Friday, September 01, 2006

UN agencies and communication for development

Image from the UNESCO website.

Go to the UNESCO webpage providing more information on UN agencies and communication for development.

"The UN Inter-Agency Round Table on Communication for Development plays a significant role in bringing together UN agencies and international partners to discuss and debate the very broad, challenging, and crucial role and practice of communication for development."

Development often, perhaps usually, begins with changes in behavior, which follow from changes in knowledge and attitude. Thus communications which can enhance knowledge and change attitudes play a critically important role in social and economic development. Increasingly, the power of media are being harnessed to enhance development communications -- from radios, to pre-recorded cassettes, to television, to the Internet. Of course, the communication also draws on the traditional print media, as well as on even older forms such as theater or even puppet plays.

Many United Nations agencies help developing nations to utilize the power of the media for development communications to disseminate information:
* UNFPA about contraception
* WHO health education
* FAO agricultural extension messages
* UNEP environmental education.

UNESCO plays an important role in this UN network, both because of its lead role in the system in communications and information, and because of its expertise in education.

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