In crisis zones, it is essential to link humanitarian, development, and peace (HDP) activities. Yet one central actor is often overlooked in the operationalization of this nexus: local, public-interest media, which provide daily information to populations.
With 30 years of experience in crisis contexts, Fondation Hirondelle demonstrates that independent, reliable, and accessible media can simultaneously impact all three dimensions of the nexus:
- They respond to humanitarian imperatives by transmitting life-saving information, often being the last “access point” to affected populations when physical presence in certain areas is no longer possible.
- They contribute to development by creating public spaces where key issues such as education, health, and governance are discussed.
- They foster peace by opening dialogue channels between opposing groups, by making reconciliation efforts visible, by giving a voice to those excluded from official peace processes, and by monitoring the actions of stakeholders to ensure they align with their commitments.
Implementing the triple nexus requires more than a juxtaposition of projects. It calls for shared analysis of local socio-political dynamics, coordinated activity planning, and above all, listening to affected populations. Newsrooms supported by Fondation Hirondelle—such as Studio Tamani in Mali or Radio Ndeke Luka in the Central African Republic—produce innovative formats like participatory debates, cross-testimonies, and multilingual reports that articulate the challenges of emergency response, development, and stabilization.
In the Central African Republic, the political debate program Patara is a case in point: it brings together government, opposition, and civil society to discuss societal, governance, and peace-related issues. It encourages citizen participation and fosters social cohesion. The topics covered range from responses to severe climate events to peace negotiations between armed groups and the government. In 2024, 71% of Central Africans listened to RNL daily, and 96% considered its programming “useful or even essential.”
However, this work is not without tension. Editorial independence can challenge local authorities and operational partners. Lack of long-term, systemic funding hampers the development of stable, resilient local media. Moreover, the absence of a shared framework between humanitarian agencies, donors, and media actors limits the trust and coordination necessary between them.
At the heart of the HDP nexus for 30 years, Fondation Hirondelle shares three key lessons:
1. Information is a common good that cuts across all three dimensions of the nexus. It should be recognized and funded as such.
2. Local media are essential interfaces between communities and organizations working in the HDP space:
- They contextualize interventions—especially those of international actors—within local narratives and cultural codes.
- They publicly question these interventions to promote transparency and accountability.
- They amplify local voices to donors and NGOs.
3. Without citizen expression spaces supported by independent and rooted media, peace remains the domain of experts and development is disconnected from conflict-affected populations. For a more effective and inclusive nexus, local media should not be seen merely as communication tools but as full-fledged agents of social transformation.