Group A: Social and cultural issues

Group Leader/Reporter : Liz/Abubaker Basajjabaka

Key issues in adapting and localising training material for development.

SOCIAL & POLITICAL SETTING

Example by Abu:

Consultant Leila Hassanin is carrying out a study for IDRC that is seeking to find out how the various ICT projects are adapting dissemination strategies in relation to their intended outputs. The study is interested in finding out how various projects such as the Harambee Project have developed outreach strategies to disseminate their output.

In this particular discussion Leila hinted that in Cairo the Internet would not be the best way to disseminate output and as such asked what the best dissemination method would be owing to the fact that Egyptians are wary of the information exchanged or promoted online. Although she did not elaborate why people were not comfortable with online materials, the Egyptian government has occasionally been reported by the international media as repressive. The international media has often indicated that in Egypt online materials are said to contravene the religious belief, customs and traditions. In such a situation, other means of dissemination such as printed materials, CDs (privacy more tenable with this medium) and face-to-face dissemination approaches need to be explored.

In addition, for communities such as those in Egypt, there is need to minimise Internet dissemination due to the uncertainty, discomfort and the reproach people are likely to face as a result of using online materials. Even if one had very useful materials online, the unfriendly political and cultural situation would render these materials useless. The unfavourable political situation and and cultural inclination would also result in the loss of time, energy and therefore failure in adapting training materials.

POLICY & GOVERNEMNT LAWS

Regarding ensuring that materials reflect a balance and rights-based approach, women’snet must sometimes draw on various materials. For example, whenever gender culture and/or traditions and religion will or may be discussed, including segments of the South African Constitution – particularly the Bill of Rights helps to address the conflicting problems of being culturally sensitive while promoting women’s empowerment and gender justice. The following common scenario is exemplary of this: while discussing gender issues, culture & tradition is often raised and eventually some participants state culture & tradition as reasons and justification for women not being able to own land, hold powerful positions within the community, negotiate sexual relations and so on. When such issues arise they elicit very emotional reactions and the untouchable banner of culture and tradition is thrown up. But as one of the primary objectives is to raise awareness, the constitution is brought in as part of the materials so that it is understood that when there is a conflict between what any culture says about another group (ie women) the rights enshrined within the constitution must take precedence as it seeks to protect & ensures the rights of all versus the rights of some.

Government & Policy Chris story: in Uganda there is a government curriculum development centre. Getting the curricula through and materials approved takes “forever”. Government systems in Uganda move slowly and as a trainer and trainee you need something more dynamic. In such cases I would sometimes adapt what the law and government says although it might have limitations. In this case of social cultural issues, I would look at the settings – what they value, take as important, etc when I am working with independent participants

ABU – before created awareness on HIV/AIDS in upcountry location through the ABC (Abstain, Be Faithful or use Condom) approach, the Ministry of Health (MOH) required that materials get approved before they are disseminated. But to get materials approved such as slogans used on T-shirts, Banners, flyers and posters was close to impossible. Getting the drama storyboard approved was another battle of wits.

Because of failure to implement within the required timeframe, the Global Fund started getting upset. The MOH was very slow in approving the material and sometimes corrupt.

The mode of dissemination was through a mobile promotions unit, which embedded ICT equipment such as projectors, Public Address system, and a group of drama crew etc. Although the MOH frustrated efforts dissemination of the HIV/AIDS prevetion materials ensued without their approval. The communities were very receptive to our efforts and when a report was given to the MOH, they instead expressed interest in doing some more work with us in the social marketing line.

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC CONCERNS

When developing materials there is need to use daily routine examples that fit in well with a particular group to appeal to their socio-economic and cultural inclinations.

Celtel, one of the mobile service providers in Uganda has tremendously lost business as a result of portraying the mobile phone as a tool for the rich when they first launched their services in 1995. In fact they were the first mobile service providers in the country. But in the course of creating awareness of their services through various advertising mediums, they used images of very affluent individuals, which did not go down well with the local communities yet they are a critical mass in Uganda. TV and billboard images said it all. Their poor marketing approach has rendered them to run third as they also battle to increase subscription on their network.

As a result MTN and Uganda telecom came up with more refined commercials that depicted the mobile phone as one of the ICTs required by the rural folks. To date their subscription continues to expand insurmountably. Their services have been well received in rural as well as urban places.

Elizabeth confers that the target audience needs to be depicted as this can attract interest in adapting and localising training materials.

LANGAUGE – USE OF LOCAL LANGUAGES, SIMPLE ENGLISH & GENDER SENSITIVE/NEUTRAL LANGUAGE, BARRIERS

Ex. Liz – as part of Womens’sNet, gender-sensitization and awareness-raising process, the issue of language is addressed in some workshops – particularly when working with media practitioners. It is important that the materials reflect the language. Gender sensitive and gender neutral i.e. over half of the global population is female.

Women contribution to our history and the world development should be reflected and validated via language by using expressions as human kind instead of mankind, hand made instead of man made, human resource instead of manpower, one person one vote instead of one man one vote, fire fighter instead of fireman etc.

To most women although this might seem normal it is still important that language is adjusted to be representative and inclusive. Language is such a powerful tool that plays on our subconscious.

Language should also reflect what is possible for women to achieve. Subconsciously, language becomes a limiting factor especially if fire fighter are referred to as firemen. This would definitely occur to the women that this kind of occupation is intended for men only thus limiting them to seek opportunities.

Priest instead of father. Ancestors instead of forefathers. Language should therefore acknowledge the contribution women have made since time immemorial.

Language should be equally inclusive of the different races instead of referring to people as white, black or yellow. It would be better to use names instead of identifying people according to their respective races. This also refers to tribal or ethnic groups.

CULTURAL & GENDER SENSITIVITY

Ex - Milner was doing training. The participants respected the teacher but they preferred a classroom like kind of environment. They were very reserved. The discovery was that what worked in liberal communities didn’t work in the conservative/repressive.

Milner has also experienced how the role of authorative and/or masculine roles are often perceived in a learning environment. He noted that women usually do not question &/or comment as they have been socialised to just let the authoritative figure speak to remain quite/reserved.

Milner commented that training materials should also reflect pictures of different races (ie if in a black community try and incorporate images of blacks) & similarly, the same for both sexes. The term ICTs should also include technologies beyond the computer – need for people to realise and embrace radio, etc.

Regarding the materials, the exercise should be structured so as to make less interactive/passive people become more engaged. Where ice-breaker/energisers are built into the programme, milner noticed that conservative &/or rural participants look at you like you are funny &/or look over to group leaders and so on.

Other issues included (although we did not have sufficient time to address them):

REFLECTION OF GEOGRTAPHICAL REALITYIES –ISSUES, STATISTICS, CHALLENGES

PROVEN SUCCESS STORIES ELSEWHERE

SOCIALLY RELEVANT TEXT

IS THE CONTENT RELEVANT

CULTURAL SETTING

CLASS – LIFESTYLES, COMMUNITIES

END

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