The Drum Beat – Issue 579 – Ethics and Communication
March 14 2011
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This issue includes:
* ETHICS, HEALTH, and COMMUNICATION intersections.
* Live WEBINAR: youth advocacy.
* Selected CI MEDIA ETHICS knowledge.
* Please join The CI’s ETHICS IN COMMUNICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT group.
* When ETHICS and RELIGION meet online.
* Please SUSTAIN and BLOG WITH The CI!
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From The Communication Initiative Network – where communication and media are central to social and economic development.
Subscribe to The Drum Beat: http://www.comminit.com/en/user/register
Access this issue online at http://www.comminit.com/en/drum_beat_579.html
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The word «ethics» brings to mind varied images: from the philosopher sitting in an armchair pondering the concepts of «right» and «wrong» in abstract contexts…to the health care practitioner grappling with challenging choices and communication situations in the clinic…to the media practitioner on the beat asking pressing questions about how to interact and report in a respectful, transparent, and compassionate way.
Below you will find a selection of ethics-related content on The CI website. We encourage you to share information about the communication for development (C4D)-related work you or others in your network are pursuing related to ethics. Just emaildrumbeat@comminit.com and/or join the Ethics in Communication for Development group highlighted below.
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ETHICS, HEALTH, AND COMMUNICATION
1. The Manuel Velasco Suárez Award for Excellence in Bioethics
This award is designed to stimulate young scholars in the development of their capacities for bioethical analysis. It is one of 6 awards presented by the Pan American Health and Education Foundation (PAHEF) through a partnership between the Foundation and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). According to PAHEF, bioethics principles seek to humanise and mediate the headlong advance of science, technology, and global development based on interaction and dialogue between experts and lay people. Deadline: May 13 2011.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/317148/36
2. Communication and Ethics in Tuberculosis: New Dialogues among the Affected People, Civil Society and Health Specialists
by Estela Roeder and María Van der Linde
This December 2009 presentation aims to foster reflection on and a debate about the role of communication in addressing tuberculosis (TB). The authors propose a conceptual framework of communication and its relation to ethics, building from previous experience in order work against stigma and discrimination in health care contexts by developing the advocacy, communication, and social mobilisation (ACSM) model.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/323086/36
3. Conscientious Objection: Protecting Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights
by Judith Bueno De Mesuita and Louise Finer
This December 2008 briefing paper examines the implications of healthcare providers’ conscientious objection, which is «the objection to engaging in a particular procedure or activity because of its perceived incompatibility with the religious, moral or ethical dictates of an individual’s conscience. However, such conscientious objection can have serious implications for the human rights of healthcare users, including their sexual and reproductive health rights.» Whereas the debate often focuses on national legal frameworks and medical ethics, this publication is designed to demonstrate the bearing of international human rights law on conscientious objection.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/288346/348
4. Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation: An Interagency Statement Issued at the end of 2008, this call from the World Health Organization (WHO) urges all states, international and national organisations, civil society, and communities to uphold the rights of girls and women and to develop, strengthen, and support specific and concrete actions directed towards ending female genital mutilation (FGM), including intercultural dialogue that investigates cultural variations within and between communities. The authors also argue that professional organisations such as medical associations and nursing councils should promote ethical guidelines in medical training and in practice.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/321055/38
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FREE LIVE WEBINAR on the State of the World’s Children 2011: Adolescence – An age of opportunity, recently released by UNICEF http://www.comminit.com/redirect.cgi?m=6228509f04e20f8e73765bf585cb03b1
Tuesday, March 15: 9-10:30am DST (1-2:30pm GMT)
Topic: What can adolescents teach adults about youth advocacy?
Amongst the questions to be explored are: What are youth-led organisations doing to support adolescents to advocate for their future? How can adult-led organisations support adolescents as they seek to influence and shape their societies? How are both types of organisations using technologies to promote adolescent activism?
Speakers:
Richard Mabala (Tamasha Vijana, Tanzania)
Michael Boampong (Young People We Care, Ghana)
Cherif Zouein (UNICEF, Unite for Climate, Global)
On Tuesday, follow this link and log in: http://www.comminit.com/redirect.cgi?m=22adf33e2b42aa25776d9de10f2108cd
For more information, contact: outreach@unicef.org
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MEDIA ETHICS
5. The Ethics for Reporting Race, Gender, and Xenophobia
The Institute for the Advancement of Journalism (IAJ) is organising a 3-day course, starting on November 9 2011, featuring journalist Ryland Fisher, a former Editor of the Cape Times and author of the book «Race», who will share some of the issues and sensitivities involved in reporting on issues of race, xenophobia, and gender in South Africa today.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/329131/36
6. Cash for Coverage: Bribery of Journalists Around the World
by Bill Ristow
Published in September 2010, this report looks at bribery of journalists as a problem for the profession worldwide, examining the impact of bribery on the credibility of news media. The report states that the focus on media outlets should not preclude working on ethics with individual journalists through training programmes and the more widespread adoption of codes of ethics.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/327682/2754
7. African Communication Research: Ethics in the Newsroom
by Bernardin Mfumbusa (Editor) and Robert A. White (Coordinating Editor)
The September 2008 issue of this peer-reviewed journal focuses on Ethics in the Newsroom. Its contents include: Newsroom Ethics in Africa: Quest for a Normative Framework; The Shaping of News Values of Young Journalists in Kenya; Self-censorship among News Journalists in the Ethiopian State Media; Establishing Journalistic Standards in the Ghanaian Press; and Ineffective Working Groups’ Communication as a Groupthink Outcome: The Effects of Cohesiveness.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/324905/2754
8. Journalist Training Project in Vietnam
Sweden’s Institute for Further Education of Journalists (Fojo Media Institute) has been providing mid-career training for Vietnamese journalists since 1998 in cooperation with Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture and Information (MoCI). The programme begins with trainer workshops in Vietnam and Sweden and involves in-house courses, an ethics tour (featuring 2-day seminars on journalist ethics), and various follow-up seminars for print, radio, and television journalists and editors. For example, a one-day conference on ethical codes was held to discuss and analyse Vietnamese media ethics and to propose a draft self-regulatory code of media ethics in Vietnam.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/312960/2754
9. To Tell You the Truth: The Ethical Journalism Initiative
by Aidan White
Published by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), this December 2008 book articulates an ethical platform from which journalists can work. http://www.comminit.com/en/node/303776/2754
10. Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ)
VMCZ is a professional media self-regulatory body set up by Zimbabwean journalists and other stakeholders in civil society who subscribe to the principles of media freedom, accountability, independence, and ethical journalism. Amongst other activities, VMCZ receives, mediates, and adjudicates complaints by individuals and organisations against the media: «Has the press invaded your privacy or forced you to speak when you wish to remain silent? While it’s the duty of the media to pursue a story, underhand[ed] ways of gathering news or invasion of privacy violate journalism ethics.»
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/312889/2754
11. Media Helping Media (MHM)
This online initiative is designed to provide a communication platform for members of the media in transition states, post-conflict countries, and areas where freedom of expression and media freedom is under threat. MHM is a participatory website for journalists who want to share information and build capacity through features such as a «tools» section focused on media ethics.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/269397/2754
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Please join The CI’s Ethics in Communication for Development group – http://groups.comminit.com/node/300544 – with 1,007 members as of today.
Two recent posts:
* «I’m writing with two links that interested me…on gender-related use of imagery in development, particularly health information campaigns on stigma. The first is on an HIV stigma, a campaign in Botswana using a beauty pageant as its messaging vehicle….The second…I include because it has a more extensive analysis of development aid imagery, ethics, and gender. It is on a pageant for landmine victims in Cambodia….Can anyone comment further from their own perspective on aspects of the issues raised here?»
To respond to Julie Levy’s question, go to: http://groups.comminit.com/node/324563
* «What is the most important thing for a group of Journalists in Afghanistan to do in the field of journalism? Many trust on trainings for new journalists and many others trust there should be a place that all journalists should come together and discuss. As a journalist or a person who love his/her people, what do you suggest…?»
To respond to Malik Faisal Moonzajer’s questions, go to: http://groups.comminit.com/node/317149
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ETHICS AND RELIGION: ONLINE INTERACTION
12. State of Formation – United States
This initiative revolves around an online forum designed to increase the opportunity for up-and-coming religious thinkers to put their knowledge to use in improving relations between religious and ethical communities. The resources section on the State of Formation website provides educational, online, American, and worldwide resources for those interested in putting their knowledge of inter-religious dynamics to use beyond the academic setting.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/327911/36
13. The Earth Charter Initiative – Global
This advocacy initiative involves a diverse global network of people, organisations, and institutions – including faith-based groups – participating in promoting and implementing the values and principles of the Earth Charter, which is a product of a decade-long, worldwide, cross-cultural dialogue on common goals and shared values. These participants are joined by a desire to promote the transition to sustainable ways of living and a global society founded on a shared ethical framework that includes respect and care for the community of life, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy, and a culture of peace. The Earth Charter Initiative website is the primary action destination for participants.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/296544/306
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HELP SUSTAIN THE CI
Become a Communication Initiative Partner
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/263701/36
The CI Partners (a) collectively provide the strategic guidance and direction for The Communication Initiative – ensuring that it meets the overall development priorities and needs of the communication and media community and (b) provide significant resources to support this overall initiative.
Current CI Partners: http://comminit.com/en/node/263701/36
Please contact Warren Feek wfeek@comminit.com if your organisation is considering providing this significant level of support to The CI.
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LAST CALL FOR AWARD-WINNING BLOGS
The final day for submissions to The CI and BBC World Service Trust (WST)blogging contest on the role of media in democratic development is TUESDAY,
MARCH 15th.
This contest solicits persuasive critiques and discussion on the relationship between media, communications, and international development policy. Submit your opinion pieces to the Communication, Media, and Development Policy collaborative blog site. Click here for more information.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/328581/bbc
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This issue of The Drum Beat was written by Kier Olsen DeVries.
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The Drum Beat is the email and web network of The Communication Initiative Partnership – ANDI, BBC World Service Trust, Bernard van Leer Foundation, Calandria, CFSC Consortium, CIDA, DFID, FAO, Fundación Nuevo Periodismo Iberoamericano, Ford Foundation, Healthlink Worldwide, Inter-American Development Bank, International Institute for Communication and Development, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs, MISA, PAHO, The Panos Institute, The Rockefeller Foundation, SAfAIDS, Sesame Workshop, Soul City, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNICEF, USAID, WHO, W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Chair of the Partners Group: Garth Japhet, Founder, Soul City garth@heartlines.org.za
Executive Director: Warren Feek wfeek@comminit.com
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The Editor of The Drum Beat is Kier Olsen DeVries.
Please send additional project, evaluation, strategic thinking, and materials information on communication for development at any time. Send to drumbeat@comminit.com
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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