Impacts of CORDAID Assistance in Bangladesh through Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication

Pioneering ICT in Rural Areas

Impacts of CORDAID Assistance in Bangladesh through Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication

Excerpts from the report on the CORDAID - supported projects in Bangladesh especially at the grassroots level

Cordaid is a foundation lead by a board of directors, consisting of two directors who are supervised by a Board of Supervision. The board of directors is supported by secretarial and administrative staff. There is a workers council that negotiates directly with the director.

Cordaid combines more than 90 years’ experience and expertise in emergency aid and structural poverty eradication. It is one of the biggest international development organisations with a network of almost a thousand partner organisations in 36 countries in Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America.

The purpose of Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid (CORDAID) is to mobilize international assistance to develop free, independent and pluralistic media in the developing countries so as to establish the right of mass people to share information and communication technologies (ICT).

The counterpart organisations work on various themes, including health care, quality of urban life, access to markets and peace and conflict. Each year around 170 million euros is spent on initiatives in the South. Of that, over 30 million euros is available for emergency aid. A small part is spent in the Netherlands on lobby, public support and consciousness-raising.

Cordaid has a strong support base in the Dutch community

This is proved not only by some 370,000 contributors who support Cordaid financially, but also by the commitment of volunteers who collect clothing, organise meetings in their towns or parishes and assist in organising festivals.

People and organisations that set up their own projects can also count on Cordaid’s support. This large-scale commitment is of vital importance to Cordaid. It expresses the solidarity between people and with that forms the core of our identity Cordaid stands in the long tradition of Mensen in Nood (Caritas Netherlands), Memisa Medicus Mundi, the Dutch Bishop’s Lenten Campaign (Vastenaktie) and Cebemo.

Its history goes back to the beginning of the last century when the organisations were active in the area of shelter and (missionary) care for refugees, in providing direct aid in the event of disasters, in medical care and in the direct improvement of the social and economic position of poor people.

Supported by broad layers of the Dutch population, they were able to support the work of hundreds of Dutch priests, nuns, brothers, and volunteers in their care for the whole of humanity. Conditions have changed over the years. The missionaries have handed over their work to local organisations, which has resulted in a huge expansion in CORDAID’s partner network.

Organizational structure

As of January 1st 2007 the Cordaid organisation is structured around the programmes. There are four programme sectors: Participation, Emergency Aid and Reconstruction , Health and Well-being and Entrepreneurship. The programme sectors have regional teams. Besides regional teams the sector Emergency Aid and Reconstruction has a team for immediate emergencies. In the sector Participation there is a small team for the developing programme of Women and Violence. And in the sector Entrepreneurship there is a fund management team.   

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)

CORDAID has been able to convey the access of ICT in the remote rural areas of Bangladesh through Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC). The poverty-stricken and under-privileged people are enjoying its utility. Gaining computer literacy and technological knowledge, these people can share with ICT regarding various development programme.

This organization is also on the way to legitimize the community radio broadcasting for rural people in Bangladesh. Due to this act BNNRC is trying with all its efforts to persuade the government so that it can contribute directly to the government’s initial, reluctant agreement and its growing recognition of community radio as a development tool. BNNRC gives priority over the right to freedom of opinion and expression and does like to spread the principles of Article 19 and its implementation to establish a true and fair democratic society.

  

Pioneering ICT in Bangladesh

Excerpts from the report on the CORDAID - supported projects in Bangladesh especially at the grassroots level

CORDAID’s support for community radio in Bangladesh has been a strategic, defining factor in the growth of the community media sector. At the same time its consistent support in information and communication sector for rural communities through BNNRC is significant. The organization has regularly supported small, distinct projects that have catalyzed the growth of the sector at different times by promoting replicable models, establishing precedents and benchmarks, and building the capacity of key organizational players.

The outstanding performance it is contributing in this regard is much commendable. Information and communication sector consists of three divisions, e.g. Communication development; Freedom of expression, Democracy and Peace; Information society. Bearing this in mind, BNNRC is working  for the promotion of free flows of ideas, global access to information, preservation of documentary heritage, expression of pluralism for demolishing the devastating monistic malpractices side by side establishment of whole rights of rural downtrodden community people; expression of cultural diversity in the media; poverty alleviation ; removing gender discrimination as well as  disparity between the haves and the have-nots; and training program for making ICT professionals. BNNRC with the cooperation of CORDAID is leaving no stone unturned to set up Community Radio Stations so as to help establish the rights, supports and privileges   in a dignified scale.

CORDAID has conferred a strong sense of legitimacy to the movement for community radio in Bangladesh, particularly in its early days and subsequently during the period of civil conflict when media operations were extremely difficult to maintain and press freedoms were severely restricted.

CORDAID engaged local groups in the country’s development and was the first international agency to put its weight behind community radio. The association with CORDAID has, over the years, encouraged other agencies and donors to support the growth of community radio in Bangladesh.

The initial community radio projects continue to be at the fore-front of the movement’s growth in Bangladesh. Although the sector in Bangladesh faces many challenges, CORDAID projects have contributed to the gradual build up of national capacity – both national and regional organizations and associations – which offer Bangladesh the best possible chance in facing current and future challenges. 

Interventions	Period	Budget
Awareness on correlations of ICT, poverty alleviation and Institutionalization of Democracy	2005-2008
Establishment of ICT Resource Center and Promotion of Rural Knowledge Volunteers (RKV) as primary ICT catalyst in remote rural areas	2005-2008
Advocacy and Campaign for Bridging the Digital Divide/Information Divide	2005-2008
Piloting of ICT4D projects at rural areas to create show case examples for greater multiplication through Rural Knowledge Centre (RKC)	2005-2008
Establishment of Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES)	2005-2008

CORDAID’s contributions are recognized and respected for their non-partisan, multilateral character.

This was particularly important during the long gestation period for the first license in the mid-1990s and during the protracted civil conflict.

The project is valued by ICT and community radio groups and other stakeholders as an unbiased source concerning best practices of ICT tools from the South Asia region and internationally.

Pioneering ICT in Bangladesh

Excerpts from the report on the CORDAID - supported projects in Bangladesh especially at the grassroots level

Cost Effectiveness

Considering the outcomes, CORDAID’s approach has been exceptionally cost-effective relative to other international development efforts. Outstanding factors include its emphasis on locally generated proposals driven by real demand and the existing organizational structures of local implementing partners, the absence of overhead support or contributions to large project infrastructures, as well as the focus on equipment and capacity building rather than operational costs, which has, in turn, served to facilitate local contributions, particularly of human resources, and to mobilize additional partners.

Development Impact

Media Pluralism

Community Radio must contribute to promoting media pluralism in Bangladesh. It will obviously work to present listeners with a combination of issues and entertainment, social discussions and music, and to offer a pragmatic way for the wide range of voices and opinions that is still unheard on the radio channels of Bangladesh. This will also work in public interest programming to local music and cultural programmes.

           

Access to Information

To empower rural and poor communities, BNNRC, with the help of CORDAID has already introduced new system of information and communication through setting up Rural Knowledge Centres (RKC). People confined to these areas have greater access to information as well as a means to communicate and consult with those outside their communities: local representatives, local central governments and beyond. RKCs allow communities to better and more effectively participate in political and developmental activities.

Freedom of Expression

Freedom of expression(of individuals and the media ) is the right  to have an opinion and express it freely .In collaboration with national and regional media organizations, BNNRC helps to raise public awareness of and encourages discussion on freedom of expression .

Information Literacy

Information literacy, which includes ICT and media literacy, is a skill combining critical reception, assessment and use of information for personal and professional development. For a society to have information literate adults, information literacy education needs to start as early as possible. BNNRC works with rural young boys and girls known as Rural Knowledge Volunteers (RKV) to support information literacy development in schools and in the society.

           

Training 

BNNRC provides training opportunities in the areas of competence of the sector. BNNRC is currently focusing on media training to promote science journalism, good governance, the application of information retrieval software, and the achievement of Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRS) and the Millennium Development Goals.

Partners

BNNRC works in cooperation with its parent sector in Netherlands, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, especially in the Asia and Pacific region in implementing intersectoral projects. It has 10 partner organizations as network members. Moreover, BNNRC has the affiliation with Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP), Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization (CTO), World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC), World Association for Christian Communication (WACC), One World South Asia (OWSA), Developing Countries Farm Radio Network (DCFRN), Freedom of Information Advocate (FOIA), Commonwealth Human Right Network (CHRN), One World/TV/Radio/Net, Asian South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education (ASPBAE), Communication Rights in the Information Society (CRIS), The NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court (ICC), Children Rights Information Network (CRIN), International Forum for Rural Transport and Development (IFRTD), The Global Development Network (GDN).

Products and service

BNNRC produces a variety of publications and products such as reports, handbooks, research studies, booklets, leaflets, flyers, bookmarks and posters. All of BNNRC’s products are in the public domain and can be copied or used for non-profit purposes without charge. Through 11 Rural Knowledge Centres (RKC) located in the remote coastal areas, rural people are having up-to-date knowledge and information and services like computer literacy, composing, printing, laminating, photocopying, government forms and applications through Internet and web browsing.

                                                                                                                                                                                     Public participation

On a daily basis, the community radio stations may take listeners into the locations of everyday life as lived by the listeners themselves. With one of its major goals to reach policymakers, stations throughout the country reach into the corridors of power, in district and village structures and in national government ministries in Bangladesh. The station may regularly promote and facilitate community meetings bringing together all local stakeholders, including government and development agencies representatives, teachers, health workers, etc.

Transparency and accountability in good governance     

Public affairs programming on community radio stations throughout the country can denounce corruption; question the use of public funds and the implementation of public projects. The success of investigative and ‘watchdog’ public affairs programme can play a vital role in contributing to transparency and accountability in governance and decision-making through Bangladesh. If any discrimination or callousness is observed in the activity of  government, the general people of the community can bring the very  deplorable matter into sight of civil society as well as other medias through community radio. Subsequently, the indifference of government will not stay any longer. In this way community radio can stand a good stead in helping to stimulate the activities of government for the interest of marginalized people so as to  ensure transparency, accountability of the work of government in building an authentic democratic society      .                                 
Distinctive among international programmes for its emphasis on community media, one of the CORDAID’s basic strengths has been its consistent presence and support for community radio in Bangladesh.

There is a strong awareness on CORDAID projects and a clear sense that it has taken a strategic sectoral approach that has consistently contributed to community radio’s development.

Conclusions

CORDAID is playing a vital role in realizing a strong sense of local ownership over its community radio. The real growth of the sector depends first and foremost on the commitment, determination and creativity of community radio advocates and practitioners, who collectively will show a remarkable ability to conceptualize and execute activities relating to media pluralism and journalism. Then the greatest contribution would be in focusing and building the local capacity and allowing it to remain naturally at the centre of the sector’s growth, which must be gradual, organic and sustained. The people of some local areas have already started to enjoy the benefits of some other procedures of CORDAID regarding ICT.

CORDAID as a catalyst      

CORDAID’s approach is catalytic, initiating and facilitating outstanding developments at right times .Factors include the program’s multilateral profile and its function conferring legitimacy in the field of community radio and the other sector’s of ICT, the organisation should be identified as both a trailblazer, pioneering new ideas and innovations, as well as the guardian of accepted community radio principles and practices, a function which has immense importance at this stage in the sector’s development in Bangladesh.

Multilateral Support

CORDAID’s contributions are recognized and respected for their non-partisan, multilateral character.

Human rights and development goals

With clear goals and objectives of its own, CORDAID likes to effectively promote a progressive, development-oriented approach to media and its growth and expansion in Bangladesh. The program is known to support public interest media development, explicitly linked to human rights, cultural diversity, education, equity, participatory development and governance. The role of media in addressing fundamental rights to information and expression must continue to be a core development objective of both CORDAID and the program itself.

The remarkable growth of opening community radio and other specific sectors of ICT in Bangladesh is significant, both in the national context - a country of hunger, poverty, under-development.