Suman Basnet Regional Coordinator AMARC Asia Pacific Kathmandu, Nepal

 Approximately 5000 community radio and individual members in 113 countries;  Created in 1983 during the first international conference of community radios in Montreal;  Asia-Pacific regional office in Kathmandu & International Secretariat in Montreal;  Core purpose is to defend & promote of community broadcasting;  Women’s International Network (AMARC-WIN) is a sister movement to promote women’s role in community radios 

 To express local issues and concerns in a culturally and socially relevant manner and in local languages;  To create an alternative to the state-owned and the private commercial media  To fill in the information gap by the absence of media

Photos of Radio CBS, Indonesia

 Afghanistan  Australia  Bangladesh  Cambodia  East Timor  Fiji and Pacific Island Countries  India  Indonesia  Japan  South Korea  Nepal  New Zealand  Philippines  Thailand Community Song contest, Sheker radio, Kyrgystan

“In my village vegetable farmers received enhanced bargaining power after our local community radio “Radio Palung” started to provide the latest vegetable rates from Kathmandu. Earlier we were exploited 'by middlemen who made good of the information gap. We also receive information about pesticides, farming seasons, etc. that are useful for farming.” Harkha Bahadur Karki, Vegetable Farmer, Palung

 “If we have our own radio, the issues that we talk about will reach a larger community of women. Radio will enhance the credibility of our messages by lending them the weight of the medium” - Bidakanne Sammamma, Pastapur.  “Community Radio Namma Dhwani gave us an identity of our own” - Budhikote Community

Suitcase Radio of femLINKPACIFIC Media Initiatives for Women

Installing antennae, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia Japanese women in the studio of FMYY, Kobe, Japan

Nepali porter and his radioRadio Sagarmatha, Kathmandu

The Self Employed Women’s Association, SEWA is a cooperative with a membership of over one million and runs a community radio for its members in Gujarat, India

Radio is immensely popular everywhere Khoun Radio Laos PDR

Kishim community radio, Afghanistan Radio Most, Kyrgystan

Independent broadcasters between two guns

 Lack of legislative recognition or unfriendly legislation  Lack of spectrum planning  Unclear ownership issues  Complicated licensing procedures  Threats by militant groups  Lack of code of conduct  Low capacity of operation and maintenance

 By the people, for the people and of the people  Not for making profit  Local languages  Inclusive, democratic, and creative medium  Low cost  Promotes transparency  Promotes local culture  Functions as a development tool