"Internews designed the HRSM Amazon project to provide adequate information about COVID to vulnerable communities. Each local partner maintained relationships with indigenous communities and remote sectors that received inadequate state health care, had high rates of mis/disinformation, and lacked i
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nformation about the pandemic. Partners adapted project activities to these communities’ needs, providing information in their native languages and supporting community members to lead fact-based content production. For some communities, these trainings offered their first experiences ever in producing communications materials, and partners ensured indigenous values directly informed content creation with an intercultural approach. Internews observed the project’s direct and indirect positive impacts on shifting perspectives of indigenous organizations. For example, SERVINDI reported that when they first conducted their health diagnosis, indigenous communities rejected the vaccine; however, the Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin (COICA) requested more vaccination information in their native languages following the campaign’s implementation. Similarly, communication narratives that placed traditional and Western medicine in dialogue helped communities consider alternative strategies for coping with the pandemic. Throughout HRSM Amazon’s 12-month timeframe, the project consistently evolved to adapt initiatives to community needs. To reach last-mile communities in Colombia and Guyana, for instance, partners stored audio on flash drives to play repeatedly over loudspeakers where internet was not available. The pandemic not only heightened the visibility of digital connectivity challenges, but it particularly amplified the health realities of the most remote indigenous communities ignored by the State. According to local organizations, health problems extend far beyond just COVID infections. Indigenous communities face limited medical presence or no medical supplies on a regular basis; for example, the Araona Territory previously lacked a health center nearby, so the population had not received medical attention for 15 years. CEJIS adapted its project activities to go beyond preventing COVID-19 transmission in the Araona communities, providing radio listeners and national media across Bolivia with health information and updates on the Araona situation. As the project concluded, HRSM Amazon partners left indigenous communities equipped with their own communication initiatives, such as communicator networks and informational podcasts that community members are now continuing to lead independently, setting them up for greater long-term connectivity and information access. Not only will communities be able to more effectively share information among themselves moving forward, but this greater visibility will also help the State understand primary needs among indigenous communities, create culturally relevant health information campaigns, and act with increased respect for indigenous autonomy." (Executive summary)
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"We have identified a great diversity of projects organized by local media producers, often in an alliance with other sectors of civil society that are interested in generating information offers from and for the Amazon. In general terms, the most promising initiatives for fostering democratic discu
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ssions in the region are those that take into account the following criteria: they work together with grassroots social processes in their respective localities; they strengthen cultural diversity and value the identity of individuals and collectives; they search for technological solutions adapted to the conditions of each place; they seek to form alliances. The objective of this study was, in the first place, to identify the difficulties for communicating in the Amazon, but also to make proposals for change. In the different forums established in the context of this research, as well as during the fieldwork, it was possible to become acquainted with projects that seek to improve the participation of regional inhabitants in communication, information, and dialogue networks. Some of these projects have existed for years, while others are still in development. These proposals can be systematized according to their contribution to the creation of solutions for socioenvironmental conflicts from a communications perspective. We have thus identified four main areas: cultural diversity and biodiversity; participation and sustainable development; managing communication autonomously; forging alliances to increase the visibility of socioenvironmental conflicts." (Conclusions, page 51)
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"Hemos constatado que existe una gran diversidad de proyectos organizados por comunicadores locales, muchas veces en alianza con otros actores de la sociedad civil, que están interesados en desarrollar ofertas de información desde y para la Amazonia. En términos generales, las iniciativas más pr
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ometedoras para fomentar la discusión democrática en la región son aquellas que toman en consideración los siguientes criterios: están enlazadas con procesos sociales de base en los respectivos lugares; fortalecen la diversidad cultural y valoran la identidad de las personas y los colectivo; buscan soluciones tecnológicas adaptadas a las condiciones de cada lugar; buscan la formación de alianzas. El objetivo de este estudio se centraba por un lado en señalar las dificultades para comunicar en la Amazonia, pero también en delinear propuestas de cambio. En los diferentes foros realizados en el marco de esta investigación, así como en las visitas de campo, se pudieron conocer proyectos que se proponen mejorar la participación de los habitantes de la región en redes de comunicación, información y diálogo. Algunos de estos proyectos llevan a sus espaldas años de experiencia, otros todavía están en desarrollo. Estas propuestas se pueden sistematizar de acuerdo con su contribución a la formulación de soluciones a los conflictos socioambientales desde el campo de la comunicación. En esto hemos identificado cuatro áreas: diversidad cultural y biodiversidad; participación y desarrollo sostenible; gestión autónoma de la comunicación; visibilizar los conflictos socioambientales trabajando en alianza." (Conclusiones, página 51)
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"There are over 120 Australian Government funded Indigenous Broadcasting Services (IBSs) operating in Australia, with further unfunded IBS transmission sites. They vary in size from very small remote services to large community radio broadcasting services, and together, they reach an estimated audie
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nce of at least 100,000 Indigenous listeners who listen regularly. The most substantial investment in Indigenous broadcasting is provided by the Culture and Capability Programme under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS) which is administered by the Department of the Prime and Minister and Cabinet (PM&C). The purpose of this project was to forecast the return on investment over three years of a very remote, regional and urban IBS by understanding, estimating and valuing their impact on stakeholders. The analysis was verified through broader sector consultation to inform the Australian Government about the breadth and depth of impact likely to occur as a result of their continued investment in IBSs [...] We have identified six key insights from the analyses, explored in detail in section 7 of this report:
1. IBSs provide much more than radio – they are community assets that contribute to strengthening culture, community development and the local economy.
2. The outcomes achieved by IBSs appear consistent but the activities they undertake are varied.
3. The activities IBSs undertake are tailored to the specific needs of the community which helps build trust amongst the community.
4. IBSs are achieving a range of social returns on investment, heavily informed by their context, and value flows to a variety of stakeholder groups.
5. IBSs are contributing towards more of the Government’s priorities than is currently realised.
6. IBSs can leverage government funds to generate additional revenue – and greater impact – but only if they have sufficient resourcing available." (Executive summary, page 4-6)
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"This report offers a fresh perspective on the information and media landscape in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). It presents insights into the human impacts of information challenges and articulates opportunities to design development programming. By bringing a ground-level
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, human understanding to the complex dynamics of conflict in the region, this report seeks to supplement other analyses conducted through geopolitical, historical, or security lenses." (Introduction, page 4)
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"The current report presents the highlights of five country assessments that were undertaken to identify the communication and information needs of indigenous peoples. The starting point for this regional initiative was that access to information and communication avenues have an empowering element,
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and play a significant role in strengthening democratic governance, making it more inclusive, responsive and accountable [...] The assessments focused on a systematic analysis of major development issues faced by indigenous peoples, including in terms of representation in state agencies. They considered media and communication landscapes–encompassing freedom of expression and information, the safety of journalists, and community media, particularly radio–and how different factors facilitate or hinder information and communication for indigenous peoples, including the potential of new modes of digital communication and information and communication technology (ICT)." (Executive summary, page 1)
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"This report examines the Philippine situation in relation to the media landscape and opportunities for participation by Indigenous Peoplese in \communicative spaces. as avenues for self-empowerment. As an assessment of the communications and media environment and their implications for Indige
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nous Peoples, the report looks into challenges and opportunities that could aid future development interventions that emanate from local needs and aspirations [...] Radio remains the predominant form of communication and information channel in Indigenous Peoples areas but digital communications through cellular phones and mobile internet are also slowly making inroads except in very inaccessible communities and places where conflict is ever present. However, communication and information exchanges through the news media whether newspaper, radio or television are mainly conducted in a language other than the Indigenous Peoples‘ mother tongue. The one exception is radio station DXUP in Upi, Maguindanao which broadcasts programs in a mixture of Teduray, Visayan, and English [...] The consensus among those who participated in the data gathering activities was the need for Indigenous Peoples communities to establish their own media, preferably radio as a means to effectively project their agenda on the larger, national development and political landscape. This was, for instance, expressed strongly during the tribal congress of the Teduray-Lambangian people in Mindanao and to a lesser extent by the Tagbanua of Palawan. While this is one way of addressing the exclusion of Indigenous Peoples from the mainstream news agenda, it has to be viewed in the context of capacity development that takes into consideration the larger enabling environment that could influence one way or the other the overall strategy of any development program. It has to consider also the importance of gaining a foothold in the mainstream media as the flip side of a community media owned and managed by Indigenous Peoples is that there might become a tendency to limit the conversation among indigenous communities and thus failing to articulate their aspirations to a larger audience especially when this impinge on policy." (Executive summary)
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"The article examines the notion of development as self-determination in the context of current politicisation of indigenous peoples’ affairs. It looks at the links between development studies, indigenous social movements, and community media practices; and more specifically between specific views
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on development, self-determination, and identity, and how these terms become embodied in specific media-making (video) practices. The article summarises two case studies of indigenous media production in a transnational context: the UNESCO-funded project Information and Communications Technologies for Intercultural Dialogue: Developing Communication Capacities of Indigenous People (ICT4ID), and the emergence and consolidation of CLACPI, a network of indigenous media producers in Latin America." (Abstract)
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"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
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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)
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