This paper puts forward an argument in favour of careful and critical analysis of culture in formulating communication strategies with and for specific groups, based on experience drawn from the Clown Project in Guatemala and other countries in Central America. The Clown Project uses labour-intensive face-to-face street theatre and dialogue, participatory workshops, and symbolic communication such as print-based material to reach those most vulnerable to the spread and impact of HIV and AIDS . The analysis takes into account relations of power within and between vulnerable groups, examining the centre-periphery dynamic between classes, genders, ethnicities, age groups, and other social identities. Both appropriately supported insider perspectives and appropriately processed outsider knowledge are recommended, along with ways of bridging science and the field, theory and practice
This publication contains an overview of the common themes and funding resulting from five country reports, and the five reports themselves. The World Health Organization has designated all five as TB-high burden countries. The research findings show a low level of awareness about TB, and TB and HIV co-infection; about how TB is transmitted and how it can be cured; and about the link between poverty and TB; as well as low media coverage of TB and a lack of strong communication strategies for national TB programmes. It also contains country-specific recommendations
This paper explores different populations of out-of-school youth ; examines the link between schooling and safer sexual behaviors, and presents programs that work with young people who do not or cannot attend formal schools. Four case studies detailing programs working with mainstream and marginalized youth are also included
Recent studies have shown the feasibility of treating HIV/AIDS in developing countries. Lack of infrastructure, including information and communication systems, is considered a barrier to successful HIV treatment programmes. Internet based information systems offer a way to provide communication infrastructure in remote, resource-poor areas such as rural Haiti. A web based medical record system can be effectively used to track clinical outcomes, laboratory tests and drug supplies, and create reports for funding agencies. Development and evaluation of practical, low cost clinical information systems should be a priority in rolling out HIV treatment in developing countries
The twinning approach enables organisations to share lessons and experience more widely and to support each other while seeking ways to act more effectively in their own communities. This report was generated following a December 2001 meeting of organisations from North and South America and the Caribbean involved or interested in HIV/AIDS twinning processes, who came together to further discuss how twinning partnerships could be improved, expanded and sustained over time
The two principal aims of this publication are to synthesise and disseminate key lessons learned from a decade of experience supporting the establishment and development of networks. It will be useful to anyone considering offering support to networks in order to address a specific development challenge. It should also be useful to those, including activists, who are planning to establish networks
This framework, the product of a participatory research project on the use of communications for HIV prevention, finds conventional communications that focus on behaviour change limited in their scope and effectiveness. It questions the relationship between knowledge and behaviour, and the stress in ‘behaviour change’ communication on individual change. For sustainable change, the influence of a number of domains of social context need to be addressed, including: political and policy frameworks, gender, socio-economic status, spirituality and religion, and culture. It builds on these domains to create broad regional strategies for communications in Asia, Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean. Its suggestions for future national strategies combine interpersonal communication and mass media in key areas of HIV/AIDS prevention and care. It stipulates that participatory processes are central to designing and operationalising national strategies
The Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights is an autonomous network of groups and individuals in every continent who aim to achieve and support reproductive rights for women. It offers critical and feminist analysis and consistently places issues of reproductive and sexual health rights within the larger socio-economic context by means of a newsletter, website, campaigns, an annual Call for Action, participation in relevant international meetings, networking and coalition-building