The following are some insights from the initial workshops with community leaders and communication areas of the government: - LACK OF UNAWARENESS REGARDING MISINFORMATION: Despite hearing the term "infodemics" during the COVID-19 pandemic, community leaders were unaware of the problem's persistence, the terms disinformation and misinformation, or its effects on public life. - THE BURDEN OF NEWS VERIFICATION FOR INDIVIDUALS: Community leaders consider efficient news delivery vital for both security and everyday decision-making (for example, it would be helpful to have some examples of decisions they make). However, individuals face a significant challenge in verifying the accuracy of all received news, which is an extremely time-consuming process. They need tools that help them access reliable information.  - VULNERABILITY TO POOR INFORMATION INTEGRITY IS ASYMMETRICAL AMONG POPULATIONS: How people access and consume information varies greatly depending on who they are. Factors like their age, gender, the language they speak (especially for Indigenous populations), whether they have disabilities, and their level of education all play a role. For example, women expressed that in households it is common that men are the ones accessing information and making calls based on it that involves the family, like what is allowed or what measures are going to be taken. - INTER-MINISTERIAL COLLABORATION FOR EFFECTIVE SECURITY COMMUNICATION: A key element for an effective communication strategy around security issues is fostering an environment where comms teams can thrive. This needs strong coordination among all involved ministries, clearly defined protocols, capacity building initiatives, and the unequivocal endorsement of the head of each ministry. Effective communication must be prioritized at the highest levels of each ministry to empower their respective comms teams.  - IN THE FACE OF EVENTS, A LAG IN COMMUNICATION CAN DEEPEN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENS: In the face of sudden security issues—e.g., attacks by organized crime—citizens need immediate reassurance from their government that action is being taken, even if the details are still being confirmed. Slow government responses generate doubt and uncertainty, conveying the image that the government is not equipped to protect its citizens. Meanwhile, people look for information elsewhere. 

The project is still ongoing and a last cocreation workshop will be held in Februrary with local traditional and emergent media outlets. In March a public presentation of the results will include NGOs, private sector and general audience. The handover process includes currently working on this initiative with the Governance Unit, so when the pilots are ready to scale UNDP is ready for the task.