Link to Atlas Project

Documents

Overview

UNDP in Myanmar, under Pillar 1 of the Country Programme Action Plan 2013-2017, is supporting institutions of Local Governance and Local Development, and within this programme Output 2 focuses on related civil society and media support. As identified through UNDP’s Local Governance Mapping with the Government of Myanmar, a significant challenge for the Government’s on-going efforts to develop institutions of democratic and participatory local governance and to achieve more inclusive and people-centered local development is citizens’ lack of knowledge, reliable information about governance processes and development plans at community level. A significant gender gap and youth gap has also been identified in access to information about and participation in local governance and development processes, with particular impact in rural areas where the most vulnerable women and children among Myanmar’s population live.

Myanmar’s new Broadcast Law opens new channels for addressing these information, communication and participation needs at community level by establishing the framework, among other things, for “community broadcast” licensing that is distinct and separate from either public or private broadcast licensing. Around the world, radio that is owned and operated by and for communities – “community radio” – provides space for civic engagement as well as community self-help at the local level.

The services of a technical expert on community radio as Individual Contractor are needed during this period to provide national level support for the above activities through: conceptual development of ‘Community Radio start-up strategy’ for coherence and coordination among the cooperating partners (UNDP, IMS, DWA, Fojo) as well as with relevant government actors; related training and capacity development/coaching for Myanmar project partners and UNDP project staff to support community mobilization and community radio planning work; international experience-sharing and technical inputs for Myanmar Media Development Conference session on community media; and community radio study tour conceptual and preparatory planning.