INTRODUCTION STRATEGY CHANNELS REACTING TO NEGATIVE STORIES ENCOURAGE UNIVERSAL PARTICIPATION SPECIFIC ROLE FOR DCIC AND INDIVIDUAL

MEMBERS ADVOCACY

Publicity is an act of disseminating an idea/issue through a medium to gain public interest.

On this occasion, the key issue is the 2010 Population and Housing Census.

This message is intended to go through 2 main communication channels.

Destination of the message: to reach every one, who resides in Ghana at census night in 2010.

YOU COUNT, SO BE COUNTED; because every single individual is important in the development of the nation, they have to be taken into account when planning development policies.

NATIONAL EXERCISE• It concerns every resident in Ghana• Citizen collectively pay for the cost of

census• It is your civic responsibility• Its success depends on your cooperation• You play a key role in the census

At the national level, our communication strategy is to use 2 main channels to get the 2010 Census message to everyone.

CHANNEL A - Use of Mass Media CHANNEL B - Direct contact

The District Census Implementation Committees (DCIC) will have to adopt similar strategies to achieve success.

Mass Media – using a communication medium to reach a mass number of the people.

TV Radio Print media (newspapers & popular magazines)

The key issues to address should include the following:o Census; its meaning and importanceo The core messages of PHC 2010o Method to be used to collect informationo Confidentiality

oThe calendar of events/major milestonesoDuration – when the census process will start and endoType of questions to be asked by the enumeratoroBenefits: to (a) Individuals and (b) CommunitiesoCensus Night – concept should be thoroughly explained. Activities lined up in the District for the Census Night should be publicized.

Make friends with the local radio Producers and Presenters, but choose the one radio which is most listened to.

Provide them with a guideline of what you want to talk about concerning the 2010 Census. (See national synopsis and other materials)

Provide a bit of information at a time. Don’t saturate listeners with too much information.

COLLABORATING AGENCIES

ISD mobile vans – should be deployed to cover large areas in the District

Identify collaborators in the sensitization process

They should include:◦ Political leaders e.g. Regional Ministers, DCEs,

Assembly Members, Unit Committee Members etc. ◦ They should play non-partisan role. ◦ Their role should be confined to advocacy -

encouraging mass participation

◦ Traditional Authorities – chiefs and opinion leaders in the community

◦ Faith based Organizations – Christians, Muslims and other faith – based associations/organizations

◦ All Socio-Economic Groups - women's groups, dress makers association etc. should be actively engaged in the entire process of sensitization

◦ Youth groups should include school children and young adults e.g. Curious Minds

In order to have a uniform message, going down to everyone, conduct periodic briefing sessions for all collaborators.

Always work as a team Be guided by the Workplan developed

from Publicity and Public Education Unit at the CS, however take initiatives based on local conditions

Always make use of public education materials developed from SC.

Publicity/Public Education should all be directed at the same goal. We shall all be saying the same thing, throughout the country

Hold MCAN meetings to assess issues raised in the story

Determine appropriate action to take

Inform CS about steps taken to correct misimpressions, through a feedback loop

Advocacy is the act of well-planned and intended series of actions to influence change.

In relation to the 2010 Census, our advocacy plan will focus on securing support, cooperation and commitment of all categories of leaders and all residents of Ghana to mobilize the resources needed to carry out a successful exercise.

In the case of the 2010 Census, our advocacy objectives are to:

Mobilize resources

Obtain support & cooperation of all

Promote cost sharing

Improve public awareness of the 2010 census

Avoid or limit political interference

Obtain credibility & acceptance of census data

Market census data to increase census data use

2010 Census Advocacy Plan is a set of intentionally targeted actions to create a supportive environment for the conduct of the 2010 Population and Housing Census

Organize sensitization workshops for all collaborators at the District level ◦Public Sector Institutions –

NCCE - sensitization Community Development & Social Welfare- sensitization NCWD – sensitization Traditional Authority – beating of gong and sensitisation

Organize high level meetings – (Resource Mobilization)

ISD Vans, EC Vans – for publicity District Assemblies - Store Rooms and vehicles to

distribute materials to districts and difficult terrains

Media tour – media support

Organize talk shows for Institutional population – e.g. Universities, high schools (agents of publicity)

Courtesy calls Religious groups Traditional Authorities Political heads

Civil society groups Community leadersOrganize Interactive talk shows mass media - Improve public awareness of the 2010

census

Market census data to increase census data use -

organize stakeholder meetings Organize district dissemination seminars Use the Mass Media to market Census data

REMEMBER! YOU COUNT, SO BE COUNTED.

THANK YOU