April 23 - May 4, 2007
Hotel Africana, Kampala, Uganda
With support from The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Gender-based violence (GBV) is a pervasive public health and human rights problem throughout the world. Increasingly, resources are spent on research studies, surveys, and program evaluations that are aimed at improving our understanding of the underlying issues and the interventions needed to fight GBV. Yet all too frequently, these data and good practice interventions fail to reach policymakers and, consequently, are not used to shape policies and programs.
The Institute of Public Health (IPH) at Makerere University, and the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) will be conducting a regional workshop for participants from sub-Saharan Africa dedicated toward developing policy communication and advocacy skills. The program will be open to program officials, researchers, and advocates working in the area of gender-based violence. The workshop is being organized with support from the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Global Bureau and Bureau for Africa.
Workshop Objectives
The objective of the workshop is to increase the use of available data and information on good practices for the improvement of policies and programs against GBV. Sessions are designed to help participants:
- Review types of GBV, the prevailing perspectives on GBV programming, and the common characteristics of promising interventions;
- Explore how research and information can influence programs and policies that are directed toward the reduction of gender-based violence;
- Identify different formats for presenting sensitive information using culturally appropriate messages;
- Create a policy-level communication strategy; and
- Develop skills for communicating with policymakers and working with the media.
Each participant will have several opportunities to make oral presentations as well as written summaries in appropriate formats for policy audiences. Participants will learn how to use computer-graphics software to enhance their oral and written presentation skills.
Who Should Attend?
The workshop is primarily for individuals who are directly involved in promoting or implementing GBV programs or who are in positions to influence decisionmakers on the issue. Participants may include:
- Representatives of national GBV committees or working groups;
- Members of regional networks on GBV;
- National government staff from the Ministries of Health, Education, Planning, and Justice or other relevant ministries;
- NGO representatives responsible for projects and programs related to GBV reduction;
- Staff from regional or national donor and partner agency offices; and
- Researchers and academics who are conducting GBV studies.
Participants will be selected from the following USAID partner countries: Angola, Benin, Congo (DROC), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Preferably, participants should have previous computer experience in Microsoft Windows. Courses are conducted in English. During the workshop, participants will be required to read extensively, submit written materials, and conduct presentations in English.
Each participant should also bring research results or survey data that can be used to address a policy problem. Ideally, participants should address issues relevant to their own programs. To make effective use of the training, participants should have access to computer facilities at their home institutions.
Workshop Sessions
The workshop will consist of a combination of plenary and small working-group sessions emphasizing a hands-on, participatory approach. Sessions will cover six areas, each with a corresponding output:
1. Exploring barriers to reducing GBV and promoting promising interventions.
Participants will examine multi-sectoral approaches to reducing GBV and the barriers to change. Since GBV prevention strategies are constantly evolving, participants will review lessons learned from a variety of interventions. Interactive exercises will be used to identify barriers and to examine interventions that illustrate the process of program and policy change.
2. From data to decisionmaking: Bridging the gap.
How do we move from data to decisions? Bridging the data-to-decisionmaking gap requires knowledge about the policy process and the types of data and information that are critical for decision making. Participants will examine:
- The differing roles of advocates and policymakers;
- The characteristics of issues that reach the national agenda; and
- Other factors that influence policy and program formation.
3. Developing communication strategies.
What are the key communication or advocacy objectives? Who are primary and secondary audiences? What are the most important messages for these audiences? What are the most appropriate channels for delivering the messages? And finally, what are the audiences expected to do with the information they receive? Each participant will develop a basic communication strategy that answers these questions. Discussion will also cover how to identify key communication constraints and opportunities, carry out an action plan, and evaluate performance.
4. Communicating information through the media.
A comprehensive policy-communication strategy requires an understanding of how to work effectively with the media. Participants will incorporate news media activities into their strategies and learn how to communicate their research results and GBV messages to policymakers through newspapers, radio, and television. Skill-building exercises will include drafting a press release and practicing interview techniques.
5. Preparing policy memoranda and briefings.
Policy audiences are the individuals and groups who have the power to enact laws, make regulations, set policies, or to influence these processes. Because these audiences are often difficult to reach, presentation techniques designed for such audiences can enhance communication efforts significantly. To develop these techniques, participants will prepare a policy memorandum for a high-level policymaker based on a GBV case study. In a role-play exercise, participants will conduct a policy briefing based on their memoranda. This role play will be critiqued and discussed by workshop participants.
6. Developing and delivering oral presentations using computer graphics.
Because visual techniques are critical for conveying messages to any audience, the workshop will provide hands-on training in computer-graphic presentations using Windows-based PowerPoint. These sessions will introduce a step-by-step approach to organizing effective policy presentations and will provide design tips for presenting text, graphs, charts, and diagrams. Each participant will prepare a 12-minute oral presentation, supported by PowerPoint, that communicates research and information on GBV to a selected policy audience. Presentations will be videotaped and critiqued.
Application Procedures and Deadlines
Persons who wish to participate in the workshop should send the completed application forms by e-mail, fax, or airmail as soon as possible but no later than the deadline. It is also important that you label the Subject line of the e-mail, cover note, or envelope with "Workshop on Gender-based Violence." Please send applications directly to:
Mrs. Florence Adikini
Institute of Public Health
Makerere University
P.O. Box 7072
Kampala, Uganda
E-mail: IPH-2003@iph.ac.ug
Tel: +256 41 543 872 or +256 41 532 207
Fax: +256 41 531 807
Application materials should arrive in Kampala no later than March 15, 2007 (final deadline).
Download application (Word Document) (DOC: 527KB)
Note: IPH and PRB can accept applications beyond the deadline from those applicants with secured funding, depending on qualifications and space availability (see the next section).
Fees
Tuition and fees: $US1,580
Housing: $US980
Subsistence: $US560
Total (excluding airfare): $US3,120
IPH and the Population Reference Bureau can provide tuition waivers, housing, airfare, and subsistence (full funding) to a limited number of candidates. Thus, anyone who is interested is encouraged to apply, regardless of funding status.
Apart from the sponsors’ sources, applicants are advised to seek their own financial support from their home organizations or from national or international agencies. Copies of application materials should be submitted directly to those agencies. Evidence that support is available should be forwarded as soon as possible to IPH, Makerere University.
Applicants who are seeking funding should go ahead and submit their application forms to meet the deadline. Information on funding can then be forwarded to IPH as soon as it is obtained. Interested candidates who obtain funding later than the March deadline are encouraged to submit late applications, as space may still be available for participants who are funded.
Accommodations
The workshop will be held at the Hotel Africana. The hotel is located on the outskirts of Kampala, five minutes from the city center and a 40-minute drive from Entebbe International Airport. The Hotel amenities include daily newspapers, safe deposit boxes, room service, lounge, restaurant, bar, business centre, foreign exchange bureau, executive car hire services, hair and beauty saloon, curio shop, fitness centre, swimming pool, laundry and valet service, concierge services, tour and travel services, and live weekend entertainment. A centenary park, discotheques, golf course, shopping areas, and many fine restaurants are just minutes from the hotel.
Description of Partner Organizations
Institute of Public Health, Makerere University
The Institute of Public Health (IPH) of Makerere University has developed programs aimed at meeting public health needs of Uganda and the Region. In 1975, the Department of Preventive Medicine attained the status of an Institute in an effort to satisfy the need for training health personnel capable of providing not only curative, but also preventive and promotive services through both undergraduate and postgraduate training. The Institute offers a nine-month Advanced Diploma Course in Health Management for different middle-management health staff, and a two-year field-based and competency-oriented Master of Public Health (MPH) training program under the Public Health Schools Without Walls (PHSWOW) initiative, as well as short courses and workshops on demand. IPH's mission is Striving for Excellence in Public Health Education and its vision is to create an internationally recognized center for excellence in public health education with capacity forfield-oriented, demand-driven training, research, and service activities. IPH is a nonprofit organization and works closely with partners, communities, governments, and nongovernmental organizations to fulfill its mission.
Mrs. Florence Adikini
Institute of Public Health
Makerere University
P.O. Box 7072
Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256 41 543 872 or +256 41 532 207
Fax: +256 41 531 807 E-mail: IPH-2003@iph.ac.ug
Population Reference Bureau (PRB)
The Population Reference Bureau informs people around the world about population, health, and the environment, and empowers them to use that information to advance the well-being of current and future generations. PRB informs policymakers, educators, the media, and concerned citizens working in the public interest around the world through a broad range of activities. These include publications, information services, seminars and workshops, and technical support. PRB is supported by government contracts, foundation grants, individual and corporate contributions, and the sale of publications. PRB is governed by a Board of Trustees representing a diverse community and professional interests and is located in Washington, D.C.
Sara Adkins-Blanch
Senior Policy Communications Analyst
Population Reference Bureau
1875 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 520
Washington, DC 20009
Tel: 202-939-5441
Fax: 202-328-3937
E-mail: saraab@prb.org