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Communication and Information
The Communication and
Information Sector helps UNESCO's Member States, particularly the developing
countries, and
disadvantaged communities worldwide to strengthen their capacities in
communication, information and informatics. The
sector formed in 19 90 aims to promote the free
flow of ideas
by word and image, a wider and better balanced dissemination of all forms of
information contributing to the advancement of societies, without any
obstacle to freedom of expression, both through the traditional media and
the new electronic media
Though the Communication and
Information Sector seeks to strengthen their capacities in communication,
information in developing
countries, and disadvantaged communities worldwide, the sector has met many
challenges in its bid to fulfil its objectives.
Objectives
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To assist with development of the
communication facilities in developing countries;
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To train communication
practitioners at all levels;
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To strengthen news collection and
distribution institutions;
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To strengthen public service
broadcasting institutions;
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To promote endogenous production
of audiovisual products.
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To strengthen communication
programmes in favour of women, youth, the rural and disadvantaged
communities
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Activities |
Community Radio Broadcasting Institutions |
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> Training of journalists,
media institutions managers as well as technicians at all levels;
> Computerisation of news
collection, processing and distribution activities worldwide;
> Purchase of equipment in
support of radio and television institutions;
> Establishing community radios
worldwide;
> Strengthening women
newspapers and radio stations
> Supporting film and video
festivals and relevant professional networks; |
UNESCO supports the establishment of community radio
station in rural and marginalised areas in developing countries.
 These
stations seek to provide rural and marginalised communities with
appropriate means of communication and usually they facilitate
democratisation and poverty alleviation processes.
In the Southern
African Region, UNESCO has established community radio stations in Mkushi in Zambia and in Dzimwe and Nkhota-khota in Malawi |
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UNESCO Harare establishes an ISIS User
Group in Malawi.
A five-day training workshop organized and
conducted by UNESCO Harare Cluster Office’s Communication and Information
Sector, in partnership with the Malawi National Commission, set up the
Malawi ISIS User Group called Malisis. The group is mandated to continue
holding further training on CDS/ISIS. The workshop, held in Lilongwe, Malawi
from August 28 to September 1, 2006 aimed at building the capacity of
librarians and information practitioners in the region in the
application of web technologies to information management, particularly
using the CDS/ISIS and GENEISIS tools. 14 participants from the cluster
countries of Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe attended the
workshop.
The training proved effective and participants now need more time to
consolidate the concepts learnt, especially in GENEISIS. This is why
follow-up training to consolidate concepts via the concerned NATCOMs was one
of the recommendations, in addition to encouraging the setting-up of
effective ISIS User Groups in the other cluster countries. For more details,
download the
workshop report or contact Gervasio
Kaliwo - Communications Advisor for Southern Africa. |
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