The Communication Initiative

[Ivo Rosales]

This is a contribution from IVO ROSALES to the Communication and Media for effective HIV/AIDS policy discussion in the lead up to the Mexico City AIDS International AIDS Conference - see opening orientation note

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If we can say something about impact (whatever action it is-or was the
origin of the intended impact)I think we should learn about it. I agree with
Alfonso regarding the need of putting specialist at the head of
communication strategies but I also think that the concept itself -of
communication I mean- implies that a dialogue between different specialists
take place to address a complex problem -and highly complex as the AIDS
pandemic-, even before conceiving any strategy for any purpose...

Fighting AIDS is a multi-factor multi-origin problem that occurs in
different manner in different places...yes!!! I know this is well known but
that is exactly my point. Most of the time we forget the basis and the need
of consensus and oportune knowledge about the AIDS routes from different and
complementary strategies/analysis and expertises in order to act...

I think that the point addressed by Alfonso that is difficult -for many of
us indeed- to dissociate communication from mass media is maybe one of the
biggest reasons to do "the same thousand things with the no so same but
similar thousand messages". The communication understood as a
change/evolutive/developing experience is not all the time in our heads
while we are working on this strategies; and the fact/need/request of
"creating/influencing/developing impact" sometimes refers to our most
conservative concept of indicators of change and not exactly what should be
consider as milestones on a longer process... Condom use and condom
negotiation under violence relationships -like most sexuality behaviour
around the world-or even stigma and discrimination, are just a couple of
examples on how we think that communication strategies can help but how we
don´t do different messages and back up process and actions from a
communication perspective because it may take longer of what is expected -or
because we can lose the support if we do not have indicators on supporter´s
time

I would also like to raise the problem of measuring impact of communication
strategies -as you all could see it is something I consider as a weakness on
our side as communication strategist/specialist/developers...and a need to
work on.

Thank you all for sharing ideas and insights,

Looking forward to hear from you all,

Ivo.



www.puntos.org.ni

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Fax. ++ (505) 266 6305

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NICARAGUA.-
APDO POSTAL RP-39





-----Mensaje original-----
De: Gumucio [mailto:Gumucio@CommunicationForSocialChange.org]
Enviado el: Viernes, 11 de Julio de 2008 04:53 p.m.
Para:
Asunto: [Mexico XVII] HIV/AIDS Policies - Your Proposals froma Comunication
perspective

It seems to me that whatever we try to do at the implementation level will
only have a local impact (which is, in fact, not bad at all) but will not
influence the overall policies.

This conversation is about policies from a communication perspective, so if
we keep that focus, I would say that the most important issue is the lack of
communication policies on HIV/AIDS at the highest level of international aid
organisations and governments. Apart from a couple of exception, what we
have right now is the reason why the AIDS pandemic has not been stopped in
all this years. There are no communication policies and strategies, we only
see information and social marketing activities that do not involve people.
We are tired of thousands of posters, billboards, T-shirts, radio jingles
and TV spots, photo-op with "famous" people... all that is part of the
traditional confusion between information and communication.

Anything is called "communication" nowadays, an worst of all, many people
cannot dissociate communication from mass media. Decision of communication
activities in aid organisation are made by high level bureaucrats or doctors
who do not have a credible communication background, nor have ever seriously
reflected about it.

So, let's start changing at the top, putting the right people to make the
decisions on policies and strategies, and encourage communication
specialists at the regional and at the country level to do likewise.


Alfonso Gumucio-Dagron
Director Ejecutivo, Programas
Communication for Social Change Consortium Edificio Marques, Dept. 601 2a
Avenida 23-95, Zona 14 Ciudad de Guatemala - GUATEMALA

tel. 502-2367-5761


http://www.communicationforsocialchange.org/



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[Gumucio]

It seems to me that whatever we try to do at the implementation level will only have a local impact (which is, in fact, not bad at all) but will not influence the overall policies.

This conversation is about policies from a communication perspective, so if we keep that focus, I would say that the most important issue is the lack of communication policies on HIV/AIDS at the highest level of international aid organisations and governments. Apart from a couple of exception, what we have right now is the reason why the AIDS pandemic has not been stopped in all this years. There are no communication policies and strategies, we only see information and social marketing activities that do not involve people. We are tired of thousands of posters, billboards, T-shirts, radio jingles and TV spots, photo-op with "famous" people... all that is part of the traditional confusion between information and communication.

Anything is called "communication" nowadays, an worst of all, many people cannot dissociate communication from mass media. Decision of communication activities in aid organisation are made by high level bureaucrats or doctors who do not have a credible communication background, nor have ever seriously reflected about it.

So, let's start changing at the top, putting the right people to make the decisions on policies and strategies, and encourage communication specialists at the regional and at the country level to do likewise.


Alfonso Gumucio-Dagron
Director Ejecutivo, Programas
Communication for Social Change Consortium
Edificio Marques, Dept. 601
2a Avenida 23-95, Zona 14
Ciudad de Guatemala - GUATEMALA

tel. 502-2367-5761


http://www.communicationforsocialchange.org/

[Adeline Mensah]

Dear Warren



Examining the role of social change in HIV prevention, with a specific focus on tackling the drivers of the epidermic, more behavioural change will be enhanced in the rural communities if the message is addressed in local languages and dialets. The message is not reaching the rural communities as it should be.

Adeline

FSDA-Ghana