Communications for Development @ UNCDF - Index

1. Development Communication is a process (not an end)to bring desirable changes in the attitude & behaviour among all the stake holders of any development programme.

2. Communication among people in the context of their development that fosters and facilitates their interaction and enhance development results.

3. Using communication for development purposes.

4. Participatory development communication facilitates community participation to development initiatives. It can be defined as “is a planned activity, based on one hand on participatory processes, and on the other hand on media and interpersonal communication which facilitates a dialogue among different stakeholders, around a common development problem or goal, with the objective of developing and implementing a set of activities to contribute to its solution, or its realization, and which supports and accompanies this initiative.” (Involving the community,2004, P.9).

5. It means reaching out to as many people as possible with a very clear message that development is a human right.

6. The different types and means of communication that support the development process, whether at the national, local or individual level.

7. Devcom is the science and art of educating people so that they are able to identify their needs, the solutions to these needs and the ways of mobilizing the resources they have to fulfill these needs. By so doing, they are able to develop their human potentials at their own will and pace.

8. Communication of knowledge to relevant stakeholders, with the goals of: (1) engaging them in using such knowledge for their own purposes, (2) producing new knowledge, and (3) communicate such knowledge to others in the global community of practice that CBNRM Net is.

9. Communication that helps the poor to better their lives. Communication that uses all modern technologies in service of poor people and nations.

10. Communication for Development fosters knowledge and information sharing among communication “equals”. It fosters participation, commitment, empowerment, and facilitates common decision making.

11. Involving a 2 way communication between project planners and beneficiaries to ensure appropriate technology and practices are applied.

12. A process which people create and share information in order to reach mutual understanding or agreement for social change.

13. Social marketing as we don't work now on the international development level solely, we do work in conjunction with others who provide training in developing countries - so there might be an increase in that kind of communication.

14. -Articulating the UN priorities and activities in its work against poverty and to promote development; -Adapting global communication strategies to local realities; -Stimulating opinion, debate, and contributing, whenever possible, to policy formulation.

15. Development Communication is an interactive process aimed to support the empowerment of and trust among all stakeholders on the decision-making process and the action plans of initiatives and projects affecting their life. It is characterized by the exchange of ideas, information, points of view, experiences and needs between the involved stakeholders.

16. Sensu strictu (in agriculture): The participatory communication intended to lead to improvement in land management, crop and animal performance, and human health.

17. The use of communications as a tool for the empowerment of local communities through access to knowledge, sharing of information, problem assessment and others, Communication for development is not only in giving information, it is (as a communication activity) facilitating the expression of communities needs and organization for action.

18. I am a bit recalcitrant on this subject. This summer during the UN Round Table in Rome I expressed this saying I found it an unhelpful concept. I tend to link development communication with the notion of multiple stakeholders learning and negotiating to engage in concerted action. So rural radio, centres for development communication, etc. do not feature strongly in my concept. In my book, it is more important to learn to listen and collaborate than to intervene. Interaction costs a lot of money.

19. Une méthode , une façon d'utiliser la communication et les différents outils de communication pour soutenir le processus de dévoloppement humain.

20. Communication for Development was usefully described by the Communication for Development Roundtable in 2001 (which I helped facilitate). This is reproduced here: “The Roundtable asserts: 1. Communication for Development is a powerful process that has shown success in agriculture, population, health, education and many other fields, and has contributed substantially to social and economic progress and poverty reduction. 2. Communication for Development is an essential process within human development and must be integrated in economic, political and social change. This process is more than information dissemination. It is a multi-strategy approach that involves and gives voice to all levels of society. 3. Communication for Development is grounded in political, social and cultural contexts, guided by research and ideally owned by those affected. 4. Communication for Development must create informed public and private debate by creating the space for people's voices to be heard. 5. Human rights are an inherent part of all Communication for Development. Communication not based on these principles has the potential to do harm.”

21. In developing countries such a field is very useful. It is not enough to design projects for development. One has to come up with communication strategies to sensitize efficiently the population mainly rural. The development messages must be clearly understood to be useful otherwise development projects may fail due to bad communication.

22. Behaviour Change models have been the dominant approach in the field of development communication strategies we are using at Amarc. These strategies shared the belief that problems of development were basically rooted in lack of knowledge and that consequently, interventions needed to provide people with information to change behaviour.

23. It means sensitizing the target audience to the development issues that the organisation is dealing with. For instance it means promoting the MDGs. It means working with civil society, the media and the government to promote the MDGs. It means creating awareness and sensitising the public on issues, which affect development, issues of health, poverty, education etc.

24. Development communication is communication which is part of development processes seeking to build inclusion and/or address poverty. It is two-way, interactive; aims to stimulate inclusive dialogue and debate particularly ensuring the voice of the poor and marginalised is included. It includes a wide range of approaches and methodologies from audio, visual, written, multimedia and inter-personal initiatives.

25. Communication for development is about dialogue, participation and the sharing of knowledge and information. It takes into account the needs and capacities of all concerned in development.

26. Research, compilation, editing and dissemination (electronic and conventional) of information which helps to promote social, economic and political development in a certain geographical and/or political area.

27. communication on development issues

28. Utiliser les ressources de la communication pour favoriser la participation communautaire dans la conception, l'exécution des projets de développement

29. Communication about development-related issues.

30. The use of communication processes, techniques, and media to help people towards a full awareness of their situation and their options for change, to resolve conflicts, to work towards consensus among all stakeholders, to help people plan actions for change and sustainable development, to help people acquire the knowledge and skills they need to improve their condition and that of society, and to improve the effectiveness of institutions.

31. To one section of FAO which deals with extension and devcom, it implies a participatory process of working with communities to identify needs and messages; to the rest of FAO it implies a website and 5 percent tacked on as an afterthought to a budget line.

32. To provide all sectors of a society with information which enables them to make well-informed decisions; - to educate certain sectors of society in relation to important development issues, such as health (HIV/aids), environment, economics, politics and conflict; - to give a voice to those sectors of society that are under-represented in the mainstream media, in order to enable them to participate fully in societal processes (and to celebrate the diversity of society); - all effective development communication is participatory.

33. Communication for development is a method or techniques to bring a developmental change at behavioural and action level. It is a means used to achieve poverty alleviation, gender equity, food security, democracy and good governance, etc. It is involved which what we do to influence actions, outcomes and policies at all levels from local to global units.

34. Participatory Development Communication (PDC) refer to development activities that aim to improve understanding, attitude and practice of all parties involved such as communities, development workers, donors and policy maker toward achieving community development.

35. Information, education and communication is the interaction between stakeholders willing to share and produce positive solutions to social, economic and political problems within project initiatives.

36. It means getting information and knowledge out to communities for them to choose how to best use it for their goals

37. Participatory development communication means ensuring systematic exchange of information between all project stakeholders and establishing channels through which all stakeholders can obtain the information they need and provide input on all aspects of the project development and implementation.

38. Development is a dynamic, human-centred, learning process which requires people to work together towards greater well-being for all. Communication is vital to achieving sustainable development and empowering people to work towards a common vision of a better world.

39. Information Analysis.

40. The role of communications in the development and democratization process of societies (or Human Development, to borrow UN terminology).

41. Communication that supports behaviour change.

42. Communication for development is the use of communication processes, techniques and media to help people towards a full awareness of their situation and their options for change, to resolve conflicts, to work towards consensus, to help people plan actions for change and sustainable development, to help people acquire the knowledge and skills they need to improve their condition and that of society, and to improve the effectiveness of institutions. (Fraser & Restrepo-Estrada, 1998).

43. Providing knowledge, through publications and materials, that assists health care providers, policy makers and academics, in developing countries, with material and techniques to improve their understanding of and delivery of health care to the general population.

44. Informing and motivating stakeholders.

45. Development Communication means all the communication tools and activities used to design projects that foster economical and social development. It includes the use of ICTs, especially internet, for collaborative work and distance education, to develop, implement and evaluate new processes and strategies that lead to progress.

46. Using communication insights, perspectives, methods and techniques in support of development objectives and programmes.

47. xxx

48. Supporting the communication of research and information that assists policy-makers and those with an influence on development policy in making informed decisions.

49. When I teach in this area I put the emphasis on the context dependent aspects of the communication process and on the appropriation of meaning by participants.

50. Communication for development is a fairly all-encompassing term for the field of designing and disseminating messages intended to improve people's lives. Consequently, ‘communication for development' is perceived to be an umbrella term under which terms such as IEC, social marketing...etc, indicate a specific subset of communication activities.

51. Purposeful and systematic exchange of ideas (knowledge, experiences, views, etc.) between al concerned actors on how to compress the natural process of human development in areas as health, security, food, etc.

52. A process that provides individuals with the necessary tools to make decisions/take initiatives that have an impact on their life.

53. In UNICEF, we call it Development for Communication, meaning ‘ it is a researched and planned process which is crucial for social transformation operating through three main strategies: advocacy, social mobilization, and programme communication, for changes in knowledge, attitude and practice of specific participants in programme.

54. Communication (i.e. relevant processes and tool in a given context) as a necessary part of development programmes

55. Communication for development or devcom specifically means communication which deal with development issues, the purpose is developmental and the messages are for and in the subject of development. In the broad field and application of COMMUNICATION, these differentiate devcom from communication arts, propaganda communication, etc.

56. AMARC works in the field of community access to the means of communication with a focus on appropriate technologies, particularly radio.

57. IEC to us at the UNIC-United Nations Information Center means in addition to its role of disseminating information, it serve as important link between the UN and educational institutions and non-governmental organizations by providing then with up-to-date information's material. On the other hand UNICs organizes seminars, round tables and offers internships to graduates of communications, international relations and librarians.

58. UN Information Centres (UNICs), which belong to the UN Department of Public Information, are not development agencies. But, communication is an important means to increase the awareness of development issues, whereby encouraging people to take part in development processes. In other words, I take it that it is a tool for supplement and facilitate development.

59. All those involved in the analysis and application of communication for development - or what can broadly be termed “development communication” - would probably agree that in essence development communication is the sharing of knowledge aimed at reaching a consensus for action that takes into account the interests, needs and capacities of all concerned. It is thus a social process. Communication media are important tools in achieving this process but their use is not an aim in itself—interpersonal communication too must play a fundamental role.

60. Pour le RESACIFROAT, il s'agit de faciliter la parole et son exercice par les femmes rurales qui sont souvent exclues des décisions au niveau de leurs communautés.Les rendre capables de comprendre les mécanismes, de s'exprimer et de participer au développement de leurs communautés à travers les analyses pertinentes qu'elles font, les propositions d'alternatives qu'elles peuvent faire pour leur groupe social et pour l'ensemble de leurs communautés.

61. It means that we try to give more space to community and “beneficiaries” discuss, to see, to participate, to act, to evaluate, for their own development; I mean, not our vision or target but let or bring them to say, to take responsibility and part of their development; So it is a process of empowerment individual and of the community ; and a process of capacity building but we and our organization have to make a structure/ a system to permit this

62. Communication that facilitates participation in social processes

63. “Communication is an important support to participatory development. Communication and participation are, in fact, two sides of the same coin. We are talking about the use of different strategies (media and others) to help people become aware of and articulate about their predicament, exchange knowledge and skill to take control over their lives, reach consensus and manage conflicts, and improve the effectiveness of organizations. Communication is about bridging understanding within a human community by exchanging messages to enrich meaning and common knowledge, often with the purpose of embracing change.” Source: Ramirez, R. & Quarry, W. 2004. Communication for development: A medium for innovation in natural resource management. IDRC and FAO.

64. Communication for development: accompanies processes of organization, training, information, participation, democracy, include processes of systematization and advocacy. Inclusive, I am using communication for administration of projects!!! because it is needed to work in equipo!! it is needed to inform of people, administrative and non administrative of every thing: the political background, the objectives, about the people, our interlocutor.. Communication are elementos, are methodologies, are tools, and also is an attitude !! very important , attitude to listen to the people, to share with the people.. to respect people and countries..At least I have been working with these basis

65. Putting people first. Work with people as partners not seeing them as beneficiaries make them participate in the decision making process. To take on their own development

66. For the Dimitra Project, development communication means a two-way communication channel which allows the voices of the rural populations, especially rural women, to be heard at the decision making level, and relevant information, as defined by the rural populations themselves according to their needs, to be disseminated as widely as possible

67. For me, communication for development is the planned and systematic use of communication methods and media for sharing of knowledge and skills to improve the quality of lives of the poor; but also to increase participation in decision making, reach consensus for action that takes into account the interests, needs and capacities of all concerned and to promote social change. It is a social process . Communication technology and media are important tools in achieving this process, but use of the media is not an aim in itself. Interpersonal communication must also play a fundamental role.

68. A key process wherein people interact and together harness their capabilities and potentials to collectively address challenges and problems and thereby advance their wellbeing and equity

69. Management of public information and knowledge on development and related issues. By ‘Development', I am referring to the process of expanding the choices available to people, especially in less developed societies.

70. I will not attempt to define from FAO point of view, but within in the context of my unit, development communication refers more to the content of information provided to policy, extension, private sector and farmers especially in relationship to focus on food insecure and ways to achieve reduction in hunger. Methods are many of course - from workshops and seminars to leaflets and posters.

71. The use of all means available (and possibly the creation of those means where they are not to be found) to make possible the sharing of relevant information which will reduce the gap between the “info-reach” and the “info-poor” and thus enhance a sustainable development.

72. Development communication is for as a way to achieve objectives with participatory. now I think that development communication can be a research for those men and women who wants to go forward in development.

73. Manière d'échanger entre des facilitateurs et une population ( communauté) pour identifier un problème, l'analyser et trouver des solutions pour le résoudre. Les populations participent librement. Elles choisissent les outils et la démarche pour la solution et sa mise en œuvre. Sans imposition. Celui qui parle écoute et celui qui écoute parle aussi. Cette nouvelle façon de dialoguer avec les communautés est différente de la vulgarisation qui venait avec des solutions techniques toutes faites.

74. Working with grassroots communities so that they activate their potential to decide and take part in solving their own problems. Other development agencies and leaders in the community have roles to play in the grassroots' initiatives, but the grassroots communities are the leaders and they decide on what is important for them and how they wish to implement the solutions to their problems.

75. Building capacity for communication to ensure people have the information, knowledge and skills to participate in and lead their own development

76. Participatory devcom is a process that involves knowledge (not merely information) generation as much as knowledge exchange or transfer among participants. It is more than mere mechanistic methodologies or technologies -- it has a value base that facilitates emancipation of people involved in the social process.

77. Development communication is a participatory approach to promote a broad base community involvement in planning, implementing and evaluating various development activities for enhancing social, cultural, political as well as economic aspects of the community life.

78. Communication strategies based on the human rights principles of: -self determination -participation -inclusion, that -Give a voice to all people in a given community (especially the marginalized) -create safe spaces for all groups of people to discuss issues and reach consensus on action, and -connect community action plans to governance bodies at all levels, so that community action can be supported with improved service delivery and policy. Development communication is a continuum from community engagement, through reflecting community viewpoints in mass media, to including community viewpoints and plans in policy development and service delivery.

79. Knowledge and information designed to improve the livelihoods of people who need it most, particularly in the developing world

80. The Communication Initiative exists to provide a space to share, debate and innovate for more effective development communication practice. I guess one productive way to define devcom comes from The Communication for Social Change Consortium: “a process of public and private dialogue through which people themselves define who they are, what they need and how to get what they need in order to improve their own lives. It utilises dialogue that leads to collective problem identification, decision making and community-based implementation of solutions to development issues.”

81. We have always stood by the definition of the mother of devcom, Dr. Nora C. Quebral, on what our discipline means. I don't know it verbatim but this stands out in my memory: “Devcom is the art and science of human communication which seeks to transform society from a state of poverty to greater equity and in the process of doing so, maximize/ achieve the human potential.”

82. CORAPE, es una Organización no gubernamental que cuenta con 45 radios afiliadas a nivel nacional y que trabaja por la “Democratización de la palabra” en todo su amplio sentido. Nuestros ejes de acción son: 1)Fortalecimiento institucional. 2)Fortalecimiento de Redes: Informativa, Migración, Binacional, Ambiental. 3)Capacitación y Formación y 4)Sostenibilidad Económica. Nuestro principal trabajo es el realizar trabajos de comunicación con y para la comunidad, de una manera directa, fácil de comprender y socializar temas de interés con procesos de capacitación e intercambio. Mi trabajo en CORAPE, es coordinar todas las estratégias, proyectos y acciones que desarrollamos para garantizar un buen trabajo a corto, mediano y largo plazo. La Comunicación para el Desarrollo es una de las actividades más apasionantes que he realizado y una manera directa de interactuar con la gente y su manera de ser y vivir su cotidianidad, además de apoyar en procesos de crecimiento y mejoramiento de las condiciones de vida de las comunidades más pobres del país.

83. How comm can help in the promotion of development

84. To me, DC means the process through which communication processes can be employed to boost development in the poorer regions of the world.

85. For instance, in the fight against HIV/AIDS, I have been trained in some skills to impart to others with the hope that those that I address on HIV/AIDS will imbibe the information and apply it to avoid contracting the disease or getting infected. On the part of the Organisation, it has a wealth of information to give to people to assist them be aware of the dangers posed by some risky behaviours of individuals that can easily put them in danger of being infected by the disease.

86. Enhance participatory processes on the community level. Establish linkages between the community and the meso levels of local governance and decentralized administration. Influence policies and institutional frameworks by documenting development processes and lessons learnt and by sharing these lessons with decision makers.

87. Communication that aims to impact on the behaviour of an individual, or groups of individuals with a positive impact.

88. Communication for development is the active inclusion of people in their own development through the most physically and culturally appropriate means of two way communication.

89. Communication that facilitates a two ways flow of information, with the genuine aim of empowering people, in agriculture, in policy elaboration, in project making, etc.

90. This is information creating and sharing for development. The learning aspect is the education part that is included in the IEC

91. Communication for development is a process in which techniques are used to ensure that all actors in the development process are informed, involved and empowered. Through a two way process information is shared for empowering decision making. Without a reciprocal communication process development becomes a top down approach. Communication for development can take many forms: It can be part of a communication strategy within a project; it can be and IEC information sharing process; it can assist with project M&E. In all cases, communications for development should ensure that all actors are equally involved in a decision making process for empowerment. I will send you the typology of participation that highlights the different levels of this decision making.