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Warren Feek's blog

Journalists Competition: ICTs and Agriculture

COMPETITION for JOURNALISTS: CUTTING-EDGE TECH & AGRICULTURE

Full support to attend the international conference on ICT4ag in Kigali, Rwanda and Euro 1,000 (one thousand) prizes. Details follow and can also be seen at this link

This competition is linked to the ICT4ag conference co-hosted by The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) and the Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) will be held between November 4 and 8 2013 in Kigali Rwanda.

Click here for more information, accessible in English or French

Click here to learn more about the ICT4ag conference

The conference provides delegates from Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries with the opportunity to discuss how increased investment and adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the agricultural sector will contribute to improved value chains as well as more effective advocacy and policy processes in agricultural and rural development.

Widows Rights - Lessons for Health Strategies and Investments

There is a temptation to reduce health strategies to the simple. Vaccinate them. Feed them. Provide them with a birth attendant. Set up health centers for them. And so on. The further policy and funder people are from where the issues are experienced the simpler are the solutions they seem to propose. Questions of culture, rights and social norms, for example, are "soft" and "too complex". "Hard", "scaleable", "tangible" solutions curry most favour.

This article in the Guardian news paper "Widows in Cameroon: 'They should be free to live their lives' - The death of a husband means stigma, destitution and abuse for many of the world's poorest widows provides a very substantive challenge to that predominant approach to global health issues. It is written by Bim Adewunmi who "visited a pioneering project in Cameroon trying to turn around 500-year-old traditions".

If I was reading this article (and so much other literature) as someone who was a global, national or local health policy maker with control over resources (which I do not!) then the strategies supported would not be simple. Rights, culture, local strategic decision-making and the addressing of the contextual factors that underpin so many health issues would be central to any strategies developed and funds allocated. Media - in all forms - would be major implementing processes.

But we rarely see that in the health strategies of the major government health departments and the big health agencies. Is that right? If yes, why?

Thanks - Warrren

Addressing issues of Stigma and Discrimination for effective HIV/AIDS action

To: The HIV/AIDS Community within The Drum Beat network

Hi - trust that all is well. Stigma and discrimination remain massive obstacles to even more effective HIV/AIDS action. Below are three examples of communication approaches to addressing stigma and discrimination in the HIV/AIDS context. Can we please encourage you to share your insights and analysis of preferred ways to reduce and remove stigma and discrimination in your context.

Storytelling to Combat HIV/AIDS Stigma amongst Transport Workers
"...involved Kenyan transport workers, AIDS clinicians, and union members listening to and telling stories about HIV and its impact on their lives..."

[Evaluation: Is This Justice?

Violence and Children - How to approach?

To: The Early Child Development Community within The Drum Beat network

Best wishes. What do you consider are effective ways to address violence issues with young children? Three approaches/insights follow. But what are your views/analysis/insights on the most effective strategies and programmes?

Children of Prisoners, Interventions and Mitigations to Strengthen Mental Health
"The project surveyed 0.4% of the estimated total population of children of prisoners in the four COPING countries, a total of 737 children, 479 families, and 1,347 individual surveys. COPING researchers also conducted face-to face interviews, a total of 349 divided…"

One, Two, Three for Me and My Friends - Un, dos, tres por mí y mis amigos
"…a vehicle to allow the voices of the children forced to live in the violent environment of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, to be heard…"

Community Violence and Young Children: Making Space for Hope - Early Childhood Matters No. 119
"Articles explore: the idea that violence should be thought of as a public health problem analogous to infectious disease; examine from a scientific perspective the impacts on children's social, emotional, and cognitive development of growing up..."

There is further knowledge summarised at this link with filters for more specific interests.

Thanks for sharing your assessment and insights.

Warren

Digital media development?

To: The Media Development community within The Drum Beat network

Best wishes. The digital media landscape is ever changing at a seemingly increasing speed! Related to your media development strategies and action how are you handling digital media development developments? Three insights follow. But please do share your media development analysis, plans and programmes.

Communicating For Change: Media and Agency in the Networked Public Sphere
"…aimed at anyone who is interested in the role of media as an influence on power and policy…asks how much the Internet and social networks are changing advocacy…takes an ethical and political rather than technological or theoretical approach…)

Mapping Digital Media: Citizen Journalism and the Internet
"Citizen journalists have become regular contributors to mainstream news through digital advances, providing information and images. Due to their independent status, questions arise on the values that underpin good journalism, the need of citizens for reliable and abundant information, and the importance of such information for a healthy society and a robust democracy."

Don’t Keep It To Yourself! Digital Storytelling with South African Youth
"…reviews the successes and challenges of a digital storytelling project initiated by Sonke Gender Justice Network and the Center for Digital Storytelling's Silence Speaks programme in Eastern Cape, South Africa…"

There are more insights at this link where you can also filter further according to your specific interests.

Violence and Children - How to approach?

To: The Early Child Development Community within The Drum Beat network

Best wishes. What do you consider are effective ways to address violence issues with young children? Three approaches/insights follow. But what are your views/analysis/insights on the most effective strategies and programmes?

Children of Prisoners, Interventions and Mitigations to Strengthen Mental Health
"The project surveyed 0.4% of the estimated total population of children of prisoners in the four COPING countries, a total of 737 children, 479 families, and 1,347 individual surveys. COPING researchers also conducted face-to face interviews, a total of 349 divided…"

One, Two, Three for Me and My Friends - Un, dos, tres por mí y mis amigos
"…a vehicle to allow the voices of the children forced to live in the violent environment of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, to be heard…"

Community Violence and Young Children: Making Space for Hope - Early Childhood Matters No. 119
"Articles explore: the idea that violence should be thought of as a public health problem analogous to infectious disease; examine from a scientific perspective the impacts on children's social, emotional, and cognitive development of growing up..."

There is further knowledge summarised at this link with filters for more specific interests.

Thanks for sharing your assessment and insights.

Warren

HIV/AIDS Shared Knowledge and Network

To: The HIV/AIDS Communication Community in The Drum Beat Network
From: Warren Feek
http://www.comminit.com/hiv-aids/category/sites/global/hiv-aids/

Best wishes. Wanted to quickly let you know that the HIV/AIDS theme site space is now in the new The CI design. Please access and review at http://www.comminit.com/hiv-aids/category/sites/global/hiv-aids/

There are 5,000 plus knowledge summaries shared by your peers in this network across all elements of HIV/AIDS action. As an example here is a basic search for "Eliminate Gender Inequalities" http://www.comminit.com/hiv-aids/search/apachesolr_search?filters=tid:3470%20tid:347 - you can filter further using the options in the right margin.

There is full ability to link/share knowledge of relevance and interest to your own social networks.

This space is structured around the UNAIDS priorities - Eliminate Stigma and Discrimination; Empower MSM, Sex Workers, Transgender; Empower Young People; Enhance Social Protection; 15 Million Access Treatment; Eliminate Gender Inequalities; Increase Antiretroviral Access; Reduce Sexual Transmission and, Remove Punitive Laws and Policies. But there is knowledge across all elements of HIV/AIDS action.

OK - thanks for looking and using. Please do use the comments, ratings, like and link processes.

With many best wishes and thanks - Warren

Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative
http://www.comminit.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/warrencomminit
Facebook: The Communication Initiative Network http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Communication-Initiative-Network/344005148956579
LinkedIn: Warren Feek
Skype: Warren Feek
Office - 1–250-658-6372
Mobile 1-250-588-8795
Fax 1-250-658-1728

Entertainment-Education - Shared Knowledge and Network

To: Participants - The 5th Entertainment-Education Conference - New Delhi
From: Warren Feek - Executive Director - The Communication Initiative

Hi folks - trust that all is strong and thriving with your very important work. The Delhi event seems like only yesterday!

Just a quick note to let you know that we have re-launched the Entertainment-Education/Pop Culture with a Purpose theme site space. It can be reviewed and used at http://www.comminit.com/entertainment-education/

There are over 5,000 summaries of Entertainment-Education initiatives, strategic thinking, evaluations, materials, etc. To filter this knowledge to your interests (eg country, development issue) can I suggest you start at the following link and then use the filter options in the right column - http://www.comminit.com/entertainment-education/search/apachesolr_search/?filters=3915

We have a specific emphasis on action to reduce and eliminate violence against women so you will see significant knowledge from that perspective.

Please do use the "Please Share" functionality to share knowledge that you find interesting, relevant and useful with your own social networks.

Please let me know if you have any queries or questions.

Best wishes - Warren

Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

http://www.comminit.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/warrencomminit
Facebook: The Communication Initiative Network http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Communication-Initiative-Network/344005148956579

LinkedIn: Warren Feek

Skype: Warren Feek
Office - 1–250-658-6372
Mobile 1-250-588-8795
Fax 1-250-658-1728

Media Development network, resources and knowledge

To: The Media Development Community in The Drum Beat Network
From: Warren Feek

Hi folks - just a quick note to let you know that the Media Development theme site space is now in the new The CI design. Please review at http://www.comminit.com/media-development/

There are 1,400 knowledge summaries shared by your peers in this network across all elements of Media Development. As an example here is a search for "Digital" http://www.comminit.com/media-development/search/apachesolr_search/digital?filters=tid%3A2754%20tid%3A2754&retain-filters=1 - and you can further filter for your specific areas of interest.

There is full ability to link/share knowledge of relevance and interest to your own social networks.

Presently featured are summaries on Investigative Journalism; Reporting on Corporations; and, Women in Media. The featured material will change on a regular basis.

OK - thanks for looking and using. Please do use the comments, ratings, like and link processes.

With many best wishes and thanks - Warren

Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative
http://www.comminit.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/warrencomminit
Facebook: The Communication Initiative Network
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Communication-Initiative-Network/344005148956579
LinkedIn: Warren Feek
Skype: Warren Feek
Office - 1–250-658-6372
Mobile 1-250-588-8795
Fax 1-250-658-1728

A sector in crisis: Responding to political, policy, and funding shifts in international development