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In Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic & Social Council
Associated with the UN Department of Global Communications

Name of the Project:

Pioneering, Connecting & Empowering Voices for Change: Strengthening Community Radio in Bangladesh to Fight Poverty and Promote Development

This Project is funded by the European Union

Project Implemented by

Background:

Community radio is a new phenomenon in Bangladesh. The first 14 community radio stations went on air in December 2011, and 6 more are awaiting licenses in the course of 2012. In a country like Bangladesh, where the majority of the population lives in rural areas, community radios are the ears and eyes of the poor, marginalized or excluded. They are the voices for participation, the sources of information, and the instruments for mobilization.

Free Press Unlimited together with its long-term partner the Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) wants to build further the capacity of the 14 community radio stations.The capacity will be built through training the journalistic and management staff of the radio stations and through production and distribution of quality content. A strategy plan for financial sustainability of community radio will be developed by BNNRC with the participation of the community radios themselves, local businesses and local government.

At the same time, the organizational, technical & lobby and advocacy capacity of BNNRC as the only network organization for community media in the country will be strengthened further. Awareness raising campaigns on the importance of community media for development, on the one hand, and the importance of access to information for promoting transparency and fighting corruption, on the other hand, will be organized on a regular basis.

Lobby and advocacy, as well as licensing procedures, for new community radio stations and possibly community TV channels, will be initiated (activity 6). Through this variety of activities, community radios in the country will be strengthened to promote participation and encourage development.

 

Objective of the Project:

1. Quality Information on Poverty Reduction and Development

2. Improved Capacity of the Community Media

3. Financial Sustainability Strategy for Community Media

4. Capacity Strengthening of BNNRC

5. Increased Public Awareness on Right to Information

6. Increased Citizen and Community Participation

7. Improved Accountability of Local and National Actors

Expected Results

This project should result in improved capacity of 20 community radio stations in Bangladesh and increased access to quality information in the remote rural areas. The project will provide a channel to inform, a platform to connect and participate and a tool to promote development and change.

Project Duration: February 2013- December 2014 (Two Years)

Project Extended upto: May 2015

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