USAID/OTI Sudan Success Stories March 2007
The overarching goal of USAID's OTI/Sudan program is to strengthen Sudanese confidence and capacity to address the causes and consequences of the political marginalization, violence, and instability that has plagued the country for nearly 50 years.
Working within the context of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the OTI/Sudan program focuses on promoting the emergence of responsive and effective civil authorities, establishing peaceful dialogue within and among communities, fostering the emergence of an active civil society, increasing the availability of independent information, and protecting vulnerable populations from grave human rights violations and related abuses.
FM Radio Program in Eastern Chad Addresses Violence Against Women
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| An Internews reporter interviews refugees in Eastern Chad for radio broadcasts.
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The unimaginable unfolds as a matter of daily life for many refugee and internally displaced women in Eastern Chad. In addition to surviving sexual and other violence perpetrated in Darfur and Eastern Chad, these women often are victimized by their own families. All too frequently a family's initial grief turns into shame and aggression, as family members will imprison these women, literally tying them up in their tents.
To promote healing among these women and raise awareness in their communities, USAID's partner, Internews Network, produces a daily radio show, "She Speaks, She Listens." The program, broadcast near refugee camps on the FM band, features information vital to women. A recent 20-minute segment aired interviews with camp residents, psychologists, and other experts to explore the options available to people dealing with grief and trauma. Since the broadcasts began, camp workers report dramatic increases in the numbers of women seeking out services, engaging with other women with similar experiences, and beginning the process of healing from the traumas they have suffered.
By employing Chadian women as journalists, "She Speaks, She Listens" has been able to address other sensitive topics, including female genital cutting, child marriage, and domestic violence. In addition, to further promote discussion on these issues, Internews produces and broadcasts topical radio dramas in association with a local theater troupe.
"She Speaks, She Listens" is part of Internews Network's Humanitarian Information Service, which serves Sudanese refugees and the local population in Eastern Chad. This show and other programming - made possible with support from USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI); the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration; and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - now reaches more than half of the refugee camps in Eastern Chad.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington, D.C: : Victoria Rames, Program Manager, Tel: (202) 712-4899, vrames@usaid.gov
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