Below is an article on PMC’s work. It appeared in the winter 2008 issue of the Stanford Social Innovation Review.

For full article, download:

Population Media Center 2008 Smart Soaps (PDF, 172 KB)

Launched in 2002, Dramatool is a web-based platform described as “an international meeting point for drama/theatre education”. Available in Amharic, Chinese, English, French, Kiswahili, and Spanish (as of this writing), this website is an effort to empower drama and theatre practitioners through networking. Dramatool is run by a team of 11 people from 5 countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Sweden, Tanzania, and Uganda) who have experience in working with drama and theatre as a tool for an inclusive and humane society.

Dramatool aims to be an open forum, which is available to anybody who is interested in and works in the area of drama education and performing arts.

Contact: info@dramatool.org

For full article, visit:

http://www.comminit.com/en/node/265376

In Ethiopia, it can be dangerous for a girl to leave the house. Not because of war, or weather, but “weddings”—specifically the long-standing cultural tradition of marriage by abduction.
Continue Reading »

I thought you would be interested in seeing a report from PMC-Ethiopia regarding a recently-completed workshop with Muslim leaders from the Afar region on the subject of FGM.
Continue Reading »

I thought you would be interested in seeing a report from PMC-Ethiopia regarding a recently-completed workshop with Muslim leaders from the Afar region on the subject of FGM. There is an excellent proclamation, starting on page 16 of the report, as well as summaries of the comments of the religious leaders. One of the most outspoken people at the workshop, who called for ending the practice of FGM, was the President of the Supreme Sharia Court of Afar region.

Ethiopia FGM Workshop for Religious Leaders (Word doc., 92 KB)

Best wishes,
Bill

Population Bulletin. 2007 June

The countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) continue to fascinate and concern the rest of the world. With two-thirds of the world’s known petroleum reserves, the region’s economic and political importance far outweighs its population size. It has the world’s second-fastest growing population, after sub-Saharan Africa.

Its demographic trends-especially the rapidly growing youth population-are complicating the region’s capacity to adapt to social change, economic strains, and sometimes wrenching political transformations.

For full article, download:

Population MENA Region by PRB

PMC Vice President for International Programs Kriss Barker has a feature article in the Global Health Council’s latest AIDSLink (Issue 104, 1 July, 2007).

AIDSLINK, Issue 104 | July 1 2007
Written by Kriss Barker, Vice President, International Programs Population Media Center

Anguach and Demlew are the main characters in an Ethiopian serial drama. They are a loving young couple with a bright future. But Demlew’s mother, who doesn’t like Anguach, begins to meddle and pushes a neighbor to seduce her son. He succumbs, sleeps with the neighbor, and is infected with HIV. Anguach is devastated, but forgives him, and cares for him until he dies. Although terrified that she might be HIV positive, Anguach gets tested and finds out that she is negative. Anguach eventually marries again (this time, a man without a meddling mother!) and lives happily ever after. Touching story – but did it have any impact?

Continue Reading »

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – On August 1, 2007, thirty religious leaders from the Afar region, and representatives from the Islamic Affairs Bureau and the Women’s Affairs Bureau created and signed a declaration to end the practice of female circumcision (also called female genital mutilation or FGM). The declaration was one of the end results of a workshop Population Media Center (PMC) held on July 31st and August 1st to discuss the issue of female circumcision and what religious leaders can do to help eradicate the practice.
Continue Reading »

Kano, Nigeria – On July 31, 2007 Population Media Center (PMC) will launch its second social content radio serial drama in Nigeria. Through the use of character role-models, the drama aims to enhance knowledge and utilization of existing health services, provide important information about reproductive health and general health issues, encourage use of family planning, promote delaying marriage and childbearing until adulthood, promote small family norms, provide information about HIV transmission, and motivate people to take actions to improve their health and the health of their families. PMC will air 234 episodes over two years.

Continue Reading »

There is an article about Population Media Center’s work in Ethiopia on the Communication Initiative website.

For full article, visit:

http://www.comminit.com/evaluations/id2007/impactdata-79.html.