A striking confluence of events is now driving communication projects, from new and affordable communication technologies, globalization, media liberalization and deregulation to changing political environmental in many regions of the world. Communication projects designed to inform and persuade people to change their behaviour, profile the work of organizations or to enable community consultation on specific initiatives are now taking on a stronger empowerment role.

According to a recently published status report by Denise Gray-Felder at the Rockefeller Foundation on the topic, "communication can play a much greater role in enabling people to take control over their own lives, in enabling people and societies to set their own agendas in relation to political, economic and social development; and in enabling, in particular, the voices of the economically and politically marginalized to be amplified and channelled to mainstream political debate."

Even so, much work needs to be done just to close the communication's gap between the rich and poor. The following statistics tell the story: one quarter of the world's countries have fewer than one telephone per 100 people; 60 percent of the population in developing countries live in rural areas and 80 percent of telephone lines are in urban areas; 84 percent of mobile cellular subscribers, 91 percent of all fax machines and 97 percent of Internet host computers are in developed countries.

To overcome these inequities and use communications better several initiatives are already underway, with small non-governmental and community-based organizations leading the way. The most outstanding example is community radio in Africa, which is flourishing. Others include EcoNews Africa, with its community-based analysis of global environment and development issues, and Pulsar, an initiative of the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, which provides community radio stations in Latin America with local news stories and information.

Many others are also involved in this new and uncharted phase of communications for social change. And there is little doubt that this trend will continue to grow as governments increasingly realize the many benefits and place more emphasis on community-based communications.

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Virtual Ideas
	Gray-Felder, Denise. Communication for social change: A position paper and conference report, January 1999.

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© 1999 International Institute for Sustainable Development