Mining Host Communities have been advised to explore the advantages of using technology to agitate for there rights.
Adebayo Okeowo, Associate Director of Program, WITNESS, gave the charge at the day 3 of the 3 day ongoing training for critical stakeholders of Mining Host communities with the theme: “Rights, Responsibilities and Remedies”, organized by Global Rights on Fiscal Governance for Solid Minerals in Nigeria for members of the Federation, holding at K Class Hotel.
In his presentation, Promoting host communities Rights using technology, said technology has provided the needed tools to agitate for rights by Mining Host communities without recourse to violence, stressed the need for the use of pictures and visuals to depict events such as harmful practices and Injustices.
While pointing out that research has proven that 10% of people are more concerned about what the hear, 20% others about what they feel, with 80% in the majority with what they see through pictures, explained that people remember more of what they see, reason why Pictures and visuals are becoming the way capture attention.
Mr. Adebayo stressed the use of advocacy using steel and visuals to create and cause changes in policy stimulation as well as to tell stories of injustices to mining communities, however called for the need for an understanding of the right medium to be used as the vehicle to inform and influence.
He mentioned the place of online and offline spaces that should be used in mobilizing for direct and indirect changes, called for the use of good practices, documentation at all times, telling the stories authentically, fortifying the video, strategically as very important.
While explaining that in developing visual campaign, it is important to take cognisance of planning, developing concepts, of what is to be achieved, the target audiences, as well as a collection plan within a specific duration.
The session by Dr. Adebayo Okeowo, basically explored social media activism, provided knowledge on how communities could employ simple technology to safely tell the stories of social and environmental pollution in their communities