Removing Barriers, Increasing Effectiveness - amarc

meaningful social change indicator in communities that have never been heard.For example, the community audio towers in the Philippines have changed thelandscape of relations between small communities and local governments. InTacunan, à Barangay in Mindanao, members of the Community Media Council(CMC) emphasize that electricity, potable water and a new road were a result ofthe community being empowered through the community audio tower tocommunicate its demands to the authorities.Participation and ownership, which allow for the appropriation of thecommunication process, are indicators of impact because they are the result ofsocial transformation within the community. For participation to take place andevolve towards ownership, social changes have to happen in the relations ofpower within the community. Ownership of the communication process can onlytake place if the various sectors within a community can participatedemocratically, through their representatives or directly as citizens whose rightsare fully recognized in the community. Impact can be documented if, for example,groups of women have bettered their positions in terms of being heard andcontributing to decisions.The issue of horizontal communication is relevant not only for a radio stationestablishing a dialogue with other communities, but also the horizontal dialoguethat is established within the community, among various social sectors, to be partof the process of ownership.Collective action is another key indicator of impact. Communities able tocollectively strengthen their capacity to respond to the needs of development andsocial change through dialogue, through participation and through collectiveaction, are in a position to make decisions about the present and the future.Capacity or capability (reflection, analysis, learning from each other, problemsolving, and empowerment) is essential for development of freedom, ordevelopment as freedom. 32The role of AMARCAMARC has been the main network representing the movement of communityradio worldwide. Its growth has encompassed the development of thousands ofcommunity and local radio stations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and theCaribbean, and other regions of the world where community radio exists. AMARCis an association and at the same time a social movement with a politicalperspective, as stated in its main documents. It aims to “contribute to theexpression of different social, political and cultural movements and to thepromotion of all initiatives supporting peace, friendship among peoples.” .Through their programming, radio stations affiliated with AMARC are guided byprinciples reflecting respect: “the sovereignty and independence of all peoples;32“In this perspective, poverty must be seen as the deprivation of basic capabilities rather than merely aslowness of incomes, which is the standard criterion of identification of poverty.” Amartya Sen:Development as Freedom (1999) Alfred A. Knopf, Random House Inc. New York.AMARC Community Radio Social Impact Assessment 2007 Page 47 of 128