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Warren Feek's blog

Children in the Wider World - Effective Action?

To: The Children, Equity Community within The Drum Beat network

Addressing the core causes!

Hi - trust that all is well. I was just reviewing the recently released UNICEF State of the Worlds Children (SOWC) 2012. Though there has been some progress in relation to the children related MDGs significant obstacles/challlenges (pick your euphemism!) remain.

The very names of some of the data tables integral to the SOWC - see http://www.unicef.org/sowc2012/figures.php tell the background story on the child related issues that are causing most concern. (CAPS are mine).

  • WEALTH increases the odds of survival for children under the age of 5…
  • Children of the urban POOR are more likely to be undernourished
  • Stunting prevalence among children under 3 years old: Comparing the Nairobi SLUMS with overall urban Kenya
  • Urban income DISPARATIES also mean UNEQUAL access to water

Of course intuitively we know this. Poverty and inequality drive the most pressing and difficult to address issues affecting children! We all know that. The tables with the data that inform the SOWC 2012 provide very helpful confirming evidence.

But the key question is what to do? For a large variety of reasons, programming the underlying social and economic causes of child related issues appears to be really difficult. Much easier and supposedly more effective to focus on some specific, tangible deliverables than to address poverty and inequality as it affects children.

However, it is clear from the UNICEF 2012 State of the World's Children data if we do not improve and accelerate the contextual programming, there can be any number of specific "miracle" interventions, but they will stumble, often badly, in the face of the social and economic realities that condition the lives of far too many children.

KONY 2012 - Children, Equity strategy implications?

To: Children, Equity Network (within The Drum Beat network)

Re: KONY 2012 Campaign

http://www.comminit.com/policy-blogs/content/lessons-learned-kony-2012-campaign-0

What do you think of the KONY 2012 campaign? When you assess it from either a general development effectiveness perspective and/or its application of development communication and media strategies, what lessons (positive or negative) do you draw for effective action related to children and equity issues? Riona McCormack, the REPSSI Regional Communications Officer in South Africa, has written a blog that outlines her opinion of "Lessons learned from the KONY 2012 campaign"…"Love it or hate it, the online phenomenon that is KONY 2012 offers valuable lessons to development communicators…" You can review this blog at http://www.comminit.com/policy-blogs/content/lessons-learned-kony-2012-campaign-0 Please do take a look and then share your strategic assessment. Either reply by email or click on the Read More link below, log in and comment. All of our work will benefit from a shared critique of what has become a very prominent and somewhat controversial initiative.

Please do go to Riona's blog ""Lessons learned from the KONY 2012 campaign" at http://www.comminit.com/policy-blogs/content/lessons-learned-kony-2012-campaign-0 And whilst there please vote in the poll in the right margin.

(With apologies for this instance of potential double posting)

Thanks for engaging - Warren

Twitter: @warrencomminit

Facebook: The Communication Initiative Network http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Communication-Initiative-Network/344005148956579

Awards information - Early Child Development possibilities

To: Early Child Development Network within the overall Drum Beat network

Hi folks - below please find 3 recent Awards summaries shared through the network. Hope that these are of interest and much good luck if you decide to apply for any of these. Others will flow through the Early Child Development space at http://www.comminit.com/early-child And please do let us know any knowledge that your wish to share.

Three Job opportunities

To: The Development Network within the Drum Beat network

Hi - 3 new job opportunities below - please do share amongst your networks.

STEWARD Communications Manager - Media Impact - Freetown, Sierra Leone http://www.comminit.com/ci-classifieds/content/steward-communications-manager-media-impact-freetown-sierra-leone

Entertainment-Education Coordinator - Media Impact - Freetown, Sierra Leone http://www.comminit.com/ci-classifieds/content/entertainment-education-coordinator-media-impact-freetown-sierra-leone

Media Manager - International HIV/AIDS Alliance - Brighton, UK http://www.comminit.com/ci-classifieds/content/media-manager-international-hivaids-alliance-brighton-uk

You can also follow these at http://www.comminit.com/job_vacancies

And they flow through to the Twitter feed at @warrencomminit

...and the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Communication-Initiative-Network/344005148956579

Thanks - Warren

4 Job Opportunities

To: Media Development Network

Hi - just a quick heads up re 4 recent, relevant job opportunities - see below. Please dos share these withi or networks. Plus, if you wish to share your jobs through The CI network please let me know (email below ) and I will put you in touch with the relevant people here.

Senior Project Manager - BBC Media Action - Abuja, Nigeria http://www.comminit.com/ci-classifieds/content/senior-project-manager-bbc-media-action-abuja-nigeria

Senior Project Manager - BBC Media Action - Sierra Leone http://www.comminit.com/ci-classifieds/content/senior-project-manager-bbc-media-action-sierra-leone

Program and Journalism Training Coordinator - Internews Network - Kinshasa, DRC http://www.comminit.com/ci-classifieds/content/program-and-journalism-training-coordinator-internews-network-kinshasa-drc

Somalia, Country Director - Internews Network - Nairobi, Kenya http://www.comminit.com/ci-classifieds/content/somalia-country-director-internews-network-nairobi-kenya

Review all Classifieds jobs, event, etc at http://www.comminit.com/ci-classifieds/classifieds

Thanks - Warren

Warren Feek - Executive Director - The Communication Initiative - wfeek@comminit.com - http://www.comminit.com - Office - 1–250-658-6372 - Mobile 1-250-588-8795 - Fax 1-250-658-1728 - Twitter: @warrencomminit - Facebook: The Communication Initiative Network

Media Development - Funds and Awards

To: Media Development Network within the overall Drum Beat network

Hi - trust that all is well. I just wanted to quickly sure for your review, possible engagement and critical review should you wish, some recent Media Development related awards and funding opportunities. If you have questions, observations or comments on these then you can either reply to this note by email, open the Read More link below and reply online, submit a comment within the summary itself and/or click on the relevant rating.

Knight News Challenge Contest

"…a contest for innovative techniques and technologies that advance the foundation's goal of informing and engaging communities. It is open to individuals, schools, non-profits, governments, and businesses…" More at http://www.comminit.com/media-development/node/276199

Digital News Ventures of the Media Development Loan Fund (MDLF) Fund

"…an investment fund for independent news businesses in the developing world, has created an early-stage fund for digital news and information businesses…" More at http://www.comminit.com/media-development/content/digital-news-ventures-media-development-loan-fund-mdlf-fund

KLICK! - Your View of Culture and Education: Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum 2012 Photo Competition

"…invites entries to its photo contest “KLICK! - Your View of Culture and Education…” More at http://www.comminit.com/media-development/content/klick-deutsche-welle-global-media-forum-2012-photo-competition

Please note that we seek to keep a regular flow of these opportunities through the Media Development theme site at http://www.comminit.com/media-development/ If you have funding or award information and opportunities please do share through this platform.

Gender and HIV/AIDS - International Womens Day

To: The HIV/AIDS Communication Network within the overall Drum Beat network.

Hi and best wishes. As we all celebrate International Women's Day we invite your critical review (in the positive sense of that phrase!) of a couple of recent knowledge items shared by the network. How do you assess the strategies and activities outlined below? What questions do you have? What observations do you make? You can reply to this note by email or open the Read More link below and reply online? Or, within the summaries themselves please submit a comment and/or rate the knowledge.

Public Sector Response to Gender-Based Violence in Vietnam http://www.comminit.com/hiv-aids/content/public-sector-response-gender-based-violence-vietnam

A Call to Act: Engaging Religious Leaders and Communities on Addressing Gender-Based Violence and HIV http://www.comminit.com/hiv-aids/content/call-act-engaging-religious-leaders-and-communities-addressing-gender-based-violence-and

The Girl Effect http://www.comminit.com/hiv-aids/content/girl-effect-0

Plus please access further Gender and HIV related knowledge by going to http://www.comminit.com/hiv-aids/ and clicking on "Focus on Gender".

Thanks for engaging - Warren

Warren Feek - Executive Director - The Communication Initiative - wfeek@comminit.com - www.comminit.com - Office - 1–250-658-6372 - Mobile 1-250-588-8795 - Fax 1-250-658-1728 - Twitter: @warrencomminit - Facebook: The Communication Initiative Network

Media Development Insights

Hi and thanks for being part of The Communication Initiative Network with a particular interest/involvement in Media Development within our collective field. The Media Development knowledge sharing and review theme site is at http://www.comminit.com/media-development/category/sites/global/media-develo of course. But there is also a Media Development social networking platform at http://networks.comminit.com/mediadevelopment/ Please do share your ideas and resources through this platform. Just click Create Content and then either General Forum or Event.

Science and Media Resources

Many best wishes and thanks for expressing an involvement/nterest in science and media issues and action within the overall Soul Beat Africa network. We just wanted to quickly highlight a couple of relevant resources placed on the Soul Beat Africa Science and Media theme site at http://www.comminit.com/science-media/ and encourage you to share your critical review and reflection on these resources. The three resources follow.

Virtual Disaster Games - Your Assessment?

To: People in The Drum Bra Network interested in Natural Resource Management/Environment From: Warren Feek

Hi - hope all is well with your important work. We have noticed a growth in online and virtual NRM/Environment related simulations and games flowing through The Communication Initiative process from your peers in the network. AN example follows with link. What do you think of these? Are they valuable?

Example: "Stop Disasters" is an online disaster simulation game developed by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).

Soul Beat Africa: Science and Media Network