[FoME] UNDP Guidance Note on Communication for Empowerment

[Christoph Dietz]

Communication for Empowerment: developing media strategies in support of vulnerable groups.
United Nations Development Programme, Bureau for Development Policy, Democratic Governance Group, 2006, 48 p.
Download: http://www.undp.org/oslocentre/docs06/Communicationforempowermentfinal.pdf 

Abstract:
This Practical Guidance Note aims to demonstrate that media can play a crucial role in empowering vulnerable and marginalized groups. This can best be achieved if media support and media capacity development is directed in a way that enables the media to better respond and reflect the information and communication needs of these groups. This kind of media support can be called Communication for Empowerment. Communication for Empowerment is a critical driver for securing the necessary participation, ownership and accountability for achieving the MDGs. The Guidance Note explains Communication for Empowerment and its importance to poverty reduction. It identifies trends in the media, and highlights key opportunities and challenges, including the impact of liberalization and the ongoing struggle many media face in holding onto hard fought media freedoms. The Note underscores the particular importance of radio in Communication for Empowerment strategies because of its reach, accessibility to the poor and increasingly interactive character. It also outlines a range of ways that UNDP and other development practitioners can best support Communication for Empowerment based on conducting information and communication audits, and choosing the appropriate context-specific intervention strategy. It suggests that UNDP's establihed roles in-country of convening, facilitating, advising and advocating, as well as its focus on capacity development ant its experience in democratic governance equip the organization to play a key role in furthering Communication for Empowerment.