1. ICTs in the Hands of Youth: Tools for Peacebuilding
© September 15, 2015

3. Youth demographics slide - how to depict youth bulge?
Africa image, youth bulge (data according to UNFPA)
% of population age 10-24: Burundi: 31%; Nigeria: 31%; Kenya: 32%; Tanzania: 32%; South Sudan: 33%; Somalia 33%
Countries in sub-Saharan Africa had the youngest proportion of population in the world with over 70% of the region's population aged below 30.

4. Youth bulge, but challenges remain
According to the UNFPA:
More than 500 million young people age live on less than $2/day.
74.3 million people age are jobless.
175 million are illiterate.
1.3 million adolescents died from preventable or treatable diseases in
Conflict can target youth: In South Sudan, 68% of refugees living outside of South Sudan since violence began in December 2013 are children.

5. Africans are accessing ICTs in huge numbers - including youth
67% of Africa’s population has mobile phones.
26.5% of Africans are on the Internet.
50.3 million Africans are using Facebook.
According to Pew Research:
The same number of African youth (18-34) own mobile phones as adults in countries surveyed.
Youth (18-34) are more likely than adults to own smartphones in countries like Nigeria (41%) Kenya (18%) Tanzania (10%) and Uganda (7%)

6. Tech tools are empowering conflict-affected youth.
...to go from VICTIMS...
...to FIRST RESPONDERS...
...to PEACEBUILDERS
Victims, first responders, peacebuilders slide

7. Peace Media: What is it?
Behavior change communications for peacebuilding. Key features are:
Curriculum-driven “edutainment”
Addresses specific drivers of conflict
Youth oriented
Multi-media
Research based
Locally produced

8. Peace Media Programs Afghanistan South Sudan Iraq
Iraq: Salam Shabab reality TV show Afghanistan: One Village, A Thousand Voices radio drama. South Sudan: Sawa Shabab radio drama

9. Sawa Shabab: Radio Drama for Youth in South Sudan
First season of youth-oriented radio drama consists of 20 episodes in English and Arabic
To respond to December violence, five episodes in Dinka and Nuer were also added
Aired on 25+ stations in South Sudan, including the UN’s Radio Miraya, Catholic Radio Network and community radios
Each episode included scripted question for youth to respond via call-in or text message.
Produced locally by Free Voice.

10. Sawa Shabab Broadcast Coverage

11. Sawa Shabab Curriculum Goals
Co-Existence and National Identity – To promote peaceful co-existence and mutual respect among South Sudanese youth from different cultural and tribal orientations.
Youth Empowerment and Personal Responsibility - To create the foundations of peacebuilding by empowering South Sudanese youth to be accountable, independent and participatory citizens of society.
Gender – To promote peaceful and democratic growth in society by fostering an understanding of gender equality.

13. So what is the impact
of this program?

14. World Peace (of course)

15. Okay, But Seriously
PeaceTech Lab conducts carefully designed research (surveys/focus groups) to measure changes in knowledge, attitudes and behavior of youth audience
When possible, we measure listenership of the program
Also measure youth engagement through social media and call-ins
KAB works best with frequency and repetition
Youth interaction/engagement is also critical in reinforcing curricular goals

16. 62% of respondents had heard of Sawa Shabab
58% had listened to an episode or more of the first season
99% of listeners wanted to hear the next season of the program
USIP conducts carefully designed research (surveys/focus groups) to measure changes in knowledge, attitudes and behavior of youth audience
When possible, we measure listenership of the program
Also measure youth engagement through social media and call-ins
KAB works best with frequency and repetition
Youth interaction/engagement is also critical in reinforcing curricular goals

17. South Sudan: Audience Response Metrics
10,000
Calls and Texts
500
Peak call-ins
in one week
Over the first season, more than 8000 calls or texts were received in response to the show
Call-ins and texted peaked at 500 in last 2 episodes
Responses showed strong desire to participate in the show and in peacebuilding efforts

18. Where do we go from here?
We are building youth-led peacebuilding networks. PTL programs begin by raising awareness and changing attitudes of youth through TV/radio, then we give youth additional tech tools to take action on the ground.
There is vast potential through media convergence in engaging youth in conflict-affected countries in leading their own community-based peacebuilding activities.

19. Banychieng - Sawa Shabab Youth Mobilizer

20. Screen shot of SMS comments from main Frontline inbox

22. UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth
“Young people are not just decision-takers; they can be decision-makers too.”
Ahmad Alhendawi
UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth
hopeful image behind

23. Theo Dolan
PeaceTech Lab Africa