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This blog is published by the Communication for Governance & Accountability Program (CommGAP).
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development communication

(Development) Communication: The Lubricant for Running the Development Engine Smoothly

Submitted by Paolo Mefalopulos on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 09:41

The third of the ten key issues about development communication is a crucial one and it asserts that there is a significant difference between development communication and other types of communication. What is the difference and why is important? Let us start by defining communication’s most renowned function; i.e. informing audiences and/or trying to persuade them to change attitudes or behavior. Communication is almost exclusively identified this way. However, the interdisciplinary area of development communication is not exclusively and not even primarily about information or persuasion.

What a Difference an 'S' makes

Submitted by Paolo Mefalopulos on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 10:28

A few months ago, I finalized the Development Communication Sourcebook published by the World Bank. It includes a section entitled “Ten Key Issues on (Development) Communication” that addresses misconceptions frequently encountered when working in this field. I’ll be addressing those key issues in my next few posts, starting with this one: the difference and implications of using the terms “communication” and “communications.”

Promoting the Role of Development Communication in UN Organizations

Submitted by Paolo Mefalopulos on Wed, 09/24/2008 - 09:23

Development communication (or Communication for Development, as it is also known in United Nations circles) is a growing field in the international development context. Every two years the various UN agencies hold a roundtable to share experiences and further promote the adoption of this discipline, or interdisciplinary field. These roundtables often result in the networking of organizations and communication professionals sharing similar challenges and objectives. The event that took place in Geneva from September 15  – 17 -- the experiential workshop on communication for development -- originated from such networking.

Communication for the Demand Side

Submitted by Anne-Katrin Arnold on Thu, 09/04/2008 - 15:16

Photo Credit: Flickr User vphillI've been with CommGAP for four months now, and since the fall semeser starts at University, it's time for me to take a little break and go back to school. Intermissions are handy occasions to reflect, and I'll make use of this occasion with some thoughts about the role of communication in governance, and my experience at CommGAP.

After more than 10 years of communication practice and training, it often startles me how people are not aware of the crucial meaning of communication in our everyday lives, politics, and yes, development. After four months of development work, I feel that this lack of awareness is shortsighted to the extreme. Here are my top 3 reasons:

On the Air, Feet on the Ground: Democracy, Development, and FM Radio in Niger

Submitted by Antonio Lambino on Wed, 04/16/2008 - 14:29

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a viewing and panel discussion of a documentary film entitled Magic Radio: The FM Revolution in Niger at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C.  Mainly about the contribution of private FM radio toward enhancing grassroots democracy, the film also illustrates radio’s efficacy in publicly promoting development issues, particularly in the areas of health, education, and gender. The subsequent panel featured Mark Nelson, Tia Duer, and Ajay Tejasvi of The World Bank Institute (WBI), who expanded the scope of discussion to include the following points: the importance of carrying out tec