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Warren Feek's blog

Your Media Development Initiatives

To: Media Development network within The Drum Beat network

http://comminit.com/media-development/

Many best wishes - just a quick note to ask you to please share with us your media development initiatives. We are preparing a number of issues of The Drum Beat(49,000 subscribers) at present and would welcome sharing your experience and knowledge - programmes, strategic thinking pieces, research and evaluation, trends, training, etc.

In addition to the e-magasines they will also be featured of course in the very well used Media Development Network space at http://comminit.com/media-development/

To contribute either open the Read More Link below and enter a comment below this post and/or email me at wfeek@comminit.com Just send along documents, web links, papers etc. We will summarise and get back to you with an accuracy check before publishing.

Many thanks - really appreciated - good luck and much strength for your important work.

Warren

Girls and Equity - Strategic Communication Insights from Haiti experience

To: Children, Equity Network in The Drum Beat network

From: Warren Feek

Re: Children and Equity focused action

Hi - I was reflecting on the "Children and Equity" theme as I reviewed this report:

"Nobody Remembers Us": Failure to Protect Women's and Girls' Right to Health and Security in Post-Earthquake Haiti" http://comminit.com/global/content/nobody-remembers-us-failure-protect-womens-and-girls-right-health-and-security-post-eart

Often the most extreme situations provide the sharpest insights.

Extracts

"The report finds, 18 months after the earthquake, the voices of women affected by the earthquake have been excluded from the reconstruction process - even though women are integral to the country's economy."

"For the women and girls interviewed by Human Rights Watch in the camps, their enjoyment human rights, such as the rights to life and health, remains poor (not withstanding benefits accruing from the presence of free care and experts on the ground), and most of them lack basic information that would allow them to access available services."

The question for us from this experience is: "What lessons can learned from this experience for effective ways to address equity issues related to girls?"

Please do open the link at http://comminit.com/global/content/nobody-remembers-us-failure-protect-womens-and-girls-right-health-and-security-post-eart scroll down and enter your perspective and analysis on his vital issue.

Thanks - Warren

Media and Citizen Engagement?

To: The Drum Beat's Media Development Network From: Warren

Hi - thanks for being part of this network.Hope that your work is going well.

These three knowledge summaries recently submitted by the network drew my attention relate to media and citizen engagement.

Blurring the Boundaries: Citizen Action Across States and Societies http://comminit.com/media-development/content/blurring-boundaries-citizen-action-across-states-and-societies

Media, Information Systems and Communities: Lessons from Haiti http://comminit.com/media-development/content/media-information-systems-and-communities-lessons-haiti

Better Connected: Empowering People through Communications Technology http://comminit.com/media-development/node/324745

I am really interested in your views and ideas. From these 3 summaries and your own experience what strategic lessons do you draw?

Simply reply by email to share your thoughts.

Thanks - Warren

Warren Feek Executive Director The Communication Initiative

Welcome to the 5th EE Conference Online Social Network

Hi and best wishes. We have been asked by the organisers of the 5th Entertainment-Education Conference in New Delhi, for which you have registered, to set up a social networking platform for this conference.

You will have received a registration note with some instructions about access.

The organisers will engage with you soon on substantive themes related to the Conference. But can we ask for now related to this network that you please:

a. LOG IN in to http://networks.comminit.com/ee5delhi/dashboard OR Read More link below
b. Your USER NAME what follows "Greetings" above
c. Use the REQUEST NEW PASSWORD process (all you need is your email address) if you require
d. When you are logged in please click on your username top left...
e. ...then Account Settings and enter a password you can remember!
f. It would also be great if you could add a PHOTO of yourself - click on Picture within Account settings.

Thanks - Do Play Around! And Contribute.More soon.

Thanks - Warren

Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

www.comminit.com
wfeek@comminit.com

1-250-658-6372 - work
1-250-588-8795 - mobile
1-250-658-1728 - fax

HIV/AIDS - Medical Developments - Communication and Media Strategies

HIV/AIDS Theme Site - http://comminit.com/hiv-aids/category/sites/global/hiv-aids

Hi and best wishes. We have recently uploaded to The Communication Initiative platform 3 summaries that are on the general theme of communication related to medical treatment. (Click Read More link below to access the links to these summaries). To engage with your thoughts and insights on these issues, please just reply to this email - thanks.

The "medical treatment" element of the overall HIV/AIDS response seems to change very quickly. As people who may have media and communication perspectives and involvement/interest on HIV/AIDS issues what strategies and activities are your pursuing related to the "medical treatment" developments, for example:

  • Expectation "management" - eg - because a new medical treatment gets press coverage does not mean it is immediately available and may not be for sometime?

  • Equity of access - eg inevitably there is more demand than supply (check? correct?) for presently available medical options.

  • Primary medical focus - inevitably a 'drug" is a lot more appealing to people than a close exmination of their sexual behaviours or open conversations with family and friends on very sensitive and taboo sexuual issues

  • Complexity - inevitably the treatment drugs come with conditions (eg compliance requirements) and possible future ramifications (eg resistance).

  • Underlying social norms - for example possible gender biases and stereotypes

In your communication and media work strategically how do you address these and other issues?

Please share with this network. Simply reply to this email with your thoughts and ideas.

Profiles of People in Hunger: Core Strategic Approach?

To: The CI/Drum Beat Media Development Network http://comminit.com/media-development/category/sites/global/media-development

Hi - we have just published a summary of this Panos initiative:

Hungry in the City: Profiles of People Facing Hunger in Five Countries

"...a media brief from Panos London featuring a collection of stories from people in developing countries around the world who explain how they are surviving in an era of higher food prices, inflation, and hunger..." see http://comminit.com/media-development/content/hungry-city-profiles-people-facing-hunger-five-countries with link to full document.

This appoach go me considering if the Panos strategy here should be the core, main approach for relevant, resonant and effective media and/for development: namely, supporting people in the very toughest situations to give voice to their stories, perspective and analysis to audiences they would not other wise be able to reach?

Do you agree with that conclusion or not?

If not what do you regard as the core elements for media developemnt?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts through this network.

Simply reply to this email - just as you would any other email!

Best wishes and thanks.

Warren

Warren Feek Executive Director The Communication Initiative

Malaria Vaccine? Your Strategic Reaction?

To: Soul Beat Malaria network http://comminit.com/malaria-africa/

As someone engaged in work on Malaria issues or with an interest in this issue how do you react to news like that we have seen today on the possibility of a Malaria Vaccine - see a compilation of the news coverage on this news on the Soul Beat Malaria site at http://comminit.com/malaria-africa/search/daylife?keys=%22Africa%20malaria%22

Here is the beginnng of just one report from The Globe and Mail in Canada where I am at present
"Malaria-vaccine trials raise hope of eradicating deadly disease

Dramatic new results from a malaria vaccine have raised hopes that the world might be on the verge of defeating a disease that kills nearly 800,000 people every year.

If confirmed by future trials, it could be a breakthrough: the world’s first successful vaccine against a human parasite, and a major blow against a disease that affects some 225 million people annually, killing primarily poor African children...."

Read the full article at http://comminit.com/clickthru/1a83c9a2693869068e400f30445444e5?node=

What is your reaction?

Do you regard this kind of news as a "game changer"?

What strategic implications (if any) pass through your mind?

What issues and ideas do you and your colleagues/networks discuss?

From a communication and media perspective what particular implications do you consider?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas with this network. Just reply to this as you would to any other email!

Best wishes and thanks - Warren

Warren Feek Executive Director The Communication Initiative

Best wishes - Warren

Gates Foundation: Challenge Grants - Proposals requested

Environment/Natural Resource Management theme site http://comminit.com/natural-resource/category/sites/global/natural-resource-management

Hi and thanks for being part of The CI/Drum Beat's Environment/Natural Resource Management Network. Apologies if you received this through other channels.

Just a quick update re the next round of the Gates Foundation supported "Grand Challenges". In one month the most recent call for proposals closes. Many are highly relevant to environment/natural resource management issues and priorities and the role that media and communication can play in addressing these.

Some key points:

There are 5 major topics, three of which (Immunization, Health, Nutrition) may have relevance for some Partners.

* Protect Crop Plants from Biotic Stresses From Field to Market

* Design New Approaches to Optimize Immunization Systems

* Explore New Solutions for Global Health Priority Areas

* Explore Nutrition for Healthy Growth of Infants and Children

* Apply Synthetic Biology to Global Health Challenges

You can see further details on each topic from here http://comminit.com/clickthru/e10ec8d691e67a4afad068768f72cca3?node=

"Initial grants of $100,000 are awarded two times a year"

"Successful projects have the opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to $1 million."

Gates are investing USD 100 million overall in this process

The deadline is November 17, 2011

There are many more details at http://comminit.com/clickthru/e32dd2b15338202aebd4ae5bab974b68?node=

The proposal forms can be found here http://comminit.com/clickthru/02976dca954f4e0bec3570bd2afd4983?node=

And if you are thinking of applying and The CI capacities fit into yor plans then we would LOVE to chat with you!!!

Good luck!

Gates Foundation: Challenge Grants - Proposals requested

Hi and thanks for being part of Soul Beat Africa's Science and Media network. Just a quick update re the next round of the Gates Foundation supported "Grand Challenges". In one month the most recent call for proposals closes. A number of the priority themes for these grants (USD 100,000 and USD 1 million) seemed very relevant to media and science - many ways that the media can play an important role to make further progress.

Some key points:

There are 5 major topics:

* Protect Crop Plants from Biotic Stresses From Field to Market
* Design New Approaches to Optimize Immunization Systems
* Explore New Solutions for Global Health Priority Areas
* Explore Nutrition for Healthy Growth of Infants and Children
* Apply Synthetic Biology to Global Health Challenges

You can see further details on each topic from here http://comminit.com/clickthru/e10ec8d691e67a4afad068768f72cca3?node=

"Initial grants of $100,000 are awarded two times a year"

"Successful projects have the opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to $1 million."

Gates are investing USD 100 million overall in this process

The deadline is November 17, 2011

There are many more details at http://comminit.com/clickthru/e32dd2b15338202aebd4ae5bab974b68?node=

The proposal forms can be found here http://comminit.com/clickthru/02976dca954f4e0bec3570bd2afd4983?node=

And if you are thinking of applying and Soul Beat Africa fits into your plans then we would LOVE to chat with you!!! (Just email Anja at aventh@comminit.com )

Good luck!

Best wishes - Warren

PS - Please do share through here (just reply to this email and enter your contribution) any helpful experiences or insights that you may previously have with the Grand Challenges process.

Warren Feek Executive Director The Communication Initiative www.comminit.com

Gates Foundation: Challenge Grants - Proposals requested

Children, Equity http://comminit.com/children

Hi - as someone working on or interested in children and development, a quick note re the next round of the Gates Foundation supported "Grand Challenges". In one month the most recent call for proposals related to funding innovative approaches to strengthen and grow the scale and effectiveness of immunization systems will close.

Some key points:

  1. The relevant focus is on "optimizing country immunization systems"
  2. "Initial grants of $100,000 are awarded two times a year"
  3. "Successful projects have the opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to $1 million."
  4. The deadline is November 17, 2011
  5. These are the priorities (iitc)

Vaccine characteristic prioritization

Immunization supply system design.

Environmental impact.

Information systems.

Human resources.

Vaccination acceptance.

There are many more details at http://comminit.com/clickthru/e32dd2b15338202aebd4ae5bab974b68?node=

The proposal forms can be found here http://comminit.com/clickthru/02976dca954f4e0bec3570bd2afd4983?node=

Good luck!

Best wishes - Warren

PS - Please do share through here (just reply to this email and enter your contribution) any helpful experiences or insights that you may previously have with the Grand Challenges process.

Warren Feek

Executive Director

The Communication Initiative

Children, Equity theme site at http://comminit.com/children

The Media Development Network