Content list available at http://epubs.icar.org.in, www.kiran.nic.in; ISSN: 0970-6429 Indian Journal of Hill Farming June 2017, Volume 30, Issue 1, Page 79-99 Designing Community Radio Module for Women Empowerment: an Action Research for Rural Development A. Sharma* . S.K. Kashyap Department of Agricultural Communication, College of Agriculture, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar- 263145, Uttarakhand ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: Present study was carried out in three villages, Jawaharnagar, Gokulnagar and Shantipuri Received 23 June 2016 no. 2 of Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand. Two phase sampling method was Revision Received 4 October 2016 Accepted 6 December 2016 used. The action research design was used to meet out the objectives set forth for the ----------------------------------------------- study. The data were collected with the help of semi- structured interview schedule, Key words: Community radio, Module, focused group discussion and knowledge test. In first phase all the rural women (15-45 age Development, empowerment, rural group) were selected using census method. Thus, a total sample of 1000 respondents was women selected for the purpose of study general profile and information need assessment of the ---------------------------------------------- rural women. In second phase, respondents were selected by using PPS (Proportionate to Population Size) sampling method. Thus, a sample of 200 respondents was selected for the purpose of assessing the knowledge level of rural women. Participatory Community radio module was developed on the basis of research findings.The module for women empowerment has been designed based on general information, need assessment and effectiveness of community radio programme. While developing the module data regarding needs of the rural women were analyzed to find the gaps to be filled through community radio module. Total eight CR modules were developed in present research investigation.Module 1: RapportBuilding, Module 2: General Information and Need Assessment, Module 3: Prioritization of needs, Module 4: Development of Knowledge test, Module 5: Designing and Development of Participatory CR programme on women empowerment, Module 6: Recording and Editing of CR programme, Module 7: Broadcasting Community radio Programme, Module 8: Post Knowledge Test. 1. Introduction Looking into the issues of women empowerment, it seems imperative that more localized and participatory community Development has been a concern and participatory media could be used to work with rural women according to communication has emerged as an answer (Sharma and their specific needs.Empowerment studies indicate that Kashyap 2013). It is important for general masses but it is participatory communication is increasingly recognized by critically essential for the vulnerable segment of society as many agencies as a development tool with the ever-evolving women, marginalized segment and extremely under world of information technologies being used to mobilize privileged groups. In Indian context though women is an social change among rural women. Community radio stations indispensable and important entity of family and social serve as the most trusted agent in village that brings change. life but still they are deprived masses in context of social, According to Sharma and Kumar (2010) CR involves economic and psychological parameters. community organization joint thinking and decision making all of which entail great potential for empowering communities and building a democratic society. ________________ *Corresponding author:[email protected] 79 CR can be used as a tool of women empowerment but Majority of respondents possessed television and mobile only broadcasting of various programme for rural women phone. They mainly used these ICT for entertainment is not sufficient. Rather, there is need to develop audio purposes. They had more trust on anganwadi workers and modules based on the audience researches for improving radio. The major needs of the respondents in relation to women the effectiveness of community radio programme. In empowerment were categories under three main aspects viz. context of module on women empowerment, it is social, economic and psychological empowerment and the necessary to know the needs of rural women. It requires needs which received less than twenty per cent knowledge by formal research on need assessment and audience analysis the respondents were selected. Thus eight needs of women which is lacking in context of most of the community empowerment were selected for community radio programme radio stations of the country. Moreover, message production: (1) Methods of purifying water (2) Weaning food designing and programme production should involve the (3) Immunization (4) Awareness of HIV/AIDS (5) rural population as it has been explicitly reported in Government Programme in Uttrakhand (6) Government multiple researches. For the true women empowerment programme for providing loan to micro enterprise (7) SHGs this participatory message designing and programme (8) Tips to avoid mental tension. production has not been standardize yet in context of community radio stations of the country up till yet. Further The knowledge test which was conducted to assess the there is a need to explore the advantages and impacts of pre and post knowledge level of the respondents revealed that participatory community radio programme on the there was significant difference in the pre and post knowledge audience which needs formal evaluation which is also level of respondents. Effectiveness of community radio missing in context of community radio stations in the programme were assessed in term of gain in knowledge. The country. Present study was designed with the objective to results of ‘z’ test showed that there was significant difference design and develop community radio module on women in the mean knowledge scores before treatment and empowerment. immediately after treatment in community radio programme. Community radio programme on women empowerment cater 2. Research Methodology to the needs of the respondents in context of enhancement of knowledge level in significant manner. This showed that the The study was carried out in three villages of treatment given through community radio programme led to Rudrapur block of Udham Singh Nagar District. The increase in knowledge levels of the respondents. villages were selected: Jawaharnagar, Gokulnagar and Shantipuri. Two phase sampling method was used in The community radio programme which were developed on present research investigation. The list of the rural women above mentioned topic for the study were found to be medium was taken from respective village gram panchayat. In first to highly effective on the basis of respondents response and phase all the rural women (15-45 age group) were selected they cater to the needs of the respondents in context of using census method. Thus a total sample of 1000 enhancement of knowledge level in a significant manner. respondents was selected for the purpose of study general profile and information need assessment of the rural Age, education, occupation, income, formal social women. In second phase respondents were selected by participation, informal social participation were positively and using PPS (Proportionate to Population Size) Sampling significantly correlated with gain in knowledge. Caste is non method. Thus a sample of 200 respondents was selected significantly correlated with gain in knowledge. Family type for the purpose of assessing the knowledge level of rural was positively non significantly correlated with gain in women. The methods used for data collection comprised knowledge. of well designed semi-structure interview schedule, observation, Focused Group Discussion and Knowledge The module for women empowerment has been designed Test. based on general information, need assessment and effectiveness of community radio programme. While 3. Results and Discussion developing the module data regarding needs of the rural women were analyzed to find the gaps to be filled through Findings of present investigation were: Majority of community radio module. Total eight CR modules were the respondents were of middle age group, can read and developed in the present research investigation. write, belong to Other Backward Caste, have Joint family, gainfully employed. They had no formal social membership of any organization. Majority of respondents preferred to attend mela. 80 Module 1: Rapport Building (3) Sit with the Gram Pradhan and discuss on any issue in the village. Rapport building was divided into three topics with (4) Visit in the Aanganwadi centers, Primary Health sub topics viz. Starting with informal talk, Introduction of Centers, Panchayat Ghar and Primary school. Community Radio Programme Developer (CRPD), (5) Talk to the teachers, doctors, Aanganwadi workers. Information about Community Radio Station, Information So, the learning point was, ‚Don’t start immediately about locality, Understand the Culture and language, with the questionnaire or interview schedule even if you Demonstration of Listening Programme. are acquainted with the locale. Go for rapport building and informal talk every time if you are going to village Introduction after a span of time. One of the common complaints with any type of rural Step 2: Introduction of Community Radio Programmes development programmes is that people have difficulty in Developers (CRPD) working together. There