The Drum Beat 106 - Communication News, Development News, Base Line (6/4 - 7/30)

This Drum Beat includes compelling stories on important development and communication news, trends and events. They featured on the home page of The C. I. web site http://www.comminit.com Jun 04 - July 30 2001. The Home Page includes three sections - Development News, Communication News and Base Line. We find relevant information, usually from sources that you won’t see in the mainstream media. Links are provided for more information. Stories change every Tuesday and Friday. Please check it out, let us know what you think and send us your stories and information.

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COMMUNICATION NEWS

1.Computer Skills in Rio’s Favelas

‘i-connect’ profiles an audio story available on InterWorld Radio about how a simple project in Rio de Janeiro has brought a ‘computer craze’ sweeping through the streets of the favelas. The Committee to Democratise Information Technology has set up public computer centres and schools in the poorest parts of town. InterWorld visits one to find out how well they’re working and why access to a PC helps people out of the poverty trap.

2.Women’s NGO Networks in Nigeria

Susan M. Lee posted this announcement on Afro-nets about the publication of Women’s NGO Networks in Nigeria: ‘Providing Reproductive Health Information and Services; Promoting Reproductive Rights’ that documents the contribution of these networks in providing reproductive health information and promoting reproductive rights. It can be found in PDF format on the NGO Networks website - Click here for the PDF version.

3.New Internet Based Newspaper for the Caribbean

A story from the St. Vincent & the Grenadines Herald posted on SIDSNet reports that a new Internet based newspaper linking all 25 papers in the Caribbean is to be set up with the support of UNESCO. "Each of the papers will have their own websites to produce up-to-the-minute news and circulate it via the Internet so anybody logging on to any of those websites would be able to get news at the drop of a hat," said UNESCO’s Jocelyne Josiah.

4.Thai Government to Bring E-Commerce to Farmers

NewsBytes as reported in Benton Communications-related Headlines. The Thailand Department of Agriculture (DOA) is developing a plan to bring e-commerce to farmers. Promising a ‘new era’, the DOA is establishing pilot projects in 4 regions to find the best agricultural business models. The DOA points out that farmers will need to improve technology skills, the quality of their products, packaging and logistics, and supply chain management.

5.Media Channel Previews K-12 Education Centre for Teachers

The Media Literacy Classroom is designed to be an introduction to the issues and a gateway to information and resources on the Web. This preview version introduces the ‘Classroom’ including the Teachers’ Toolkit and a searchable catalogue of teaching units, lesson plans, activities and ideas. Media Channel is seeking feedback and input as development continues. Send comments to debbie_james4@hotmail.com

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DEVELOPMENT NEWS

6.Countdown Begins for ‘Child Labour Free’ World Cup

Child Labour News Service reports that 1 yr before the 2002 World Cup, Sonia, a former child labourer from India, kicked off the The World Cup Campaign 2002 - Kick Child Labour Out of the World. Sonia went to work at 5, lost her sight at 7, learned to stitch by feel and worked until she was rescued at 11. She earned 14 cents US for stitching 2 balls a day. The Campaign has called on FIFA to implement the no child labour policy in their Code of Labour Practice.

7.Malnutrition Among Urban Poor Increasing

A news release from the FAO posted on SIDSNET warns that most cities in developing countries face malnutrition and health risks if they do not improve people’s access to adequate and safe food. This means producing more food and moving it to expanding urban areas, which also means more trucks, congestion, garbage and pollution. Many cities are losing food producing urban and periurban land and have poor transport, markets and slaughterhouses.

8.Human Rights Court Awards Families of Murdered Guatemalan Street Children

Casa Alianza reports that the Inter American Court on Human Rights has ordered Guatemala to pay over $500,000 to the families of 5 street children, brutally tortured and murdered by 2 National Policemen in 1990. The Court also ordered Guatemala to make sure its law reflects Article 19 (Rights of the Child) of the American Convention on Human Rights. Casa Alianza said, ‘Let this be a lesson to any State that mistreats it’s most important asset - the children’.

9.Mugabe Regime Squeals at Animal Farm Success

The Daily News has gripped its readers with a serialisation of Orwell’s Animal Farm. In daily installments Napoleon, the greedy and brutal pig that leads the revolution, is depicted in the black thick-rimmed spectacles favoured by Mr Mugabe. The paper’s editor says that the story of how the animals won independence by working together and then were oppressed by a few who became ‘drunk with power’, is relevant to every Zimbabwean.

10.Bangladesh - 57 Million May Die of Arsenic Poisoning

From Propoor: ‘The arsenic pollution crisis in Bangladesh is a disaster of unprecedented proportions effecting more people than any other crisis facing humanity today... including AIDS’, says a new international study. The study, ‘Arsenic Crisis Today, Strategy for Tomorrow’ warns that up to 57 million people in Bangladesh alone are at risk of debilitating disease or death from long-term drinking of arsenic.

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We are seeking Strategic Thinking on Communication, Change & Development Policies & Interventions to add to our data base.

Please help us develop this resource.

Contact dheimann@comminit.com

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BASE LINE

11.10/90 Gap

Source: ‘Prioritizing International Health: The Global Forum for Health Research’ IDRC Reports.

• At least US$70 billion is spent annually on global health research by public and private sectors.
• Less than 10% of this amount is devoted to addressing 90% of the total global disease burden.
• This misallocation of spending has been dubbed the "10/90 gap."

12.Crime Against Women in India

Source: InDEV May 2001

• Every 26 mins a woman is molested.
• Every 54 mins a rape takes place.
• Every 4 mins a woman is kidnapped.
• Every 10 mins a woman is burnt to death over dowry.
• Every 7 mins a criminal offence against women takes place.
  
  
  

• Dowry deaths have gone up from 5,513 in 1996 to 6,917 in 1998.
• Cases of rape from 14,846 to 15,031.
• Torture from 35,246 to 41,318.
• Molestation from 28,939 to 31,046.
• Sexual harassment from 5,671 to 8,123.

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This issue compiled by Chris Morry cmorry@comminit.com

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The Drum Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.


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