Panos London

Voice

Panos London amplifies the voices and builds the capacities of poor and marginalised people to be included in debates about issues that affect their lives

A key feature of poverty is lack of voice. Poor people's experiences and perspectives on the issues that affect them are not heard by decision-makers. We use a range of approaches, including oral testimony, digital storytelling and participatory video, to enable poor and marginalised communities to record and communicate their first-hand experiences of development issues. The communities gain skills to reflect on their situation, address challenges and make their voices heard to authorities and service providers.

• We make use of new information and communication technologies to help people speak out and promote their perspectives
• Advocate for national and international policy to be informed by the experiences and views of poor people

Read more about Oral Testimony
Visit our Life Stories section to see Oral Testimony in action
Watch Stories to tell, stories to hear, our voice methodology video

 

Dialogue

Panos London promotes and supports effective public dialogue to inform better decision-making.

The free and open exchange of ideas and experiences between all the different individuals and groups affected by an issue is vital to increased understanding, better decision making and greater accountability. We work with our partners to create inclusive spaces for dialogue and discussion at local, national and international levels: from rural women's clubs to international policy roundtables, or from public meetings to online networks.

• In the coming years we will be increasing the number, range and quality of methods of dialogue we support
• We will build in-house expertise, and a network of practitioners, in our focus countries who can implement this range of approaches
• We advocate for the central role of inclusive dialogue in development.

Case study | Manchar Lake people's assembly
Case study | Debating a new approach to reporting on trade

 

Media

Panos London supports the media sector and works with journalists to foster debate

The media is the main source of information for most people in the world. In our report At the heart of change we identified four key elements needed for a healthy media able to hold governments to account and promote debate and change in society:

• Media freedom
• A sustainable media infrastructure
• Journalistic skills, professionalism and resources
• Media content drawn from diverse sources and reflecting a full range of views, including those of marginalised groups.

We support journalists and the media in developing countries because no other sector of society has such a profound and sustainable effect on the quantity and quality, diversity and freedom of information and communication.

• We continue to put in substantial work to building journalistic skills and diversity of media content, working with the rest of the Panos Network and other partners
• We are developing our expertise in media freedom and media sustainability issues to support and develop business models that can sustain public interest content
• We will continue our research and advocacy promoting the crucial role of the media in development.

Visit the Climate Change Media Partnership website to see some of the journalists we support
More about media development
Case study | AfricaVox journalists and the G8

 

Networked communications

Panos London will work to help realise the potential of networked communications to increase participation, democracy and accountability

Networked communications, such as mobile phones and the internet, can increase participation in decision-making, mobilise communities and help to improve governance and accountability. However, many poor and marginalised people have no access to these communications tools, and they do, there are issue of control and ownership of knowledge which prevent them being used to their full potential.

• We work with partners to demonstrate how development projects can become more effective through the use of mobile phones
• We develop methods for using social media and networking to address lack of participation in political and development processes
• We are building a network of technology experts, donors, civil society groups and development practicioners for sharing evidence, building knowledge and developing good practice.

Journalists from the Climate Change Media Partnership formed by Panos alongside IIED and Internews. We are working towards having an active, self-sustaining network of more than 400 CCMP journalists who will deliver some 8,000 media outputs a year across