This issue of The Soul Beat highlights development communication experiences, strategic thinking documents, materials, events and awards from Africa. With it, we send you every wish for peace and joy during the December holidays. We look forward to working with you in 2007 to create a stronger network for information, communication and development in Africa.
Our offices close from December 20 2006 to January 3 2007. The next edition of The Soul Beat will be published on January 24 2007.
Best wishes,
Anja Venth
Editor, The Soul Beat
EXPERIENCES
1. Hannu Daya Radio Programme - Nigeria
Hannu Daya (a Hausa proverb meaning "One Hand Cannot Mount a Thatched Roof"), a Department for International Development (DFID)-supported project, is a radio programme that aims to address the weaknesses in broadcast journalism and the broader governance culture in Nigeria's Jigawa State. The programme aims to promote better communication between people and government through the radio programmes that act as a forum for the exchange of ideas, opinions and information about government and representation at local and state levels.
Contact enquiry@dfid.gov.uk OR pressoffice@dfid.gov.uk OR nigeria-enquiries@dfid.gov.uk
2. Football & AIDS - Zambia
Through an initiative of the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) and the Zambia Family Planning Services Project (ZFPSP), a drama was produced and performed at intermission during football league matches in Zambia. It sought to educate and sensitise the crowd to the dangers of HIV/AIDS and to promote effective responses to the disease. The groups being addressed were boys and men, who make decisions in most homes.
Contact faz@zamnet.zm OR Edita Nsubuga ensubuga@unicef.org OR Eugenia Temba etemba@unicef.org
3. African Decade for Disabled Persons (ADDP) - African
In every African country, disabled people are among the economically poorest of the poor, routinely denied education and training. Responding to this situation, the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 1999-2009, has been declared by the African Union. The main goals of the Decade are to raise awareness about disability issues in the region and to identify solutions tailored to the African experience that will enhance full participation, equality and empowerment of Africans with disability. Building effective partnerships among Decade stakeholders is one of the main methods being used as well as capacity-building of disability organisations and allies in the region; and raising awareness through public education events.
Contact Shuaib Chalklen shuaib@africandecade.co.za OR Thomas Ong'olo ongolo@africandecade.co.za OR Mohammed Fall mohamad@africandecade.co.za OR Lina Lindblom lina@africandecade.co.za
4. Nata Village Blog - Botswanan
Nata Village Blog is a web and video blog that focuses on the battle to control HIV/AIDS in the village of Nata in Botswana. While the organisers hope to use the website as a fund raising tool, they also aim to give its visitors a chance to meet the people of Nata, learn their stories and get an intimate look at how they live. The website documents the spread and impact of HIV/AIDS in the village and shares the stories of People Living with AIDS.
STRATEGIC THINKING
5. Living on the Outside: Key Findings and Recommendations on the Nature and Impact of HIV/AIDS-related Stigma
This joint publication of Health & Development Networks (HDN) and the AIDS-Care-Watch Campaign emerges from the contributions of over 2000 people to the Stigma-AIDS eForum, which was first established in 2001 as part of a larger project on stigma and HIV/AIDS. This document stresses that people living with HIV/AIDS, policy-makers, religious leaders, media representatives, employers, and many others must join together in an "endeavour to shape prevalent discourses in order to inform a populace of non-stigmatising approaches to HIV, and the necessity of social responsibility."
6. Flattening the World: The Prospects for Fibre Optic Technology in Africa
This paper aims to define fibre optic technology, how fibre optic networks function, and explains how different this technology is from other communication infrastructures. The article further outlines the prospects for fibre optic technology in Africa and looks at some fibre optic networks in Africa and how fibre optics applications are being used to enhance technological and economic development.
7. Born to High Risk: Violence Against Girls in Africa
Girls throughout Africa experience physical, psychological and sexual violence in many forms and in various settings: in conflict and crisis situations; where they work or are trafficked to work; and even in the very places they should feel safest - at school, and in their homes and communities. This paper aims to provide foundations for future action by exploring the concept of violence and identifying what makes African girls especially vulnerable to various forms of violence. It offers recommendations for a way forward such as the proposal that girls should be legally protected from violence and that governments should draw up national policies to protect girls and give them free and fair access to legal redress.
EVALUATIONS
8. Radio for Peacebuilding Africa Project Evaluation
The goals of the Radio for Peacebuilding, Africa project are to develop, spread and encourage the use of radio broadcasting techniques and content that have a constructive impact on the conflicts that exist in African societies. This end-term evaluation aims to assess whether the project outcomes have been successful in contributing to the goals and purpose of the project. According to the evaluation, findings show that in spite of the changes being experienced in the African media landscape, the most powerful media - the radio sector - often still lacks the capacity to fulfil its potential role, and particularly so in peacebuilding. The vast majority of broadcasters interviewed and surveyed made a compelling case for the ongoing need to support radio stations to contribute to peace building efforts in their communities.
9. Evaluation of WHO's Contribution to "3 by 5": Main Report
Based on an independent evaluation conducted by 6 international consultants between August 2005 and January 2006, this report provides an appraisal of the World Health Organization (WHO)'s role in advocating and supporting the "3 by 5" target - with a focus on the extent to which WHO mobilised, sustained and contributed to this major global partnership by improving harmonisation between United Nations agencies and working with other stakeholders. Findings showed that Many of the worst-affected African countries are still far from containing their growing AIDS crisis and the absolute number of people who need treatment and do not have access to this is still growing....Even though WHO significantly increased its investments in Africa through "3 by 5", the Organization has not yet strengthened its focus and capacity adequately to provide the level of support necessary to meet the scale of these challenges in Africa."
MATERIALS
10. Re-Visioning Television: Policy, Strategy and Models for the Sustainable Development of Community Television in South Africa
This book traces the two-decade campaign for local-level television in South Africa. It highlights the development of policy, reviews existing international models and spells out the technical, financial and managerial challenges that face this sector. The book is aimed at policy-makers, community television station managers and staff, development analysts and funders, media academics and students, press officers, organisations wishing to access local TV together with anyone interested in community media in the developing world.
11. Gem Slaves: Tanzanite's Child Labour
This documentary, produced by IRIN Films, tells the story of child miners in northern Tanzania who work underground under life-threatening conditions to mine for a rare gem called tanzanite. The film was produced as an advocacy tool to increase awareness and understanding of this humanitarian crises and aims to assist fellow humanitarian actors in their advocacy efforts.
12. The Journey - Comic book
The International Organization for Migration (IOM)'s Partnership on HIV/AIDS and Mobile Populations in Southern Africa (PHAMSA) programme, in partnership with the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Comic Works, has developed this series of short comic stories which look at migrant workers in South Africa and the host communities with whom they interact. The comic stories feature Mozambican migrant workers in the mining, commercial farming and informal trading sectors. The stories aim to break stereotypes and increase the reader's understanding of migration dynamics in this region, ultimately reducing xenophobia and discriminatory practices and dispelling myths that migrants bring in communicable diseases.
13. Introduction To Conflict Management
African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) has for over ten years been active throughout the African continent building capacity in government, business and civil society to transform destructive conflicts and build security. This ACCORD training manual on Conflict Management gives insight into understanding conflict, how to respond to conflict and offers skills and techniques for dealing with conflict.
EVENTS
14. World Social Forum (Jan 20 2007) Nairobi, Kenya
The 7th edition of the World Social Forum under the theme Peoples Struggles, Peoples Alternatives aims to bring together activists, social movements, networks, coalitions and other progressive forces from Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean, North America, Europe and all corners of Africa. This five day forum of cultural resistance and celebration will involve panel discussions, workshops, symposia, processions and film nights.
15. eLearning Africa 2007 - Building Infrastructures and Capacities to Reach out to the Whole of Africa (May 28-30 2007) Nairobi, Kenya
The second International Conference on ICT for Development, Education and Training, is entitled "Building Infrastructures and Capacities to Reach out to the Whole of Africa". The conference aims to reflect on the efforts of African countries in setting up their national and regional information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructures to create access to education, training and services for all. It will also look at how Africa is providing the capacities for all stakeholders to efficiently exploit the huge potentials advanced telecommunications technologies offer for the benefit of Africa.
16. The 5th African Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect (Mar 27-29 2007) Kampala, Uganda
The African Network for Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) Uganda Chapter in conjunction with ANPPCAN Head Office and the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) is organising the 5th African Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect. The theme for this conference is "HIV/AIDS and children: The challenges of care for and protection of children in Africa". The conference aims to bring together practitioners, researchers and children who will explore strategies for developing and scaling up effective and sustainable responses towards the protection of children living with and those affected by HIV/AIDS.
AWARDS AND FUNDING RESOURCES
17. MacArthur Foundation's Grants for Human Rights and International Justice
Deadline: Rolling deadline
This MacArthur Foundation grant aims to expand and strengthen the network of human rights organisations in Nigeria that provides the basic infrastructure for a national human rights culture based on the rule of law. The grants support leading human rights organisations, both nationally and in selected states. Special attention is given to the issue of police reform, including mechanisms for improving accountability and addressing police abuse of human rights, and efforts to strengthen Nigeria's legal architecture through reform of national laws and domestication of international treaties.
18. Eastern African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI) Internship Programme for Young Women 2007
Deadline: January 31 2007
EASSI is looking for four young women aged 20-30 years from Burundi, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda to join the 2007 Internship Programme which takes place every year from April to December. This programme provides opportunities for learning, interacting and travelling and aims to develop and enhance young womens skills in leadership, lobbying and advocacy, programme management, report writing and analysis, research and documentation, information management, developing resourceful data bases, website maintenance and resource centre management.
19. BBC Africa Radio Awards
Deadline: December 31 2006
The BBC Africa Radio Awards, supported by the British Council, are looking for radio output that is exciting, innovative and highlights the work that stations and individual broadcasters have done to earn their audiences' respect. These awards are meant to give African broadcasters the opportunity to show the rest of the continent what they have been able to achieve and to celebrate their excellence.
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The Soul 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.
Please send material for The Soul Beat to the Editor - Anja Venth aventh@comminit.com
