Marseille 2007
| Abstract #86 - Strengthening media capacity to act as catalysts for meaningful interaction between policy makers and citizens on effective socio-economic and health responses to HIV and AIDS | ||||
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Session: 32.2: Theatre and Media and Internet (Parallel) on Tuesday @ 11.00-12.30 in PR Chaired by Larry Brown, Victoria Gordillo Authors: Presenting Author: Ms Marietjie Myburg - Idasa, South Africa |
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| Aim: The Media, AIDS and Governance (MAG) Project of Idasa wants to strengthen the communication chain between the media and political and government communicators to build an environment for informed interaction between citizens and the government on HIV/AIDS, democracy and development. The project has four objectives: 1. Improve the knowledge base of media practitioners, in particular community media, as well as government and political party communication strategists on the relationship between HIV/AIDS, democracy and development. 2. Enable community media to translate complex international and national messages about HIV/AIDS, democracy and development to local conditions. 3. Improve the ability of the media to use international and regional commitments, budgets and political speeches as monitoring tools for HIV/AIDS, democracy and development 4. Provide a forum for analysis of national and local HIV/AIDS policy and strategy 5. Contribute to efforts that will result in HIV/AIDS as high priority for government action | ||||
| Method / Issue: MAG involves community and mainstream media and local and national political party and government communicators as the key interlocutors shaping public perception, attitudes and knowledge about HIV and AIDS. The project is regional and includes Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia. MAG achieves its objectives through the following activities: 1. Discussion forums that involve politicians, policy makers, senior editors and other change agents in the HIV and AIDS and the governance sectors 2. Training workshops for national and community media print, television and radio and government communication services local and national. 3. Information dissemination through e-news alerts to more than 100 media workers in the region building on skills gained at the training workshops | ||||
| Results / Comments: Since 2004 the project has: 1. Reached more than 100 media workers in four countries, strengthening and supporting capacity to contribute to debate and to provide accurate, contextual and comprehensive coverage on the governance response to the epidemic in the southern African region 2. Increased the analysis capability of the media to deepen the public understanding of HIV and AIDS and the epidemics linkages with sustainable democracy, development and good governance. | ||||
| Discussion: Democratic governance has been identified as one of the key characteristics of a successful response to the HIV and AIDS epidemic. In turn, a continuous communication cycle between political leaders, government and citizens that strengthens the link between transparency and accountability, characterises a healthy democracy. Citizens consider and respond to programme and policy information leading to adjustments that spur another cycle of dissemination and response. The Media AIDS and Governance Project will enhance this cycle to build a habit of citizen participation in democratic governance and at the same time cultivate political leadership in an environment of open and transparent communication. | ||||
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