Voices for change: rural women and communication

This report provides an overview of communication and rural women, and is structured around five the key themes: communication in a changing world, invisible partners, giving a voice to rural women, communication approaches and looking towards the future. The report also features short case studies about womenÆs indigenous knowledge and communication; international conferences and the role of communication; participatory rural communication appraisal; Mayan women learning communication skills; participatory communication to assess the role of women in natural resource management in Pakistan; grassroots artists and popular communication in Malawi; developing agricultural technologies with rural women in Jamaica; access to the internet, village pay phones and a womenÆs networking support programme. The report concludes by looking at the potential of communication to be a powerful force for fostering learning, positive change and empowerment in the process of rural development: ôwithout communication the voices of rural women for change will not be heard.ö