The humanitarian role of radio

16-06-2014 Feature

Twenty years ago in Rwanda, in what has to be one of the saddest misues of radio, Radio Mille Collines poured out hatred onto the airwaves, fanning the flames of genocide. But things can be very different. In many conflicts, radio plays a key role in spreading the message of humanity.

On the occasion of the ICRC's 150th anniversary, we and the Hirondelle Foundation in Lausanne have been broadcasting messages on radio stations in the Central African Republic, Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Their aims: to facilitate our operations, promote international humanitarian law and encourage mutual respect.

At the height of last January's crisis in Bangui (Central African Republic), this project made it possible to broadcast messages calling for people to respect first-aiders and let them do their jobs. Right now, radio stations in northern Mali are carrying messages encouraging people to respect and facilitate the work of the ICRC in the area.

The project is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.


English

COMPONENTSspotinterview
EMBLEMEspotinterview
FAMILY LINKSspotinterview
HEALTH CAREspotinterview
HISTORYspotinterview
IHLspotinterview
IMPARTIALITYspotinterview
PRISONspotinterview
SEXUAL VIOLENCEspotinterview
UNIQUENESSspotinterview

 

French

DIHspotinterview
EMBLEMEspot interview
LIENS FAMILIAUXspotinterview
HSTOIREspotinterview
MOUVEMENTspotinterview
IMPARTIALITEspotinterview
PRISONspotinterview
SOINS DE SANTEspotinterview
SPECIFICITEspotinterview
VIOLENCES SEXUELLESspotinterview

 

Bambara

COMPONENTSspotinterview
EMBLEMEspotinterview
FAMILY LINKSspotinterview
HEALTH CAREspotinterview
HISTORYspotinterview
IHLspotinterview
IMPARTIALITYspotinterview
PRISONspotinterview
SEXUAL VIOLENCEspotinterview
UNIQUENESSspotinterview

 

Peulh

COMPONENTSspotinterview
EMBLEMEspotinterview
FAMILY LINKSspotinterview
HEALTH CAREspotinterview
HISTORYspotinterview
IHLspotinterview
IMPARTIALITYspotinterview
PRISONspotinterview
SEXUAL VIOLENCEspotinterview
UNIQUENESSspotinterview

 

Sonrhai

COMPONENTSspotinterview
EMBLEMEspotinterview
FAMILY LINKSspotinterview
HEALTH CAREspotinterview
HISTORYspotinterview
IHLspotinterview
IMPARTIALITYspotinterview
PRISONspotinterview
SEXUAL VIOLENCEspotinterview
UNIQUENESSspotinterview

 

Tamasheq

COMPONENTSspotinterview
EMBLEMEspotinterview
FAMILY LINKSspotinterview
HEALTH CAREspotinterview
HISTORYspotinterview
IHLspotinterview
IMPARTIALITYspotinterview
PRISONspotinterview
SEXUAL VIOLENCEspotinterview
UNIQUENESSspotinterview

 

 

 

See also:

ICRC audio podcast channels
The two ICRC podcast channels on the iTunes Store (in English and French) feature a series of short audio clips selected from our audio archives, illustrating the ICRC's activities in crises and conflicts over the last half a century and more. They are of various lengths and cover a wide range of topics; the only criterion is that we think the general public would be interested in a clip.

Photos

Bamako, Mali. A journalist from Studio Tamani conducts an interview. 

Bamako, Mali. A journalist from Studio Tamani conducts an interview.
© Hirondelle Foundation / Marc Ellison

Radio Okapi, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The morning news. 

Radio Okapi, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The morning news.
© Hirondelle Foundation / Lam Duc Hiên

Refugee camp, Rutshuru, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A journalist from Radio Okapi interviews a refugee. 

Refugee camp, Rutshuru, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A journalist from Radio Okapi interviews a refugee.
© Hirondelle Foundation / Gwenn Dubourthoumieu