The second phase of an IOM programme to use community radio to
encourage different social groups to take part in matters of public
interest at the local and regional levels kicks off this week in
Colombia.

The Citizens Radio Project, which in Phase I involved 38
community radio stations in 11 departments in the country, will now
include an additional 90 radio stations in 14 departments. Those
benefiting from the project include internally displaced persons,
women, youth, indigenous populations and Afro-Colombians.

The radio programmes aim to generate public opinion in urban and
rural areas on issues of concern for the communities, while
encouraging citizen participation and strengthening democracy and
coexistence. The programmes are largely broadcast regionally during
working days with one programme broadcast nationally once a week.
The programmes are led by journalists working in each radio station
as part of the project.

According to Colombia's Minister of Culture Elvira Cuervo de
Jaramillo, the project's major achievement in the first two years
was bringing people together and in giving "people of different
cultures and backgrounds a space to express their opinions."
 

Some of the issues discussed include forced migration,
recruitment of children into illegal armed groups, human
trafficking, and HIV/AIDS.

The project, implemented by the Colombian Ministry of Culture,
is partly supported by IOM through its USAID-funded Displaced and
Vulnerable Groups Assistance Programme, which is carried out in
alliance with the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF).
 The Presidential Agency for Social Action and the National
Parks Department also provide support for the project.

According to the Presidential Agency for Social Action and
International Cooperation, as of 31October 2006, there were
1,896,160 internally displaced persons in Colombia.

For more information contact:

Rocío Sanz

IOM Colombia

E-mail: "mailto:rsanz@oim.org.co">rsanz@oim.org.co