Stijn Aelbers Humanitarian Advisor

Stijn Aelbers Humanitarian Advisor

The richness of rumours & The limitations of facts

About myself

Journalist in Belgium

Communication & Media Officer for UNPA in Uganda

Humanitarian Advisor with Internews

About the Humanitarian System

Communication is aid

Communication with CommunitiesIn the context of humanitarian action Communication with Communities, which is sometimes abbreviated to CwC, refers to activities where the exchange of information is used to save lives, mitigate risk, enable greater accountability and shape the response, as well as supporting the communication needs of people caught up in conflicts, natural disasters and other crises.

From www.cdacnetwork.org

Some CwC-Internews projects

https://internews.org/our-stories/project-updates/boda-boda-talk-talkhttps://internews.org/our-stories/project-updates/can-you-stop-rumourhttps://internews.org/our-stories/project-updates/news-that-moves-rumor-trackerEbola-project in Liberia https://internews.org/our-stories/project-updates/combatting-rumors-about-ebola-sms-done-right

Earthquake Nepal 2015

Case Study

1. AssessmentWhat information do people need?How do people like to receive information?What is already in place?How can we adapt our models to local situation?

Media is for the city centric. At the moment theres no phone or radio. So your approach of coming and talking to us would be very good. Especially for the more remote areas (Information Needs Assessment 10 May 2015 Viviane L. Fluck/InternewsScattered impact centralized response

The 2011 national census lists 123 languages spoken as a mother tongue (first language) in Nepal (wikipedia)I dont speak Nepali so I dont really talk to anybody much. (Information Needs Assessment 10 May 2015 Viviane L. Fluck/Internews)Diverse population Uniform communication

2. Ambition?

Set up aninclusivetwo way communication in a fragmented geographical region in local language(s)

Locally embeddedProvide building blocksDetailed Open channels3. DesignCollection = distributionFacts, not storiesConversations, not questionsQualitative, not quantitative

Open: Allow people to decide:What they want to share so no questionnaires directing the conversationHow they want to share it so using more than one channel (face-to-face + call-in-radio + social media +)

Light: Use existing networks, platforms and channelsLocal mediaSocial media Face-to-face networks

LocalUse the language people like, not just the language they understandGo through facilitators, trusted networks and peopleIt doesnt rely on creating a new brand or requires big logos

DetailedOne rumour is enough to act uponFaster processing of data informing on-going responseForces a non-judgemental and respectful attitude towards feedback: no rumour is stupid, no concern intrinsic too small

4. Who we worked with

Strong local focusStrong connection with local government

Weak connection with humanitarian agenciesLimited regional scope

Wide regional networkStrong top down management

Weak connection with humanitarian agenciesNo communication culture

The Rumour Anonymous, but with a reference to location, indicating its genuine and making it easier for people to relate to itThe FactBeyond True or False, but unwrapping the concern and provide actionable informationThe ContactLocal (!) & Reliable for follow up information/action5. What it looked like

6. Sharing & Collating

http://cfp.org.np

7. What worked?It was used/actionable 400 journalists received the weekly Open Mic Issues 18 radio stations developed radio shows based on the Open Mic Issues 600 humanitarians received the weekly Open Mic issuesCommon Feedback Platform-coordinators distributed it widelyIt was shared among field staff to inform Research indicated it was used during planning meetingsIt was liked/sustainableOxfam funded it after initial funding ran outHumanitarian Coordinator continued approach after Open Mic Project closed downIt was fun/innovativeMulti-platform: radio + face-to-face + onlineLocal voices brought to humanitarian country level

8. What didnt?DiversityNot enough women although the model was designed to facilitate face-to-face communication to be more inclusiveNot enough languages, although one radio station started producing informative programs in Tamang

ScaleNot covering the whole affected region although humanitarian agencies shared the Open Mic issues widely, collection was limited, also due to limited uptake among Red Cross volunteers

FundingApproach & partnerships lack of visibility & understanding of role of Internews[In my village] men in power have all the information"35 years old woman, May 10th 2015, Sindhupalchowk Internews needs assessment/Viviane L. Fluck

General principles

Open our doorsWhat we should doAnd create an environment in which people are comfortable to share information

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Why?Because they have their own prioritiesBecause they have their own languageBecause they have their own solutions

Because its not about us

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Rumours force us to change our attitude &approaches

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Open channelsOpen questionsOpen communication

SoAllow people to decide what they like to share, how they like to share it

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WHY LOCAL STAFF ARE THE BEST andstill- are largely underused

What?How? globally Who?How? - locallyHealthShelterEducationLocal habitsLocal preferencesLocal structures.INTERNATIONALS (NGOs, UN, )AFFECTED POPULATIONLocal staff

their questionstheir solutionstheir ideas

SoFacilitate & support

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FacilitatedE.T. The Movie

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In a language they like Through people they trust

SoInformation doesnt trickle down, nor does it just pour in

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Sustainable

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use existing channels

&

principles of good journalism

SoIts methodology, not technology

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Continuous

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Some waves are bigger than others, but 1 rumour is enough to take action Soactions can be continuously shaped and reshaped by them

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Challenges

Facts arent always stronger than rumours & opinions

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Facts

in context

Scale Processing qualitative data takes more time, money & people

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How to measure impact?

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Sustainable -> Locals part of every step in processModest -> what is achievable? Approachable -> key-staff available for local mediaRe-active -> demand-driven vs supply-drivenTransparent -> why & how, not just what & where

So(some suggestions)

Originally Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time-Bound

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Any questions?saelbers@internews.org

@stttijn

www.Internews.org

#commisaid