Media Matters: Participatory Communication in India

Facilitating Dialogue: http://www.mmindia.org
media matters seeks to move away from monologue, away from the use of communication resources for delivery of “key messages”. To us, groups and communities are not mere audiences. They are not passive receivers who need to be “spoon-fed” or “hammered” with information.

We believe groups and communities have the capacity to bring about and manage change.

Communication resources therefore should support such a process through reflection, exchange of knowledge, beliefs and experiences, initiating a dialogue that could lead to action. We strive to design and develop media and communication resources that create space for voices that are unheard, in local language, sharing of concerns and aspirations, critical thinking and negotiation. We seek to explore and experiment so that groups and communities can not only review and adapt the existing resources to their own context but also gain the skills to create their own area-specific and need-based communication resources.

We have had the opportunity to design and develop a wide range of communication and facilitation resources to support group and community processes, events and campaigns on children and rights, gender and participation, reproductive health as a right, HIV/AIDS and youth, adolescents and life skills, solid waste management in urban areas, male participation in reproductive health.

(The above graphic is from an exhibition by media matters-- to facilitate discussions around life skills for/with
adolescent girls.)