DAY 4 - Dissemination Workshop

Dear Members,
 

I had the privilege of spending the last two days at the on-field learning exercise and the Dissemination Workshop in Puri, Odisha organized by the United Nations Solution Exchange Gender Community and the UNDP-AusAid Climate Change Adaptation Project. I wish to share a few thoughts on the innovative approach of the Gender Community to disseminate the lessons learnt in this experiential learning process by synergizing the on-field learning event with the spinoffs of online social media reporting.
 

In the recent past, “Crowd sourcing” has emerged as a dynamic process by integrating the tools of information technology (IT) as well as of information and communication technology (ICT) to capture ground realities from geographical contexts undergoing flux: natural disasters, complex humanitarian emergencies, ethnic conflict, etc. In India, we saw the use of Google Crisis Maps and Google Person Finder during the recent Uttarakhand floods for developing data bases using information compiled by local communities, next-of-kin of disaster-affected individuals, etc. The experience of Ushahidi, a platform for collecting data and information based on crowdsourced inputs in several parts of the world, also points to the benefits of building on grassroot perceptions of affected communities.
 

The presentations by groups of multi-disciplinary professionals highlighted the advantages of experiential learning and shared learning by individuals who internalized the field insights from the vantage points of the institutions they represented and, in several cases, going beyond them. It will be instructive if the on-field learning events and online social media reporting using weblogs, YouTube videos, Twitter, FaceBook etc. become part of the pedagogy in training institutions in Odisha like Gopabandhu Academy of Administration, State Institute of Rural Development, State institute of Health and Family Welfare and their counterparts in other states. The field insights showed very clearly that Micro Planning at the village level; convergence of programmes and schemes; and inter-departmental coordination can go a long way in finding solutions before the problems become insurmountable and irreversible.
 

In conclusion, the United Nations Solution Exchange Gender Community and UNDP AusAid Climate Change Adaptation Project deserve our compliments for their thought leadership in trying out an innovative approach in experiential learning and dissemination. I only hope that the spirit of innovation will light many sparks and create opportunities for social transformation through participatory and inclusive interventions. The process has been kick-started, spaces have been created, and a direction shown. Let the progressive allies among administrators, development practitioners, multi-disciplinary professionals, elected representatives and communities take it forward.
 

With all best wishes,
N. Vinod Chandra Menon
Former Member
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
Government of India