This issue of The Drum Beat features 6 current issue-specific polls related to The CI's themed websites: Early Child Development, Democracy and Governance, HIV/AIDS, Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D), Polio, Natural Resource Management (NRM), and Avian Influenza.

In order to VOTE on any of these Polls, please visit the URLs listed below, where you will find the site-appropriate poll located on the top right side-bar under the heading "Poll". Voting is available to all users.

You may also COMMENT on each Poll. In order to do so, you must be logged in, using your CI username and password. If you do not yet have a CI username and password, please REGISTER with The CI: click here. Once you have a CI username and password, you may log in to use the comment feature and other additional features of the website.

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1. EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT POLL
Click here and see "Poll" heading on the top right side.

How can the voices, ideas, and perspectives of young children best be communicated?

• Through their own age-appropriate means - e.g., art, music, children interviewing children, etc.
• Through their parents.
• Through their grandparents.
• Through their teachers.
• Through community workers working with them.
• Other.

VOTE - top right side.

We welcome your comments in addition to your vote. Reminder: To comment on this poll, you must be logged in with a CI username and password. If you do not yet have a CI username and password, please register: click here.

2. DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE POLL
Click here and see "Poll" heading on the top right side.

Which of the following contributions on the part of media is the most supportive of substantive democratic governance processes?

• Watchdog on government actions.
• Supplier of public information.
• Forum for public debate.
• Provider of political analysis.
• Protector of citizens' rights.
• Interface between people and politicians.
• Mobiliser of political involvement.
• Alternative forum to formal processes.
• There is no definitive contribution from media.
• Other.

VOTE - top right side.

A selection of comments received thus far:

"Is the media really only a watchdog - on government? So far, that's the majority opinion on this poll. But political parties are funded, often secretly, by the private sector. It would make sense to expand the role of the media to include all sectors, not just government, if a watchdog role is emphasised."

"totally independent judgements are imperative."

View comments: click here.

[REMINDER: To submit your comments, you must be logged in with a CI username and password. If you do not yet have a CI username and password, please register: click here.]

3. HIV/AIDS POLL
Click here and see "Poll" heading on the top right side.

Over the past 10 yrs approx. 20 billion dollars of international community money has been spent on HIV/AIDS - e.g., approx. US$2 billion by The World Bank alone. What performance grade would you give for the effectiveness of the investment decisions?

• An "A" - excellent investment performance.
• A "B" - very good, but some issues.
• A "C" - OK, but could have done much better.
• A "D" - very poor, with some exceptions.
• An "F" - failed completely.

VOTE - top right side.

A selection of comments received thus far:

"I scored it a 'B' because I think good steps have been taken to bring the pandemic under control, though a lot more still remains to be done. For example - educating the society on the dangers of risky sexual behaviour is necessary and these efforts should be stepped up. I also believe harmful cultural practices such as female circumcision should be abolished while male circumcision should be done in a sanitary, safe and hygienic manner, with one knife per individual. More funds/support should be given to home-based care programs since these work to improve the quality of life of PLWHA."

"There is still a lack of coordination and duplication of the efforts[;] also, giving money without capacity building makes the activities planned and undertaken longer and even sometimes not as efficient as anticipated, [f]or example, training of HIV/AIDS specialists in ARV treatment."

"[W]e are addressing the actual roots of the problem, i.e., unacceptable or risky life style, e.g., promiscuity and high stresses leading to drug taking, etc."

"The creation of an "HIV/AIDS" industry with its own UN agency was, in retrospect, a big mistake. The monies used to create UNAIDS should have been invested in re-vamping WHO and ensuring that HIV infection found its place in that agency's priorities."

"I gave a 'C' grade: I would question where the majority of that money has gone. For example, was it wasted on expensive subsidies to large drug companies, or did it go to improving the lives of people most at risk: those living in impoverished conditions with the illness. I think improving the nutrition and overall living conditions of the sick helps them and their surviving family members more than providing expensive experimental drugs to them, [e]specially since the drugs are not effective unless the victim is eating well."

View comments: click here.

[REMINDER: To submit your comments, you must be logged in with a CI username and password. If you do not yet have a CI username and password, please register: click here.]

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AIDS 2008

Going to the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City in August (click here for information about this conference)? Interested in connecting with other Media and Communication folks who will also be attending? Please email Warren at wfeek@comminit.com

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4. POLIO POLL
Click here and see "Poll" heading on the top right side.

What are the chances of India interrupting polio transmission in 2008?

• High.
• Moderate.
• Low.
• Zero.

VOTE - top right side.

A selection of comments received thus far:

"India's medical system is exceptional, but international policy methods should be reinforced to ensure that practical applications can apply. [I]t's too important for the children."

"P1 is a possibility with numbers relatively low and moving in the right direction so far. P3 is completely out of the question for this year, though some feel 2009 is a possibility."

View comments: click here.

[REMINDER: To submit your comments, you must be logged in with a CI username and password. If you do not yet have a CI username and password, please register: click here.]

5. ICT FOR DEVELOPMENT (ICT4D) POLL
Click here and see "Poll" heading on the top right side.

Local knowledge is threatened by Western-dominated digital technologies that operate blind to national boundaries and local contexts.

• Agree.
• Disagree.
• Not sure.

VOTE - top right side.

A selection of comments received thus far:

"Ingenuity is not limited to westerners and the capacity to adapt digital technologies to local purposes should not be understated in this discussion."

"Many times in developing countries, the technologies are being instituted ahead of the needs of the intended users; needs have been identified."

"[A]n example is in the health sector. Western contents are always evidence-based, clinical, and empirically tested. Local contents are more cultural- and tacit-knowledge-based."

View comments: click here.

[REMINDER: To submit your comments, you must be logged in with a CI username and password. If you do not yet have a CI username and password, please register: click here.]

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Please send us project, evaluation, strategic thinking, funding opportunity, and materials/resource information on communication for development at any time. Send to Deborah Heimann at dheimann@comminit.com

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In order to VOTE on any of these Polls, please visit the URLs listed below and see the“Poll” heading on the Top Right Side-bar. Voting is available to all users.

You may also COMMENT on each Poll. In order to do so, you must be logged in, using your CI username and password. If you do not yet have a CI username and password, please REGISTER with The CI: click here.

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6. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (NRM) POLL
Click here and see "Poll" heading on the top right side.

Which natural energy source should receive the largest international development investment?

• Solar.
• Water.
• Wind.
• Wind-up spring mechanisms.
• Rechargeable batteries.
• Other.

VOTE - top right side.

A selection of comments received thus far:

"Water is the source of life. If people do not realize its significance for life on this planet, if they continue to waste it, then there will be trouble. Protection of the environment, the ozone layer, global warming... have an impact on the presence of water. More needs to be done around these issues."

View comments: click here.

[REMINDER: To submit your comments, you must be logged in with a CI username and password. If you do not yet have a CI username and password, please register: click here.]

7. AVIAN INFLUENZA POLL
Click here and see "Poll" heading on the top right side.

Avian Influenza as a disease and development issue is affected by and affects a variety of development sectors. If you had to choose one, which is the best way to address the prevention of human pandemic?

• Through health practitioners and local health departments.
• Through regional and international health development organisations.
• Through local natural resource management (NRM) and agricultural development organisations and initiatives.
• Through regional and international NRM and agricultural development organisations.

VOTE - top right side.

A selection of comments received thus far:

"[I]nternational and national health resources, e.g. WHO, are always given priority to act in many ways."

"First of all, it is not [a] clear poll question, [a]s it starts with the Avian influenza and [the] question is about pandemic influenza. They are two different topics. However, if talk[ing] about pandemics, then I would chose answer 2 as I did."

View comments: click here.

[REMINDER: To submit your comments, you must be logged in with a CI username and password. If you do not yet have a CI username and password, please register: click here.]

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