"This Smart Village Blueprint, piloted in Niger, has been conceived as a practical tool for establishing smart villages. It contributes to the implementation of the Niger 2.0 Smart Villages project, which aims at providing broadband infrastructure to improve Internet access in rural and remote parts
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of the country. The Smart Villages project comprises a locally led, integrated, and holistic approach to providing access to digital services to all citizens of rural communities, with the integration of digital technologies serving as a crucial enabler of equitable, qualitative and efficient delivery of SDG-related services for all. This Blueprint is based on the lessons learnt from experiences setting up, managing, and sustaining similar projects in different parts of the world, including the Niger Smart Villages project. These lessons highlight the importance of dynamic local leadership, the continuous development of local capacity to manage and lead sustainable development programmes, and the need to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders and adopt a whole-of-government approach, moving away from older, territorial, siloed development models. The aim of this Blueprint is to make smart villages one of the mechanisms through which multiple SDGs can be achieved simultaneously in remote and underserved areas." (Foreword)
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"In the first section, a set of tools for content production, recording and transmission is introduced. Beyond simply providing a list of software already used by radios—such as audio editing and broadcast automation software—this manual’s aim is to develop a comprehensive proposal for decentr
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alized and collaborative forms of working. Nearly all of the software presented here is free software, because only free software guarantees radios’ autonomy, privacy and security, and allows them to freely adapt it to the needs of specific contexts. Moreover, while (financially) supporting developers is recommended, most of the software programs presented here are available for free. In the manual’s second part, we then go on to discuss ten strategies that radios can use in their communication practices to guarantee freedom of opinion and access to information and that should allow them to establish a relevant position in the post-pandemic media panorama. These strategies were identified and systematized based on experiences that have already been creatively making inroads into radio communication, allowing us to tackle numerous challenges related to the dissemination of information. The lessons learned are invaluable and we aim to build upon them." (Introduction)
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"La primera parte presenta una serie de herramientas disponibles para producir, grabar y transmitir. No se trata de un compilado de software ya conocido por las radios –como editores de audio o automatizadores– sino de una propuesta integral de trabajo colaborativo descentralizado. Son, práctic
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amente en su totalidad, tecnologías libres ya que son las únicas que pueden garantizar la autonomía de las radios, su privacidad y seguridad, y la capacidad de adaptarlas a las necesidades de cada contexto. Además, muchas de ellas son gratuitas, aunque es recomendable apoyar a las personas que las desarrollan. La segunda parte plantea diez estrategias que las radios pueden incorporar a su práctica comunicativa para garantizar la libertad de opinión y el acceso a la información, y que les permitirán posicionarse en un lugar de relevancia en el panorama informativo pospandemia. Estas estrategias fueron identificadas y sistematizadas a partir de experiencias que ya están incursionando en maneras creativas de abordar diversos desafíos informativos y cuyos aprendizajes hemos puesto en valor." (Presentación)
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"These guidelines are meant to promote responsible, ethical and safe representation and reporting of violence against women and violence against children. These guidelines highlight many basic, sometimes common sense approaches that are all too often ignored. Real-life situations may be even more co
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mplex than the circumstances presented here. Hence, these guidelines should raise awareness about the sensitivity of reporting on and communicating about violence against women and violence against children. The desired result is better informed media and communications practitioners; more empowering messages, visuals and communications content; and a way of working with survivors as subjects who have agency while doing no harm and benefitting all involved." (Summary, page 24)
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"Here are some practical steps you can follow to keep yourself safer during this period and improve the time that you and your family have both online and offline: 1. It is important to check your privacy settings on ALL of your social media accounts and know how to set your accounts to private or t
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o friends online. You can find advice here or here on how to change your settings. 2. Make sure that when you are using any applications that use video, your location cannot be identified. 3. When you step away from the camera for any reason, the video may still be on and recording. It is okay to cover the camera when not using it. ALWAYS ensure that the video is turned off at the end of a session. And think about what other people can see when the video is on. 4. Be extra careful of how you treat and communicate with your friends online during this time. Think about how your posts, comments, likes and shares might affect those who see them. 5. Meeting new people is part of the attraction of being online but be extra careful while you are online during the pandemic. Remember that not everyone online who wants to talk to you has the same reason as you for wanting to chat. If you are in any doubt, block the person and speak to a trusted adult about your concerns [...]" (Pages 2-3)
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"This module introduces disaster risk management (DRM) and provides an overview of how information and communication technologies (ICTs) can be used for DRM. A large number of examples and case studies on the applications of ICTs in DRM have been included in the module. The main objective of the mod
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ule is to introduce the basic concepts of DRM and the applications of ICTs in disaster mitigation and prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery." (Page iii)
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"This guide has explored some of the key considerations that should inform the conceptualization and implementation of Machine Learning (ML) and artifical intelligence (AI) components within a development project. New, automated decision systems can offer considerable and rapid efficiency gains, but
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we must always remember that they embed numerous and ongoing human decisions. These may be intentional or unintentional, benevolent or malicious, general or highly context specific. As with physical infrastructure such as roads and bridges, digital infrastructure can all too easily encode unexamined bias – sometimes in ways that can undermine development gains. As outlined in this guide, a wide variety of decisions need to be made at different stages of the project lifecycle: from which stakeholders should be involved and how, to measuring model accuracy and success, to determining overall whether ML is an appropriate tool to use for your development context. There is no one-size-fits all answer to these questions. But whatever the specific ML/AI technologies and applications you consider, broad guidance is offered in the four thematic areas woven throughout this guide: Responsible, equitable, and inclusive design; Strategic partnerships and human capital; Adaptive management; Enabling environment for ML/AI. These focal points should help you and your project team make the best possible choices at each stage of the project life cycle." (Conclusion)
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"Human behavior plays a central role in reducing the spread of coronavirus. Communication by government entities and other trusted sources about desirable or mandated behaviors during the pandemic is critical. As policymakers, funders, and program staff, it is our responsibility to ensure that commu
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nications are clear, concise, and accurate. We can go one step further with messaging that is behaviorally informed, contextually relevant, and communicated through novel delivery channels. Effective communication will ensure that everyone hears, understands, and follows guidance necessary for COVID-19 mitigation." (Page 1)
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"The Guidelines provide practical directions for the use of distance education tools and practices to support teaching and learning and offer suggestions on the use of appropriate technology to address the social and pedagogical issues of learning in a crisis situation. The purpose is to provide a r
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oad map for decision makers in governments and institutions to invest in the systematic integration of good distance education practices in their specific contexts, keeping in view the challenges of equity and inclusion. Parents and students can benefit from the Guidelines by adopting appropriate practices that will facilitate the learning process." (Purpose of the guidelines, page 3)
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"Why understanding these 30 concepts is key during and post COVID19? As millions of people around the world are quarantined or in physical isolation, with border closings and restrictions in travel, Information Technologies (IT) have become the main means of interaction and communication. Suddenly,
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Digital Health and related concepts have begun to appear in every conversation related to the Health Systems’ response to the pandemic. And despite being longstanding concepts, the current situation has elevated them to the forefront of all discussions and decision-making about the pandemic response." (Page 1)
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"This document offers tools to help journalists practice responsible coverage of the pandemic using evidence-based information. It also proposes ways to approach coverage and encourages journalists to provide advice and solutions that can help reduce health risks and save lives. The priorities of th
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e Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) during the COVID-19 pandemic are to save lives, protect health workers, flatten the epidemiological curve to slow the spread of disease, and prevent cases from overloading health systems so that lives will not be lost due to lack of access to needed care. PAHO supports the countries of the Region of the Americas in adopting the measures they deem necessary to tackle the pandemic. Having clear, timely, and accurate information from reliable sources is vital for people in various situations during this pandemic. The information that is given must acknowledge uncertainty and help people protect themselves and prepare for different possible scenarios during the pandemic. This is essential for containing the spread of COVID-19 and the fear associated with it and mitigating its impact." (Page 1)
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"This handbook aims to draw lessons from those who specialize in science writing and editing — to provide their insights, knowledge, tips, and resources to all editors. The goal is to help ensure that science journalism meets the highest standards of quality no matter what the publication or the a
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udience. The handbook is designed to empower editors to ask the right questions, enable them to spot faulty reporting or flawed science, and to provide information on best practices in reporting on science and the many subjects, now more critical than ever, that it touches, whether the environment or a pandemic. The book provides practical tips for editors. But it also seeks to recognize the unique challenges and decisions they face. Many of the lessons are illustrated by example — when science journalism shone as well as when it was left wanting." (Introduction)
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"Judges and courts, both at national and regional levels, will find these guidelines useful to ensure the application of international and regional human rights standards of freedom of expression and privacy when ruling on cases involving States’ responses to the COVID-19 outbreak that have an imp
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act to freedom of expression, press freedom, access to information, privacy and safety of journalists. When resorting to state of emergency powers to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, States must comply with requirements, criteria and procedures established by international and regional legal instruments to safeguard citizens’ fundamental rights and prevent abuses and arbitrariness. While reporting on the pandemic, journalists may become targets of attacks and intimidations and face limitations due to imposed restrictions. Their work should be considered as the provision of an essential service, therefore protection must be provided and any violations to their safety should be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted. The development of health data collection tools to track infections and properly identify potential disseminators of the virus should consider the effects on the right to privacy, and therefore, observe international standards regarding data protection." (Highlights)
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"This Guidance aims to help teachers understand key issues related to home-based distance learning during COVID-19 school closures and design and facilitate effective learning activities. While we fully recognize the complementary relationship between formal and non-formal education, and continuity
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of studies across education and training levels throughout lifelong learning pathways, this Guidance includes resources, examples and tips for teachers and educators from pre-primary to upper-secondary level." (Page 7)
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"COVID-19 disinformation creates confusion about medical science with immediate impact on every person on the planet, and upon whole societies. It is more toxic and more deadly than disinformation about other subjects. That is why this policy brief coins the term disinfodemic. Using this frame, the
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brief helps to make sense of this new menace, and of the many types of responses that are unfolding internationally. To do this, it unpacks nine main themes and four dominant formats of COVID-19 disinformation, and presents a typology that groups the range of responses to the problem into 10 classes." (Introduction)
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"The guide aims to make what community engagement practitioners do visible and demonstrate why it matters. We’re not walking Rolodexes for reporters to tap, nor are we party planners or social media administrators. We create spaces and processes for the people we want to serve to articulate their
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experiences and collaborate with our newsrooms to report them. This takes more time and effort than you might think. It involves a lot of unglamorous labor, such as coordinating meetings, taking and distributing notes, following up with people about tasks, facilitating group processes, and developing partnerships — skill sets that are not often celebrated in newsroom culture, but whose absence is felt acutely when they are missing. This guide is about what engagement looks like and what it takes to do it well. My hope is that it fuels colleagues’ efforts nationwide who struggle for recognition and support in newsroom workflows, as well as helps editors and reporters realize that engagement is not separate from editorial, but plays a fundamental role in crafting relevant, powerful, and nuanced journalism." (Page 5)
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"This handbook brings together principles of conflict sensitive journalism with practical strategies for election reporting to explore how media workers can play a role in protecting and promoting free and fair elections. It aims to provide some guidelines that both editors and their journalists can
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follow as they strategize around ways of reporting on the build-up to elections, what to do on Election Day and how to cover the post-election period." (Purpose of this handbook, page 3)
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"By accident or design, the internet and social media have created the ideal conditions for a huge increase in false information and conspiracy theories. This can cause real harm offline, especially because digital literacy and digital policy are both currently unable to keep up with the pace of cha
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nge. In recent years, major democracies have had to investigate foreign interference in their digital information ecosystems. Over a third of Europeans now encounter so-called ‘fake news’ every day. In late June this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) held its first-ever conference looking at ‘infodemiology’ in response to misinformation related to Covid-19. Now established fact-checking organisations are emerging across the world and major media organisations have misinformation and disinformation (MDI) reporters. Here are 10 things you need to know about MDI and how it can be tackled." (Page 2)
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