New Ethical Communications Resources to be Developed through Collaboration between Dóchas and Maynooth University

Dóchas  and Maynooth University Department of International Development welcome the announcement by the Irish Research Council of a New Foundations research grant for Dr. Eilish Dillon’s research on ethical global development communications.

The research, entitled ‘Building Capacity for Ethical Global Development Communications: GCE Approaches, Learning Needs and Guidelines for Practice’ will support the recently launched Dóchas' ‘Guide to Ethical Communications’.

Speaking after the announcement CEO of Dóchas Jane-Ann McKenna said that this was an important step to provide practical support to those working in the area of humanitarian and development communications and public engagement.  She said ‘Dóchas was one of the first platforms globally for formally develop a tool for practitioners around ethical communications with The Dóchas Code of Conduct on Images and Messages. While much of that Code is still relevant today, the new Guide and the resources that will be developed as part of this project will ensure we are providing our members and others with the most relevant and up to date tools to help them navigate how they communicate with a wide variety of audiences.’

Dr. Dillon said that ‘the project is an exciting opportunity to engage with development organisations and aid agencies through Dóchas on issues related to representation and racism. Given that many people around the world still experience discrimination such as racism, homophobia, sexism and Islamophobia, ensuring ethical communications is as important now as ever. Focusing on critical training and education in this area, we hope the research will support humanitarian and development organisations promote respect, equality, diversity and human rights in all their communications.’

Over the coming months both Dr. Dillon and Dóchas will be engaging with a wide variety of stakeholders to carry out this research and develop the new resources.

Dr. Dillon is former Head of Department at Maynooth University Department of International Development. She lectures in critical global education, development theory and practice, and in research methods. She has a long track record of work in global citizenship education and in the area of global development communications, including the publication of a report ‘Shifting the Lens on Ethical Communications in Global Development’, in 2021, which was also funded by the Irish Research Council and undertaken in partnership with Dóchas. This report is available here.