"In August 2007, the Government of Tanzania committed to doubling the number of training places for skilled midwives following a five-year campaign by the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood in Tanzania (WRATZ), which culminated in the first television screening of a participatory film, ‘Pla
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y Your Part’. With contributions from a range of health professionals, communities, a pop singer, and the Minister of Health, the message was that everyone at every level has a part to play in saving mothers’ lives. WRATZ was successful because it was able to champion its message in a way that provides a model for advocacy, combining the reactive creativity of journalism and the methodological rigour of participatory video that to bring about a tangible impact." (Abstract)
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"This ethnographic study of a participatory video workshop conducted with rural women in Fiji observed how communities engage with processes of production for empowerment, and the implications for dialogue, community building, and representation within Fiji’s fragmented multicultural society. The
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study found that rural women in Fiji integrate local norms and practices in the production of programme content, and use social capital – their relationships and social networks – as a key element in video production to highlight community needs and linkages. The content produced by the women gave significance to women’s work, their abilities, their skills, and their potential as income producers, as well as their empowering networks." (Abstract)
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"Participatory Video can contribute to changing the balance of power both within a group and between the group and wider society; it can give space for groups to generate their own knowledge and to facilitate communication with other groups and institutions. To achieve this potential, facilitators a
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nd other project workers need to consider how this transfer of power is managed, and how their own power in the situation can affect the process so that inclusion of socially excluded participants is truly transformative, rather than superficial. All stakeholders need to think about how a project can be rnanipulated to support vested interests and agendas that control rather than empower, as well as about the approach that is needed if they are genuinely cornmitted to hearing frorn socially excluded groups." (Conclusion, page 190)
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"Visual anthropology has proved to offer fruitful methods of research and representation to applied projects of social intervention. Through a series of case studies based on applied visual anthropological work in a range of contexts (health and medicine, tourism and heritage, social development, co
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nflict and disaster relief, community filmmaking and empowerment, and industry) this volume examines both the range contexts in which applied visual anthropology is engaged, and the methodological and theoretical issues it raises." (Publisher description)
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"Un minuto por mis derechos es un proyecto que convoca a adolescentes entre 14 y 21 años a expresarse de forma creativa y amplia sobre sus derechos a través del lenguaje audiovisual y mediante la realización de videos de 1 minuto de duración. Implica la realización de talleres de capacitación
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con los y las jóvenes en los que pueden compartir espacios de diálogo sobre sus deseos, realidades y problemas, reflexionar en torno a sus derechos, y capacitarse en producción audiovisual. Como cierre de este proceso, los y las jóvenes realizan videominutos relacionados con sus miradas respecto de los derechos del niño y del adolescente, los cuales se difunden en los diferentes circuitos culturales y medios de comunicación como forma de sensibilizar y movilizar a familias, comunidades y sociedad en general." (Página 3)
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"This brief report has been prepared as a guideline to participants and those they work with to help them put participatory video into practice and deepen their application of rights-based strategies in their work. It traces through the process of the workshop held in Hargeisa, from 2 until 9 Decemb
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er 2006. Samuel Musyoki of the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, was the lead facilitator of the workshop. Thus much of this material draws from his work. Technical video use and exercises draw from Insights into Participatory Video, A Handbook for the Field, Nick and Chris Lunch, Insight, 2006, and Video for Change; a practical guide for activists, Witness, 2000. The facilitation tools also draw from a whole range of Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) principles and methods. PLA refers to ways of working with people through active and direct involvement for facilitating sharing, learning, discovering and action. PLA methods start from the belief that people know and are capable of identifying and sharing issues (life situations), analyzing and learning from their analysis and thus developing strategies and action for addressing the situations. They use visual methods, interactive processes and group learning; put emphasis on enabling people to speak up and out; and are committed to generating knowledge for action (rather than simply for understanding)." (Pages 4-5)
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"Recognising that PV projects have their pitfalls, the authors call on facilitators of PV to require knowledge and experience of personal and group development processes and to be sensible to the challenges and issues facing vulnerable and marginalized people. Lack of transparency and follow-up, and
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broken or unreasonable promises will foster disillusionment. The authors argue that PV is a powerful means of documenting local people's experiences, needs and hopes from their own perspective. It initiates a process of analysis and change that celebrates local knowledge and practice, while also stimulating local and regional creativity. The authors emphasise the importance of granting all community members equal access to the process, so that all voices are expressed and heard. An outline of the PV process offered by the authors includes: participants are taught how to use the video equipment through games and exercises; using PRA tools and PV techniques, facilitators help the group to identify and analyse important community issues; short video messages are directed and filmed by the participants; footage is shown to the wider community at daily screenings; a dynamic process of community-led learning, sharing and exchange is set in motion; complete films can be used to promote awareness of the various groups; this process helps strengthen both horizontal and vertical communication. The authors recognise that possible bottlenecks include: limited recognition of the value of PV by home organisation, staff, and funders; empowerment and participation of target group may not be the aim of the organisation and/or funder; the organisation may be unaware of the importance of participatory forms of communication; lack of equipment or technical problems; lack of time and skill to edit footage and implement the pilot project; lack of (facilitation) skills to implement the PV pilot project; being lost when training is over or the handbook does not offer adequate guidance; limited budget for equipment or for spending necessary time on PV." (ELDIS)
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"Indigenous knowledge and local initiatives are usually documented and disseminated by outsiders, who make their own interpretations in the process. Participatory Video (PV) provides an opportunity for rural people to document their own knowledge and experiences and to express their wants and hopes
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from their own perspectives. The process of PV The process of PV is, in essence, extremely simple, and the equipment required is increasingly widely available and affordable. This is the way the process works: The rural people rapidly learn how to use video equipment through games and exercises facilitated by outsiders; The facilitators help local groups to identify and analyze important issues in their community and to plan how to show this on video; The video messages are directed and filmed by the local groups; The footage is shown to the wider community at daily screenings, setting in motion a dynamic exchange of ideas and perceptions." (Page 1)
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"This study examines the empowerment effects of film and video among participants of various nonformal education programmes. It provides recommendations for changes in the legal system as well as in the use of video in development co-operation." (Cat. IKO 2004)
"This book examines the importance of participatory video as a catalyst for development. It shows how powerful video images have been used to promote changes in attitudes and social behaviour, helping communities identify development solutions that are within their reach. Video has been used to reac
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h policymakers, to empower women and to rescue the culture and heritage of indigenous people. As a mediation tool, the power of video has been used to resolve conflicts, achieve consensus and find common ground for collective action. This book brings together practical information on innovative experiences with the use of participatory video." (Publisher description)
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"This exploratory study analyses the functions and implications of participatory video projects in rural development settings. The term ‘participatory video’ refers to a bundle of innovative usages of video technology which enjoy growing popularity in many corners of the world. After the first t
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rials in the late 1960s participatory video has developed into several different directions and there is no consensus of what the term actually stands for. In the current literature participatory video is closely associated to the burgeoning field of participatory approaches such as Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), even though its application goes beyond the idea of participatory research and learning in many instances. There is by no means a consistent, established way of using the tool; experience and knowledge about what good practice is differ from person to person and in the literature. This study therefore categorises the varying approaches into a typology based on a review of the relatively scarce literature on the subject. Through a conceptual distinction of different project goals, three basic kinds of participatory video are identified, i. e. therapy-, activism- and empowerment-type video. The central part of the study consists of three case studies, from Mexico, Tanzania, and Vietnam respectively. In each of these the functions and implications of participatory video use are identified. A particular focus is put on the second case study, the ‘Fisherfolks’ Project’, as the relatively biggest amount of background information has been available. A number of theories and concepts are tested on this case in order to deepen the understanding of the potentials and limitations of participatory video." (Abstract)
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"This short book describes an Oxfam video team's experience of using video as a participatory development tool in a rural community in Vietnam. The author describes the process in detail, including the day-to-day details of the team's stay in Ky Nam village, with team members, villagers and the comm
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une and district authorities' reactions. This is a critical reflection on the issues raised, how villagers' expectations were heigthened by the work but not always fulfilled, and how the nature of 'participation' is more complex than first appears. The book makes a powerful claim for the usefulness of this medium. It will be interesting reading not only for development workers with an interest in video work, but for anyone committed to participatory approaches to development." (Media development, nr. 2/1999 pages 79-80)
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"Used in a participatory way, video can be a powerful tool, which allows clients to examine the world around them, gain awareness of their situation and become more actively involved in decisions which affect their lives. Based on an innovative approach researched over twelve years, the book sets ou
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t a complete programme for workers in a range of social work, community, education and health settings. It features over 60 exercises, explaining clearly the procedure to follow, the time needed and the value of each activity. It includes practical advice on: workshop planning; video equipment and how to use it; teaching technical skills to group members; running long-term projects. Participatory Video is a practical handbook for a wide range of professionals, including social workers, teachers, extension workers, therapists, community artists and video trainers." (Publisher description)
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