TB Communication and social mobilisation

1
TB Communication and social mobilisation Thomas
Scalway, Panos Institute toms_at_panoslondon.org.uk
www.panos.org.uk
2

• TB the communication challenges
• In AIDS, communication long seen as the primary
  weapon
• Community mobilisation and a broad partnership of
  different organisations, political advocacy and
  accountability are key to AIDS response.
• In TB, Communication takes a poor second place
  to the more medical aspects of the response
• A key challenge with TB communication is to
  compete with HIV for exposure, and to integrate
  with HIV Communication .
• First, look at the media and communication
  context

3

• A rapid evolution of the communication
  environment
• A decade ago
• Relatively stable, centrally controlled and
  structured media
• Limited number of one-dimensional sets of media
  structures
• Despite their political drawbacks, these offered
  some advantages to communicators wishing to
  convey messages to large numbers of people

4

• Media and communications today
• Online connectivity, a boom in mobile telephony,
  multiple broadcast and print channels, satellite
  and cable technologies
• These lead to dynamic, democratic, horizontal,
  complex, fragmented, commercial, rapidly moving,
  urban and consumer oriented media
• Generally many more communication players (inc. a
  growing and vocal civil society)
• Still there are huge disparities between those
  with knowledge and the means to communicate, and
  those do not
• Development economists talk about an information
  and communication economy. Most communities
  affected by TB are disenfranchised within this
  new economy.

5
TB Communication the basics
Practical information and communication on TB,
that A) meet our health goals B) and address
the challenges of todays complex and uneven
communication environment Starting point is on
information A) about TB symptoms, treatment,
prevention. B) creating communities competent and
informed on how to keep TB at bay.
6
From information to participation

• Information does not necessarily change behaviour
• Overcoming issues of power, gender, inequality
  the poverty of voice amongst key TB
  stakeholders
• Participatory communication facilitating a
  conversation that enables community members to
  articulate and negotiate for their needs around a
  focused agenda within a more equitable social
  setting

7
Enabling Communication Environments

• Traditional approaches carry implication of
  social change, of availability of services. What
  happens when this change is not forthcoming?
• Supporting civil society in mobilising behind the
  problem of TB, and in articulating the agendas of
  those most affected.
• Supporting a media that is informed, critically
  constructive, and provides space for debate
• Creating greater inclusiveness, participation and
  consultation in TB policy and programming
• Not only top down communication, but enabling
  bottom-up communication