1

UNESCO's role in middle income countries Communication & Information

Günther CyranekAdviser for Communication and Information in MERCOSUR

(Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay y Uruguay) and ChileUNESCO Cluster Office in Montevideo

UNESCO Future Forum and Workshop on middle-income countries

Montevideo, Uruguay, 12 December 2009

2

The Structure of Knowledge Societies

Towards Knowledge Societies. UNESCO World Report 2005, Paris: UNESCO.

Knowledge Societies

Inclusiveness Pluralism Equality Accessibility ParticipationFreedom of Freedom of expressionexpression

Universal access to information and

knowledge

Respect of cultural and linguistic

diversity

Quality education

for all

Information and media literacy

CreativityCritical and analytical thinking

Communication skillsAccess to mass media and their content

3

Enabling Environment for effective Communication for Development

• System of free, independent and pluralistic mass media

• Interfaces between media and citizens to allow an open debate

• Transparent and responsible government that stimulates public debate

• Universal access to a wide variety of media

• Regulative environment that guarantees non-discriminatory licenses for community radio stations

• Universal access Internet and telephone at low cost

• Transparent and inclusive society allowing all citizens to participate in decision-making processes and debates

4

UNESCO key activities in the field of Communication for Development

Create an enabling environment

Promote citizens' participation

Support policy and legislation processesPromote a pluralistic and democratic media systemStrengthen the role of national broadcast services for C4D

Create space for citizens' participation in radio and tv channels Involve women

Strengthen capacities Coordinate C4D in the UN system

Build institutional capacities that guarantee quality educationAddress various beneficiary groupsOffer subject-specific capacity building in key areas

Awareness campaigns within the UN systemDevelop mechanisms of cooperationCreate indicators to evaluate the impact of C4D

5

Areas of Communication for Development

Mass media• Work with pluralistic and investigative media to raise awareness for specifictopics

• Promote community media, public broadcast services and ICT

Community access• Promote the network of Community Multimedia Centers (CMC)• Provide a platform for sharing experience and promote citizens' participation• Create an enabling political and legislative environment

Capacity building• Support training institutions to develop their educational offer• Capacity building for media (journalists, editors and directors) on topics suchas scientific communication, AIDS, sustainability

Local content• Support of production and dissemination

6

Community Access to Knowledge Societies

• Enlarge community access and people’s participation in knowledge societies

• Support access to multimedia centers in schools located in poor areas

• Strengthen the cooperation among national networks of community multimedia centers

• Offer web portals gathering information on formal and informal education

• Develop open source software, e.g. to improve access of blind and near-sighted people

7

• Learning environment in the heart of the community

• Social club bringing together various community groups

• ICTs as part of a general plan towards community development

• Open access to information via ICT and radio

• Contextualization of contents

• Local production of multimedia content

• Constructivist approach to education

• Tutorials in distance learning

Community Multimedia Centers (CMC)

Informal media and ICT education

8

ICT for Capacity Building in CMCs (1)

1. Clear project design

2. Holistic, inclusive and sustainable approach

3. Local ownership and community involvement

4. Develop not only skills, but a state of mind

5. Government support

6. Multi-stakeholder involvement

7. Flexibility to find innovative solutions

8. Appropriate technological environment

9. Development of social skills

10. Involvement of women

10 key factors of successful capacity building Red RUTELCO experiences:

9

ICT for Capacity Building in CMCs (2)

• Bad human resources management

• Lack of skills and / or commitment among tutors

• Short-term project planning, lack of sustainability

• Insufficient use of strategic alliances

• Lack of networking and knowledge exchange among CMCs

• Lack of teamwork and coordination

• Potential of ICTs for telework and its benefits widely unknown

Obstacles impeding successful capacity buildingRed RUTELCO experiences (1):

10

ICT for Capacity Building in CMCs (3)

• Lack of flexibility within standardized digital inclusion programs

• CMC activities unnoticed by parts of the community

• Lack of interest on the part of people in need of care

• Inefficient fundraising and funds management

• Hardware useless to run modern software

Obstacles impeding successful capacity building Red RUTELCO experiences (2):

11

Lifelong learning within the Plan Ceibal (1)

2007-2009: According to a nationwide campaign of the Uruguayan government, in cooperation with OLPC all children enrolled in public primary schools receive XO laptops free of charge

Laptops to be used in and out of school by children and their parents

Internet access in schools, public spaces, at home

Open source learning software for children and parents available for download

Tailor-made hardware and software applications grant access to ICT for students with physical and mental disabilities

12

Parents invited to explore the XO laptop’s options together with their children and independently

In cooperation with CMCs and public-private partnerships training workshops for parents on:

Information and media literacy

e-governance

e-business and e-banking

Dependent and independent teleworking

http://www.ceibal.edu.uy

Lifelong learning within the Plan Ceibal (2)

13

UNESCO ICT Competency Standards for Teachers

Objectives• To constitute a common set of guidelines that professional

development providers can use to identify, develop or evaluate learning materials or teacher training programs in the use of ICT in teaching and learning.

• To provide a basic set of qualifications that allows teachers to integrate ICT into their teaching and learning, to advance student learning, and to improve other professional duties.

• To extend teachers’ professional development so as to advance their skills in pedagogy, collaboration, leadership and innovative school development using ICT.

• To harmonize different views and vocabulary regarding the uses of ICT in teacher education.

www.unesco.org/en/competency-standards-teachers

14

Media Education KitMedia Education Kit for Teachers, Students, Parents and Professionals [2006]

—Product of the MENTOR programme—Modular curriculum for secondary schools—Desarrollado en el marco del programa Mentor—Separate manuals for media education and media

literacy addressing different beneficiary groups

CurriculumModule 1 Why? The cultural environment of mediaModule 2 What? Media productionModule 3 What? Media languagesModule 4 What? Representations in the mediaModule 5 Who? The publics in receptionModule 6 How? Pedagogical stages and strategies

Frau-Meigs, Divina (2006): Media Education: A Kit for Teachers, Students, Parents and Professionals. Paris: UNESCO, p. 20.

15

Young people for non-violence

Joint programme of ITAI/ITAIPU and UNESCO, Paraguay and Brazil

• Vocational training for local young people with limited access to social and cultural oportunities and benefits, gender balanced

• Workshops in sociology, history, fotography, ICT training with focus onweb communication andonline media production

• Social inclusion as a condition for non-violence

• Community involvement

16

Comparative Legal Survey on Freedom of Information [2008]

Features of a Freedom of Information Regime:

Toby Mendel (2008): Freedom of Information: A comparative legal survey. Second edition revised and updated. Paris: UNESCO.

• Maximum disclosure• Obligation to publish• Promotion of open government• Limited scope of exceptions• Processes to facilitate access• Costs• Open meetings• Disclosure takes precedence• Protection for whistleblowers

17

Media development indicators [2008] [1]

Key indicators of a legal and policy framework:

• Guaranteed in law and respected in practice:• Freedom of expression• Right to information• Editorial independence

• Right to protect journalists' sources• Freedom from prior censorship• Independent regulatory system to ensure

media pluralism• Freedom from unwarranted legal restrictions

on the media

Media development indicators: A framework for assessing media development (2008). Paris: UNESCO.

18

Media Development Indicators [2008] [2]

• Defamation laws impose the narrowest restrictions necessary to protect the reputation of individuals

• Other restrictions upon freedom of expression whether based on national security, hate speech, privacy, contempt of court laws and obscenity should be justifiable, clear and narrowly defined in law

Conflict: Freedom Security

19

Model Curricula for Journalism Education [2007]

• Define key competencies for journalism students• Offer of first grade, advaced grade and PhD in Journalism studies• Detailed description of content and methodologies of classes• Guidelines for evaluation and references• List centers of excellence• Stimulate a debate betweenthe academic sector and journalist associations

• Revision of the model curricula in based on experiences of journalism faculties

20

Journalist training workshops and Guidebooks

Example:PSB and climate ChangeHoracio Knaeber (2008): VHI/SIDA - Guía para la cobertura periodística - América Latina. Montevideo: UNESCO.

In preparation:Horacio Knaeber/Magda Resik: Cobertura periodística y patrimonio. Montevideo: UNESCO.

• Raise journalists' awarenes on key development issues• Promote the dialogue between journalists and experts• Create oportunities to exchange ideas and share best practices• Build networks• Publish guidebooks based on workshop results

21

Effects of Knowledge Societies

Cultural Enrichment

Social Development

Political Empowerment

Economic Growth

Knowledge

22

Thank you for your attention!

g.cyranek@unesco.org www.unesco.org.uy/ci

Günther Cyranek Adviser for Communication and Information in MERCOSUR and Chile UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science in Latin America and the Caribbean Montevideo, Uruguay