ms.dk - Where the information highway ends
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Where the information highway ends The population’s lack of access to information is a major obstacle to development and participatory democracy in Mozambique. Accordingly MS Mozambique has given priority to improving the information work of its partner organizations.
Some of the members of ADEMO Nampula have participated in several communication workshops arranged by MS Mozambique. Photo: Per Bergholdt Jensen.
17-10-2014 14:31
ms.dk - Where the information highway ends
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http://www.actionaid.dk/sw52767.asp
Per Bergholdt Jensen, Information Officer 19. October 2006 It is close to impossible to get newspapers or magazines in rural areas and smaller towns in Mozambique. If people are lucky a radio signal might get through, but not everyone has a radio. This lack of access to any sort of information - be it on human rights, legal matters, health or regular news – represents serious obstacles to a democratic development in Mozambique. It is not easy to claim your rights, if you have absolutely no idea what they are. It is also difficult to demand that the authorities do not abuse their power, if you have no way of finding out what their exact mandates are. A population that has no real knowledge of its own constitutional rights is easier to control – or to manipulate or bully. Improvement of information efforts As a reaction to this situation, MS Mozambique has decided to try to improve this situation within its member organizations. The means are ongoing communication courses and journalistic workshops that facilitate the members of the local NGOs in their information work. Among the participants in the courses of MS Mozambique have been members of the Mozambican Association of Disabled People, ADEMO, in the Northern Province of Nampula. “The information work holds a great importance for the Mozambican associations and NGOs, because it enables them to communicate the activities they carry out to the public, as well as the decision and policies of the government”, says João Ussene Mucamuene, who is administrator of ADEMO Nampula. “It is important to disseminate these information to the Mozambican population in order to create a higher degree of transparency in our society”, concludes João Ussene Mucamuene, who himself has participated in various journalistic workshops with MS Mozambique. It can be difficult to measure the concrete effects of courses like these, but nonetheless there are certain indications of the impact of this work. After the courses have been carried out more of the members of the MS Mozambique partner associations have engaged in the communication work, and the quality as well as the production rate of their information bulletins has improved.
A member of the HIV/AIDS organization Nivenyee is making a presentation during a MS communication workshop. Photo: Per Bergholdt Jensen. Advocacy is essential The information workshops of MS Mozambique also try to focus on the link between communication work and lobby / advocacy. The advocacy work is a relatively new phenomenon to many Mozambican NGOs, and in order to carry it out in a satisfactory manner it is crucial that the information work is improved. It is only of little help to know which issues to address and which authorities to go to, if you are not able to communicate your points of view in a coherent manner. There is still a long way to go when it comes to making advocacy and information work in Northern Mozambique, but the first steps have been taken. ActionAid Denmark Fælledvej 12, 2200 Kbh N Tel.: 7731 0000 | Fax: 7731 0101. ms@ms.dk Siteinfo | Copyright | ActionAid International | Contact
17-10-2014 14:31