DDRR sensitization campaign
Photo: UNMIL

The Unit is involved in explaining to grassroots activities of the UN Mission in Liberia and the activities of other stakeholders including government and other UN agencies as they relate to the peace process. The aim is to seek public support for such activities and to get feedback from the communities based on the people's interpretation and perception of such activities. To do this effectively the Unit uses traditional communication methods like theater, music and drama and special events.

The Unit has 13 groups of traditional communicators who use up to 16 local languages to reach various parts of the country. The communicators carry megaphones and reach even remotest parts of the country explaining policies to the people. Flyers, posters and billboards are used in this exercise as well as sports, such as soccer. Community leaders are also roped in to reach out to the masses.

The Unit is currently distributing 50,000 flyers on average every month. They depict messages of peace and reconciliation and sometimes carry messages on special issues like elections, HIV/AIDS and Polio. Some 5,000 T-shirts carrying appropriate messages will be distributed every month during the run up to the elections. 75 bill boards will be erected throughout the country and posters that will indicate the steps in the electoral process are being planned. A Video Cell within the Unit carries out outreach activities by distributing video tapes covering events and issues to various video viewing centers where people gather. The Unit also has produced a Peace Album done by 26 famous Liberian musicians containing songs on peace as well as human rights and elections.

Since the beginning of the Mission, the Unit has organized up to 270 outreach events in various parts of the country. Some of these events are in the form of soccer matches, music concert, drama/theater and road shows. A nation-wide campaign to raise awareness on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement among grassroots was carried out. Their understanding of the Agreement also helped in their support for the DDRR process. Other issues tackled by the Unit have been HIV/AIDS, Rule of Law, Gender (encouraging women to be part of the new police force), the return of Internally Displaced Persons, Polio Immunization and Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The Unit is currently carrying out a campaign on voter/civic education in anticipation of the October general elections.