating cooperative community-based activities and by providing skills to emerging civil society leaders, women, journalists, and youth who show leadership potential. The organisation also works to bring these diverse groups together, with the goal of helping them recognise commonalities and develop effective relationships.
Contact Rebecca Besant rbesant@sfcg.org OR sfcg@nexus.ao OR search@sfcg.org
search@sfcg.org
5. Great Lakes Reconciliation Radio Project - Rwanda, Burundi and DRC
This is a regional reconciliation programme that seeks to expand Radio La Benevolencija (RLB) activities in Rwanda in both geographical and thematic scopes. The expansion into the Great Lakes Region, into neighbouring countries like Burundi and the DRC, is seen as crucial in maintaining peace in the region. The project involves radio programmes, listening groups and grassroots activities that promote active bystandership, encouraging the population to recognise and stand up to incitement and to protest against wrong doings in the name of hate.
Contact Johan Deflander labenevolencija@hey.za.net
6. Search for Common Ground (SFCG) - Côte d'Ivoire
Another project of the international NGO, Search for Common Ground, this Côte d'Ivoire project uses a combination of radio programmes, media training and community outreach to reduce tensions among groups, facilitate reconciliation, and strengthen social cohesion.
Contact Lorenza Bacino lorenza.bacino@sfcg OR ffortune@sfcg.org OR search@sfcg.org
7. Peace and Reconciliation - Sierra Leone
This is a tele-collaborative project between International Education and Resource Network (iEARN) Sierra Leone and Virtual Activism USA. The project aims to enable young people to use the internet and other new technologies to engage in collaborative educational projects related to peace and reconciliation. The goal is for students to interact and share ideas about peace and reconciliation and to explore their new skills using these themes.
Contact Andrew Benson Greene andrewgreene_c21st@iearnsierraleone.org
8. Women Talk Peace - Asia-Pacific and Africa
This is a series of radio productions, produced by The International Women's Tribune Centre (IWTC), that aim to raise awareness about the varied aspects of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325. This resolution refers to women's role in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and stresses the importance of their equal participation in efforts to maintain peace and security. The radio productions use varied formats including features, dramas and short plugs to communicate information about UNSCR 1325, related National Action Plans, as well as other international conventions and legal mechanisms relevant to women in conflict situations.
Contact Mavic Cabrera Balleza mavic@iwtc.org
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For more related information please see these previous issues of The Soul Beat:
The Soul Beat - Issue #41 - June 08 2005
"Communication in Post-Conflict Situations"
The Soul Beat - Issue #49 - October 13 2005
"Journalism: Rights & Peace"
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9. Peace Education: Why and How?
by Pamela Baxter and Vick Ikobwa
January 2005
The paper discusses why peace education programmes are so important and presents the methodology and lessons learned from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees/ Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (UNHCR/INEE) Peace Education Programme in East Africa and the Horn.
10. A Review of Small Scale Educational Interventions on Literacy and Conflict Resolution/Peacebuilding in Guinea, Sierra Leone and South Sudan
by Dr. Katy Newell-Jones
2003
This 25-page review forms part of the 2004 Department for International Development (DFID) report on Service Delivery in Difficult Environments, undertaken by the Health Systems Resource Centre. It draws on a series of small scale, non-formal education interventions in Guinea, Sierra Leone and South Sudan from 1999-2004, in conflict and post-conflict contexts. These interventions were undertaken by Education for Development in partnership with indigenous non-governmental organisations, with the intention of developing the sector capacity in adult literacy and conflict resolution/peacebuilding together with providing opportunities for vocational training
11. Darfur Information Needs Assessment
Report from the International Media Support
May 2005
This assessment identifies the information needs of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Darfur and the available efforts and options in place to enhance the flow of relevant and needed information. The assessment looks at to what extent displaced communities are already being provided with relevant information and, in those cases where information dissemination is inadequate, it looks at what can be done to circumvent obstacles to open communication without jeopardising humanitarian activities in Darfur.
12. "Tuyage Twongere" - Lets Talk: IRIN Radio Burundi Soap Opera Project Audience Survey
Integrated Regional Information Networks Radio (IRIN) Radio
2005
After six months of weekly broadcasts of the "Tuyage Twongere" - Lets Talk radio series - a series which aimed to promote reconciliation by stimulating dialogue between Burundians in refugee camps in Tanzania and those at home - IRIN Radio undertook a mini-evaluation of the impact of the drama through an audience survey. The survey sought to find out who was listening to the drama, on which station, what they gained from it and whether project goals were being met. The survey found that 86% of those who listened said they had learned something positive about family relations, life skills, the plight of refugees, HIV/AIDS, hygiene, or other issues and 23% of listeners in Burundi said the series had increased their understanding of the refugees and made them feel more positive about them.
13. Radio Maendeleo and the regional peace process in Eastern Congo
A political analysis prepared for International Media Support based on an assessment mission to South Kivu
by Bjørn Willum
2003
One of the few independent media outlets in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Radio Maendeleo (RM), a local community radio station based in the town of Bukavu, broadcasts content of political and development nature. The present report analyses the role played by RM in the regional peace process in South Kivu. The report states that RM played a positive role in informing the local population in and around Bukavu about development issues, local politics and played a role in coordinating NGO work in the area. However, according the report, the limited footprint of the radio station prevented it from playing a significant role in the regional peace process. It suggests that its regional role could be enhanced significantly by the planned installation of a shortwave transmitter sponsored by the Belgian government.
14. Evaluation of the Radio Soap Operas Vozes Que Falam and Coisas da Nossa Gente
by The Centre for Common Ground
2002
This is an evaluation of the Centre for Common Ground's radio soap operas, Vozes Que Falam and Coisas Da Nossa Gente, which aimed to build the capacity of Angolans in conflict prevention and resolution. The evaluation showed that Coisas da Nossa Gente was mostly listened to in Luanda and Lubango and was generally listened to by 58% of the interviewees. 91% of those interviewed noticed an increase in their conflict resolution and prevention capacity, while the desire for continued production and broadcast of the soap operas was nearly unanimous among survey participants.
15. Directory of Peace Studies in Africa
This directory is a database of teaching, research and community service institutions and departments which are involved in peace studies in Africa. The directory is intended to be easily shared and disseminated among institutions and individuals and covers 121 departments in 109 institutions in 34 African countries.
16. How to Produce a Radio Soap for Conflict Prevention/Resolution
Project Managers Manual
by Francis Rolt
This manual, based on the experiences of the non-profit organisation Search for Common Ground (SFCG), describes the steps involved in producing radio soap operas that aim to tackle violent conflict in a positive way and contribute towards reducing tensions.
17. Radio Talkshows for Peacebuilding
A Guide
by Ross Howard and Francis Rolt
This guidebook is designed to help talkshow presenters and producers learn new skills to deal with the topic of conflict effectively on air. It aims to offer reliable techniques and skills to enable presenters to talk about conflict in a way which is interesting and informative, which offers positive alternatives, and at the same time holds the attention of the audience.
18. The Nigerian Media Reform Manifesto: Conflict and Election Reporting
This publication aims to assist journalists, media organisations and media groups in the task of reporting, analysing and commenting on conflicts generally and the coverage of elections in particular. The publication reviews the 2003 general elections in Nigeria and offers guidelines for election coverage in general. The publication's main objective is to encourage greater emphasis on ethical and professional issues within the journalism profession.
E-NEWSLETTERS
19. Conflict Trends
This is a quarterly newsletter that focuses on reporting and analysing trends in current and emerging conflicts in Africa addressing issues such as peacekeeping, refugees, children at war, human rights, constitutionalism, terrorism, women, peace and security.
LINKS
20. The Centre for Conflict Resolution
The Centre seeks to contribute towards peace in South Africa and in Africa by promoting constructive, creative and co-operative approaches to the resolution of conflict and the reduction of violence.
21. African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD)
This is an international civil society organisation working throughout Africa to bring appropriate African solutions to the challenges posed by conflict.
22. Peace Africa
Hosted by allAfrica.com, this website aims to be an interactive internet platform, linking African organisations working in peace-building, conflict resolution and related fields.
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The Soul 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.
Please send material for The Soul Beat to the Editor - Anja Venth aventh@comminit.com
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