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Radio for Peacebuilding Africa
Countries
Angola, Burundi, Congo (DRC), Cote d'Ivoire / Ivory Coast, Guinea, Sierra Leone
Radio for Peacebuilding, Africa (RFPA) is a project of Search for Common Ground, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, that works to increase the knowledge and skills of radio broadcasters, and particularly youth radio broadcasters, to use radio as a tool for peace-building. Through training, radio programme production, and providing opportunities for information sharing, the project works towards building capacity around covering issues with multiple perspectives; encouraging key government officials to communicate effectively with their constituents; and improving the communication flow between policy makers, civil society members, and radio broadcasters. It has a focus on the strategic communication of major policy initiatives, particularly those linked to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Communication Strategies
In order to achieve its objectives, RFPA engages in the following activities:
- producing individual assessments of the current media environment in the core countries covered by this project: Angola, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Sierra Leone, and Guinea;
- creating a guidebook for radio broadcasters on the role of media in identifying development priorities and communicating policies to their audiences;
- developing a training module for radio broadcasters on the role of media in identifying development priorities and communicating policies to their audiences;
- organising media and policymakers forums to establish working relationships between the two groups and to invite non-governmental organisation (NGO) partners;
- developing communication strategies with policy makers centred on communication flows between governments, the media, and civil society;
- offering training sessions to radio station professionals;
- working with African radio professsionals to produce and broadcast radio programmes in French, English, Swahili, Hausa, and Portuguese reflecting the manual's themes and approach. These are made available on the website and on CD for broadcast;
- creating and nurturing a community of practice through their website, which is available in French, English, Swahili, Hausa, and Portuguese;
- organising a regional conference bringing together representatives from each of the six core countries to discuss challenges and approaches experienced during the project; and
- organising award competitions for the radio programmes that best reflect the guidebook and training module's themes and approach.
In order to support the community of practice, the Radio for Peacebuilding Africa website aims to be a key resource and an interactive platform for radio professionals, government representatives, and civil society members in Africa and elsewhere. It offers the following:
- guidebooks on radio for peacebuilding (talk shows, youth programmes, soap operas);
- exemplary radio programmes; to listen, click here (available to registered users only)
- a database to find other RFPA members in a particular country or region;
- a feedback form for questions about radio and peacebuilding;
- peacebuilding techniques that can be used to produce radio programmes;
- discussion forums about radio for peacebuilding;
- a library of relevant materials in different languages;
- links with relevant websites; and
- regular email information about pertinent events, trainings, conferences, jobs, and grants.
Key Points
According to Search for Common Ground, in Africa, radio is by far the most effective method of communication, and, therefore, of helping effect changes in knowledge, attitude, and behaviour.
Partners
RFPA is a project of Search for Common Ground (SFCG), entirely funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. It was previously supported by the Department for International Development (DFID).
Source
Emails from Yannick De Mol and Catherine Joppart to The Communication Initiative on December 10 2004 and May 22 2009, respectively; and the Radio for Peacebuilding Africa website on March 25 2009.
Placed on the Communication Initiative site January 11 2005
Last Updated May 22 2009
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