The Drum Beat – Issue 599 – Communication and Change News and Issues
October 31 2011
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This issue includes:
* MATERIALS: rumour management, child rights, domestic violence communication…
* Become Your Own Real-time News Publisher
* EXPERIENCES: digital stories, raising debate, engaging men, youth media…
* Announcing an ESSAY CONTEST: ethics and journalism.
* STRATEGIC THINKING: talking cholera, Muslim scholars 4 mothers’ rights…
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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/global/drum_beat_599.html
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MATERIALS
http://www.comminit.com/global/search/apachesolr_search/?filters=tid%3A36%20language%3Aen%20tid%3A30
1. Development and Public Health Communication
by Keyan Tomaselli, ed.
This August 2011 book attempts to equip readers with ways of making sense of different paradigms that attempt to explain why, for example, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, poverty, and inadequate education opportunities still exist in spite of the effort and money spent on development, research, and communication campaigns aimed at dealing with these problems.
http://www.comminit.com/content/development-and-public-health-communication
2. Rumour Management Manual: A Training Guide
Developed through practical experience in Burundi and published in June 2010, this training guide is designed to support training on how journalists can better analyse and respond to rumours in an appropriate manner that will improve the credibility of the media, educate the public, and, as a result, strengthen democracy.
http://www.comminit.com/democracy-governance/content/rumour-management-manual-training-guide
3. Elite Child Athlete Welfare Book: International Perspectives
This September 2010 book includes results of the integrated work on child protection in sport of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through the formation of collaborative task forces. It «covers the history of the study of sexual harassment and abuse in sport, and the critical re-thinking of rights-based, and in particular, child rights-based discourses as they apply to the protection of child athletes.»
http://www.comminit.com/children/content/elite-child-athlete-welfare-book-international-perspectives
4. Talking about Domestic Violence: A Handbook for Village Facilitators
From December 2010, this handbook contains guidelines for village facilitators on how to undertake community conversations on 10 different aspects of domestic violence in Cambodia. The community conversations methodology is outlined, and session are detailed with facts about domestic violence, objectives, materials, methods, and specific steps for the session facilitators. It is produced by the Access to Justice Project, implemented jointly with the Cambodian Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior with the support of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and VBNK, a Cambodian capacity building institute for facilitators of development.
http://www.comminit.com/hiv-aids/content/talking-about-domestic-violence-handbook-village-facilitators
5. Media and Social Justice
by Jefferson Pooley, ed.
This June 2011 book is an anthology of work by critical media scholars, media makers, and activists who are committed to advancing social justice. Amongst the topics: local, regional, and international media activist projects; the importance of policies that advance democratic media; the challenges that participatory media pose to public media; youth and minority media projects and activism; ethical dilemmas posed by attempts to democratise access to media tools; the marginalisation of feminist perspectives in international policy venues; software freedom and intellectual property rights; video activism in both historical and contemporary contexts; and internet strategies for defending dissenting voices.
http://www.comminit.com/media-development/content/media-and-social-justice
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Become Your Own Real-time News Publisher
Contract The CI – we work with the leading international provider of this service – to use sophisticated technology which gathers, analyses, and organises the world’s media, giving you complete editorial control over the news sources and presentation of this content on your site. Lower your costs for content creation while increasing your user discovery and engagement with relevant news, photos, and twitter and video feeds.
See some examples in the CI frame for Malaria – http://ci.daylife.com/topic/Malaria and World Bank – http://ci.daylife.com/topic/World_Bank Contact wfeek@comminit.com for more details.
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EXPERIENCES
http://www.comminit.com/global/search/apachesolr_search/?filters=tid%3A36%20language%3Aen%20tid%3A10
6. Digital Stories in Rural Senegal
According to CyberSmart Africa, extending traditional storytelling customs through the process of digital storytelling is a way of introducing 21st century learning to rural Africans. As part of the process, the student writes and records the script (narration) that ultimately determines the shape of the final story, which is built completely from footage that they shot. CyberSmart Africa explains that the process of digital storytelling requires creative thinking and collaboration, where students often work in teams. Problem solving, interpersonal skills, and self-direction are also key components to success. In addition to its benefits as a powerful learning tool, digital storytelling can also be effectively used to benefit entire communities, bringing people together through an open dialogue of ideas and feelings.
http://www.comminit.com/content/digital-stories-rural-senegal
7. Raising Debate to Improve Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Information and Services in Bangladesh
Developed by Panos London’s Relay programme in partnership with the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and BRAC University School of Public Health, this project aimed to raise awareness of gaps in media coverage of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues and research in Bangladesh. The action-research component featured a media scan to identify gaps in coverage of SRH issues and research and views of key actors. Multi-stakeholder engagement was also part of the strategy: Editors, journalists, researchers, and civil society organisation (CSO) actors came together in a forum to discuss findings and generate ideas for improving media and public engagement on SRH. Project learning will be consolidated and shared widely.
http://www.comminit.com/media-development/content/raising-debate-improve-access-sexual-and-reproductive-health-information-and-services-ba
8. Mustakbalna – Palestinian Territory
Implemented by the international peacebuilding organisation Interpeace through the United Nations (UN) Office for Project Services/Switzerland Operations Centre, the Mustakbalna project («Our Future») is using a multi-phased approach that involves working with 4 key pillars of Palestinian society to promote greater involvement and convergence amongst the different key socio-political sectors. The intended outcomes of this process include: a vision paper detailing the main priorities and needs of what Palestinians want for their future; increased societal dialogue amongst the various socio-political groups in Palestine and intra-Palestinian consensus on key political, social, and economic issues; and enhanced civic peace and a culture of dialogue that is recognised as an effective tool for conflict resolution.
http://www.comminit.com/fragile-contexts/content/mustakbalna
9. ENGAGINGMEN.NET – Global
Launched in November 2010, ENGAGINGMEN.NET is an interactive website for people around the world who are committed to gender justice and ending violence against women. It is designed for practitioners, policymakers, academics, and all who are interested in working with women and men in partnership for gender equality and addressing the negative consequences of unequal power relationships. Engaging boys and men is a strategy that is central to the content of this site, but the ultimate goals are gender equality, peace, and justice.
http://www.comminit.com/content/engagingmennet
10. FotoPelaPaz Youth Media Project – Brazil
This project used photography as a tool in Complexo da Maré and sound exploration as a tool in Nova Holanda, one of the 17 communities that together comprise the favela of Complexo da Maré, to introduce human rights and child rights themes to the participants. The project sought to give the children and youth a new way of voicing their opinion and show a different image of their lives and their communities than the image often portrayed by mainstream media in Brazil. Two websites were built – one to demonstrate the process of the 2-month course and one to showcase the photographs taken by the participating children and youth during the course.
http://www.comminit.com/children/content/fotopelapaz-youth-media-project
11. State of Formation – United States
This initiative revolves around an online forum designed to foster inclusion of up-and-coming religious thinkers to draw upon the learning that is occurring in their academic and community work, reflect on the pressing questions of a religiously pluralistic society, and challenge existing religious assumptions.
http://www.comminit.com/content/state-formation
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ESSAY CONTEST: ETHICS AND JOURNALISM
The Center for International Media Ethics (CIME) has announced the essay topic for its Ethicontest 2011: «What are the ethical pitfalls of news photography from conflict or disaster zones, and how should a journalist choose what to publish?»
The contest is open to aspiring and established media writers of all varieties, from journalists to freelancers to students. The details about how and to whom to submit an essay are available here: http://www.comminit.com/clickthru/fd9c4323f0951fb484715b00b5ccde6e?node=
The deadline is November 30 2011.
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STRATEGIC THINKING
http://www.comminit.com/global/search/apachesolr_search/strategic%20thinking?filters=tid:36
12. Internews Supports Vital Communications Response to Cholera Outbreak in Haiti
This October 2010 report from Internews describes strategies involving public information and community outreach being pursued to tackle cholera in Haiti. As detailed here, under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and the Department of Civil Protection (DPC), Internews is assisting Communicating with Disaster Affected Communities (CDAC) Haiti, a communications coordination platform, to roll out a public information campaign using radio, television, megaphones, sound trucks, and community-based mobilisation to communicate messages about cholera and cholera diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. In addition, Internews is helping to broadcast an SMS (text) message campaign from the Ministry of Health encouraging Haitians to text «Maladi» to the mobile phone connection 4636 to receive health information via SMS message on cholera, free of charge.
http://www.comminit.com/content/internews-supports-vital-communications-response-cholera-outbreak-haiti
13. Ulama Agents for Social Change: Muslim Scholars Speak for Mothers Rights
by Atif Ikram Butt, Suruchi Sood, Shailaja Maru, Margaret Edwards, and Fayyaz Ahmad Khan
This January 2010 study identifies ulama, Muslim legal scholars, as an important communication channel in Pakistan for promoting positive behaviours through message delivery at their mosques and seminaries. «The research found that Friday Wa’az (meeting for prayers and sermons) as a medium for communication had high attendance and listenership. Ulamas recognised the need of a stronger role in addressing societal issues which fell under the realm of “rights and responsibilities in Islam” (including MNCH issues), though they showed caution in supporting non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which might promote agendas of the West. They appreciated literature or any other resource material which is based on the teachings of Quran and Sunnah.»
http://www.comminit.com/children/content/ulama-agents-social-change-muslim-scholars-speak-mothers-rights
14. Public Access to ICT and Employment: Case of the Impact of Public Access to ICT Skills on Job Prospects in Rwanda
by M. Jean Damascène and M. Theodomir
This July 2010 paper analyses an in-progress study of the impact of public access to information and communication technology (ICT) skills on job prospects in Rwanda. The study addresses the following major research issues: What ICT skills do users of public access ICT venues acquire from the venues? How does public access to ICT change the levels of users’ computer skills? What impact do ICT skills acquired from public access ICT venues have on venue users’ job prospects?
http://www.comminit.com/ict-4-development/content/public-access-ict-and-employment-case-impact-public-access-ict-skills-job-prospects-rwan
15. Panos South Asia Annual Report 2010
While expressing concern over a general lack of long-term strategies or commitments to media development, this report provides summaries of Panos South Asia’s (PSA)-supported events and activities throughout South Asia that were organised to facilitate dialogue on issues critical to the region within the 5 main themes of conflict, public health, environment, globalisation, and media pluralism. For example, some of the events sponsored by the PSA Conflict Programme included an annual retreat for senior editors and opinion makers from India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to evolve fresh ideas and thinking on bilateral relations and a separate retreat for editors from the Eastern Himalayan region. It is also engaged in encouraging dialogue in various conflict contexts in Northeast India, by way of offering media fellowships, imparting training for young journalists, undertaking study tours and orientation workshops, and encouraging exchanges.
http://www.comminit.com/media-development/content/panos-south-asia-annual-report-2010
16. HIV Risk Among Currently Married Couples in Rural Malawi: What Do Spouses Know About Each Other?
by Philip Anglewicz, Simona Bignami-Van Assche, Shelley Clark, and James Mkandawire
According to this December 2008 paper, published by Springer Netherlands, individuals tend to overestimate their spouse’s as well as their own risk of having HIV. This conclusion emerges from population-based data from 768 married monogamous couples in the 2004 Malawi Diffusion and Ideational Change Project (MDICP). Given that access to voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) has increased in sub-Saharan Africa since 2004, the authors conclude that it would be useful to examine how the accuracy of individual and spousal perceived HIV risk changes after receiving an HIV test result, as well as the relationships between perceived risk, risk behaviour, and HIV testing.
http://www.comminit.com/hiv-aids/content/hiv-risk-among-currently-married-couples-rural-malawi-what-do-spouses-know-about-each-ot
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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
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