The Drum Beat 197 - Communication and Change News and Issues
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PROGRAMMES
1. COBAC - Community-Based Abortion Care - Western Kenya
A project working to prevent unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion in order to reduce morbidity and mortality. The model emphasises education at the community level, as well as efforts to link community members and health workers to trained clinical providers. Community education, sensitisation, and mobilisation aim to provide a more supportive and empathetic environment for women facing unwanted pregnancies by generating debate and discussion in the public sphere. Training of community health providers and traditional birth attendants, as well as the linking of community health providers with clinical providers aim to expand and strengthen these providers' knowledge of unsafe abortion and their roles in preventing it.
Contact Kitche Magak [email protected] OR Muadi Mukenge [email protected]
2. Nigerian Linkages to Jamaica (NIJA) - Nigeria & Jamaica
A 2-year effort to provide technical assistance on the south-to-south transfer of life-skills-based sexuality education in secondary schools. The Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) in Ibadan, Nigeria and the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation in Kingston, Jamaica participated in the effort to increase their own capacity to carry out effective national programmes and to reach out to organisations in other countries. Key strategies included training and facilitation of curriculum-building efforts among secondary school counselors, partnership building and collaboration, and the production of technical materials related to sex education in the form of issue briefs and fact sheets.
Contact Nicole Cheetham [email protected]
3. ITGLWF HIV/AIDS Poster Campaign - Global
The International Textile, Garment & Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF) has launched a poster campaign to fight HIV/AIDS. The poster features an AIDS ribbon and a large hand, with the words "Stop AIDS. Ignorance Kills. Fight AIDS. A Trade Union Priority". It is available for download in French, Spanish, and English on The ITGLWF site. ITGLWF encourages workers to download and print multiple copies of the poster, adding their organisation's logo, for posting in the workplace and other public areas.
Contact [email protected]
4. Move for Health Minister's Walk - Bhutan
As part of the UNICEF-sponsored Move for Health project, Bhutan's Minister of Health & Education walked over 500 kilometers in a 16-day period in October, 2002 to draw attention to the importance of health and to raise money for Bhutan's Health Trust Fund. In addition to promoting healthy living through exercise, the walk was intended to be a tribute to Bhutan's health workers, who walk daily to remote, hard-to-reach areas to deliver immunisation and other health services across the country. As they stopped in different districts across the country, the Minister and his team emphasised the importance of utilising health services and healthy living, talking to citizens about the importance of physical activity, sanitation, nutrition, and breast-feeding.
Contact Lisa Jacobs [email protected] OR Leki Dorji [email protected]
5. Radio Reed Flute - Afghanistan
An initiative aiming to enable Afghans in Afghanistan and in exile around the world to communicate with each other. This programme will work to create a civil society network through internet facilities and independent community radio run and owned by Afghans. The project will produce and distribute radio programming, utilising the internet to collect information. The broadcasts will focus on education, cultural expression (poetry, music, story telling), and communication between distant relatives. Content will be produced at "nodes", centres that offer internet access and tools for radio production. The nodes will also offer wider community service. Facilities will be open to the staff of involved partners; civil society groups, NGOs, and community organisations; the public (who may use the internet to communicate with distant friends or relatives); ex-pats, foreign aid workers, journalists, researchers.
Contact Jo van der Spek [email protected]
6. Communication and Exchange for Human Development in Latin America and Central America / Comunicación e Intercambio para el Desarrollo Humano en América Latina, A.C. (CIDHAL) - Mexico
A feminist civilian association devoted to promoting alternatives in the areas of education, information, citizen participation, and health care for equal rights among genders and social classes. CIDHAL produces 3 weekly radio programmes: "Mujer que sabe Latín" (Women Who Know Latin) and "Mujeres Caminemos Juntas" (Women Let's Walk Together). A weekly supplement distributed through the local press called "Mujeres Caminemos Juntas" (Women Let's Walk Together) is also available on the CIDHAL website. Workshops for women and men who work in the media build a network through which CIDHAL hopes information on women's health, reproduction rights, violence against women, and other issues relating to women's empowerment will have a permanent place in the media.
Contact Leopoldina Rendón Pineda [email protected]
7. Centre 4 - Uganda
A television drama designed by JHU/CCP and partners as part of the Delivery of Improved Services for Health (DISH) II Project to weave health information into stories meant to appeal to men and women ages 18 to 35. Based in a semi-rural health centre, the drama explores issues like HIV/AIDS, malaria, safe childbirth, and childhood immunisation. Centre 4 was produced in Uganda with an Ugandan cast and crew working in partnership with a small production team from England. The intention was to establish TV drama production expertise in Uganda so that future productions can be carried out independently.
Contact Jane Koehler [email protected]
8. Non-Formal Education Project - The Philippines
Part of a national effort to prepare Filipinos to fight poverty and ignorance by offering certification to out-of-school youth and adults living in depressed communities. The Accreditation & Equivalency Learning Support System allows the student to meet the Instructional Manager (IM) based on an agreed day and time (the IM has 400 hours in the learning centre, which amounts to 3-4 months). The learning centre may be in the barangay hall, a day care centre, a chapel, or a residence. The programme is community-based in that IMs come from the community they serve. Those who pass the course receive an elementary or secondary certificate that is comparable to graduate status. This certificate enables them to enter a 4-year college course or vocational courses, or to become employed.
Contact [email protected]
MODELS
9. Isang Bagsak: Planning Participatory Development Communication - a methodological approach
The first step, "Approaching the community" appears in the middle of a circle. This process is present throughout - during the interactions of researchers and development practitioners with the community. It is a data collection process on the community and its environment, with a focus on building mutual understanding and collaboration. Information and communication help that process...
10. The CHANGE Strategic Approach
A strategy from The CHANGE Project (AED/Manoff Group) which recognises that field needs, available technical capacity and technology for implementation, behaviour change theory, and lessons learned from field applications are all stimuli for development of new tools and approaches.
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PULSE POLL
Does this Kofi Annan observation about communication patterns in African society resonate with your culture?: "...because in traditional African society people discussed issues. They talked and talked - you know, the tradition of palaver, you go under the tree and you talk. If you can’t solve the problem, you meet the next day and you keep talking till you find a solution..."
For context, see Drum Beat 195 - click here.
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THINKING
11. Radio Documentaries: A "Best-Kept Secret" No More - by Mike Janssen
Chapter 4 from The Council on Foundations' handbook 'Why Fund Media'
A look at some of the issues addressed at the 3rd Coast International Audio Festival, including lack of strong foundation support for radio documentaries, access to broadcast, and new opportunities provided by the Internet.
12. Moral challenges in the information society - by Cees J. Hamelink
"It is disconcerting that most of the preparatory documents for the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (2003, Geneva) 'communication' has practically disappeared. There is a real danger that the Summit will make the same mistake as the United Nations World Conference on Human Rights (Vienna, 1993), which in its Final Declaration did not refer to communication, but only mentioned information and news..."
TRENDS
13. Interactive TV is Child's Play - by Audrey Stuart
If some of Europe's leading children's television channels are to be believed, kids are voting overwhelmingly with their fingers in favour of more interactive TV content...
14. Trends in Bangladesh Media - compiled by S M Rezwan-ul-Alam, Ph.D.
- Access to radio through ownership and listening at neighbour's house or a public place was, in general, higher, than access to television.
- Rural people have less access to television.
- 1 newspaper per 55 literate people.
- BTV is the single largest provider of development information, such as child rights, vaccination, iodine deficiency, ORT, ORS, child rights to education, birth registration, girls' education and others...
MATERIALS
15. Contraceptive Sterilization: Global Issues & Trends - edited by Evelyn Landry
Addresses service delivery, laws and policies, factors of influence, research gaps and future needs. Also explores the importance of informed choice and informed consent as key components of high-quality sterilization service. In addition, the book addresses the challenges that providers face. Chief among them is the need to intensify efforts to educate women and men in the ongoing use of protective barrier methods, safe sex practices, and other prevention strategies.
16. Technical Manual for Community Radio Stations - by Martin Sims
Written for community radio volunteers who speak English as a second language. Includes information about equipment for broadcast and production studios, including news and voice booths, Internet and telephone connections, and studio layout.
17. Combating AIDS: Communication Strategies in Action - by Arvind Singhal & Everett M. Rogers
A synthesis of critical lessons about HIV/AIDS prevention programmes, with emphasis on communication strategies. The book focuses on communication strategies that could mobilise political action, target high-risk groups, and overcome stigma.
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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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