The “Good Mining Governance” Radio Show in South Kivu, DRC

Radio can be an effective way to reach local communities in remote areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Since 2020, communities in Shabunda territory can listen to a weekly radio programme aiming to provide information about the mining sector. The shows are broadcasted on Mutula Community FM with the support of ITSCI field staff in Shabunda, and funded by the Shabunda CTS (Territorial Multistakeholder Committee, or Comité Territorial de Suivi).

The “Good Mining Governance” radio show stems from recognition of the fact that while multistakeholder discussions are vital to address risks and make decisions along the supply chain, such dialogue does not always adequately reach mining communities. Awareness raising via radio shows enable the Shabunda government, the SAEMAPE (Service d’assistance et d’encadrement des mines artisanales et de petit echelle), and Divimines to highlight key issues to miners, cooperative members, and local communities. Each radio show is 30 minutes long and includes a presentation of the week’s theme and a panel discussion between civil society representatives with relevant expert knowledge. The themes covered range from sound management strategy of cooperative finances to the role of the mining police (PMH) in the sector and technical explanations of the DRC Mining Code.