This issue includes:

• Selected summaries from our STRATEGIC THINKING section.
• Vote in a POLL on challenges facing marginalised girls.
• Sample programming EXPERIENCES from around the world.
• SPEAK OUT: Does democracy need newspapers? 
• Highlights from our EVALUATIONS section. 
• An UPDATE from C-Change.

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This issue of The Drum Beat features a small selection of resources available on The Communication Initiative website within 3 of our knowledge sections - Strategic Thinking, Experiences, and Evaluations - which illustrate how communication and media are contributing to positive development action around the world.

Please send additional project, evaluation, strategic thinking, and materials information on communication for development at any time. Contact Deborah Heimann at dheimann@comminit.com

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STRATEGIC THINKING

1. Lessons Learned from SIAs: Magnification of the Opportunities and Risks to Routine Immunization Programmes

by Rebecca Martin

This February 2009 presentation shares lessons learned from measles and rubella supplemental immunisation activities (SIAs) in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region in 2008. The author demonstrates that opportunities and risks to routine immunisation programmes are magnified during SIAs. To illustrate, she examines the strategies developed in the aftermath of some negative publicity that threatened to sideline the SIAs that were planned in both Ukraine and the Republic of Georgia. The thrust of her presentation is that monitoring safety during SIAs is crucial due to factors such as increased potential for programme errors and perception of increased rate of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI). Lessons learned: political commitment and trust are key; conduct a situational analysis; AEFI surveillance must be operational and risk management strategy developed prior to SIA or introduction of new vaccine; develop a preventive communication plan; educate and work with the media; and document and share experiences among countries and regions.

2. Cómo Será, Pues: The NGO Contribution to Neonatal Health in Bolivia

by Daniel Perlman, Bertha Pooley, and Alejandra Villafuerte

April 2006 field story examines the development and implementation of low-cost, community-based mobilisation and surveillance strategies to improve newborn care in Bolivia (2003-2005). Carried out within the framework of the Saving Newborn Lives (SNL) initiative, these strategies were motivated by the understanding that, by treating patients with respect, communicating with them in their own language, and informing them clearly about their illness and treatment, health providers can facilitate dialogue toward better care and reduced neonatal mortality. The strategies were found to be exceptionally effective. For instance, in the areas served by SNL Bolivia and its partners, the number of mothers whose birth was attended by a trained provider increased 34% over the 2-year period of the project. The number of mothers who breastfed their infant within one hour of birth increased by 23%. The number of mothers whose infants received newborn care within one week after delivery increased by 30%. Nearly 70% more mothers now know at least two newborn danger signs.

3. Beyond the Last Computer

by Philip Emeagwali

This futuristic perspective on the meaning and impact of the internet was inspired by the experiences of the author - a former child soldier who became a celebrated mathematical physicist - in creating a supercomputer. In this June 2008 paper, excerpted from a lecture given at the same time, Dr. Emeagwali discusses the thinking that informed his solution to this "grand challenge", which involved merging the laws of physics, logic, and numbers in 16-dimensional mathematical space. With knowledge and new techniques, he claims, humankind can achieve emancipation. The key is that "crossing the frontiers of knowledge to conquer tomorrow's grand challenges will demand revolutionary" thinking. Dr. Emeagwali presents his vision of the future, which is based on the observation that "the supercomputer is more about communication than computation. The supercomputer and the Internet link computation and communication into a congruent whole - two complementary sides of a coin..."

4. Pakistani and Indian Cricketers Immunise Children Against Polio

by Anupam Srivastava

This article describes the "Bowl Out Polio" campaign, which was launched in India to support the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI). In an effort to boost participation in the November 2007 immunisation rounds, top cricket players from India and Pakistan made appearances at vaccination booths and administered oral polio drops (OPV) to children. As part of the ongoing crusade, they are speaking publicly about the importance of polio vaccination, making television announcements during cricket matches, immunising children, and participating in field and other immunisation activities. According to this article, the cricketers have been enthusiastic about joining the campaign and contributing to protecting children's health in India.

5. Employment of Live Mass Information/Entertainment in Terms of Broad Principles of Entertainment Education

by Alan Finlay

Implemented by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and Culture Life Skills Division, the JAE (Just About Education) HIV/AIDS Information Tour centred around the participation of "Jae", a pop star who spreads the HIV/AIDS message and promotes positive lifestyles at schools in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban. Actors and popular radio disc jockeys also educated learners about AIDS and communicate through song, dance, narration and drama. The subject of this report, published in January 2004, is one particular stop on the tour: the performance at KwaSanti Secondary School (Marianhill). The researchers found that "The once-off JAE performance was not sufficient to create an attitude and behaviour change. Behaviour change is known to occur over long periods of time and thus an ongoing, long-term campaign needed to be undertaken."

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Take part in our Early Child Development POLL!

What is the most persistent problem facing marginalised female children?

Problem:

•  Lack of access to education. 
•  Lack of inheritance and ownership rights.
•  Societal acceptance of sexual teasing and harassment.
•  Forced customs related to sexuality: e.g., FGM, arranged marriage, involuntary prostitution.

 VOTE AND COMMENT click here.

Current Results (as of May 22 2009):

• Lack of access to education: 65%
• Forced customs related to sexuality: 23%
• Societal acceptance of sexual teasing and harassment: 9%
• Lack of inheritance and ownership rights: 3%

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EXPERIENCES

6. New Tactics in Human Rights - Global

Led by a diverse group of international organisations and practitioners, this initiative aims to promote tactical innovation and strategic thinking within the global human rights community. New Tactics has developed online tools and has sparked networks that meet virtually and in person to share creative ideas and foster tactical innovation. For example, "Tools for Action" includes the New Tactics Workbook, a searchable tactical database, tactical notebooks written by people actively engaged with human rights issues, and an online discussion forum. "Training in Practice" brings small groups of people together to cross-train each other in the use and implementation of successful tactics, with the idea that workshop participants will form the basis for an ever-widening community of tactically trained human rights practitioners. "Tactical Mapping" is a strategic planning tool that helps identify potential points of intervention in countries and regions with human rights issues.

Contact: newtactics@cvt.org

7. think: Sexual Health Campaign - United States

Launched in 1997 by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and MTV, think: Sexual Health is a public education campaign designed to inform young people in the United States about HIV/AIDS and related issues. The initiative includes public service advertisements (PSAs), long-form documentary and entertainment programming, news segments, and free resources, including an informational guide, an interactive website, "vlogging" contests, and a telephone hotline. With the credo "Reflect. Decide. Do.", the campaign uses a variety of appeals and communication styles - from upbeat and life-affirming to more edgy and hard-hitting - in an effort to raise awareness about the risk of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and to reduce their spread by encouraging more informed decision making, communication, protection, and testing among sexually active youth.

Contact: think@mtv.com OR Sarah Williams Kingsley sarahw@kff.org, KaiserFamilyFoundation@cme.kff.org

8. The Amana Media Initiative - South Asia, South East and East Asia

This network of journalists, community leaders, academics, non-governmental organisation (NGO) representatives, and other professionals from across Asia aims to encourage contemporary debate between Muslims and other faith and secular communities about the role of Islam within today's social and political realities. Amana also aims to contribute to a greater understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims by providing a forum for progressive Muslim voices and coverage of peaceful initiatives, and general human rights issues. Amana engages in a number of activities, such as producing media, organising forums for discussion, encouraging research, and training Muslim and non-Muslim journalists. For example, the Amana Media Skills Training Program (AMSP) explores investigative journalism, and the necessary reporting, editing, and information technology skills. Seminars link aspiring journalists with accredited, experienced journalists from a variety of faiths and fields.

Contact: amana@arf-asia.org

9. Youth Education for Life Skills (YES) - Liberia

In a consortium with World Vision and Action Aid, and with support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID)'s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), Search for Common Ground (SFCG) implemented the YES programme in April 2005 for the purpose of increasing war-affected young people's self-esteem and confidence, community participation, peace building capacities, and life problem-solving skills necessary to cope in post-conflict Liberia. The project works to provide Liberia's youth (18-35 years) with the capability to express their opinions, fears, questions, and concerns through drama and focus groups. (Since the programme began, SFCG has trained 48 community drama groups). These groups then reach out to communities and feed into a media outreach component that features jingles, spot messages, radio programmes, and soap operas dealing with issues relevant to youth. The project hopes to help educate the larger Liberian population about youth-related issues, to help remove social stigma related to youth combatants, and to increase accountability for social reconciliation.

Contact: Oscar Bloh obloh@sfcg.org

10. Point-of-Use Water Disinfection and Zinc Treatment (POUZN) Project - Angola, Benin, Congo (DRC), Haiti, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Nepal, Rwanda

This 5-year-long diarrhoea prevention and treatment project draws centrally upon social marketing and behaviour change communication implemented through mass media and interpersonal communication in an effort to encourage healthy behaviours - point of use (POU) water disinfection and zinc treatment. Amongst the communication tools developed by each of the country programmes to increase knowledge of the correct treatment of diarrhoea and to create demand for all of the products are the following: television and radio commercials, mobile video shows, song contests, community theatre performances, and point of sales materials. Improved health practices are also promoted through home visits and edutainment sessions. Programme communications underscore the importance of hand washing, continued feeding practices, and other elements of proper diarrhoea management and hygiene practices. The aim is to significantly increase the use of POU water treatment and zinc while creating vibrant commercial markets that will allow for programme sustainability.

Contact: Ms. Susan Mitchell susan_mitchell@abtassoc.com

11. Human Trafficking Awareness Radio PSAs - Mozambique, South Africa

In October 2005, as part of its the Southern African Counter-Trafficking Assistance Programme (SACTAP), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) created 5 sets of human trafficking awareness radio PSAs in an effort to encourage Mozambicans considering travel for work purposes to exercise caution and get the facts before leaving. Launched in preparation for that year's South African "16 Days of Activism on Violence Against Women and Children" campaign (Nov 25 - Dec 10, annually), the goal was to draw attention to the campaign, as well as to build awareness about - and to prevent the practice of - human trafficking, especially of women and children.

Contact: Nely Chimedza nchimedza@iom.int OR Wambui Gititu WGITITU@iom.int

12. Through the Wild Web Woods - Europe

Created by the Council of Europe (CoE), this online game is designed to help children in Europe learn the rules of internet safety in a fun format. Through the Wild Web Woods was developed in the spirit of the Council's "Building a Europe for and with children" programme, which was set up to promote children's rights and protect children from all forms of violence - including the "grooming" of children by abusers - through the internet. Currently available in 20 languages, the game uses familiar fairy tales to guide players through a maze of potential dangers to an "E-city". Along the way, players are introduced to basic internet safety rules, as well as notions of human rights and respect for others. Organisers plan to develop the game further to incorporate issues such as children's rights, democracy, and justice.

Contact: Cathie Burton cathie.burton@coe.int

13. Learn Without Fear - Global

Implemented by Plan International, Learn Without Fear is a campaign to end violence against children in schools, with a particular focus on sexual violence, bullying, and corporal punishment. Each Plan office is adapting the campaign in order to tackle the aspects of school violence that are of greatest importance to children in that particular country. However, they all share a commitment to Plan's child-centred community development model, a rights-based approach in which children, families, and communities are given the guidance and opportunity to work with others as active and leading participants in their own development. For example, Plan is working with teachers, parents, and children to raise awareness of and build capacity to tackle the effects of violence and promote positive alternatives to violent discipline methods. Plan has created, and will work with entire school communities to formalise, a "Happy Schools" code.

Contact: campaigns@plan-international.org

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Please VOTE in our Democracy and Governance POLL:

How central to democracy are newspapers - some of which are being lost to budget cuts and other changes - as opposed to blogs, YouTube, emails, text messaging, twittering, and the like?

•  Pivotal - informed public debate is impossible without this kind of quality platform and trained journalistic practice.
•  Of some importance - we need both traditional newspapers and new media voices/venues to sustain conversations conducive to transparency.
•  Unimportant - the internet and other technologies have enabled participation on the part of both citizens and journalists by trade, making open journalistic debate both possible and popular. This is the essence of democracy.

VOTE and COMMENT click here.

Current Results (as of May 22 2009):

• Pivotal: 42%
• Of some importance: 42%
• Unimportant: 15%

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EVALUATIONS

14. Enhancing China's Capacity in Emergency Risk Communication and Use

These evaluation data, published in January 2007, were gleaned from a research-centred emergency risk communication (ERC) initiative in China, which was led by the United-States-(US)-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC worked with government agencies and national experts using person-to-person contact and information and communication technologies (ICTs) to develop a plan for training the public health workforce to effectively share information in the event of crises like HIV/AIDS, avian influenza, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). As part of one test, 613 questionnaires were collected and analysed to evaluate satellite-based, as opposed to internet and traditional, training. The majority of those surveyed reported liking distance-based information delivery as much as, or more so than, traditional training models. Focus discussion groups comprised of the Chinese public found that all groups preferred the messages that were written following the risk communication training, as well as those that included more risk communication principles.

15. Communicating the Need for Youth Friendly Services: The National Youth Service

by Amory Hamilton-Henry

This paper from 2005 evaluates a programme designed to address the problem of youth unemployment in Jamaica, exploring the extent to which Jamaica's National Youth Service (NYS) incorporated "youth-friendly" standards into its Corps Programme. According to the author, the effectiveness of such programmes is premised on the extent to which they: successfully engage and empower youth by fulfilling their right to participate meaningfully in decision-making that affects their well-being, make youth aware of these services, and ensure that services do make them feel chastised or embarrassed. The evaluation found various youth-friendly elements in the NYS process, such as by establishing offices in all 14 parishes in areas accessible to young people at convenient hours. Another finding indicated that while staff had been trained and were aware of their roles, only 45% of the staff agreed that the participants should be involved in decision-making about the programme. This point of view was reflected in the actual level of involvement of participants in programming decisions.

16. Evaluation of the World Health Organization's Family Planning Decision-making Tool: Improving Health Communication in Nicaragua

by Young Mi Kim, Claudia Davila, Carolina Tellez, and Adrienne Kols

This May 2007 evaluation report examines a strategy for family planning (FP) counseling: the use of a decision-making tool (DMT) in the form of a flipchart designed to foster patient-physician communication. This study investigates the DMT's impact on health communication in Nicaragua. As part of the research 59 service providers were videotaped with 426 FP clients 3 months before and 4 months after attending a training workshop on the DMT. Researchers found that, after the intervention, "providers increased their efforts to identify and respond to client needs, involve clients in the decision-making process, and screen for and educate new clients about the chosen method. While the DMT had a smaller impact on clients than providers, in general clients did become more forthcoming about their situation and their wishes..."

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An Update on USAID's C-Change Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Activities

Aiming to change beliefs and behaviours primarily among young men and women in Albania, C-Change/Albania launched a mass media campaign to promote the safety and reliability of modern contraceptive methods in April 2009. Messages were designed for TV, radio, print, and outdoor displays. The campaign is tapping into social networking sites to engage individuals on issues related to family planning and reproductive health. The campaign's Facebook page - links to the mass media materials and features a space to ask questions of one of the programme's OB/GYNs. The project is also reaching out to pharmacists and university students and is working to engage journalists.

C-Change is working in Ethiopia with the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) to increase community knowledge about timely seeking of medical treatment for malaria, in particular by pregnant women and children under 5. The project is also promoting the correct use of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) and community support for indoor residual spraying.

In Namibia in southern Africa, C-Change has developed and tested and is applying a "Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) Quality Assessment Tool"  - in a participatory process with civil society and private sector PEPFAR partners that implement HIV prevention programmes.

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The Editor of The Drum Beat is Kier Olsen DeVries.

Please send material for The Drum Beat to The CI's Editorial Director - Deborah Heimann dheimann@comminit.com

The Drum Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.

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