ABANTU @ 10

Research, Publications and Information

Research, Publication and Information (RPI)

Aim
ABANTU RPI function seek to establish a process of research, publications and information provision on women’s right and gender equality.

Objective
The specific objectives are as follows

• To develop relevant research, publications and information activities to enhance women rights and gender equality in ABANTU’s thematic areas of governance, climate change and peace building.
• To utilize agreed guidelines for dissemination of ABANTU research, publication and information material to reach wide audience and remarks to enhance gender and policy advocacy work
• To coordinate and strengthen existing and new contacts with media institutions and personnel through effective communication and showing of relevant press and publicity material on women’s right and gender equality
• To establish a resource centre and increase its stock, access and use by women and a wide range of audience on ABANTU’s thematic areas
• To produce a gender sensitive newsletters that touch on relevant women right issue and publication development out of ABANTU’s programmes and ensure their effective distribution.
• Strengthen the capacity of a core information produces among ABANTU staff and the women movement and ensure that high quality standards are met at all times.

Target Groups
 The target groups for ABANTU’s Research, Publication and Information (RPI) function are as follows:

• Women groups, networks and coalition
• Policy makers
• Local government officials
• Assembly women/ men
• Parliamentarians
• Political party officials
• Women in political parties
• Ministries department and Agencies (MDA’s)
• Students
• Professional Associations
• Media

Achievements
The following have been mapped milestones in the implementation of ABANTU’s RPI programme:

• Cutting- edge research on aspects ABANTU’s thematic areas of governance, peacemaking and climate change
• Effective information dissemination resources to different target groups in the West African Sub-region.
• Attractive resource centre with an on-line database of materials
• Production of a newsletter, “ABANTU News” on a quarterly base
• Effective links with relevant actor in the Research, Publication and Information sector
• Effective relationship with media institutions and personnel as a best practice.
• Enhanced capacity of staff and other and other actor on RPI issues

Types
The different types of RPI initiatives of ABNTU include the following:

• Research on aspects of ABANTU’s thematic area of gender and governance, peace building and climate change
• Production of different types of documents issuing out of research and programme activities on the thematic areas. This includes books/ booklets, newsletter, factsheets, posters, policy briefs, stickers and reports.
• Packaging information in user friendly forms to meet the needs of the different target groups including the media to enhance knowledge, awareness and impacts of women’s right and gender equality work

Challenges

• Challenges encountered in implementing the RPI programme include:
• The imbalance between demand for material and activities and the qualities available to go round
• The persistence of gender inequality and the need for continuous research and easily available and accessible material on women’s right and gender equality
• Late delivery of materials produced by publishers

Way Forward
Ensure that gender analytical perspectives are incorporated into ABANTU’s RPI function at all times.

 

ABANTU's Quarterly Newsletter (ABANTU News)

ABANTU News, Issue No. 5, July 2006 (PDF)

ABANTU News, Issue No. 4, February 2006 (PDF)

ABANTU News, Issue No. 3, September 2005 (PDF)

ABANTU News, Issue No. 1, April 2005 (PDF)