"This report provides essential insights to how the indigenous peoples of Nepal are organized and represented by the national and local media. The report describes the media landscape in three districts inhabited by indigenous peoples and reveals that Nepal has one of the most vibrant media environm
...
ents in Asia, particularly in community radio, yet these channels could be strengthened for ensuring voice and participation for indigenous peoples in the future. Alternative channels, using modern technology, should also be explored as a means to bringing information and giving a voice to indigenous peoples, especially in the most remote areas of the country. The report points to specific recommendations and proposes activities that can mutually benefit the media and indigenous peoples." (Foreword)
more
"Communication for Empowerment is an initiative which, in its global context, aims to enable average citizens including those from marginalised strata of society and those living in poverty to take informed decisions on their own lives, have access to channels that allow their voice to be heard and
...
have access to public spaces of local dialogue and debate [...] Mozambique is one of five countries coming forward as interested in taking part in the pilot research process, testing the tool in three districts in Mozambique: Mandlakazi, Dondo and Monapo. In each of the districts, needs assessments focused on identifying the information and communication needs of vulnerable and marginalised communities. We report here on how their needs were or were not met with existing media approaches. From this we will be able to engage in dialogue with people from these three districts to determine how they plan to alter the media environment for the better." (Executive summary)
more
"Radio seems to have proven itself as a developmental tool, particularly with the rise of community and local radios, which have facilitated a far more participatory and horizontal type of communication than was possible with the older, centralised broadcasting model of the 1960s and 70s. There seem
...
s also to have been a re-discovery of radio in the context of new ICTs, a realisation that technology has made radio into a more two-way medium and that it can help bridge the digital divide by providing a powerful tool for information dissemination and access, especially for hard-to-reach rural audiences [...] Whilst there are some proven successes in terms of radio's development impact to date, there are still some question-marks over radio's impact. This report identifies and discusses the issues of gender and minority access and inclusion in radio broadcasting; the issue of inciting violence and radio's 'double-edged' nature in vulnerable societies; the whole question of sustainability and whether or not developmental - and/or 'public-service' - radio is a viable concern from an economic standpoint. Underlying all these questions remains the challenge of how precisely to measure the impact of radio; finding appropriate methodological tools and forums to do so; and the problem of defining and researching behaviour change." (Executive summary)
more
"Entwicklungsländer und moderne Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien (IKT): Wie geht das zusammen? Dieses oft diskutierte, aber selten detailliert untersuchte Thema wird in diesem Buch vor allem anhand Afrikas südlich der Sahara behandelt, einer Weltregion mit erheblichen Entwicklungshemmn
...
issen. Im Fokus steht dabei die besonders voraussetzungsreiche Internetnutzung. Tatsächlich sind die Hürden für einen entwicklungsförderlichen Einsatz moderner IKT und speziell des Internets dort weiterhin sehr hoch. Die Ergebnisse der materialreichen Studie, für die auch Forschungen vor Ort durchgeführt wurden, verweisen indes nicht bloß auf Potenziale der IKT für Entwicklung, sondern sie zeigen auch, dass sich die Internetnutzung in Subsahara-Afrika bereits vielfältig darstellt und derzeit dynamisch entwickelt. Nicht nur mit Blick auf die schwerpunktmäßig untersuchten Felder (Demokratisierung, Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung) bestehen erhebliche Chancen und Bedarfe für einen Ausbau der Informationsgesellschaft in dieser Weltregion. Vorschläge, wie darauf politisch reagiert und Entwicklung durch Vernetzung gefördert werden kann, bilden einen weiteren Schwerpunkt des Bandes." (Verlagsbeschreibung)
more
"This briefing builds on DFID’s commitments set out in our 2006 White Paper, Making Governance Work for the Poor. The main purpose is to provide an overview of the relationship between media and governance, and to highlight some of the principal opportunities and challenges to engaging with the se
...
ctor. It is aimed at all staff across DFID working on media or governance issues, and is intended to complement the practical guidance contained in DFID’s 2000 “Media in Governance: A Guide to Assistance”. The Note explains why and how the media is a critical sector in shaping governance relationships, and summarises key global trends in the media which are already leading to changes in country-level governance. The note explains some of the incentives and disincentives driving the sector which can lead the media to play either a positive or negative role in strengthening democratic politics. It pays particular attention to the role of the media in fragile states. The paper concludes by identifying key lessons and principles for donors to increase the effectiveness of media development initiatives in order to help build democratic, capable, accountable and responsive states." (Introduction, pages 1-2)
more
"On the occasion of its 40th anniversary, RNTC invited stakeholders in the field of media and development for a two-day conference, held in Hilversum on June 5-6, 2008, on "Media and development: future scenarios for international cooperation" [...] This report is an attempt to give a reflection of
...
the vibrant discussions and exchange of knowledge and experience during the two days of the conference. We provide some background information about the methodology used, and we describe the key themes that came up in the different sessions." (Foreword)
more
"This paper examines how banks can translate the potential of mobile phones into greater financial access for poor people. Although mobile phone operators have been able to use the mobile phone for mobile remittance and bill payment services in several countries, banks have had little success in usi
...
ng mobile phones as part of a growth or outreach strategy. This paper focuses on smaller banks or microfinance institutions (MFIs) that face a much higher cost-of-service delivery because of the smaller transaction values they handle and the likely more remote and dispersed location of at least some of their customers. The opportunity seems particularly great for them, but implementation challenges also loom larger because of their small scale. This discussion assumes these banks and MFIs have adequate back office and transaction switching capability and sufficient internal controls, whether managed in-house or outsourced." (Page 1)
more
"This paper provides a conceptual framework for the identification of indicators of information literacy (IL) and proposes a pathway for cost effective and timely development. The paper includes a definition of IL; a model that links information literacy with other adult competencies including Infor
...
mation and Communication Technology (ICT) skills; and a description of IL standards in education. Issues of IL equality and the implications of cultural diversity are identified." (Executive summary)
more