While working with the media is a key part of the humanitarian response to disasters, the focus is usually on reporting the stories from disaster zones back to donor countries.
Research has shown that those who are directly affected by disasters are sometimes left out of the information loop. However, information is essential for those affected – both as a life-saving device and as a key to effective accountability and participation.
In April 2009, the British Red Cross and Save the Children hosted a workshop discussing how aid agencies can work more effectively with each other and with media development agencies to ensure information reaches those affected by disasters.
As a result of this workshop, an inter-agency initiative was formed to:
- make communicating with disaster-affected communities a mainstream aspect of emergency response
- develop knowledge in relevant areas, including the range and impact of media and communications tools, and the strength and weaknesses of current approaches taken by media, humanitarian and information technology organisations.
Read more about the workshop
As part of the initiative, a group of organisations has funded a consultancy post to further the work. These organisations include the British Red Cross, Irish Red Cross, Save the Children, Internews, Thomson Reuters Foundation and BBC World Service Trust.
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