Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Empowering Communities to Speak their World

Citizen journalism for social change in HIV/AIDS, TB and

related health issues

Taline HaytayanBarcamp Africa UK, London,

7 November 2009

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Aims

• Concept and vision• Who are the Key Correspondents (KCs)?• How KCs are empowered to speak their

world• Use of ICT and Multimedia • Challenges• Way Forward

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Concept and Vision

• Community-based, citizen journalists

• Passionate & Igniting social movements

• Empowering civil society with the tools to make a change

• Writing and expressing for change, accountability and transparency

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

The Key Correspondent Team

• Community-based writers on HIV/AIDS, TB and related health & development issues

• 250 KCs in over 50 countries

• Team in existence since 2000, supported by the Alliance since June 2009

KCs from Zambia and Kenya at IAS Conference, Cape Town, 2009

KC team at 3rd annual Stop TB Partners Forum, Brazil, in March, 2009

KC team at International Harm Reduction Conference, Bangkok, 2009

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

KC representation

31.8%21.2%

18.2%

5%

12.8%1.5%

1.5%

8%

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

The KC Team

• The Key Correspondent Team is a vibrant network of community-based writers uniting to speak their world. These citizen journalists, comprised of civil society members from around the world, share stories from their communities.

• The aim of KC stories is to give a voice to the voiceless, advocate for change and connect with policy and decision makers. KCs have a genuine interest in illuminating health and development issues from the ground up, initiating a movement to mobilize and empower civil society.

• The KC Team ignites social movements for change among communities affected by HIV, AIDS, TB and related health and development issues.

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

KCs by country

• KCs come from forty countries• Asia: Cambodia 18, Malaysia 9,

Thailand 35, China 5, India 17 (Manipur 10), Vietnam 9, Indonesia 5, Papua New Guinea 2, Philippines 3, Russia 3

• Africa: Uganda 33, Namibia 17, Zambia 72, Zimbabwe 22, Kenya 6, South Africa 9, Tanzania 4

• LAC: Mexico 2, Jamaica 1, Argentina 2

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Interpreting, Criticizing, and Challenging• Interpreting is to explain the meaning of

information to your audience and making complicated ideas and concepts simple to understand.

• Criticizing is to offer a constructive and objective assessment; it can be positive as well as negative. This assessment or criticism is not simply complaining. It is a rational, supported set of arguments.

• Challenging is to encourage people to think more critically about issues and may cause someone to question their personal beliefs and/or mainstream thoughts and perceptions.

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Building writing capacity of KCs

• Adhere to the general principles of good journalism described in this manual.

• Separate clearly factual reporting and the author’s opinion.

• Avoid needlessly offending readers when offering strong views.

• Offer balance and consider alternative points of view.

• Use sensitive language.• Maintain rationality of argument and support

arguments with evidence.

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

KC Support & Incentives

• Article assistance, editing and feedback• Announcements of opportunities for jobs and

conference attendance• In-country support for writing and advocacy

engagement• KC ID cards (press cards)• Conference invitations, logistical support,

media pass acquisition, and general on-site support

• KC training events• Letters of reference or recommendation• External dissemination to mass media

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Roles of the KCs

• KCs are the eyes and ears of those who cannot attend meetings and conferences in person

• KCs play a role in influencing policy change by bringing community perspectives and solutions to the national and international level

• KCs are helping the development community to analyse and think critically about current discourses

• KCs play a role in facilitating genuine dialogue and discussion (via the eForums)

• KCs act as a pool of resource, helping to build an on-going institutional memory of what is said, when, where and by whom

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Use of ICT and Multimedia

• www.Healthdev.net (web 2.0)

• eForums (AF-AIDS; Uganda; Zambia; Namibia; Zimbabwe)

• Community radio• Photography• Podcasts • Blogging

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

• Healthdev.net• KC-Forum & KC Connect• Regional eForums

•AF-AIDS•SEA-AIDS

• National eForums• Partners Zambia• Partners Uganda• Partners Namibia• Daiku Cambodia

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Becoming a KC

KCs join the team in three different ways:

• Invitation to a training workshop: usually the training of KCs is conducted in collaboration with NPPs.

• Recruited from HealthDev.net: users who regularly post unique articles and links are invited to become KCs.

• Special request: Key strategic leaders in the health field can also be invited to become KCs.

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Challenges

• Time and commitment to develop skills (including IT skills)

• Lack of spaces open to community voices

• Representation and involvement of most marginalised groups

• Fundraising for KC activities

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Way Forward

• Fundraise for innovative ICT related KC projects

• Increase number of KCs from most marginalised groups

• Partnerships with media organisations and other NGOs

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

The KC team at ICAAP following media orientation, 2009

Godsway at work, interviewing Frika Chia Ishkandar,

Coordinator of WAPN+, and CS representative of Commission on

AIDS in Asia, 2009

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Ishwar (KC from SASO) with his poster presentation “Addressing the needs of IDUs

female sexual partner in harm reduction programme”

Yudi, Prakash and Gosdway following media orientation

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Ishwar and Sarah with first of many KC articles published in the first edition of 9th ICAAP newsletter

Prakash and Ishdeep supporting Women and Lesbian Community

Forum rapporteur draft the community statement

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

KC Products and Outputs• Content for publications, for

exampleo Home-based Care in Zimbabwe

(advocacy)o Commission on AIDS in Asia report

(global policy and agenda-setting)o Seen and heard [HIV in children

project](voices of the marginalised)• Articles (stories) on

HealthDev.net• eForums articles and comments• Structured discussion

contributions• Content for conference

newspapers and reportage• Blogs• External media (local, national,

regional, global)

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Useful sources

• Healthdev.net• www.HealthDev.net/kcteam• kcteam@aidsalliance.org• Twitter.com/theKCteam• Facebook: Key Correspondent Team• For more information, please

contact: thaytayan@aidsalliance.org

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

Thank You!