Communication for Sustainable Development

This 12-page background note was prepared in the context of the October 2006 World Congress on Communication for Development (WCCD) in Rome, Italy. Organised by the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and The Communication Initiative (The CI), this event brought together over 700 participants, many of whom were the authors of the 120 papers that were accepted as part of WCCD. (To learn more about the WCCD initiative, please see The Drum Beat #377).

This report provides an overview of the rationale for addressing themes related to the use of communication for sustainable development at the WCCD. The opening section of the document outlines a brief history of when, how, and why communication has been drawn upon as a tool for sustainable development. Communication for development (hereafter, "ComDev") has been defined as "a social process, designed to seek a common understanding among all the participants of a development initiative, creating a basis for concerted action". ComDev is described in this report as a key way to fulfil the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of sustainable development in that it provides a framework for fostering the sharing of knowledge and information amongst - as well as the active participation by - all groups concerned about the future of the planet and its people. This strategy involves "the planned and participatory use of communication methods and tools that facilitate the sharing of knowledge and information, participation and change of attitude and practices aiming at achieving development goals agreed [upon] among all stakeholders. ComDev is about dialogue, participation and the sharing of knowledge and information. It takes into account the needs and capacities of all concerned through the integrated and participatory use of communication processes, media and channels. It responds to three main functions:

1. Facilitating participation: giving a voice to different stakeholders to engage in the decision-making process.
2. Making information understandable and meaningful. It includes explaining and conveying information for the purpose of training, exchange of experience, and sharing of know-how and technology.
3. Fostering policy acceptance: enacting and promoting policies, especially when these bring new opportunities for rural people to access services and resources."

In this context, a key theme of these WCCD sessions is that there is no universal development model which leads to sustainability at all levels - because development is an integral, multidimensional, and dialectic process. However, as FAO suggests here, it is for this very reason that communication strategies are so useful: they provide insight about how, when, and why to implement participatory, multi-stakeholder approaches to policymaking and programming that draw on the knowledge, skills, and energy of all social groups involved - in each context. Along these lines, ComDev approaches and methods should be shaped by the observation that communication is "a social process that is not confined to the media or to messages, but to their interaction in a network of social relationships."

The next section of this report examines trends and approaches in ComDev for sustainable development, focusing on the centrality of communication for spurring participation and empowerment ("two key elements of sustainable development initiatives"). A variety of new issues and challenges in using communication in this context are outlined; for instance, globalisation, media liberalisation, and the emergence of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) have complicated the picture. Issues of human rights - who is excluded from access to information about, and dialogues related to, sustainable development - emerge, and are explored here. Vulnerable and marginalised groups can be left out of communication networks focused on sustainable development; this is a concern that has been discussed in venues such as the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the World Social Forum.

To address these and other challenges, ComDev practitioners working in this field have remained open to a variety of communication-oriented approaches (such as behaviour change communication (BCC), edutainment, social marketing, community mobilisation, network development, strategic communication, and information, education, and communication - IEC). One focal idea is the process of communication and the significance of this process at the local level - no matter which strategy (or combination of strategies) is chosen. In this framework, the communication capacities of local stakeholders "in the field" should be bolstered, especially among those from groups that have historically been silenced. In fact, as outlined here, the 9th United Nations (UN) Roundtable on Communication for Sustainable Development, held in Rome, Italy, in 2004 reiterated the need to enhance local capacities; various challenges in doing so are detailed in this report. Core recommendations that emerged from this Roundtable are listed, as well. A key thread amongst the series of suggestions delineated here is the importance of experiential, value-based, culturally sensitive strategies that are participatory and that foster communities of practice. These approaches can be draw upon when designing evaluation and impact assessments, the report indicates.

Another theme addressed in this paper is the importance of partnership as a strategy - for instance, through the establishment of information and consultation mechanisms to ensure coordinated action among (and collaboration between) UN agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and other stakeholders at an international level. Five cross-cutting issues to spur on such collaborative relationships are examined here; they include advocacy, learning and capacity building, creation of alliances, information sharing, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E).

The second half of the report explores the rationale and structure of the ComDev and sustainable development theme in the WCCD context, with a focus on several specific issues. These issues include:

• Communication in Food Security, Rural Development & Livelihood Strategies - One highlight here is the importance of focusing on the needs of the rural audiences, rather than on the communication technologies and the media utilised. That is, the aim, according to the FAO, should be enhancing the capacity of local stakeholders to manage communication processes, to develop local contents, and to appropriate the use of media and tools. This strategy reflects the emphasis, again, on the need to craft communication for development strategies and initiatives that are context-specific and that reflect the values, perceptions, and characteristics of the people and institutions involved. In this framework, rural communication for development systems may integrate rural radio and traditional and local media, as well as newer ICTs. According to this report, such media could: foster access to natural resources and information on technologies and economic development options (including livelihood diversification), improve access and efficiency of rural development services (e.g. research and extension), and stimulate people's participation and inter-institutional coordination in the rural areas.
• Communication for Sustainable Natural Resource Management (NRM) - In this area, as well, FAO suggests that ComDev "offers an alternative. Its participatory approaches can facilitate the dialogue and exchange of knowledge and information on NRM, increase the community knowledge-base (both indigenous and modern), promote agricultural practices which are compatible with the environment, and develop awareness in policy makers, authorities and service providers. Furthermore, participatory communication approaches can bring together different stakeholders and groups into conversation with each other, and to enable the poorest and most marginalized to have a powerful/influential voice..."
• Communication and Globally Important Environmental Issues - "Within this framework, communication, education, participation and public awareness approaches are used in an integrated manner to reach out effectively to the key groups who are needed to manage changes in the environment and society."
• Communication for Poverty Reduction and Equity Issues - The FAO believes that communication processes can give rural women a voice to advocate changes in policies, attitudes, and social behaviour or customs that negatively affect them. ComDev can "support women empowerment, enabling them to take control of their lives and participate as equals with men in promoting food security and rural development." The key strategy emphasised here is focusing on communication processes in particular contexts - that is, the quality and utility of particular ICTs, for example - rather than their quantity. Retaining a focus on the needs of the particular context (local needs) is thought here to be key, and might involve building on existing and trusted traditional communication systems and methods for collecting and sharing information.
• Mainstreaming of Communication into Sustainable Development: Local Perspectives and Priorities - "The key for success in Communication for Development initiatives is to start with the participatory analyses of the needs of local institutions and stakeholders, taking into account local culture and values, and promoting a concerted action for development." As detailed here, within this framework, a series of regional consultations are being implemented in connection with the WCCD to obtain views and proposals of local practitioners and institutions for mainstreaming communication into policies related to sustainable development; the purposes and specifics of this process are described here.
• Sustaining the Process: Local Appropriation of Communication for Sustainable Development - This section of the report outlines a process through which local institutions in various regions around the world will serve as the basis for generating lessons learned as part of an effort for formulating recommendations for sustainable development initiatives integrating communication components such as advocacy, policy and institutional reforms, and capacity building. The goal here is to spur the exchange of experiences, and cooperation, related to the push to mainstream ComDev.

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