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AFSAN CHOWDHURY
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Afsan Chowdhury is based in Dhaka, where
he is Director, Advocacy and Human Rights of BRAC, the world's
largest NGO. His responsibilities include policy direction and
implementation of the information and communication activities
of BRAC. He has supervised community based communication activities,
which together form the largest communication initiative in
Bangladesh .
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As Regional Director for South Asia Panos
Institute based in Kathmandu. 2000-2001, he supervised Panos
activities in five south Asian countries including the Panos
India office, and he was responsible for the preparation of
all donor proposals, reports and media publications.
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He was on the staff of UNICEF 1986-1994
with responsibility for programme communication and information
activities. He supervised numerous communication related studies
and research which fed into national programmes. They include
reports on Public Service Broadcasting (1988) and the dissemination
of messages on health issues through broadcast media (1989).
His study on factors Relating to AIDS/ STD in Bangladesh (1993)
was the first review on the topic and formed the basis for subsequent
programmes.
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As a member of the UNICEF Regional (ROSA)
office core team on development of media advocacy and health
rights, he contributed to policy documents on AIDS and the Media
in India and Nepal. He has carried out many assignments on key
developmental, media and management issues for international
organizations including UNDP and OXFAM -UK, and for independent
policy institutes and ngos in Bangladesh. He has participated
in policy advisory groups for UNICEF and WHO. In 1998 he was
nominated Ashoka Fellow for Life on Sex Education.
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He has written or co written books on health
and environmental issues, refugees, and issues of Human Rights
and Identity for minorities. His books include 'Media in Times
of Crisis' (Srabon Publishers. 2003). His report 'Radda Barnen:
Non-Commercial sexual abuse of children' prepared for Breaking
the Silence Group in 1997, is due for publication as a book
in 2004.
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His media-related Studies include a Country
Report on Bangladesh for the UNDP- supported Paragon Project
(2001 -2003) [http://www.crossboundarymedia.net]; and for the
Nordic Consulting Group, a Media study on CBM in South Asia
relating to cross border conflicts [http://www.ncg.dk]
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Afsan Chowdhury has extensive experience
in the print and broadcast media, both radio and television.
He has been on the editorial staff or contributor to leading
newspapers and journals in Bangladesh over a period of more
than 20 years, a frequent contributor to the BBC World Service,
and stringer in Dhaka for the BBC South Asian Service (1993-95).
He has produced video documentaries on social political and
developmental issues in Bangladesh.
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For the Media South Asia Project, Afsan
Chowdhury wrote a Country Profile and report on the media in
Bangladesh; set up and conducted Focus Group Discussions and
conducted interviews with leading media practitioners and observers.
He spoke at or chaired discussions on broadcasting policy issues
at Media South Asia project conferences in Delhi, Kathmandu,
Dhaka and in Manikganj.
Address:
6/5 A, Sir Syed Road,
Mohammadpur ,
Dhaka.
Bangladesh.
E-mail: afsan@bangla.net
; afsan.c@brac.net
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