Enhancing participation, citizenship Enhancing participation, citizenship and good governance and good governance

via civil society-driven media platforms via civil society-driven media platforms

- a case from Tanzania- a case from Tanzania

Thomas Tufte,Thomas Tufte,Roskilde University, DenmarkRoskilde University, Denmark

Presentation given at Lund UniversityPresentation given at Lund University7 March 20127 March 2012

Today’s presentationToday’s presentation

Conceptual frameworkConceptual framework People Speaking Back? MEDIeA People Speaking Back? MEDIeA

2009-20132009-2013 The Tanzanian caseThe Tanzanian case

– The organisationThe organisation– Civic engagementCivic engagement

Recap: Accountability, voice and Recap: Accountability, voice and ’national conversation’’national conversation’

Communication PowerCommunication Power

‘‘in a world marked by the rise of mass self-in a world marked by the rise of mass self-communication, communication, social movements social movements and and insurgent politics have a the chance to insurgent politics have a the chance to enter the enter the public spacepublic space from multiple sources. By using from multiple sources. By using both both horizontal communication networks horizontal communication networks and and mainstream media to convey their images and mainstream media to convey their images and messages, they increase their chances of messages, they increase their chances of enacting social and political change enacting social and political change – even if – even if they start from a subordinate position in they start from a subordinate position in institutional power, financial resources, or institutional power, financial resources, or symbolic legitimacy’symbolic legitimacy’ (Castells 2009. 302) (Castells 2009. 302)

ICT development, content production & ICT development, content production & audience involvement audience involvement

Changing dynamics and relationsChanging dynamics and relations

Agency revisited: public connection, public Agency revisited: public connection, public sphere engagement, citizen journalism, sphere engagement, citizen journalism, participatory journalism, citizen media, civic participatory journalism, citizen media, civic engagementengagement

Particular focus: Media development + civil Particular focus: Media development + civil society development: society development: civil-society driven civil-society driven media platformsmedia platforms

Civil society-driven media platformsCivil society-driven media platforms- core questions- core questions

How are they altering relations between How are they altering relations between decision-makers and citizens?decision-makers and citizens?

What new spaces of deliberation and What new spaces of deliberation and public debate, critique and civic action do public debate, critique and civic action do they create?they create?

What processes of empowerment and civic What processes of empowerment and civic engagement can be identified?engagement can be identified?

Communication, citizenship and Communication, citizenship and social changesocial change

Co-evolutionCo-evolution of new and old media of new and old media

CitizenshipCitizenship: a social practice grounded in : a social practice grounded in everyday lifeeveryday life

Civic actionCivic action: active manifestation of : active manifestation of citizens as claimants of development. citizens as claimants of development. Citizens as media producers, citizen Citizens as media producers, citizen journalists, bloggersjournalists, bloggers

Civil society-driven Civil society-driven media platformsmedia platforms

How can civil society-driven media and How can civil society-driven media and communication initiatives enhance communication initiatives enhance processes of empowerment and ultimately processes of empowerment and ultimately good governance?good governance?

Broadening the scope of communication for Broadening the scope of communication for development and social change (fluxtuation development and social change (fluxtuation in the relations between: institutions, in the relations between: institutions, activism, communication and change)activism, communication and change)

Key change agentsKey change agents

Civil societyCivil society – gaining visibility, how? – gaining visibility, how? articulating change and obtaining political articulating change and obtaining political influence?influence?

CitizensCitizens – (dis)connections with orgs and – (dis)connections with orgs and movements, new forms of engagementmovements, new forms of engagement

Government, decision-makersGovernment, decision-makers: good : good governance, accountability, transparencygovernance, accountability, transparency

Civil society-driven media platforms:Civil society-driven media platforms:the object the object of this studyof this study

Citizen mediaCitizen media

The term ’citizens media’ implies, first, that a The term ’citizens media’ implies, first, that a collectivity is enacting its citizenship by collectivity is enacting its citizenship by actively actively intervening and transforming the intervening and transforming the established mediascapeestablished mediascape: second, that these : second, that these media are media are contesting social codes, contesting social codes, legitimized identities and institutionalized legitimized identities and institutionalized social relationssocial relations: and third, that these : and third, that these communication practices are communication practices are empowering the empowering the community involvedcommunity involved, to the point where these , to the point where these transformations and chages are possible transformations and chages are possible (Rodriguez 2001/2006: 774)(Rodriguez 2001/2006: 774)

People Speaking Back?People Speaking Back?Media, Empowerment and Democracy in East Africa (MEDIeA)Media, Empowerment and Democracy in East Africa (MEDIeA)

2009-2013, two countries, 6 researchers2009-2013, two countries, 6 researchers Different but complimenting research Different but complimenting research

designsdesigns Young girls’ media use, civil society Young girls’ media use, civil society

development and media development. development and media development. Questions of participation and good Questions of participation and good governancegovernance

Tanzania: Datius (a large survey), Rose (a Tanzania: Datius (a large survey), Rose (a media ethnography), TT (civil society case)media ethnography), TT (civil society case)

People Speaking Back?People Speaking Back?- the case of Tanzania- the case of Tanzania

Democratic development: multi-party Democratic development: multi-party system (1995), civil society development, system (1995), civil society development, free mediafree media

3 % internet access3 % internet access 45% mobile phone access45% mobile phone access 6% economic growth pr year 6% economic growth pr year 6.2% HIV prevalence6.2% HIV prevalence Young marginalized women: lack voice in Young marginalized women: lack voice in

public lifepublic life

Introducing Femina HIPIntroducing Femina HIP Tanzanian NGO, 1999-Tanzanian NGO, 1999-

Largest print media Largest print media producer in Tanzaniaproducer in Tanzania

Many donors on board, but Many donors on board, but is a ’homegrown’ is a ’homegrown’ organisationorganisation

Entertainment-education Entertainment-education through real life storiesthrough real life stories

Multi-media platformMulti-media platform

Femina HIP ObjectivesFemina HIP Objectives

To build supportive To build supportive environments environments in in Tanzania where:Tanzania where:

Young people in their Young people in their communities enjoy their communities enjoy their right to access information right to access information & services and are & services and are empowered to make empowered to make positive informed choices positive informed choices around sexuality and lead around sexuality and lead healthy lifestyles in order healthy lifestyles in order to reduce the negative to reduce the negative impact of HIV/AIDS.impact of HIV/AIDS.

Femina HIP ObjectivesFemina HIP Objectives

To build supportive To build supportive environments environments in in Tanzania where:Tanzania where:

Communities exercise Communities exercise their right to express their right to express themselves, themselves, participate in public participate in public debate & engage in debate & engage in civil society. (Femina civil society. (Femina HIP Logical HIP Logical Framework, 2007)Framework, 2007)

Femina’s new strategic planFemina’s new strategic plan 2013-2017 2013-2017

Sexual healthSexual health Economic EmpowermentEconomic Empowerment Civic engagementCivic engagement

FEMAFEMA

FEMA. A glossy FEMA. A glossy magazine, 64 pages, magazine, 64 pages, 170.000 copies170.000 copies

Published 4 x a year. Published 4 x a year. Targets youth aged Targets youth aged 15-24 especially 15-24 especially secondary school secondary school students in every students in every region of the countryregion of the country

SiMchezoSiMchezo

Si Mchezo! 32 Si Mchezo! 32 pages, 175.000 pages, 175.000 copies. copies.

6 x a year. Targets 6 x a year. Targets out of school youth out of school youth and their and their communities communities particularly in rural particularly in rural areas. areas.

Multi Media PlatformMulti Media Platform Pilika PilikaPilika Pilika. A radio soap opera . A radio soap opera

(stopped 2011). New radio (stopped 2011). New radio drama starting 2012.drama starting 2012.

FEMA Tv Talk Show.FEMA Tv Talk Show. Half ½ Half ½ hour talk show, national TV 4 hour talk show, national TV 4 times a week. times a week.

RukaJuu. Tv Show RukaJuu. Tv Show on on Entrepreneurship.Entrepreneurship.

ChezaSalama ChezaSalama (‘play safe’). (‘play safe’). Interactive website. First of its Interactive website. First of its kind in Tanzania.kind in Tanzania.

5-600 Femina Clubs 5-600 Femina Clubs in schools in schools and communitiesand communities

Community outreach Community outreach programmeprogramme

’’Layering’ agendasLayering’ agendas- a diachronic perspective on Femina- a diachronic perspective on Femina

- Since 1999:….Since 1999:….- SRHR – in particular HIV/AIDSSRHR – in particular HIV/AIDS- Environment (Dlight, Trees, Cop15, Environment (Dlight, Trees, Cop15,

Masai Mara…)Masai Mara…)- EntrepreneurshipEntrepreneurship- Civic engagementCivic engagement

- WHAT determines the NGO’s agenda?WHAT determines the NGO’s agenda?

ContextsContexts Global discourses within development – the Global discourses within development – the

political economy of the ’development business’political economy of the ’development business’

The political changes in Tanzania – pushing The political changes in Tanzania – pushing boundaries, opening discourses, setting agendas, boundaries, opening discourses, setting agendas, citizen opportunities for deliberationcitizen opportunities for deliberation

Media developments: carving out new media and Media developments: carving out new media and communiation spacescommuniation spaces

WHO pushes boundaries, opens discourses, carves WHO pushes boundaries, opens discourses, carves spaces and sets agendas?spaces and sets agendas?

Youth and the ConstitutionYouth and the Constitution- a synchronic perspective on Femina- a synchronic perspective on Femina

Fema and SiMchezo series (print)Fema and SiMchezo series (print) National Youth Conference (IPC)National Youth Conference (IPC) International celebrity visit…led to International celebrity visit…led to

SymposiumSymposium Club competitionsClub competitions Suggesting local governance issues Suggesting local governance issues

to the clubsto the clubs

Youth and the ConstitutionYouth and the Constitution- Symposium+- Symposium+

Chairperson…represents continuityChairperson…represents continuity Youth vox-popYouth vox-pop Research driven debateResearch driven debate NGOs speak outNGOs speak out International experienceInternational experience Key politicians of the new generationKey politicians of the new generation Government and parliamentGovernment and parliament Day 2 for youth workshopDay 2 for youth workshop

OutcomesOutcomes- short term…and long term?- short term…and long term?

Media coverage (9xprint, 2 x radio, Media coverage (9xprint, 2 x radio, 2xnational tv)2xnational tv)

Politicians bloggingPoliticians blogging Relations established with ’those in Relations established with ’those in

power’power’

Youth clubs, schools, civil society Youth clubs, schools, civil society partners engaging with the issues…partners engaging with the issues…

OutcomesOutcomes- local, national, regional/international..- local, national, regional/international..

Issues of clout, respect, visibilityIssues of clout, respect, visibility Breadth and volume in ’own’ Breadth and volume in ’own’

organisationorganisation Partnerships evolving – in civil Partnerships evolving – in civil

society, government, with MPssociety, government, with MPs

Accountability and good Accountability and good governance governance

Upstream: Holding decision-makers Upstream: Holding decision-makers accountableaccountable

Downstream? Ensuring the voices of Downstream? Ensuring the voices of youth being heard? Har far can youth youth being heard? Har far can youth set the agenda? The youth adv.boardset the agenda? The youth adv.board

’’Sidestream’: Strengthening civil Sidestream’: Strengthening civil society partnerships, setting a media society partnerships, setting a media agenda, gaining media visibility..agenda, gaining media visibility..

Outcomes amongst youth?Outcomes amongst youth? Continuity sustains Continuity sustains

engagementengagement Community mobilization Community mobilization

enables engagementenables engagement Young people engage in Young people engage in

journalistic practice and journalistic practice and some deliberationsome deliberation

Sparks motivation and Sparks motivation and self-confidenceself-confidence

New public spheres New public spheres emergeemerge

Embryonic civil society?Embryonic civil society?

ChallengesChallenges

Upward Upward Accountability:Accountability:– Gaining political Gaining political

cloutclout– Balancing social Balancing social

critique and critique and political political influenceinfluence

Downward Downward accountabilityaccountability– Balancing a Balancing a

mass vehicle for mass vehicle for millions of millions of audiences with audiences with space for space for personal personal engagementengagement

Voice does matterVoice does matter- media and technology is carving out space- media and technology is carving out space

Allowing voice in public for a vastly Allowing voice in public for a vastly increased range of peopleincreased range of people

A greatly increased mutual awareness of A greatly increased mutual awareness of these new voicesthese new voices

New scales of organisationNew scales of organisation Understanding what spaces are required Understanding what spaces are required

for political organizationfor political organization New forms of listening? New forms of listening?

Disjunctions of citizenshipDisjunctions of citizenship

Global and national discourses on Global and national discourses on democracy, good governance and democracy, good governance and citizenshipcitizenship

Local realities: poverty, Local realities: poverty, unemployment, lack of media unemployment, lack of media access, other priorities…access, other priorities…

Mediápolis, Femina, and the Mediápolis, Femina, and the emergence of national conversation?emergence of national conversation?

The polis, properly speaking, is not The polis, properly speaking, is not the city-state in its physical location: the city-state in its physical location: it is it is the organisation of the the organisation of the people as it arises out of acting people as it arises out of acting and speaking togetherand speaking together, and its , and its true space lies between people living true space lies between people living together for this purpose, no matter together for this purpose, no matter where they happen to be… (Arendt where they happen to be… (Arendt 1958; 198)1958; 198)