PARTICIPATORY VIDEO
Participatory Video for raising voice is a creative, transformative learning methodology that can—through reflexive filmmaking processes—raise awareness, develop and empower individuals and groups, amplify voice for engaged dialogue and listening, socially and politically mobilize, foster equitable relationships, and accelerate social change and justice. Participatory videos works specifically with people in marginalized groups who are rarely included in decision making processes on policies and programs that directly impact their lives.
Using participatory video to amplify children’s and women’s voices on climate change adaptation in Nepal (Masters’ research)
Watch: Children’s Views on a Changing Climate in Nepal
In exploring climate impacts from their own perspectives as part of ActionAid’s Disaster Risk Reduction through Schools project, children and women from Nepal produced video stories about climate change impacts and adaptation solutions, and linked them to local government actions. Their videos were also used to advocate for women and child rights in the Nepal Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA).
The PV project was part of my Master’s research thesis, which argued that PV can be an appropriate and viable tool to support children and women in their efforts to adapt to climate change. It can help demystify climate change as an incomprehensible scientific subject by linking it to the day-to-day challenges children and women face. When they can analyze their own situations, they learn and internalize the impacts and solutions. Mobilization for adaptation support becomes their right and a cornerstone for advocacy, which they can address through filmmaking.
IDS Master’s Thesis: Video and voice: How participatory video can support marginalized groups in their efforts to adapt to a changing climate
Project Report: Child Voices: Children of Nepal Speak Out on Climate Change Adaptation
PLA Notes Journal Article: Amplifying children’s voices on climate change: the role of participatory video
Gender & Development Journal Article: Women's rights in climate change: using video as a tool for empowerment in Nepal
PLAN INTERNATIONAL
in VIETNAM
Download the Report
Watch the children’s videos: Thuan Village / A Ngo Village
Building Child-Centred Disaster Resilient Communities
Participatory video is an innovative methodology in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) because it not only showcases grassroots' concerns and needs, but it also supports people’s own efforts to address their issues locally. This participatory approach allows children to develop their own video while media experts provide initial training and on-going support as required by the children. For this project, I developed the PV process and trained two local filmmakers in PV who facilitated the PV projects with the children.
CHILD VIDEOS: Thuan Village / A Ngo Village
Participatory Video was used within this project to:
- Increase reflection and dialogue between children and other community members (children, ethnic minorities and the wider community) about how climate change and natural disasters are affecting them and how they might address these issues both internally and with external support.
- To build capacity and empower the children to learn, voice their opinions and effect change.
- To increase dialogue between children, community members and local authorities regarding their role in reducing risks and how to move forwards.
- To provide education on engaging/new forms of documentation of the issues being discussed by the local groups in relation to climate related risks and hazards. This documentation can be used at different levels to stimulate reflection by a number of child rights actors and climate change and disaster risk management actors on the linkages to advocacy and awareness raising.
- To explore forms of communication from the community level upwards on the issue of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
- To document elaboration of the process (beyond the making of the video) and to share with related Governmental and non-Governmental agencies.
Climate Change Adaptation & Child Rights
Investigating a Child’s Right to Adaptation was a year-long project coordinated by the Institute of Development Studies, conducted in collaboration with Plan International in Cambodia and Kenya. The Participatory Video component was initiated within the project to investigate the potential role of PV as a research and/or advocacy tool for working with children on climate change and DRR in Cambodia. The project aimed to provide explore with Plan staff ways of enabling children to develop their own messages and stories on their lives, their ideas for adaptation and their DRR/CCA activities, alongside a research process exploring how children are claiming their rights on issues relating to climate-resilience building. I facilitated the PV workshops in support of the research.
This research, into which PV was embedded, specifically investigated the implications of climate change for the fulfillment of child rights and the opportunities adaptation programs may offer for safeguarding them. This includes a right to participate in national adaptation policy processes. Climate change is increasingly being framed as a major human rights concern. Organizations addressing the social dimensions of climate change are looking to human rights tools and mechanisms to hold state actors, the international community and private actors to account.
Watch the children’s video: Drought in Kampong Cham District's Neang Tuet Commune
Download the report: Climate Change Adaptation: Voices from Kenya and Cambodia