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Nicaragua

Strengthening Civil Society Participation to Enhance Social Development

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Activity Dates

April 2003 - March 2004

Activity Summary

HCP facilitated implementation of the Strengthening Civil Society Participation in Democratic Development program. As part of this effort, six NGOs received financial and technical support to implement eight projects in different areas (Nueva Guinea, Matagalpa, Leon, Managua, Juigalpa, and Esteli). HCP helped increase the capacity of these NGOs to integrate communication into their existing democracy and governance programs. The NGOs strengthened their ability to develop work plans that were financially and programmatically viable and integrated communication activities among the outreach and legal activities they implemented. Many of the NGOs used radio and print materials to promote their services as well as create knowledge and demand for new laws and penal codes. The NGO projects implemented with technical assistance from HCP promoted transparency in the use of public resources, human rights for detainees and vulnerable populations, children’s rights, and increased participation of civil society in public matters.

Through a very entertaining and well-scripted radio soap opera (designed using the How to Design and Produce Radio Serial Drama for Social Development manual), democracy and governance issues such as transparency, anti-corruption, domestic abuse, and citizenship were discussed and modeled at the national level. A series of open fora were also hosted for audience members to discuss the issues raised in the soap opera. Approximately 4,000 letters were written to the show.

HCP leveraged an estimated $30,000 in free air time in the broadcast of this campaign.

Materials and Tools

	Title: [Don't Let Some Decide for All : Active Civic Participation : To Improve Our Lives] Type of Material: Poster		Title: [The radio drama "there is a secret in our town" returns to your home in its second season : "The inheritance" : Active civic participation to improve our lives] Type of Material: Poster
	Title: [Health Communication Partnership : Civic Participation Survey] Type of Material: Novelty Item (Clothing)		Title: [Active Civic Participation : To Improve Our Lives] Type of Material: Novelty Item (Clothing)

• A 60-episode weekly open-forum radio program to debate community problems linked to transparency, human rights and community involvement.
• A 120-episode radio serial drama portraying the benefits of community involvement in decision-making about social development.
• A mass media campaign promoting the program values through TV, radio and print materials.

Research Reports/Publications

Two research reports based on the baseline survey and the post intervention survey.

Audiences

Adults

Partners

Catholic Relief Services, Caritas, FUNDEMOS, Defensoria de la Niñez, Proyecto Colectivo Gaviota, Universidad Centro Americana, and CODIAL

Back to Nicaragua

Note about materials: Some of the materials and resources listed on each page are available in their full form, others are represented by image or citation only. For more information and resources, go to www.jhuccp.org