The last option is to kill myself! Real and life story of an afghan girl in Balkh.

moonzajer — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:52:42 -0800

Reporter: Maryam Ghamgusar Translation from Dari to English: AJ&V Team I was waiting in Balkh province Women Department affairs directorate to interview with the director while a pallid woman who seems very alone, tired, wretched, desperate and violated by the name of Bigum came. She was in very bad mode with old cloths, around 40 years’ old age and still not married. Bigum is one of the bad traditions victims. The sad and sorrowful face of Bigum interested me to talk to her and know what really is her problem? With all stammering and hesitations, she finally wanted to share her story with me. Bigum with the tearful eyes and trembling hands told me she don’t want to marry, but her cruel brother follower of Afghan bad tradition sold her to an old man twice older than her. Bigum says, “After she refused to marry with Shah Qul 70 years’ old man, her brother and two member of his family has brought Shah Qul home and put them in a dark room locking back, to compulsory make her to accept the marriage, Shah Qul were using forces and torture to make her accept the marriage. Her face was stamped black with the punches of old crazy man, parts of her head were bald due to the gorilla man attack using her hair as rein to control her, Bigum says “the man tried to rape me but I didn’t let him with loud shouting and interfere of other women including my brother wife, who finally came to rescue me from the dark hell room” Bigum is the first woman of Kaldar village of Mazar-e-Sharif among all the violated women who came to Balkh Province Women directorate trying to get her rights. Bigum with weepy eyes, narrate her life story “My father died and I was orphan near my uncle, from childhood he forced me to knit carpets, until now and for a long time as a lifelong I was working as a machine of money making for my uncle and his family, and they refusing all people who came to marry me, when I became very weak and couldn’t make money for them, they learned after that I am a useless body to them including my own brother they tried to sell me to an old man for a handful of money” At the time I was hearing her story she was hitting her both hands to her head and telling me she is tired of life , and if the government don’t pay attention to her case she will kill herself on the street. Bigum is one of the thousand Afghan girls facing such kind of problems, every day at life.

Afghanistan journalists Center

Help Inform New WHO Guidelines on HIV Testing and Counseling for Young People!

jlevy — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 06:07:08 -0800

I wanted to pass on to this network an opportunity for input from The Global Forum on MSM & HIV:

Survey Opportunity: Help Inform New WHO Guidelines on HIV Testing and Counseling for Young People!

Dear all,

The World Health Organization is in the process of developing new international guidelines on HIV testing and counseling for young people. It is essential that young MSM and transgender people actively participate in this process so that their unique needs are addressed in the final guidelines. The WHO has launched an online survey to better understand the testing and counseling experiences of people below the age of 30. We have sent this notification to you because you are a member of the MSMGF and you have indicated an interest in youth issues. As many MSM and transgender people should participate as possible, so please circulate this widely among your networks.

The survey is available at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WHO_AHTC.

Any questions can be directed to those implementing this survey at htc4a.survey@gmail.com.

Best regards, The MSMGF Secretariat

Gender, Education, and HIV/AIDS

Rebuilding ethical journalism

jasonbrown.jicc — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 03:07:38 -0700

Draft concept for WJR press pass24 October 2011 //0Current press passes do not feature web2 connectivity or interactivity, which may assist news media increase transparency and promote accountability.Picture credit “Press Pass”. . .NEWS DRAFTGlobal press passes may be a first step towards restoring news media credibility, badly damaged in scandals spreading across the world from London and Delhi.“With freedom comes responsibility, and the time has come for journalists to reclaim their profession and fight news media corruption”, says WJR editor Jason Brown.The WJR draft concept proposes an open-source style, web2 profile accompany each press pass, guaranteeing instant transparency and public accountability.Working title for this draft concept is the WJR Global Press Pass.Brown says the concept needs wide input and fine tuning to get to the next stage or beta phase.He plans to ask volunteer members of JiCC, the Journalism in Crisis Coalition, to raise awareness and promote industry and public feedback in a global drafting process.“Mashable online content means web2 transparency and crowd-sourced accountability in real-time, using real-people, real-world skills as basic as email, or … whatever, basically.”News media currently include independent freelancers, professional mainstream reporters and editors, citizen journalists, public relations officials and NGO communications workers.“And, less happily, propagandists masquerading as fair and balanced news reporters.” WJR and JiCC assume as founding positions that the Global Journalism Crisis predates the Global Financial Crisis.Collapsing ethics and editorial firewalls across mainstream media since the Watergate era leave the news media open to criticism that they failed as a profession, and an industry, to expose global corruption including the sub-prime meltdown and the so-called War on Terror.“If we want to be taken seriously as the fourth estate, journalists must step up and hold themselves answerable to codes of ethic, backed up with industry codes of conduct, independent ombudsmen, and other media accountability systems.”“A WJR Press Pass will utilise open-source web2 approaches and advanced transparency concepts to compile a global register of journalists willing to step up and hold themselves accountable to national, regional and international codes of ethics.”. . .LINKhttp://worldjournalismreview.org/2011/10/24/draft-concept-for-wjr-press-pass/

Ethics in Communication for Development

Your thoughts: ethical pitfalls of news photography from conflict or disaster zones

kdevries — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:09:16 -0700

Hi,

I wanted to let you all know that the Center for International Media Ethics (CIME) has just 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. All the details about how
and to whom to submit an essay are available here: http://cimethics.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60 The deadline is
November 30 2011.

Please also send your thoughts through here to the group on how you would respond to the essay topic at the centrepiece of this competition!

~ Kier

Development Aid Imagery

Violence against Journalists in Afghanistan (2010)

moonzajer — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:03:52 -0700

Killed 1. Mishal Lang CanWest Canadian Magazine reporter in Kandahar by Mine. 2. Roperd Hammer Sunday Mirror Newspaper reporter in Helmand by Mine. 3. Abdul Majid Babi Kandahar information and Culture directorate by Taliban. 4. Sayed Hamid Noori Journalists Union Deputy, Kabul by Unknown. Injured 1. Taj Gul Aljazeera TV reporter in Ghazni, by Taliban. 2. Jowhan Silva New York Times reporter, in Kandahar by Bomb. Arrests 1. Abdul Jamil Spand Ariana TV Reporter in Kandahar, by Coalition forces. 2. Hewad Local TV reporter in Kandahar , by Coalition forces 3. Mohammad Yasin Yasin Pashton Ghak radio manager in Paktika by government authorities. 4. Rahmatullah Nikzad, Aljazeera reporter in Ghazni by foreign forces. 5. Mohammad Nadir, Aljazeera Reporter in Kandahar by foreign forces. 6. Hujatullah Mujadidi Saba TV broadcast manager, kapisa by government authorities. 7. Mali Khan Yaqubi Salamwatendar reporter in Khost by NATO forces. Attacks 1. Four staffs of Radio Zohra in Kunduz by unknown people. 2. Haroon, Bahar Radio staff in Kapisa by Police. 3. Abdul Karim Sadiqi, Taban TV manager, Herat by Unknown people. 4. Staff of Taban TV, Herat by Unknown People. 5. Staff of Taban TV, Herat by Unknown People. 6. Abdul Waris Hasrat, Nai Reporter in Kabul, by presidential guard. 7. Mutiullah Hamidy Noorin TV reporter in Kabul by Police. 8. Noorin TV Cameraman in Kabul by Police. 9. Shafiqullah Afghan, Afghan TV reporter in Kabul by Police. 10. Fahim Najib, Afghan TV cameraman in Kabul by Police. 11. Torially Hemat Kellid Radio Reporter in Jalalabad by governor guards. 12. Obaid Ormer Tolo TV reporter in Logar by Prison Guard. 13. Mohammad Farooq Azizi, One TV Reporter in Kabul by security forces. 14. Naman , Noor TV reporter in Kunduz by police 15. Unknown. Information not available. 16. Unknown. Information not available. Kidnap 1. Kazoka Tasinoka Japanese Journalists Kunduz - Baghlan Highway by Unknown. Threats 1. Najia Khodayar, Radio Zohra Manager, Kunduz by unknown people. 2. Ghulam Mohammad Masomi, Lemar TV reporter, Kandahar, by unknown people. 3. Nadim Ghori, Sam Newspaper Manager, in Ghor by Municipality authorities. 4. Munir Ahmad Hadaf, Tasweer Weekly Manager, in Takhar by Takhar local authorities. 5. Maqsood Aziz Zai, Pajhwak Reporter in Logar by insurgents. 6. Aziz Ahmad Tasil IWPR Reporter in Kabul by Taliban. 7. 12 Reporters of Different media in Ghazni by Coalition forces. 8. Ahmad Jawid Salim, Bahar Radio Manager in Kapisa by local government authorities. 9. Noor Agha Sharifi, Radio Darman Manager in Jawzjan by unknown people. 10. Radio Darman Announcer in Jawzjan by unknown People. 11. Radio Darman Reporter in Jawzjan by unknown People. 12. Habib Rahman Ibrahimi, Brikhlik Weekly Reporter in Maidan Wardak by Governor. 13. Mohammad Naim Nikzad Kellid Radio manager in Herat by Court director. 14. Shafiqullah Ghaznawin TV reporter in Ghazni Public Hospital director. 15. Sibghatullah Timor Kellid Radio Reporter in Takhar by Unknown people. 16. Fahim Haidary Radio Kellid reporter in Kabul by one of Kabul parliament candidate’s observers. 17. Malyar Sadiq Azad, Kellid Radio Reporter in Kabul by unknown people. 18. Abdul Wahid Ahmad Kellid Radio Reporter in Mazar-e-Sharif by government authorities. 19. Nasir Ahmad Behzad Kellid Radio Reporter in Bamyan by Security Authorities. 20. Shakila Ibrahim Khil, Tolo TV reporter in Kabul by Parliament candidates. 21. Parwin Tolo TV camerawoman in Kabul by Parliament candidates. 22. Mustafa Andalib Reporter in Ghazni by Unknown People. 23. Nahid Nazary One TV reporter in Kabul by Security officers. 24. Anwar Mohammadi Nigah TV News director in Kabul by Nigah TV director. 25. Ayat Arshia Nigha TV Editor in Kabul by Nigah TV director. 26. Jawad Hosaini Nigah TV News Editor by Nigah TV director. 27. Atiqullah Nazary Mehr TV manager in Takhar by Takhar military court director. 28. Unknown. Information not available. Sources : www.danishnama.com

Afghanistan journalists Center

History, Corruption and the Role of the Media

liezel102 — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:07:13 -0700

I was reading Oscar Corpuz's 'Roots of the Filipino Nation' when I came across this passage, an observation by a Spanish friar of the Filipinos during the 17th century:

'Some of them could not unite with others, and although they desired liberty, they did not work together to secure it, and therefore they experienced a heavier [yoke of] subjection. And among the peoples whom God seemed to have created that they may live in subjection to others who govern them with justice and authority are those of these Filipinas islands; for when the Spanish arms conquered them with so great facility they were living without a head, without a king or lord to obey...' (Corpuz 2005: 157)

Corpuz writes that these words 'deserve reflection in the light of the ultra refractory nature of modern Filipino politics'. I'm afraid the description 'living without a head' still applies to the country even until now. The recently released Global Integrity Report gave the Philippines a 'very weak' rating at 57 (out of 100), citing the wide gap between the country's laws and their actual implementation. Looking at the indicators, I was surprised that the country got 58 (!) points for 'media's ability to report on corruption'. The NBN-ZTE controversy, the fertilizer scan, and several other big issues which arose during Arroyo's presidency have yet to be fully investigated and presented to the public. But this brings me to the more interesting part of the report, the 'Philippines Noteboook'.

Focusing on the Ampatuan massacre, Gemma Mendoza explains that the combination of the country's weak justice system and 'institutionalized corruption' within the media (e.g. 'journalists' working for politicians, even acting as PR persons for them) have turned the Philippines into a dangerous place for journalists. The five reviewers of the report also offered very good analyses about the sorry state of Philippine politics and media. One said that the killing of journalists did not start until the Martial Law period. But with the restoration of democracy, why has it become widespread, particularly in the last ten years? Seven journos were killed during Estrada's term (1998 to 2001) as compared to 79 during Arroyo's term (2001 to 2010). It seems to me that it is the lack of independence among media owners and journalists which is at the heart of the matter. Democracy, Philippine-style, has made us all go back to the days when we lived 'without a head'. Ironically, the Marcos dictatorship united majority of Filipinos against a repressive ruler.

It was a time when we valued freedom, justice and nationalism. Although journalists were constrained from exposing misconduct in the government, some of them remained courageous in their work, particularly women journalists such as Sheila Coronel, Lorna Kalaw-Tirol, Ma. Ceres Doyo, Letty Magsanoc, Maritess Vitug, and Jo-Ann Maglipon. But once Marcos was toppled, we went back to our 17th century to-each-his-own state. Media owners once again saw their newspapers and broadcast stations as business interests without regard for the public's interests. At the lower end of the hierarchy were the journalists, mere employees of a business enterprise closely linked to politics.

Filipino journalists have become even more personally involved in politics, whether at the local or national levels. They're probably thinking, corruption is systemic anyway so why not take advantage of their position? They need to look after their own economic, social and political interests, too, you see. And to a struggling local reporter, a little help from a politico is simply difficult to refuse. Never mind that they are supposed to be impartial, objective and balanced in their treatment of the news. That national (even big time broadcast journalists apparently) and local journalists work as PR persons of politicians or businesses is widely known in media circles. But if this is the state of mind of Pinoy journos, I wonder how they collectively view the killing of their colleagues? I wonder how they see the role of their profession in the context of the country's existing socio-political landscape?

But there's of course Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, Newsbreak, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility and other independent media organisations which remain committed to helping us understand the complex issues facing the country. How do we then guarantee an independent media in the Philippines? Should journalists form their own cooperatives instead and provide news services to their local audiences? Should they consider other organisational options, apart from being employees of commercial media companies, that could give them a direct hand in pursuing their profession? What is the best media model for a country like the Philippines, where 'freedom' and 'democracy' go hand-in-hand with massive corruption and human rights violations?

Clarifying Communication for Social Change

What technology do you need?

Warren Feek — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:44:59 -0700

Hi to everyone in this Drum Beat "Future of ICTs and Development" network. Thanks for joining. A question:

Related to your local, national or international development goals and priorities what is the one piece of technology you would love to have - something that you assess would make your work much more effective?

(It may exist now or it may be a wish for the future)

Thanks - Warren

The Future of ICTs and Development

USAID and ICT4D

LaurieMoy — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:10:44 -0700

I thought members of this group might be interested in a new USAID program called the Global Broadband and Innovations Program.
The program has two main thrusts - increasing wireless voice and broadband connectivity throughout the developing world, and working with USAID missions and bureaus to improve their programmatic use of ICTs. In the connectivity space we do a number of different things - from working with national Universal Service Funds on their business processes, to national broadband planning, to working with tech companies to help them pilot and market low-cost communication infrastructure we feel would benefit developing countries.

As far as improving USAID's use of ICTs, we act as the agency's center for research and implementation consulting on all things ICT4D. One of the ways we do this is through a web portal at www.gbiportal.net. The GBI Portal, as it is called, is a multimedia resource portal and social network for development professionals interested in incorporating ICTs into their work. The portal brings together news, commentary, and updates from the field on cutting edge technologies and their innovative applications to social and economic development. Developed primarily for USAID, the portal provides sector specific information and resources, as well as targeted information about connectivity, mobile and innovations in development. In addition, the portal provides members a place to meet, network, share their ideas and questions, and form communities of practice. We are still in the pre-launch stage, so there is obviously more content on the way, but I welcome you to take a look and join.

Best Regards,
Laurie Moy

The Future of ICTs and Development

8 Principles for Effective Online Processes

Warren Feek — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 13:37:44 -0700

Hi and thanks for joining this Web Site Directors network - it is pleasure to have you engaged. Over 300 people have joined at http://groups.comminit.com/node/300194

I guess, for people in our positions, we all wonder what key strategic principles we should work to when developing our online initiatives - principles that will drive use, engagement and impact?

Recently I had the pleasure of participating in a presentation by Dr José Luis Orihuela from the University of Navarra in Spain - see http://www.unav.es/fcom/profesores/orihuela.htm for details.

He outlined the 8 principles below. They intrigued me. I would welcome you sharing your review and critique from your local, national and international development context and perspective?

Are the ones below the 8 that you would have chosen?

What would you delete or add? Why?

To comment please go click on the link below, log in (your user name is at the beginning of this email, your password can be recovered if you have forgotten it!), scroll down and click on Add Comment. We would all benefit from everyone's substantive review of these 8 principles:

#1 Establish a consistent social media presence

#2 Produce, title and tag content to enhance findability

#3 Make your content more shareable

#4 Find, follow and contact social media influencers in your area

#5 Induce virality: crossposting and crosslinking strategies

#6 Reach traditional media

#7 Think transnational: bridgeblogging

#8 Listen, learn and monitor the conversation

Please do share your thoughts so we can all learn from each other.

Thanks - Warren

Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

Web Site Directors

Democracy and Governance Survey - Soul Beat Africa and IDS

Warren Feek — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:01:17 -0700

Hi folks - for those of you whose ICTs work and interest involves Democracy and Governance issues in Africa could I please encourage you to complete this brief IDS/Soul Beat Africa survey at
http://www.comminit.com/redirect.cgi?m=21cf6cf77cba770184b5a9703acd3119

This will really help to inform the planned democracy and governance webspace and will ensure that your information and networking needs on this important theme are met.

Completing the survey will take about 15 to 20 minutes of your time. To access the survey follow this link http://www.comminit.com/redirect.cgi?m=21cf6cf77cba770184b5a9703acd3119

To give you some background information: Soul Beat Africa and the Mobilising Knowledge for Development (MK4D) project of the Institute for Development Studies (IDS) are collaborating to create an online space to support knowledge sharing and networking among people and organisations working on democracy and governance issues in Africa, with a specific focus on media and communication for development. This initiative is building on an existing base of democracy and governance knowledge and networks, which we would like to consolidate and make more easily available.

Your participation in the survey will help us identify which thematic areas of democracy and governance knowledge are most important to your work, and how we can best assist organisations and people working in the field to improve knowledge sharing and networking.

The deadline for completing the survey is Friday, April 16 2011.

Please note the survey is anonymous and your answers will not be publicly attached to your name or organization at any time.
Many thanks, we know how busy you are and value the time you are giving us in order to improve our support to your important work!

Please do complete the Democracy and Governance Survey - Soul Beat Africa at
http://www.comminit.com/redirect.cgi?m=21cf6cf77cba770184b5a9703acd3119

Best wishes from the Soul Beat Africa Team

The Future of ICTs and Development

Friday Arrests: Local authorities big hurdle to investment

Comms001 — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:42:48 -0700

This article was published in the Kenyan local newspaper, DAILY NATION, Tuesday April 13. 2010, “PUBLIC AGENDA” section under the title, "Local authorities big hurdle to investment: Many licences and raids a major drain on business people".

Businesses in Kenya are required to have different licences, permits and other regulatory documents. Failure to have these can lead to arrest, often conducted on a Friday by council inspectors.

There are 175 local authorities in Kenya. It is estimated that half the local authorities arrest an average of 30 people every weekend. Furthermore, businesspeople lose income when they close business, pay fines or engage lawyers. This leads to an estimated loss of revenue of Sh24,000 to Sh40,000 per business. This translates to 125,000 business people per year arrested at a cost of approximately KSh3-5 billion [$ 37-63million].

What does this mean in terms of development? The World Bank's Energy Sector Recovery Project loan to Kenya totals $160 million. It helps increase the number of Kenyan households with access to the electricity grid, improve electricity distribution and reduce power outages. The average amount of the loan over five-year period is $32 million per year. Imagine what development initiatives Kenya could undertake with $37-63 million (Sh3-5 billion )every year over five years.

Kenya has made progress in the past few years on licensing reforms. In 2007, the government with the help of the Investment Climate Advisory Services of the World Bank Group and funding from DflD, embarked on a guillotine process. It entailed the systematic recording of all the licences and what they serve. The number of licences was found to exceed 1,300.

A process led by a team comprising both the private sector and government began streamlining, simplifying or eliminating (the guillotine) one-third of all licences. However, it is also estimated that 100 were introduced over the same period. The government has put in place a taskforce, the Business Regulatory Reform Unit, that meets regularly to oversee progress in this area.

A licence should only be required if it address issues of health, environmental or safety; not purely to raise revenue.

To improve the investment climate, businesspeople need to know what is required of them. An ongoing process is to record the licences that are required in an electronic registry (e-Registry). All local authorities could eventually post their requirements to this centralised database. Micro and small businesses often bear the brunt of compliance issues, yet they create most of the employment in Kenya.

Innovation using mobile technology to track the frequency of a given event could also be used to track the number of visits by council askaris. On their end, local authorities can use the information to better plan the deployment of staff or the technology to alert businesses of expiring licences. This would give businesses ample opportunity to comply before the inspectors move in.

There would be a higher compliance by businesses if they are sure of the requirements for operating, which means more revenues. The Prime Minister, at one of the Quarterly Roundtable meetings with the private sector, publicly declared that the Friday arrests should be stopped.

Immense powers

The World Bank Group's Kenya Investment Climate Team (KICP) is working with the government on a reform programme at the local authority level. It follows the September 2009 of the Doing Business in Kenya 2010 report which studied business regulation from the perspective of a small to midsize domestic firm.

While the best performing local authority overall was Narok, different authorities performed best in different categories and some did better than their international counterparts in some categories.

Local authorities have immense powers to either attract business. In other developing countries, such as the Philippines, mayors of different localities compete internationally to bring investment to their municipalities.

Kenya can get to that level and the current focus on improving the investment climate in the local authorities is a step in the right direction. While Kenya may have lost its prominence in some of the global assessments, it is important to remember that in 2008, Kenya was lauded as one of the top 10 reformers in the global Doing Business study that ranks the main city in each of 183 countries using 10 criteria.

Awards: Media Reporting on Development

FOSS for Sustainable Development Survey (FOSSDeva):

sksowe — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 01:57:47 -0700

The aim of the Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) for Sustainable Development (FOSSDeva) survey is to investigate the potential impact of FOSS for sustainable development in Africa. The survey is part of UNU's activities in and on Africa. Take part in the survey: http://servnet.ias.unu.edu/limesurvey/index.php?sid=86668&newtest=Y&lang=en

Improving The Communication Initiative Social Networking Process

How ICT Policy Hampers access in Developing Countries

Elvismilambo — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 22:59:04 -0700

PROMOTING FAIR COMPETITION IN ZAMBIA’S TELECOMS MARKETS.

By Elvis Milambo

Zambia’s telecommunications Policy and Regulatory reform has been slower than that of other countries such as South Africa, Tanzania and Botswana in the region. As a consequence of slow telecoms policy and regulatory reform there is limited access to information and communication technology to underserviced areas and no access to telecommunications in unserviced rural and remote poorer communities of the country. Although Zambia has at least 3 competing mobile phone operators (MTN, Airtel and Cell Z), some regulatory policies or lack of it still hamper fair competition thereby favouring Airtel, the country’s oldest or earliest mobile phone operator. Mobile Number Portability (MNP) regulation could be a way of promoting fair competition in Zambia’s telecoms markets. The majority of users may want to switch mobile phone operators if they are allowed to retain their number (ITU, 2008).But since Zambia’s telecoms policy and regulation does not encourage mobile number portability, Zambian users are left without any other option but to continue subscribing to an operator who does not offer mobile phone services in their area. This does not promote competition. For example there are many places in Western province where MTN’s mobile phone coverage is wider and better than Airtel’s coverage but Airtel customers who want to change their operator and port their number to MTN can not do so because there is no such provision by the country’s telecoms regulator. As a consequence, new entrants in the telecoms market can not compete fairly with incumbent and older mobile phone operators. Mobile Termination Rates are unnecessarily high, making calls between different operators unaffordable to many low income subscribers in Zambia.

Zambians can not port their mobile numbers. Photo – Elvis Milambo
The Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) could regulate termination rates by lowering them so that many subscribers can make calls across different networks for purposes of encouraging competition.
Subscribers have to put up with poor quality of service including lack of service in instances where electricity supply by ZESCO has been interrupted at the operator’s base stations. Obviously, some operators may want to save or reduce expenses by not providing mobile phone services until electricity supply is restored by ZESCO instead of switching on a generator that will consume plenty of fuel that is quite expensive in a rural area like Kaoma, Monze or remote Gwembe Valley.
Mobile Number Portability can encourage quality of service among operators because those who are offering higher call rates or poor services will lose customers to a much better and efficient operator.

The Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority(ZICTA) has an urgent task more than ever before to regulate telecoms markets and ensure growth and development of ICTs in Zambia by taking the consumer and Operators’ interest into consideration. This will ensure profitable and efficient telecoms markets in the country.

About the Author
Elvis Milambo is studying for his Master’s degree in Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Policy and Regulation at Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg, South Africa. He’s currently working as Production Manager at Oblate Radio Liseli, a Catholic Broadcasting station in Western Zambia. He has worked with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on their School report project in Johannesburg, South Africa. Elvis was Production team leader for the interactive Radio Learning project that OLSET implemented in Bangladesh and Across South Africa’s nine Provinces.

Contact: Milambo@starmail.co.za

The Future of ICTs and Development

Engaging Men and Boys - submit an example

jlevy — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:20:24 -0800

We are now a network of 893 members. I'd like to survey all of you for some information and comment. I continue to be interested in the role that men play in gender, education, and HIV prevention and treatment. Those organisations that take the larger gender justice view seem to me to be on a track that might yield beneficial lessons. This document, for example: Policy Approaches to Engaging Men and Boys in Achieving Gender Equality and Health Equity http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241500128_eng.pdf points out the pressure that cultural concepts of masculinity create, resulting in negative effects on men’s health and ability to develop identities that yield positive relationships. Among other keys to successful interventions with men is this one: encourage men to reflect on the costs of hegemonic masculinity to men and women. A project that reflects the strategy of addressing behaviours involved in the construction of masculinity is the Phuza Wize Campaign - South Africa http://www.comminit.com/en/node/316061, which uses entertainment-education to present the negative effects of alcohol abuse. 'Men-Streaming' Gender in Sexual and Reproductive Health & HIV/AIDShttp://www.ippf.org/NR/rdonlyres/CB15B464-554F-42B9-AFAA-EE0D963F4414/0/menstreaming.pdf is another document addressing policy. Stretching the reach of education to address men on beliefs and behaviours that negatively affect them and link to gender equity issues is something we haven't explored here. Do you know of approaches that bring men into the conversation or those that have attempted it but have not been successful? Click submit a group post to the right hand side of this message and tell us about it.

Gender, Education, and HIV/AIDS

JiCC hits 500 but only two admins

jasonbrown.jicc — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:22:09 -0800

. . .

JiCC membership now stands at 501 with a UNICEF worker from New Delhi, Rudrajit Das, joining just this morning - or evening depending on which side of the dateline you live in! Das has deep interest in wide ranging areas of global development.

"Interests: Communication for Development, Social and Behavior Chnage Communication, Advocacy, Capacity Building Experience: Development sector professional with over twelve years of experience in working with organizations such as the UN, international technical support organizations and NGOs as well as leading advertising agencies and corporates in designing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Multi - Sectoral, Multi - Partner Communication and Advocacy strategies and interventions. Proven skills in the area of conceptualisation, design and development of Communication and Advocacy materials, Mass media and Interpersonal Communication interventions, Documentation, writing for the Public Domain and Capacity Building."

See:
http://groups.comminit.com/user/27478

Line honours for the magic 500 number, however, belongs to former DFID consultant, Mary Myers. A freelance consultant since 1996, her background includes work in some 20 countries across Africa. Myers reflects the huge diversity across JiCC membership, worldwide. Says Myers:

"I am a development communications consultant specialising in radio in Africa. I have been freelancing since 1996. I have done a lot of work for the UK aid programme, DFID. My background is in project management with various different NGOs. I have travelled and worked in more than 20 countries in Africa. I work from home, which is in South West England."

See:
http://groups.comminit.com/user/27467

Communications practitioners like Myers are to be congratulated for recognising the reality of global journalism crisis, and for expressing their support via membership of JiCC, the Journalism in Crisis Coalition.

Small by world standards, JiCC also remains a relatively low activity group, with, thus far, only two members joining founder Jason Brown in becoming admins on the group here, and over on Facebook. Part of the problem may be the relatively unfamiliar, if not complicated user interface used here on the Development Networks Communications Initiative. Says Brown:

"It took me a good year or so to become even slightly comfortable with the CI interface. There has been talk of a new, simplified interface, and such a move may see greater use by a wider range of JiCC and other DevNet members. While writing this group post for JiCC, I note that the link for "More information about formatting options" leads to a blank page. Similarly, the formatting options for new posts such as bold, indent and image do not appear to work, in any browser. And, despite selecting the rich-text option as my default, new posts keep defaulting to 'messaging plain text.'"

See:
http://groups.comminit.com/filter/tips

"There is no doubt that the DevNet ComIni has proven itself a popular destination for all manner of development practitioners, including communications specialists like journalists. It is hard however not to compare this site with more recent efforts like the European Journalism Centre, a Ning-based platform, both for its greater simplicity and interaction between members."

See:
www.ejc.net

"I am sure IT people are perfectly comfortable and even prefer the current DevNet ComIni interface. However, most of us here are not IT people, and are not interested in acquiring the skills necessary to master every single new interpretation that endlessly variant IT sections seem intent on foisting on the rest of us, worldwide. Obviously ComIni is deeply serious about making communications central to development, but the interface here needs to better reflect that. Is it time for DevNet to bite the bullet and adopt an off-the-shelf system like Ning?"

Other Ning examples listed here on ComIni:
http://researchcooperative.org
http://profesoresdelmundo.ning.com/

"Like other crises, the Global Journalism Crisis cannot afford to wait months or years for new members to start getting comfy with an interface like that of the DevNet, and nor can the globe itself - like trade, social, environmental and other urgencies demand fewer barriers to communication. A recent survey showed a clear preference for greater social networking tools to be made available to members across the developmental spectrum. This is a clear call to action" suggests Brown.

"This is not a complaint, more an increasingly strong suggestion."

. . .

Journalism In Crisis Coalition

Media practices, ethics, and imagery

kdevries — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 06:42:41 -0800

Hi,

I wanted to call your attention to - and spark discussion about - this blog entry - http://lindaraftree.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/3-films-about-the-devadasi/ - which discusses the portrayal of prostitutes in India in a 2010 film and posts a short rebuttal by members of Veshya Anyay Mukti Parishad (meaning 'Prostitutes' Freedom from Injustice') or "VAMP".

Blogger Linda Raftree writes, in part, "Their reaction is one of anger and feelings of betrayal. They denounce the filmmaker (Sarah Harris) for laughing at them, making fun of them, disrespecting them, misinterpreting their stories and making public judgment calls on their religious practices....What is interesting about this case is that the community saw it and reacted publicly."

Raftree poses questions in her blog entry that probe: what steps the filmmaker took (or did not take) to secure informed consent, where the communication breakdown occurred and what steps were taken to try to avoid it, what ownership community members had of the content of the film and the storyline, whether they put at high risk or otherwise threatened when the filmmaker released her film, and whether the filmmaker thought about the ramifications that her film would carry for the communities where she had filmed.

I'm wondering what your take is on this particular example of media practices, ethics, and imagery intersecting. Please send through your thoughts to this forum! [Apologies for cross-posting].

~ Kier

Development Aid Imagery

Function of a discussion group for broadcasting human rights abuses

jlevy — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 05:56:10 -0700

I wanted to point to a discussion group within this network that is working on the use of this medium for further the rights of journalists: Journalism In Crisis Coalition http://groups.comminit.com/node/310152 You can join this group and read a very compelling message from Afghani journalist Malik Faisal Moonzajer "Traditional People, Wild government & innocent Journalists" and comments he received from his posting. http://groups.comminit.com/node/325579 The question I have, and please post if you would care to respond: What is a 'next step' in this posting process? I am aware of organisations that mount massive letter writing campaigns to individuals or governments, but in this situation, the leaders are the problem and unlikely to be sympathetic to outside pressure. This is not an unusual situation in cases of human rights abuse. Suggestions from any of you on going the step from internet facilitated awareness to action? log in and post here: http://groups.comminit.com/node/add/og_post?gids[]=302317 Julie Levy

Human Rights and Technology

Net Thinking: Your Critique?

Warren Feek — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:50:17 -0800

Hi and a very happy new year to you and yours! Many thanks for having joined this "Future of ICTs and Development" network, part of The Communication Initiative process.

Silvio Waisbord, Associate Professor in the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University has just submitted a blog entitled "Net Thinking" to The Communication Initiative platform - see http://www.comminit.com/en/node/328504/bbc

In this blog Silvio focuses on the relationship between technology developments and development progress observing that:

"Policy makers, the media and aid organizations usually throw nuance aside to hail the arrival of the latest technology. Recent hopes for mobile telephony and “social media” and applied to aid and development follow in the footsteps of the past."

and

"Results about “what ITs work” (and why) are more complex than what techno-enthusiasts recognize, and policy-makers usually have time to hear. From the uses of transistor radios to video cameras, the record about the impact of ITs on development issues is mixed. For every indication of positive impact, many examples show little or no effects. We have evidence of tangible results, but numerous experiences have never been documented."

For the full blog please go to http://www.comminit.com/en/node/328504/bbc

Please do provide your critique and analysis of this blog on such an important issue.

You can do this either through this network and/or through the comments facility associated with the blog itself at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/328504/bbc

Thanks for engaging. We all value your contribution. Have an excellent 2011!

Warren

Waren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

The Future of ICTs and Development

Happy, Healthy, and Hot: A Young Person’s Guide

jlevy — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 05:34:58 -0800

I recently posted information about this guide: Happy, Healthy, and Hot: A Young Person’s Guide to Their Rights: Sexuality and Living with HIV, here: http://www.comminit.com/en/node/327946/347 and wondered if there were other documents, campaign materials, or strategies you were aware of that approach informing HIV-positive teens about sexual and reproductive health. I am supposing that cultural adaptation of materials would be a norm in any setting, and I think it would be useful for all of us in the network to be aware of examples of this since reaching teens is so critical and often challenging. The description below from Katherine de Tolly on HIV counselling via MXit text-chat, for example, seems like a teen-centric means of reaching this age group. Thanks for that entry.

Gender, Education, and HIV/AIDS

Universal Access/Human Rights - Gender, Education - Knowledge, Norms, Behaviour

Warren Feek — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:48:31 -0800

Best wishes and thanks for joining this Gender, Education, and HIV/AIDS network. It is World AIDS Day (WAD) tomorrow (as I write). In the special DB Click: HIV/AIDS (copied below) focused on the WAD theme of Universal Access/Human Rights, with significant Gender and Education perspectives, we open with a quote from Michel Sidibe's UNAIDS message on this theme including:

"This is...the first time we can show that reductions in the number of new HIV infections are clearly linked to an increase in knowledge about HIV, changes in social norms and the adopting of safer behaviors. It has given us evidence that HIV prevention programmes are producing significant results." (reference is below)

This is obviously really good news. In support of continuing this momentum through everyone's extremely hard work to bring about these results could you please share through this network (your user name is above and you can request a new password if forgotten!) the following:

1. The data and/or experiences you quote to policy makers and funders demonstrating the positive impact of knowledge, social norm and behaviour focused initiatives on HIV/AIDS progress in particular related to Gender, Education and Rights.

2. Your critical analysis of the progress described in the above quote related to knowledge, social norm, behaviour and HIV/AIDS - what are we doing well and what do we need to do much better, including related to Universal Access and Human Rights of course.

Very much look forward to your sharing your experience and analysis in support of everyone's work - many thanks.
(And apologies if you have also joined the overall HIV/AIDS Strategy Group and this is a double posting).

Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

****

DB Click: HIV/AIDS
November 2010

===

WORLD AIDS DAY
December 1 2010
Focus on Universal Access/Human Rights
http://www.comminit.com/redirect.cgi?m=08d7431e10553f49c69b01fe3e56c437

"We still face significant challenges ahead. Yes, the total number of new HIV infections is decreasing, but there were 2.6 million people newly infected with HIV in 2009 and there are two new HIV infections for every one person starting HIV treatment."

"...[N]othing less than a prevention revolution is needed."

- excerpts from Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director, November 29
http://www.comminit.com/redirect.cgi?m=6c1fb5044a4bfc24215d9f7b71ae8560

The knowledge that follows was submitted by The CI network and both reflects and helps to advance the key themes of World AIDS Day 2010 - Universal Access and Human Rights.

===

1. Towards Universal Access: Scaling up Priority HIV/AIDS Interventions in the Health Sector
Progress report September 2009
See http://www.comminit.com/redirect.cgi?m=a3d1f3ab5bade364e0b2b63598485022

"This report reviews the progress made in 2009 in scaling up access to selected health sector interventions for HIV prevention, treatment and care in low- and middle-income countries....

This report shows that, among 144 low- and middle-income countries reporting programme data this year, eight had already achieved universal access to antiretroviral therapy at the end of 2009, providing treatment to at least 80% of patients in need. Furthermore, 15 countries had achieved the 80% target for coverage with antiretroviral prophylaxis to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV.

Although more countries may reach universal access goals by the end of 2010 as a result of ongoing efforts, global targets for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support are unlikely to be achieved. Importantly, this has implications not only for the HIV response, but also for all other MDGs [Millennium Development Goals], particularly MDGs 4 and 5, on child and maternal health. Indeed, as documented by recent research, a lower burden of HIV/AIDS has been associated with considerably greater progress towards the achievement of child mortality and tuberculosis (TB) goals than economic growth itself. In the absence of HIV, maternal mortality worldwide would have been lower by about 6% in 2008 and a recent academic study has estimated that up to 18% of pregnancy-related deaths may be due to HIV.

In spite of all the challenges and constraints, this report demonstrates that, with intensified and accelerated efforts, countries can achieve universal access..."

===

2. Addressing Violence against Women and HIV/AIDS: What Works?
From the World Health Organization (WHO) and Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), this publication describes an October 2009 meeting of a working group of expert researchers, policymakers, and practitioners who gathered in Geneva, Switzerland, to review the current state of evidence and practice in developing and implementing interventions and strategies to address the intersections of violence against women (VAW) and HIV. This report summarises the presentations, discussions, and recommendations from the consultation...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/325119/347

3. Tikuferanji - Malawi
Tikuferanji, which means "why are we dying?" in Chichewa, was first launched as a serial radio drama in 1996 and, in 2001, expanded production to include television broadcasts. Produced by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), the television and radio programmes address HIV/AIDS and human-rights-related issues...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/310268/347

4. Study of Family Planning and HIV Integrated Services in Five Countries
From Family Health International (FHI) with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), this study provides a "snapshot" of early family planning (FP)/HIV services integration efforts to inform future integration planning. It uses data from Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Africa. The research examined the following: the percentage of women in need of FP services or HIV services; the preparedness of clinics and service providers to provide services to meet need; the level of integrated service provision offered by providers to clients; and the availability of service data used to monitor integration...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/325133/347

5. Breaking Barriers: Improved Access to ART Centres Is Key to the Fight against HIV/AIDS: Towards a 'Second Wave' of Improved Paediatric ART Response in India
From India HIV/AIDS Alliance, this policy brief discusses the barriers to access to HIV testing centres. After gathering anecdotal evidence in 2007, the organisation conducted an operations research study consisting of two selected urban and rural sites in two Indian states. This brief reviews barriers found in the research and possible policy initiatives...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/317762/347

6. Making the Case for Integration: Tides Foundation's Africa Family Planning and HIV Integration Fund
This report from the Tides Foundation contains a summary of research, documentation on FP/HIV integration approaches, an evaluation of challenges and solutions, profiles of organisations working on integration, and insights from experts representing government and philanthropy. The document cites emerging models...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/325223/347

7. Measuring Up: HIV-Related Advocacy Evaluation Training Pack
This evaluation training pack is published by the Alliance and the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO) and consists of two guides: a guide for facilitators and a guide for learners. They are designed for advocacy and monitoring and evaluation staff of civil society organisations (CSOs), including networks, that are involved in designing, implementing, and assessing advocacy projects at different levels. The purpose of these guides is to increase users' capacity to evaluate the progress and results of their advocacy work...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/325334/347

8. Improving Communication About Uncertainty of Clinical Trial Outcomes - South Africa
This project focuses on a collaborative participatory process using a local South African musical art form called kwaito to promote a local language about clinical trials, highlighting the uncertainties of trial results. The project activities involved a community collaboration to write the lyrics for a kwaito song, which young musicians then performed and recorded. The song was broadcast on community radio, inviting feedback and discussion from community members and stimulating dialogue about the risks and benefits of clinical trial research in the context of developing new technologies to protect men and women from HIV infection...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/325980/2781

9. Wave Power: Radio and the MDGs
Samajhdari (Mutual Understanding) is a community radio initiative addressing links between violence against women and HIV/AIDS in Nepal - addressing MDG #3 (promote gender equality and empower women) and #6 (combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases): "Twelve female community reporters, all survivors of violence or living with HIV, go into rural and poor areas with high HIV and domestic abuse rates to interview women about their experiences for the programme. With the microphones in the hands of survivors, these previously stigmatised women have gained self-confidence and are accepted as equal members of society through their status..."
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/325259/347

10. Life-Saving Learning around the Drinking Pot
This article reports on a grassroots initiative - a gathering of educated scientists in Uganda that has "turned into a social event that is changing the health behaviour of people in poor, rural communities." In Uganda, the science cafes are held in local languages at the local malwa (millet beer) joint. The first talk was on the topic: "How can I live longer with HIV?" According to the article, this event was the catalyst for many participants to declare their HIV status and talk more openly on the subject. "It was amazing...Seventy people were tested and those who tested positive were referred for treatment..."
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/324650/347

===

POLL: HIV Media Exposure Risks
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/310787/347

What reception or risks do HIV-positive people in your community face when their status is exposed in the media? (You may choose more than one; please add clarifying comments online)

* repercussions of physical danger.
* banishment.
* loss of family support.
* increased personal access to treatment.
* increased community and peer support.
* none of the above.

VOTE and COMMENT at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/310787/347

A few recent comments received:

"on one hand there will be banishmnet,socialstigma, lesser interaction. on the other side stigma that the disease bring with you makes you seek help from peer suopport community. Improves your mental strengh, encourages you to take appropriate treatment, helps u to understand the disease beter to educate others."

"Many families still feel embarrassed to be associated with a family member who is HIV positive. They carry this as their own family secret and often will speak in whispers when talking about this issue. This often leads to a feeling of rejection by the affected family member. Regarding the increased personal access to treatment, even though ART is free, the affected, however has to meet high transport costs to and from ART treatment centers as there are only selected centers in some towns and treatment is not administered after a single visit,some patients visit the center more than three times before they have access to ART is some towns. In addition tests for TB, HB, etc are paid for before one starts ART. It is only when one is on ART and there is need to these tests that they are not paid for."

===

Got something to say about HIV/AIDS issues? Join one of the GROUPS on The CI's Development Networks...or...start your own group!
http://groups.comminit.com/og/all

Current HIV/AIDS-focused groups:

Gender, Education, and HIV/AIDS
http://groups.comminit.com/node/300766

HIV/AIDS Strategy: Future Directions
http://groups.comminit.com/node/306528

===

11. Social Discrimination against Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM): Implications for HIV Policy and Programs
This policy brief provides an overview of social discrimination against gay men and other MSM as it relates to HIV. It also includes recommendations for concerted action and policy development. A review of literature that demonstrates the linkages between homophobia and vulnerability to HIV disease is presented, with related examples...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/324082/347

12. Priority HIV and Sexual Health Interventions in the Health Sector for Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender People in the Asia-Pacific Region
This document describes the priority health sector interventions, focused in the Asia Pacific region, needed to achieve universal access to prevention, treatment, care, and support for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by MSM. It summarises key policy and technical recommendations developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for each of the priority health sector interventions...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/324083/347

13. Project Masiluleke - South Africa
Initiated in 2009, this collaborative project is designed to harness the mobile phone as a high-impact, low-cost tool in the fight against HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) in South Africa. Masiluleke, which means "give wise counsel" and "lend a helping hand" in Zulu, works to address the challenges that result in avoidance of HIV testing, delayed initiation of treatment, and high rates of treatment default...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/317076/347

14. Facilitator's Guide for Training on HIV and AIDS Stigma and Discrimination Reduction
Published by the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) and World Association for Christian Communication (WACC), this guide is designed to build the capacity of community members to lead a campaign on stigma reduction in their communities. It revolves around a participatory process which encourages learning through: sharing feelings, concerns, and experiences; discussing and analysing issues; solving problems; and planning and taking actions...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/320672/347

15. The Shifting Global Health Landscape: Implications for HIV/AIDS and Vulnerable Populations
This issue brief focuses on the challenge of delivering effective, high-quality, non-discriminatory HIV and AIDS services to vulnerable populations, with specific attention to the needs of MSM, injecting drug users (IDUs), and sex workers. It is offered in the context of "enormous barriers to effective service provision for vulnerable populations through mainstream service systems" that are described in the document - for instance, "stigmatizing attitudes among health workers [that] deter many individuals from seeking the health services they need" and "diminish the quality of services for those who access them" - the brief suggests several successful strategies...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/323602/347

16. Human Rights and HIV Advocacy Tools
Created to respond to an identified need for advocacy and information material on human-rights-based responses to HIV, this series of documents is based on the premise that ensuring the implementation and respect of human rights norms and standards will contribute to reducing vulnerability to HIV transmission, challenging stigma and discrimination, and ensuring access to HIV-related treatment, care, and support services...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/310814/347

17. Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health & Human Rights
This has been established to honour Jonathan Mann and help to call continued attention to the vital links between health and human rights. The Award is presented annually to a leading practitioner in health and human rights. Deadline: January 14...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/265063/347

18. Self-Assessment Tool for Hospitals and Other Medical Institutions Caring for People Living with HIV/AIDS - India
Population Council/Horizons and Society for Service to Urban Poverty (SHARAN) have developed a checklist to address AIDS-related stigmatisation and discrimination within health care institutions in an effort to improve services for people in India who are living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA). Baseline findings from ongoing research informed the development of this self-assessment tool, which is designed to help managers and health care workers identify and address institutional strengths and weaknesses related to care for PLHA...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/120670/347

19. It's All One Curriculum: Guidelines and Activities for a Unified Approach to Sexuality, Gender, HIV, and Human Rights Education
This resource is meant to help readers develop curricula focused on sexuality and HIV that emphasises gender and rights. It is intended to enable educators to teach young people about topics such as: gender norms; communication and decision making; sexual consent and coercion; fairness and human rights (including sexual rights); power and relationships; preventing HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unintended pregnancy; puberty; and social change...
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/322408/347

===

BLOGGING POSITIVELY

Rising Voices, an outreach initiative of Global Voices, will be hosting a live chat on Tuesday, December 2nd about the use of citizen media and blogging by individuals and organisations working with the issue of HIV/AIDS.

The context of the chat is as follows: Two years ago, a World AIDS Day chat sponsored by Rising Voices revealed a strong interest in a guide on blogging about HIV/AIDS-related topics. What resulted was an e-guide, published last year. Rising Voices is seeking feedback about ways to make "Blogging Positively" as useful as possible.

For details about how to participate, please go to: http://www.comminit.com/redirect.cgi?m=0347622a5b8d94a24a763457bfdef6ae

===

Please visit the HIV Theme Site - all CI information related to HIV/AIDS and development in one place - http://www.comminit.com/en/hiv-aids.html

===

Send us information about your HIV/AIDS communication case studies, reports, evaluations, thinking, and resources. Send to AIDS@comminit.com

===

Access all information on the issues you choose through a Theme Site on The CI:

Polio - http://www.comminit.com/en/polio.html
ICT4D - http://www.comminit.com/en/ict4d.html
Democracy and Governance - http://www.comminit.com/en/demandgov.html
Early Child Development - http://www.comminit.com/en/earlychild.html
Media Development - http://www.comminit.com/en/mediadev.html
Natural Resource Management - http://www.comminit.com/en/nrm.html
Fragile Contexts and State Building - http://www.comminit.com/fragilecontexts.html
HIV/AIDS - http://www.comminit.com/en/hiv-aids.html

===

If you have colleagues who might wish to receive The Drum Beat and DB Click: HIV/AIDS please ask them to access http://www.comminit.com/en/user/register and complete the brief registration/subscriber form. Thank you.

===

from The Communication Initiative...where communication and media are central to social and economic development...

Gender, Education, and HIV/AIDS

Using mobile txt-chat for SRH

kdetolly — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 23:51:50 -0800

This isn't radio, but it's very appropriate to our context. In South Africa we are partnering with our National AIDS Helpline to provide HIV counselling via MXit, a very popular mobile text-chat application used by millions of South Africans, especially youth. We've noticed that sexual health questions come up a lot (should I have sex, genital warts, etc) and that youth are remarkably comfortable chatting with counsellors via text on their mobiles. It's completely anonymous, and youth can chat anywhere and no one need know. So you can be in a rural area, an informal township, on public transportation, but you can text-chat. It's also very cheap for the user (a counselling conversation will cost them less than US$0.05). To read more, see http://mobileactive.org/case-studies/red-chat

Gender, Education, and HIV/AIDS

CIME's media ethics contest - Deadline soon!

kdevries — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 03:05:47 -0800

Hi,

The Center for International Media Ethics (CIME) is holding an "Ethicontest". The deadline coming up soon (Nov. 14), and I wanted to call your attention to it.

This media ethics contest for journalists and media professionals from all over the world has the following essay topic: "Dissemination of information: government interests, national security and freedom of speech - how to strike the right balance?....Is it ok for the media to tell the truth to the public when national security is at risk? How does a journalist decide if his/her reporting compromises government interests? How does the media avoid confrontation with the government in the wake of such a scenario?"

For more details and to find out how to enter, see: http://www.comminit.com/en/node/325634/2754

Also, please send your thoughts through here to the group on how you would respond to the questions at the core of this essay writing competition!

~ Kier

Ethics in Communication for Development

Call for research proposals

cmorry — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 10:36:38 -0700

Hi Everyone,

As always apologies for cross posting bust I wanted to make sure you had all seen the recent call research proposals from the GPEI. I thought topic areas 1, 2 and 3 may be of particular interest to communication experts.

Global Polio Eradication Initiative

Call for Research Proposals

The Polio Research Committee (PRC) is currently soliciting research proposals. The PRC is particularly interested in the below topics ("Topics of Interest"), in line with the new Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) Strategic Plan 2010-2012 . Researchers are invited to submit proposals by 15 November 2010 to the Research and Product Development team, GPEI, WHO Geneva, by email to polioresearch@who.int.

Proposals will be reviewed at the next PRC meeting, to be held in December 2010 in New Delhi, India, and endorsed proposals will be considered for funding by the International PolioPlus Committee (IPPC), Rotary International.

Topics of Interest:

The PRC will accept different types of research proposals (e.g., immunology, virology, epidemiology, clinical study, communication and social study) to help achieve and maintain polio eradication. In this funding round, the PRC is particularly interested in innovative proposals focusing on operational research to improve key field operations in the polio eradication programme (e.g., supplementary immunization activity, acute flaccid paralysis surveillance and other aspects of overall programme quality).

Specific topic areas of interest include:

1. Identification of key issues in areas with persistent polio transmission and/or repeated importations resulting in re-established transmission;

2. Social research to understand migratory and moving populations and implications to the polio epidemiology in polio-infected countries (e.g., the size and pattern of migration and their knowledge, attitude and practice towards immunization and general healthcare seeking behaviour);

3. Effective models for the quality coverage of migratory and moving populations during supplementary immunization activities;

4. Evaluation of initiatives to improve operations in areas with compromised security (e.g., short interval additional doses, alternative operational model to address security risks);

5. Evaluation of alternative supplementary immunization activity monitoring systems; and,

6. Improvement of acute flaccid paralysis surveillance (e.g., study on variation in definitions, guidelines, quality, indicators, data analysis and role of additional surveillance beyond indicators).

Research proposals are invited from GPEI staffs (e.g., EPI managers) and independent institutions/investigators and private cooperation.

Procedure for submission of proposals:

All research proposals should include the following information:

1. Research question/objectives (e.g., research questions, reference to published literature and cutting-edge science, description of how the results will be utilized).

2. Qualification of investigators and collaborators (e.g., track record of researchers, capability of laboratory, necessary contractual arrangements).

3. Budget request (e.g., appropriate for work anticipated).

4. Study design and methodology (e.g., detailed activities, timelines, deliverables, availability of necessary capacities, feasibility of methods, plans for ethical and government approvals).

The standard research proposal form is available at http://www.polioeradication.org/Research/Grantsandcollaboration/Howtoapply.aspx

Polio Communication Forum

social norms and gender sensitivity education

jlevy — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:24:33 -0700

I'm going to send two group posts which came in as comments for a discussion thread here. I'm also going to post some follow information to your email via broadcast email. My apologies if this is too much information on gender, education and HIV, but I think that there is a very valid point from contributor kalewakids now under consideration among us about the role of parents in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education - and I include HIV prevention education in SRH. Here is what Geopatra sent us...well worth a look: "This study, done by Elizabeth Levy Paluck, is a good one: http://betsylevypaluck.com/Paluck%20Ball%20IRC%20Social%20Norms%20Marketing%20Long.pdf There are some good examples of programs that used a combination of social norms and gender sensitivity education to combat intimate partner violence in various countries. As you said, very little in the way of solid evaluation has been done on efficacy, but two take-aways from this paper is the fact that kids/teens should take an active part in the dissemination/creation of the material in order for it to be credible/effective. Of course it depends on the age of the "children" you are seeking to reach. Hope this is helpful." I have found youth-creating-SRH materials information for you and will include it in my broadcast email.

Gender, Education, and HIV/AIDS

"Conversations with Youth"

jlevy — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:32:33 -0700

Here is a comment from kdevries that leads to multiple materials for you: "This interesting exchange brought to mind a past issue (October 2008) of The Drum Beat which focused on the theme of "Conversations with Youth": http://www.comminit.com/en/drum_beat_466.html It includes a few items that might be useful to parents seeking to spark dialogue with their children." I also want to thank Samantha Gray who wrote about a material that neither of us can find online. Please let us know if you can track it for us: "You're Invited" She said:"I worked on exactly this approach, creating a kit for Population Services International that could be incorporated with workshops to help the parents or other close caregiver or to give to the parents directly and do on their own. It was created and adapted for several countries in Africa for three different age levels, and is in French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, English, and I believe other languages, and low literacy. It is an incremental approach that equips the adults, and then eases the adults through fun and interesting communication skills with their child, family dynamics, through reproductive education, all the aspects of sexual health, rites of passage and alternatives, love, future plans, self-esteem, media and peer influence, nonviolence, etc." Without access to that, I searched for other materials and approaches, coming to you in the next email, with some queries as to what you can post for the group in terms of thinking and resources.

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"Conversations with Youth"