C-Capacity #10 - Cross Cutting SBCC
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A newsletter from C-Change partner Ohio University in cooperation with The Communication Initiative
Issue 10 | September 2011
About C-Capacity C-Capacity is an e-magazine supported by C-Change and prepared by The Communication Initiative in cooperation with C-Change partner Ohio University. It is dedicated to alerting you and your organization to resources, training, links, and other opportunities for capacity strengthening in social and behavior change communication (SBCC), all vetted for quality and relevance by FHI 360 and Ohio University. The C-Capacity Online Resource Center is a living resource designed to provide the best resources and training opportunities available and we welcome your contribution. We are looking for case studies, strategic thinking, support materials, trainings, meetings, and other resources relevant to SBCC capacity strengthening. To contribute, please contact cchangeorc@comminit.com
1. C-Change Reaches Over 15,000 Young Women in Swaziland by Training Peer Educators C-Change Swaziland and local partners recently supported peer-educator training and dialogues on gender-based violence and HIV prevention for 150 young, unmarried, and childless women (or maidens) participating in the annual Umhlanga Reed Dance for the Queen of Swaziland. Each year, more than 50,000 maidens come from across the country and nearby South African provinces for this traditional ceremony, where they cut reeds, present them to the Queen Mother, and dance as part of the celebration. C-Change's SBCC training tackled peer pressure, intergenerational sex, sexual abuse, substance abuse, and transactional sex, all of which interfere with the positive, eight-day cultural celebration. Through these peer educators and others that they train, an estimated 15,000 maidens were reached during the 2011 Reed Dance. 2. C-Change Participates in Development of Country-Level Guidelines on Best Practices in SBCC A group of social and behavior change communication (SBCC)-implementing partners met in Nairobi, Kenya on July 26-27, 2011 for the 2nd Consultative Meeting on Development of a 5-Year Global Strategic Framework for Malaria SBCC at the country level. This meeting is part of a series of consultations that seek to develop guidelines on what constitutes best practice in SBCC at the country level and charts out the future research, implementation, and evaluation agenda for SBCC in malaria control and prevention. When completed the Strategic Framework will provide: 1) a long-term strategic vision, goals and objectives for SBCC; 2) guidance on what constitutes SBCC best practice; 3) a research agenda; and 4) resource needs over the next five years to Roll Back Malaria (RBM) partners, donor organizations, and National Malaria Control Programs.
Jobs 3. Marketing and Communications Specialist – RTI International - Research Triangle Park, NC, United States RTI International, an international research institute dedicated to improving the human condition by turning knowledge into practice, is seeking applicants for the role of Communications Specialist to serve as part of RTI’s Global Health Group (GHG). GHG implements broad-based programs in HIV/AIDS, malaria prevention and vector control, neglected tropical disease control, reproductive health, maternal child health, health systems strengthening, health governance, health policy and other related fields. The Communications Specialist will manage a variety of internal and external communications activities for the Global Health Group in support of business development, marketing, and global health program development. 4. Agricultural Development Officer - USAID - Afghanistan The United State Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking to recruit strong development professionals to serve as Agricultural Development Officers for assignment in Afghanistan. These assignments will directly support USAID’s mission to promote the rapid transition of Afghanistan to a more stable, productive, and democratic country with sustainable social development and economic growth. The Agricultural Development Officer will serve as the head of a USAID field office co-located with the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), as a senior advisor at a Regional Platform (RP)/Regional Command (RC), or in various positions in other areas of the country. 5. Regional Communications Officer, Africa Region - Center for International Forestry Research - Yaoundé, Cameroon The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) conducts research to inform policies and practices that affect forests in developing countries, working within the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). CIFOR is looking for a Regional Communications Officer for the Africa Region. Reporting to the Media Relations and Outreach Manager, the Regional Communications Officer leads the development, implementation, evaluation and continual improvement of CIFOR’s regional communication strategy for Africa. The Regional Communications Officer works with scientists to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of CIFOR’s overall investment in communication through effective planning and evaluation.
The Democracia Activa - Peru (DAP) program, with technical input from C-Change, applies (SBCC) principles to increase Peruvians’ trust and comfort in democratic participation. DAP works with local partners to implement a targeted communication campaign that combines creative messaging, social mobilization, and electronic networking to increase citizen participation in democratic processes and instill trust in democratic systems and institutions. Working through government partners, civil society organizations, and media outlets, DAP focuses on youth ages 18-35. Prior to local/regional and national elections in 2010-11, the program also worked to focus voters’ attention on key policy issues by disseminating information on important local, regional, and national issues. DAP helped the Government of Peru design its Voto Informado (Informed Vote) campaign which, as of March 2011, was supported by: Twitter; Facebook; RSFeeds; and YouTube. To strengthen its social mobilization and web-based efforts, DAP launched a media intervention - Se Buscan Peruanos que no se Dejen Mecer (Wanted: Peruvians Who Don't Give Up) and Agua que Hace Decir la Verdad (Water that Makes You Tell the Truth) through a variety of channels (print materials, online videos, radio spots, web platform) to generate enthusiasm to focus on the primary objective of increased democratic participation. The DAP program website invites citizens to ask questions, get involved, connect with each other, and spread the word about democracy in their communities through an engaging online platform. Through the website, forums, and a blog, the online platform is helping DAP to build a nationwide network of advocates and representatives that carry the program's messages throughout the country. 7. Why the Media Matters in a Warming World: A Guide for Policy Makers in the Global System According to this 2011 Climate Change Media Partnership policy brief, the fight against climate change could be won or lost on the pages of newspapers, on TV and radio broadcasts, and on the internet and mobile phones. This is because people need good information to make effective decisions at the household or global level; and most people get their information about climate change from the media. Journalists can warn of extreme climatic events, explain complex policies, highlight coping strategies that work on the ground, act as watchdogs that protect the public interest, and promote the necessary actions from consumers, businesses, and governments to build green economies. This policy brief argues that media can empower people to effect positive change, inform vulnerable communities of impacts and how they can adapt to them, and promote mitigation activities that limit the amount of warming that the earth experiences. High-quality media coverage of climate change can deliver better-informed publics, better-informed policymakers, and more effective policymaking. Better media coverage can also raise global awareness of the challenges that developing nations face and promote a sustainable outcome to the intergovernmental climate change negotiations. In Indonesia, for instance, media coverage of proposals to limit climate change by reducing carbon emissions from deforestation has, according to the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), engaged all levels of society and helped move the policy debate forward. However, in many developing countries, journalists struggle to report effectively on climate change due to a lack of training, unsupportive editors, and weak outreach from domestic policymakers.
Select Forums and Communities 8. International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) IIED, launched in 1971, was one of the first organizations to link environment with development. It is an independent international research organization, focusing on five key issues - climate change, governance, human settlements, natural resources, and sustainable markets. In Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Middle East, and the Pacific, it works with vulnerable populations to ensure they have a say in the policy arenas that most closely affect them - from village councils to international conventions. IIED also advises governments, business, and international development agencies and publishes analytical reports and policy briefs. 9. Earth Journalism Network (EJN) EJN, established by Internews Network and Internews Europe, works with journalists from developing countries to improve their coverage of the environment. EJN establishes networks of environmental journalists, and builds capacity through workshops, development of training materials, support for production and distribution, and small grants. Between 2006 and 2010, EJN trained over 1,500 journalists to report on issues including climate change, biodiversity, water, environment health, and oceans and coastal resources. EJN has also organized the Earth Journalism Awards program, with over 900 journalists from 148 countries. Climate Frontlines is a global forum for indigenous peoples, small islands and vulnerable communities. Despite the recognition that these vulnerable communities are on the frontlines of climate change, their voices have remained largely on the sidelines of climate change debates. The grassroots Internet forum On the Frontlines of Climate Change was launched by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in partnership with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD), the Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (SPFII) and the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) to:
11. Asia-Pacific Forestry Week The second Asia-Pacific Forestry Week will be held November 7-11, 2011 at the China National Convention Center, Beijing, China. The overarching theme of the week is “New Challenges - New Opportunities”.
The event is a forum for a broad spectrum of forestry and natural resources professionals from government and intergovernmental organizations, the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academic institutions, and research groups. 12. DiversityRx The purpose of DiversityRx is to improve the accessibility and quality of health care for minority, immigrant, and indigenous communities in the United States. It supports those who develop and provide health services that are responsive to the cultural and linguistic differences presented by diverse populations. Resources include, for example, a Spanish-language radio drama that addresses health issues. Blog titles include, for example: “Using peer groups to support behavior change: tell us your stories.” For information sharing, there is also a listserv, CLAS-talk, associated with the website.
Below you will find a selection of core resources designed to strengthen capacity by providing evidence for the impact and effectiveness of SBCC. 13. Assessing the Impact of Mayaradit FM following the May 2011 Abyei Emergency This report by Internews Sudan describes radio as one of the most effective ways of disseminating information to affected communities in humanitarian emergencies and promoting information flow between the host community, internally displaced persons (IDPs), government officials, and humanitarian responders. The report specifically highlights the role of Myardit FM in managing conflict in Turalei, Warrap State, South Sudan, in the disputed Sudanese border region of Abyei in May 2011. The purpose of this assessment, carried out between June 28 and July 2 2011, in and around Turalei, was to investigate the impact of Mayardit FM following the May Abyei crisis and the subsequent mass displacement of people, as well as to make recommendations for future improvements. According to Internews, Myardit FM helped to: reunite families separated in the flight from Abyei; facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance; promote a mutual understanding between the IDPs and host communities; and reduce panic and confusion by providing communities with up-to-date information about the security situation in Turalei. Specifically, host behavior toward the IDPs was reflected in the following: "Respondents from all groups felt Mayardit FM had played an important role in facilitating communication and promoting understanding between the host community and IDPs. This was particularly the case when the IDPs first arrived in Turalei, but also in the following weeks, when competition over a decreasing pool of resources created elevated potential for conflict between the two communities. The majority of respondents cited a broadcast of a speech by a host community executive chief calling on the Twic community to welcome IDPs from Abyei into their community and provide them with food and shelter. Many considered this broadcast to have been directly responsible for the scale of the assistance provided by the host community....'We learned from the IDPs that many were still sleeping under trees. They spoke about their fears. That touched our hearts and we felt sympathy for them,' said one male host community respondent. 'We learned about the constraints of being displaced.'" 14. Strategic Communication: The Heart of Post-Conflict Processes As stated in this Conflict Trends magazine article of 2008, the goal of any strategic communication is to create a shift in citizens' attitudes and actions towards and ownership of development and governance processes. There are four inter-related reasons why strategic communication as a change process is not often used in post-conflict reform processes. First, there is a lack of political will for radical internal reform. Second, there is the fear of being held accountable. Third, there is a tendency to use information dissemination and strategic communication interchangeably. Fourth, there is limited capacity to develop a communication strategy. Sierra Leone and Liberia, countries that have suffered from civil war, provide examples of inadequate communication in reform processes, for example: 1) In Sierra Leone, the policy Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) focused on one-way, vertical communication and did not enable communities to make the connection between the PRS and poverty reduction. 2) In Liberia, the process of developing a PRS was participatory, but validation was only conducted in the capital city, with little or no participation by those in rural areas. The PRS itself lacked a communication strategy.
15. Political, Social and Behavioural Change: Measuring the Impact of Media on Governance Outcomes This presentation from a meeting hosted by The Communication Initiative on March 29 2011 ("Social and Behavioural Change Research Results: Strategic Implications") in Geneva, Switzerland, focuses on strategies that the BBC World Service Trust (WST) has used to measure the impact of media on governance and other development outcomes. It begins by outlining the origins and values of the BBC WST, as well as the range of this organization's development communication work and its impact: Health:
Livelihoods and education:
Humanitarian response and disaster risk reduction. The BBC WST approach to research and project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) throughout the project cycle is displayed in a figure on page 9 of the document. In short, the approach takes place over the phases of: formative research, inception/content development, project delivery, and project completion. 16. Strengthening Voices: How Pastoral Communities and Local Government are Shaping Strategies for Adaptive Environmental Management and Poverty Reduction in Tanzania's Drylands The Strengthening Voices project is a training course that explains the economic and ecological process at the heart of pastoral systems. Tanzania’s national policies for planning and sustainable development all recognize the central importance of local participation. The National Strategy for Growth and the Reduction of Poverty Tanzania now recognize pastoralism as a ‘sustainable livelihood.’ Known as the Mkukuta, the strategy advocates for the first time for a more “efficient utilization of the rangeland” and for the “empowering of pastoralists to improve livestock productivity.” The project has focused on establishing partnerships at three levels to contribute to wider capacity building and respond to government policy. 1. The community level: To develop the dry-lands properly, local people must be totally involved - and to do so their capacity needs to be built. The Strengthening Voices initiative has helped bridge the gap between local government and local people. District strategic plans now seek to reconcile government-led sectoral planning with community-led holistic planning. Government officials are now more open to valuing local livelihoods and working with traditional institutions, and community elders are more open to engaging with the government. The project has helped build a pool of well-informed practitioners and policymakers on the dynamics of dryland environments and livelihoods - a human resource that will be crucial for addressing the challenges of climate change. A collaboration between institutes in Europe and East Africa led to the design and development of a new MA programme on drylands policy. 17. Mbariza Ntore While electoral processes in war-prone societies present particular problems, they also provide core opportunities for change - that is, for participation in governance. However, the campaign, the voting, and the proclamation phases of the elections are frequently accompanied by violence, as witnessed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Kenya. Mbariza Ntore (Kirundi for "inform us so that we can vote") is a media support project of the Dutch non-governmental organization (NGO) La Benevolencija, set up with a total of 18 different media houses in Burundi. The project is working to enhance the capacity of citizens to better understand the conditions in which they are being invited to fulfill their political rights. Goals include: assuring political space, avoiding political hostilities, and making elections understandable to citizens. The main focus will be on the "bystander in transition to becoming an average potential perpetrator". Challenging people who are in danger of joining a negative group and arming themselves will be done by asking them questions that seek to create small "critical moments", leading them into reflection before they engage in violent behavior. 18. The Team: Kenya - Midterm Evaluation Results This is a midterm evaluation by Search for Common Ground of a television and radio drama series, The Team, which was produced in response to the post-election violence in Kenya in December 2007. This episodic series asks a central question: Can Kenyans find a way to put the past behind them in order to have a better future? The discussion groups that follow mobile cinema screenings of the programmes are an integral part of the project. Since its inception, The Team project relies on mobile cinema screenings as a catalyst for discussions to inspire viewers from different tribes to take positive action among and between one another. The objectives of The Team project focus on effecting change among and between citizens, civil society organizations, and government agencies with regards to governance and the rule of law. Findings include, for example: "Most importantly, a change in attitude was acquired from the screening sessions; many reported being more open to and accepting of others, particularly from other tribes. The report offers an example of a criminal gang with members from different tribes in Kibera slum who turned on each other during the post-election violence. However, after watching The Team, they decided to transform their lives and are now working together and involved in a range of entrepreneurial activities." 19. Women's Use of the Sada in Afghanistan: Dissemination, Dialogue, and Transformation This report investigates Voice For Humanity (VFH)'s incorporation of gender issues into a civic education initiative which distributed 41,000 solar-powered digital audio players containing civic and voter education information in 21 Afghan provinces prior to the September 18 2005 parliamentary elections. These players, called Sada (or voice, in the Dari language), included 15 hours of dramas, songs, and other materials on peace, national unity, democracy, civic engagement in the election, women's rights, and other development and health issues. The evaluators stress the role that attention to gender concerns played in the development of this initiative. They claim that concerted efforts were made to ensure that women would personally receive the Sada device; the women's players were distributed through women's networks (e.g., women's shuras that were housed at provincial women's centers). Training sessions were held to ensure that women were able to operate the technology. Because focusing the project solely on women might have spurred male alienation and resistance to the messages, VFH provided the same audio content to both men and women. However, different coloured Sadas were created for men (silver) and women (pink) as a means of preventing men from taking women's Sadas. The authors of this report highlight the fact that the use of this medium was part of a purposeful strategy for reaching both men and women in Afghanistan's traditional and patriarchal culture. They explain that women in this country were excluded from public society during the Taliban regime, and continue to have less access than men to employment, health care, education, and information. Reportedly, Afghan women (especially those who are economically poor) may be illiterate, may shoulder heavy household burdens, may have restricted mobility, and may be forced into early marriages. Furthermore, many have been left out of information and awareness-raising efforts because men predominantly control access to media; scarce electrical power supplies further limit women's use of media. Begun in January 2010 by PCI-Media Impact and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), "My Island-My Community" is a 3-part communications initiative - regional radio soap opera, national radio magazine call-in shows, and national Community Action that launched across the region in September 2011. The goal is to build public awareness and encourage widespread behavior change with regard to small island community preparedness and adaptation to climate change. PCI-Media Impact explains that serial dramas allow the audience time to form bonds with characters, whose thinking and behavior regarding various issues positively and gradually evolve during the course of the storyline. The characters model behaviors that listeners then adopt. Entertainment-education programmes are meant to foster the forging of emotional ties to audience members that influence values and behaviors more forcefully than the purely cognitive information provided in documentaries. 21. Angel Water [Agua de Angel] The Honduran radio serial "Agua de Angel" ("Angel Water") is an entertainment-education serial drama with an environmental focus. The initiative was born out of PCI-Media Impact and Red de Desarrollo Sostenible (RDS) - Sustainable Development Network's desire to inform and engage local residents in the campaign to end destructive behaviors such as agricultural forest burning and dumping household waste into the local river. Every Friday night after the episode aired, a pair of volunteer hosts put the soap opera in context by interviewing local environmental experts, discussing the issues with listeners via phone calls and text messages, and interacting with the programme's mascots, who reportedly became local celebrities themselves. Designed to deepen the discussion about the educational themes woven into the serial drama, this radio magazine was called "Desde la Cuenca" ("From the River Basin)." The team also sponsored a variety of community events - from listener groups to street theatre - to promote the radio show and its messages. For example, the project team hosted a 2-day street fair that reportedly drew more than 10,000 people. It included a recycled-materials fashion show, traditional foods, and exaggerated characters that towered over guests on stilts. 22. Eveil (Wake-Up) Eveil ("Wake-up" or "Awake" in French) is a multi-phase behavior change communication project using television, radio, drama, and interpersonal communication in an effort to increase good governance practices in Guinea, with a focus on the areas of health, education, and natural resource management (NRM). It was designed and implemented by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs (CCP) for the 3-year Faisons Ensemble ("Working Together" in French) Democracy (FED) project, which was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Guinea. Launched in July 2008, Eveil is designed for adult Guinean citizens in urban and rural areas. Included are the following: audio and video "infomercials" on corruption in public services, education, forest exploitation, parents' involvement in parent-teacher associations, and farmers' involvement in farmers' unions; posters and cue cards on the roles and responsibilities of parent-teacher associations, health center management committees COGES), farmers' unions, and civil society in general (with information on how to start a civil society organization, or CSO); and a guide of the Awaken Guinean with general information on the roles and responsibilities of Guineans and the Guinean government, how to vote, labour law, etc.
The C-Picks e-magazine, supported by C-Change and implemented by The Communication Initiative, is an e-magazine that highlights social and behavior change communication (SBCC) case studies, reports, analyses, and resources in the health sector (HIV and AIDS, family planning and reproductive health, malaria, and maternal and antenatal health).
Select Opportunities 23. Using Technology to Promote Transparency Online Dialogue September 21-27 2011 Location: online Join New Tactics, the Technology for Transparency Team, and other practitioners for an online dialogue. There has been an expanding and increasingly global movement of technology and digital media projects aimed at promoting government transparency, accountability, and public participation in political processes. In Kenya, Mzalendo seeks to make information more accessible from the proceedings of the country’s parliament. In Jordan, Ishki aims to involve citizens in developing solutions to civic problems. In Chile, Vota Inteligente promotes government transparency by informing Chilean citizens about corruption and policy debates through the use of social media. The Technology for Transparency Network, a project of Rising Voices, is documenting these transparency projects to gain a better understanding of their current impact, obstacles, and future potential. This dialogue will explore ongoing and current questions around the use of technology for transparency: • How does the use of technology to promote transparency differ across regions, cultures, and types of governance? This online dialogue is an opportunity to share these case studies and tools with the New Tactics online community, learn from the experiences of practitioners implementing these projects, and discuss new ideas, challenges, risks and opportunities. Join with practitioners online on September 21 to share your stories, ideas, and resources. 24. Peace Media September 23, 2011. Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States Peace Media, a collaboration between the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and Georgetown University’s Conflict Resolution Program, provides a vast collection of media resources that promote peace. The goal is to share media that inspires and enables viewers to promote peace and mutual understanding across the globe and to raise awareness, inspire action, and better understand the drivers of current conflicts. In addition, organisers hope that increased dialogue on how to create and use multimedia will allow for a distillation of lessons learned and development of best practices so as to advance the professionalism of this new field. The materials in the database range from free online videos to feature-length radio programmes and documentary films about conflict zones. The database also includes a variety of other multimedia such as computer games, poster campaigns, songs, and theatre. The system allows users to search by media type, subject area, and country. The clearinghouse items are drawn from conflict-related media from around the world, and have been developed by personnel from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academia, and the private sector. Some were developed with a peacemaking goal in mind, while others are simply explorations of conflicts and related issues. They can be useful to those trying to understand or manage conflict. The clearinghouse includes a section for "teaching guides" that have been developed to show people how to use the films in a training context. 25. Radio for Peacebuilding, Africa (RFPA): Two Training Guides Target Audiences for Peacebuilding Radio: A Training Guide Strategic Communication for Peacebuilding - A Training Guide According to Radio for Peacebuilding, Africa (RFPA), radio has the ability to effect changes in knowledge, attitude, and behavior, particularly in conflict-ridden areas where people are often receptive to information presented in entertaining form. • Increase the knowledge and skills of radio broadcasters, particularly youth radio broadcasters, in covering issues with multiple perspectives; Recent training guides include “Strategic Communication for Peacebuilding - A Training Guide”, designed for trainers of media workers and government officials attempting to shift citizens' attitudes and behavior towards involvement in the governance process, and “Target Audiences for Peacebuilding Radio”, designed to encourage radio stations producing peacebuilding content to consider who the listeners are, what kind of programmes they enjoy, where they will be listening, and what time of day they are able to listen to the radio. The C-Capacity Online Resource Center continues to seek new knowledge and experiences in support of capacity strengthening for social and behavior change communication - your case studies, strategic thinking, support materials, and any other relevant documentation. Please contact cchangeorc@comminit.com Please visit the C-Capacity Online Resource Center for more resources on SBCC.
This publication is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the terms of Agreement No. GPO-A-00-07-00004-00. The contents are the responsibility of The Communication Initiative and the C-Change project, managed by AED, and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. | ||||||||||||
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