VOICES RISING
YEAR III - VOL 3. Nº141
May 27, 2005
CONTENT
ICAE ACADEMY OF LIFELONG LEARNING ADVOCACY (IALLA)
1.- MINISTERS MUST NOT STALL ON EU AID INCREASE, SAYS GLOBAL ANTI-POVERTY CAMPAIGN
2.- AWOMI spearheads African women’s involvement in the G-CAP
3.- THE CALL BY YOUNG PEOPLE AND EDUCATION ACTIVISTS TO SEND MY FRIEND TO SCHOOL RESOUNDS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
4.- TRAINING SEMINAR Non - formal education in prison
5.- JOIN US FOR A WOMENS EDUCATION MELA
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ICAE ACADEMY OF LIFELONG LEARNING ADVOCACY (IALLA)
From July 26 to August 11, 2005.
Buskerud Folk Highschool,
Applications close on June 10, 2005
www.icae.org.uy
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1.- MINISTERS MUST NOT STALL ON EU AID INCREASE, SAYS GLOBAL ANTI-POVERTY CAMPAIGN
Brussels, 23 May 2005: As EU Development Ministers meet tomorrow for talks to boost the overall level of EU aid, a civil society coalition warns that some members states may attempt to block a deal.
The world's largest ever anti-poverty coalition, called the Global Call to Action against Poverty, warns that
An agreement by the EU on aid increases is crucial ahead of the G7 Finance Ministers Meeting in June and the G8 Summit in July.
Global Call to Action against Poverty spokesperson, Kumi Naidoo, said: We need Europe to take a lead on setting a credible timetable on aid increases to help pressure other G8-donor countries. If the EU fails to deliver, it would provide an escape clause for reluctant countries like the
The proposal on the table at tomorrows meeting is for the EU to give 0.56% of its overall GDP for development aid by 2010. However, the Global Call to Action against Poverty coalition is calling on developed countries to honour commitments they have made to meet the 0.7% target and set out binding timetables to reach this figure.
Global Call to Action against Poverty spokesperson Christiane Overkamp added: Any member state that tries to block an agreement on reaching the modest target of 0.56% would be denying hope to the 30,000 children who die each day because of extreme poverty. The Commissions proposal is a step in the right direction but its not enough. Thirty-five years ago rich countries pledged to spend 0.7% of their incomes on aid - how many more people have to die before they deliver?
Development Ministers from several EU member states, who have reached 0.7%, or have a timetable to reach this target, will sign a large 0.7% white banner tomorrow, Tuesday 24 May, in the Commissions Berlaymont Building, sending the message to fellow members that agreement must be reached on increased aid.
European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Louis Michel will also attend the signing. Following the signing, Ministers will attend the days Council meeting.
If the EU agrees a binding target for 0.7%, it could exert substantial political influence over other countries who have been reluctant to agree on meaningful increase in aid.
Speaking on behalf of the Global Call to Action against Poverty, spokesperson Coumba Toure added: A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If one member blocks a deal on aid at the Council meetings they could be responsible for derailing the whole international effort to boost aid in the fight against poverty".
Ends
Louis Belanger - +32 473 562 260 -Louis.belanger@oxfaminternational.org
Barbara Kwateng - +32 222 402 06 or +32 476 621 018 - Barbara.kwateng@icftu.org
Note to Editors
The Global Call to Action against Poverty (www. whiteband.org) is a worldwide alliance committed to pushing world leaders to live up to their promises, and to make a breakthrough on poverty in 2005. The campaign is calling on world leaders to fulfil their commitments on trade justice, more and better aid and full debt cancellation. It is also demanding transparency and accountability from all governments in their plans to eliminate poverty and reach the Millennium Development Goals.
The alliance includes charities, trade unions, faith groups and grassroots movements active in over 70 countries across the world. Together the Global Call to Action against Poverty members represent well over 150 million people. Well-known supporters of the campaign include Nelson Mandela, Bono, Claudia Schiffer, Desmond Tutu and Scarlett Johansson.
The Millennium Development Goals are a commitment by global leaders to halve poverty and hunger, provide education for all, improve standards of health, halt the spread of major diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and slow down environmental degradation by 2015.
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2.- AWOMI spearheads African women’s involvement in the G-CAP
SALMA MAOULIDI
smlidi@yahoo.com
The recently inaugurated African Women’s Millennium Initiative on Poverty and Human Rights (AWOMI) called its first meeting titled, “African Women speak on Impoverishment: A call to Action for Gender Justice and Equality” in Kenya from May 9-11, 2005.
Over two hundred and fifty women and a number of men lending support to the cause of gender and social justice participated. The meeting was an opportunity to strengthen African women’s participation in policy analysis, monitoring and evaluation of development bechmarks. In this respect participants revisited gender equality indicators in the MDGs in line with what was agreed in the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995, the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994 and the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women.
In view of the numerous activist initiatives to counter globalization, transnational accumulation, power relations, inequalities and impoverishment AWOMI tried to reinforce alliances between African women social justice networks, youths, women from grassroots communities, human rights activists and women and men from the media to join the gendered call to end poverty. This requires African social actors to familiarize themselves with the Global Call Against Poverty (G-CAP) process and provide gender equality and human rights content to its messages.
Putting across the voices of African women demands for coordinated leadership among the numerous social justice efforts in the continent. Also it requires the meeting of the minds and efforts between grassroots women, activists and intellectuals in the continent. It calls for balanced strategy targeting national governments on the one hand and OECD countries and international financial and trade institutions on the other to support pro-human development agenda in order that the MDGs and other development priorities are met. In short, AWOMI calls for a transformed development culture that seeks to empower the masses by internalizing human rights norms and promoting accountability, peace and development.
Participants attending the historic meeting drew the following declaration, presented to the Vice President of Kenya, Hon. Moody Awori, detailing African women demands from their own governments, the African Union and OECD countries and international financial and trade institutions. In light of the MDGs review in September this year, this call is to be popularized widely and locally so as to allow more women, and men to join a social movement against impoverishment and injustice. Please join this call and invite others to subscribe to the G-CAP.
Enough is Enough!
AWOMI COMMUNIQUE
We African women, from eighteen African countries, gathered at the LIMURU Conference Centre from May 9-10,2005 concerned with,
African women are tired of rhetoric. We want action.
Therefore we demand,
Enough is enough!
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3.- THE CALL BY YOUNG PEOPLE AND EDUCATION ACTIVISTS TO SEND MY FRIEND TO SCHOOL RESOUNDS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
E-News May 23
Global Campaign for Education
webmaster@campaignforeducation.org
After a tireless week of campaigning, the Global Action Week for education came to an end, leaving the corridors of power resounding with the call to Send my Friend to School. Children and young people in over 100 countries have shown their passion in demanding the basic right of every child to receive a quality education. Politicians have responded to their calls by making firm commitments and pledges on education in countries across the globe.
As part of the Global Campaign for Education's (GCE) 'Send my Friend to School' campaign, held from April 24-30, children presented politicians, cabinet ministers and even heads of state with colourful cardboard cut-outs, or "friends", each of which represented one of the more than 100 million out-of-school children. A million cut-out 'friends', collected from around the world, will be delivered to G8 leaders at the G8 Summit in
What happened?
For more information on what happened in countries, and a full run-down of activities and pictures from events visit the GCE country updates page
But, the Send my Friend to School campaign doesn't stop here.
The Global Campaign for Education is planning a number of events as part of the continuing Send my Friend to School campaign. Cut-out 'friends' are being collected for an event at the G8 Summit, in the UK in July, during which children will deliver 1 million cut-out 'friends', collected from across the world, to G8 leaders. These will be presented to the G8 leaders by a small group of children attending a parallel Childrens Summit (C8).
Help us to send 1 million 'friends' to the G8...
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4.- T R A I N I N G S E M I N A R
N o n - f o r m a l e d u c a t i o n i n p r i s o n
International Watch on Education in Prison
Marc Demaeyer
demaeyer.marc@skynet.be
Non-formal education must occupy a central place in educational initiatives in prison, because it is often the first step in reintroducing detainees to the world of learning.
Detainees typically have bad memories of their school years. Reproducing this formula in prison will rarely induce great success, unless they are the only activities that offer detainees the opportunity to get out of their cell and break their routine.
Non-formal education offers everyone a space to question, develop and plan. Educators help detainees discover or rediscover motivations, emotions and life plans through cultural activities that they have often underrated or even disregarded.
These initiatives are also an opportunity to meet representatives of civil society and to accordingly reconnect in some small way with the outside world.
Those involved in non-formal education rarely have the opportunity to exchange practical experiences, knowledge, success stories or tests. They are sometimes faced with a lack of understanding about their work even in prison (“It’s entertainment not serious education”!), a lack of time and space, a lack of permanent training and a lack of multi-disciplinary coordination.
The training seminar, to be held in Hamburg between 7 September 2005 (11:00) and 10 September 2005 (14:00) will provide thirty of them with the opportunity to compare their practical experience and to put down the foundations of a network for cooperation at the European and international level. The seminar will also prepare a publication and precise recommendations.
It will take place at the Unesco Institute for Education, which has a major documentation centre devoted to adult education, literacy and non-formal education. The centre will be accessible to those looking for documents that will enable them to build up a more theoretical contemplation of non-formal education.
The Unesco Institute for Education (UIE) is responsible for adult education, literacy and non-formal education.
Within this remit, the UIE promotes every initiative in the sector of Education for all. Education in prison is based on this perspective. Detainees must be able to place the progress they make in the framework of lifelong education, enabling them to catch up with their fellow humans in their different fields of activity. That is why education in prison cannot be limited to or focused on occupational training, although these are practical.
The purpose of non-formal education in prison is to provide the keys to the life plan in a collectivity: learning to understand oneself, learning to work with others, learning to learn, learning to develop and learning to succeed.
This seminar is recognised by the GRUNDTVIG 3 programme. Participants are invited to apply for any funding through their national Socrates agencies.
Addresses of national agencies are listed at http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/socrates/nat-est.html
This seminar is organised within the framework of the European network of education in prison, supported by the European Commission (Socrates/Grundtvig programme).
It is organised by Unesco Institute for Education (http://unesco.org/education/uie ), and the
International Watch on Education in Prison (www.educationinprison.org ) in association with
FAFEP, -
fafep@yahoo.fr ), Cie Tenfor Theatre, - Lyon,
Formas, - Catalonia,
EDUCATIONAL TEAM
Mikelina Capato (Italy), psychologist, coordinator of education in prison, adult educator in non-formal education y Gilles Fichez (France), director of Cie Tenfor y Thomas Louvat (Spain), theatre director, adult educator and researcher y Eva Garcia (Spain), co-founder of Trans-Formas, actor and adult educator y Rosemarie Nossaint (Belgium), educational coordinator, adult educator in the plastic arts y Marc De Maeyer, Senior Research Specialist, Unesco Institute for Education y Hugo Rangel, Research Specialist, International Watch on Education in Prison
INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION
Unesco Institute for Education
Feldbrunnenstrasse 58 y 20148 Hamburg y Germany
Louise SILZ y l.silz@unesco.org y tel + 49 40 44 80 41 12 y fax + 49 40 410 77 23
Registration : 250 euros
Candidates are asked to provide a brief description of their activities in non-formal education in prison when applying for participation.
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5.- JOIN US FOR A WOMENS EDUCATION MELA
15-16 June 2005
Mehroni, Lalitpur District
Uttar Pradesh -
Dear Friends,
Greetings from Sahjani Shiksha Kendra- Nirantar!
Nirantar, has been working on issues related to gender and education for the past 10 years. Our field programme Sahjani Shiksha Kendra, located in Mehroni block in Lalitpur district (Uttar Pradesh), is now 3 years old. Sahjani Shiksha Kendra works with rural women and adolescent girls from marginalized communities. Our programme seeks to enable empowerment by relating education and literacy with issues of womens health, violence against women, food security and legal awareness. During the past 3 years we have undertaken a variety of activities like running village based literacy and education centers, residential literacy and education camps, shivirs, jathas etc.
More than 400 women and adolescent girls have been involved in these programmes in different ways. Learning to read and write, being able to access information and take action has given them a sense of confidence. Some of them would like to share their experiences - struggles and achievements with others. In order to provide them a space where they can interact with each other and outsiders, Sahjani Shiksha Kendra Nirantar is organizing a two-day womens education mela . At this Mela there will be interactive sessions on different themes like womens health, gender, violence against women and panchayats, exhibitions of the womens work, songs and theatre. The Mela is also our way of remembering Arati Srivastava, our colleague and friend, who tragically passed away a year ago. Arati was instrumental in initiating this programme! and had always wanted to organize such an event.
Your presence at the mela will give us energy and encouragement for the future. So do join us on June 15-16 at Mehroni (Lalitpur District, Uttar Pradesh). Should you require details regarding travel and other arrangements please contact us (details below).
Sahjani Shiksha Group and Nirantar
Contact Details Lalitpur:
Dates 15-16 June 2005 Address : Sahjani Shiksha Kendra,
Mela Venue : Shri C.V. Gupta Inter College, Madawara road, Mehroni, Lalitpur
Near Police Station, Mehroni, Lalitpur (UP) Phone Number: O5172 250800
Contact Details Delhi :
Contact persons : Purnima, Aditi, Shivani
Address : Nirantar, B- 64, Sarvodaya Enclave,
New Delhi 110017
Phone Number: 011-26966334, 26517726
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The International Gender and Education Office (GEO) of ICAE creates
VOICES RISING
Email: voicesrising@icae.org.uy
Web: www.icae.org.uy
Tel/fax: 00 5982 401 00 06
Address: Acevedo Diaz 1600 / 1002.
11200 Montevideo,