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ICTs for poverty alleviation : basic tool and enabling sector

GREENBERG, Alan
November 2005

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This report acknowledges the crucial role that information and communication technologies play in the fight to reduce poverty. It focuses in particular on the impact that "older" technologies such as radio and telephone can have in addressing poor communities' problems. The study investigates the linkages between ICTs and four key areas: education, livelihoods, healthcare and government. It reports on pilot studies which have shown that use of technologies can help reduce child mortality and maternal mortality by nearly 50 per cent. It suggests that ICTs can enable people's empowerment and ultimately strengthen human rights

Technological convergence and regulation : challenges facing developing countries [whole issue]

BEZZINA, J
SANCHEZ, B
Eds
November 2005

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This special issue, produced with the support of InfoDev, marked the World Summit for the Information Society (WSIS) meeting in Tunis (16-18 November 2005). It focuses on technological advances and their implications for regulatory systems, particularly in developing countries. Topics include: new technologies and regulatory regimes; telecommunication reforms in developing countries; structural change in African mobile telecommunications; Internet; broadband technologies and services in sub-Saharan Africa; local software and content production in developing countries; outsourcing in developing countries. Articles are aimed at telecommunications specialists and researchers

Participatory communication in malaria control : why does it matter?

DUNN, Alison
October 2005

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This paper reviews current approaches to malaria control, focusing on effective ways of engaging with local communities in participatory ways. It argues for considering human behaviour as well as mosquito behaviour in malaria control efforts. Engaging with people at community level is critical to developing interventions that are appropriate to the local context. Complex social and environmental factors, such as gender relationships, the cost of drugs, and the appropriateness of services mean that communication processes are vital, and will require sustained and coordinated international support and commitment

AIDS communication

SKUSE, A
POWER, F
Ed
September 2005

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This paper sets out DFID's Information and Communcation Directorate's understanding of the role of communication in HIV programming. It is intended primarily as a resource for DFID staff; but presents a holistic and engaging framework for HIV communication which will be useful beyond, as well as within, DFID. The paper encourages a shift away from often inappropriate programme targets of individual behaviour change, and toward community participation, access to education, information and dialogue -- processes which acknowledge and harness local community resources and capacities. It also promotes integrated communication around prevention, treatment and care

Linking research : policy and practice to improve equity in health care in Malawi. REACH : challenging barriers to health care

DUNN, Alison
August 2005

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This briefing paper considers the findings of research conducted by REACH, an independent research trust in Malawi, on poverty and access to health care services at community level. It looks at the processes used by REACH to communicate findings into policy and practice. These include developing relationships with policymakers to enhance ownership of the research process, advocating research findings at policy fora, presenting findings generated by a range of research methods, and strategically framing the research in different discourses (eg poverty, gender) depending on the audience

A guide for including people with disabilities in disaster preparedness planning

CONNECTICUT COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
The University of Connecticut A.J. Pappanikou Center for Excellence In Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service
Office of Protection & Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities
2005

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This guide is primarily intended to assist people involved in preparedness planning at the municipal and regional levels. It also contains information that will be useful to individuals with disabilities and families in the appendices.  Appendix A features disaster preparedness tips & tools for people with disabilities.  Appendix D also identifies some critical issues that need further development at the systems level in Connecticut.

Note: This guide can be made available in alternative formats upon request. Address specific requests to: The University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at 860 679 1500 (v) or 860 679 1502 (TTY)

Lessons Learned : A Forum on Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities

Berlin, CT

6 December 2005

Social movement communication

The Communication Initiative
Ed
July 2005

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This issue of The Drum Beat focuses on 12 articles summarised from peer-reviewed journals which examine the communication strategies of various social movements around human and civil rights, health campaigns and ethical issues

Counting on communication : the Uganda Nutrition and Early Childhood Development Project

VERZOSA, Cecilia
April 2005

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This publication presents the activities and lessons learned from a project which sought to halve malnutrition among preschool children, raise primary school enrollment, reduce dropout and repetition rates, improve psycho-social and cognitive development, and increase the number of mothers practicing appropriate childcare. A strategic communication programme was designed to help mothers and other caregivers adopt new behaviours needed to achieve project outcomes. It helped the project team identify necessary changes in behaviour, knowledge or attitude for all target audiences; frame project-related issues relevant to different stakeholders, such as parliamentarians, mothers, community leaders, educators, and local government administrators; craft persuasive messages according to their needs, concerns and perceptions; and use the most appropriate communication channels. The communication strategy included a: national advocacy effort aimed at parliamentarians, health and education ministry officials, district and community leaders; multi-media campaign that emphasized three behaviour change interventions; training programme for health workers and pre-school teachers on their role; and monitoring and evaluation component to ensure that materials were disseminated via cost-effective channels of communication and that messages reached target audiences. Lessons learned emphasize the value of developing a comprehensive communication strategy during project design.

Features and uses of high-fidelity medical simulations that lead to effective learning : a BEME systematic review

ISSENBERG, S Barry
et al
January 2005

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Systematic review on the use of simulations in medical education selected 109 studies meeting meeting criteria. High fidelity medical simulations facilitate learning under the right conditions. These include providing feedback, repetitive practice, curriculum integration, range of difficulty level, multiple learning strategies, capture clinical variation, controlled environment, individualised learning, defined outcomes and simulator validity. Does not specifically mention resource-poor contexts

Community television for the poor : a scoping study. Final technical report. The one to watch, literally?

BACHELOR, S
SCOTT, N
EASTWICK, G
et al
2005

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A technical report on the use of community television. The purpose of the research was to explore the opportunities presented by digital convergence for locally produced and broadcast integrated television and radio for development education, development communication strategies and local content capture among the poor. The research confirms the starting premises of the research, that community radio is known to have strong developmental benefits; that there is a strong trend towards television, even among the poor; and that there will be new opportunities for audiovisual media presented by digital convergence. The report concludes that community television could play a huge role in empowering local communities

With the support of multitudes : using strategic communication to fight poverty through PRSPs

MOZAMMEL, Masud
ODUGBEMI, Sina
Eds
2005

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This book is timely and relevant. It makes the crucial point that while building support for Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSs) is vital to success, such support will not happen without planned, deliberate and sustained efforts to involve the citizenry in an open and inclusive process of two-way communication. This is what is meant by strategic communication. The book gives case studies from all over the world, provides good graphical analysis to prove findings. It was produced in order to improve the chances of success of PRSs in two ways; to show policymakers how strategic communication can help them to achieve some of their objectives in formulating and executing effective PRSs; and to give those actively engaged in the execution of PRSPs guidance on best practice as well as lessons from a community of practice spread around the world

Framework for the assessment of ICT pilot projects : beyond monitoring and evaluation to applied research

BATCHELOR, S
NORRISH, P
2005

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This publication is aims to help all stakeholders in ICT pilot projects to gather the rigorous evidence needed to make forward looking judgments and decisions about ICT for development projects. It explores both the need of pilot projects to implement a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system that will ensure the pilot fulfils its developmental purpose for its clients and beneficiaries, and the need of pilot projects to put in place evidence based research for proof of concept (how the pilot could contribute to development priorities and how it might be taken to scale from a forward looking perspective). It then presents steps that a project manager should undertake to ensure an effective evaluation process

Meeting on avian influenza and human pandemic influenza

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
2005

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This website provides access to the papers presented at WHO's avian influenza meeting in November 2005. Some presentations highlighted the role of communications, and ICTs as a tool in communications: in the presentation on 'Critical country issues for addressing avian influenza & pandemic preparedness' communication targets included 'improving intersectoral working level' and 'more useful & accurate & coordinated public & media messages & information'

IDRM : Regional report of Asia

CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL REHABILITATION
2005

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This International disability rights monitor takes a snapshot of the situation in Asia for disabled people and the extent to which they are included in society. The report examines education, employment, legislation and other areas. It gives non-governmental organisations, policy makers and individuals an opportunity to research the living conditions of disabled people in this part of the world

Making the difference : information and communication technologies as key enablers for equitable and sustainable development

GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE PARTNERSHIP (GKP)
2005

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This booklet provides an analysis of the role of ICT in development and poverty alleviation strategies. Information and communication technologies support participation of non-state actors, promote good governance, transparency and efficiency and allow knowledge sharing and aid effectiveness through harmonization of aid projects

Operational guide on gender and HIV/AIDS : a rights-based approach | Resource pack on gender and HIV/AIDS

UNAIDS INTER-AGENCY TASK TEAM ON GENDER AND HIV/AIDS
2005

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This guide highlights the relationship between gender, rights and HIV and AIDS. The impact of HIV and AIDS tends to be greater in unequal settings and stigma and discrimination, often associated with the disease, intensify and reinforce inequality. This document, aimed at programme managers and development organisations, reflects on how gender inequality affects women affected by HIV and AIDS. It explains why women may be at greater risk of contracting the disease, while having poor access to treatment. Women also tend to assume the responsibility of caring for those who are sick, and girls in households affected by HIV are more likely than boys to be taken out of school as a cost-saving measure, and to help in domestic chores. The guide contains a set of checklists to help evaluate the level of commitment to gender equality in programming, funding, communication, networking and advocacy

Who measures change? an introduction to participatory monitoring and evaluation of communication for social change

PARKS, Will
et al
2005

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This guide is an introduction to participatory monitoring and evaluation (PM&E) and how to establish such a process and identify and use context-specific indicators for communication for social change on HIV and AIDS, (although the principles and steps may have broader applications). Following an overview, it looks at PM&E and how best to implement it and provides M&E tools for methodologies and indicators and sample data collection techniques

Holistic and interactive communication methods

LAHTINEN, Riitta
2005

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This research article examines the strategies and theoretical models of the function of language for improving communication for acquired deafblind people, their family members and interpreters. Different methods and techniques are examined to improve the quality of communication. This resource would be useful for professionals working with people with sensory impairments at community level

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