Kubatana in Zimbabwe using mobile phones tactic!
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Post Abril 10th, 2008 por kantin

I was on my way home last night, when I heard a story on the radio about "a human rights organization in Zimbabwe using mobile phones for their advocacy campaigns," and I thought, "wow that is innovative!" Then a few seconds later I realized that they were talking about our very own Kubatana!

Kubatana encourages members of civil society to give them feedback on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe through mobile phones. They have developed this SMS network of over 1800 Zimbabweans with the help of Ken Banks of Frontline SMS. The application created by Frontline SMS and Kubatana allows the organization to send out hundreds of text messages to those that have chosen to 'subscribe' to the message-blast. The subscribers can then text comments, responses, and questions back to Kubatana. Kubatana sometimes takes these text messages and posts them on their blog

Kubatana uses a variety of technologies to communicate with Zimbabweans - SMS is one of them.  The organization sends out notifications of public events, inspiring quotations, selected comments from current and past articles and statements, and website content converted into thought-provoking tasty 160 character messages. 

To sum up the importance of encouraging such dialogue, Kubatana exclaims - "Democracy is a two way thang!"

Click here to listen to the 3-minute radio show!

Further resources on this tactic:

  • Click here for more information about Ken Banks and other human rights practitioners using mobile phone technology to advance human rights!

 

Questions? Comments? Interested in adapting this tactic to your human rights strategy? Post a comment below!

 

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Imagen de kiwanja

Further details

Enviado por kiwanja el Vie, 04/11/2008 - 01:37.

Hi Kristin

Great that you managed to pick up on this! Kubatana are doing some great work out there, and I'm pleased to be able to help in a small way.

I blogged about what they were doing earlier this week. If you're interested you can get to this via:

http://www.blogspot.kiwanja.net/2008/04/kubatana-reaches-out-with-frontl...

Cheers.


Imagen de npearson

SMS for encouraging civic participation

Enviado por npearson el Jue, 04/17/2008 - 17:38.

Hi Ken,

I really loved what you wrote in your blog sharing how Kabatana has been using Frontline SMS to encourage civic participation in a new way. Before people can work together - they need to know what they are working together to achieve. You wrote about their work:

Quote:
"In addition to their SMS election line (promoted on their home page), they have been running a "What would you like a free Zimbabwe to look like?" initiative. Zimbabweans have been incredibly responsive, with many people saying that the question gave them hope in uncertain times. According to Kubatana:

'It's also been a real learning experience for us, reminding us that ordinary Zimbabweans have a wealth of good ideas to contribute, and our political and civic leadership must work on building a more participatory environment.' [unquote] What a wonderful way to get a wealth of ideas that can help Zimbabaweans know what they DO want. And Frontline SMS is a great tool to use when the situation is so volatile and people can't come together face-to-face to share their ideas, hopes and dreams for their country.

Nancy Pearson, New Tactics Program Manager