VOICES RISING
YEAR III - VOL 3. NΊ145
CONTENT
ICAE ACADEMY OF LIFELONG LEARNING ADVOCACY (IALLA)
1.- POLICY UPDATE FROM GLENEAGLES
2.- HARMONIZING ANTI-POVERTY AGENDAS
3.- CIVIL SOCIETY INTERACTIVE HEARINGS
4.- INTERVIEW WITH BARBARA ADAMS, UNIFEM
5.- 3rd GRUNDTVIG AWARD 2005
6.- FORUM OF THE REGIONS
7.- VACANCY
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ICAE ACADEMY OF LIFELONG LEARNING ADVOCACY (IALLA)
From July 26 to August 11, 2005.
Buskerud Folk Highschool, Norway
www.icae.org.uy
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1.- POLICY UPDATE FROM GLENEAGLES
July, 7
globalactionforum@whiteband.org
Many members of GCAP coalitions from around the world are present in Gleneagles, working hard to put last minute pressure on the G8 to deliver a breakthrough on poverty. The following is a short policy update on the current state of negotiations.
GCAP policy update G8
Negotiations have continued to the last minute in Gleneagles, with Sherpas having an meeting even on wednesday evening. Everything has been further effected by the terrible bombs in London which have cast a shadow over the negotiations. The following update is based on intelligence recieved from the different delegations through different GCAP coalition members.
Aid
Intelligence suggest that the discussions are around whether the figure of $50 billion extra ODA in 2010 can be reached and announced in the communique. The French and UK are the main champions of doing this. The $50 billion would largely be made up of the European commitment made in Brussels in May of 2005, which is $40 billion extra by 2010. It is not exactly clear where the rest will come from. It is very unlikely that Canada will make any announcement of an increase, and will definitely not commit to 0.7, a disappointment for Canadian campaigners who have vowed to continue the fight towards the UN Summit. There is a chance of a further Japanese increase, yet to be fully confirmed, and the US have added nothing to their announcement of $500 million extra each year.
On Africa it also seems likely the weaker of the Africa Commission recommendations of $25 billion by 2010 will also be met. (The stronger recommendation was for 2008 rising to $50 billion extra by 2010.)
$50 billion extra by 2010 would take global aid levels to $130 billion annually, or 0.36% of GNI, half of the UN target of 0.7%. It would mean approximately $14 billion extra in 2006. Estimates suggest that between now and 2010 this would save the lives of 5 million children but would fail to save 50 million more.
On conditionality it remains possible that the communique will contain quite strong language about the ability of countries to choose their own economic policies, which would be quite a breakthrough. There may also be language on untying of aid.
DEBT
It seems very likely that there will be no further movement on debt that what was agreed at the finance ministers meeting in June, with 18 countries having their debts to the IMF, WB and African Development Bank cancelled, and the possiblity of this rising to a further 35 countries as they pass throught he HIPC process. The deal is worth approximately $1.5 billion dollars annually. The only addition is the recently agreed bilateral deal on cancellation of Nigerias debt, with a total debt stock of $40 billion cancelled.
TRADE
We are in the middle of a transatlantic row between the US and the EU on export subsidies, essentially revolving around who is going to move first. Optimists see this as a possiblity for a real breakthrough, pessimists see it as pointless posturing.
There is a possibility of even stronger language than the G7 finance ministers agreed on forcing poor countries to liberalise their markets. The finance ministers communique talked of poor countries being able to decide their own reform path. Stronger language than this would be seen as better than what was expected.
Max Lawson,
Policy Adviser
mlawson@oxfam.org.uk
00 44 (0)1865 312248
00 44 (0)7789 913628
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G8 MEETING IN GLENEAGLES
by Marcela Hernandez
GEO/ICAE REPEM
secretariat@icae.org.uy
July, 3 2005
I have just arrived in Edinburgh on a cloudy and gray Sunday, and on my way from the airport to the accommodation I have passed by "The Meadows" (some beautiful and vast green fields) and seen the remains of the huge rally that took place on July 2nd on occasion of the GCAP mobilization activities prior to the G8 meeting in Gleneagles. 225.000 people gathered and formed a human white "bracelet" around the centre of Edinburgh. Different music and artistic events took place and speakers, mainly from the South, were able to send their messages to a worldwide audience of around 3 billion people who were able to watch these massive events from their homes. At 3 pm, they did 3 minutes of silence and gave way to a moment of silence and reflection, to think of those who have died of poverty.
This huge mobilization was broadcasted live and in connection with the live 8 concert in Hyde Park, London where giant screens showed what was going on at the Meadows in Scotland to an audience of 205.000 people.
Nine concerts where held in eight countries, in four continents, and these are some of the most remarkable declarations that were published on the British and Scottish press:
UN-Secretary General Kofi Annan Went to Hyde Park and declared: "This is truly the United Nations. We have come together in solidarity. On behalf of the poor, the voiceless and the weak, I say thank you. This generation with its voice, with its votes, with its hard work, really can make poverty history. They believe a better world is possible if we have the will to build it. And so do I".
U2 singer, Bono, speaking in the opening minutes of Live 8 in London, said: "Eight of the most powerful men on earth are meeting on a golf course in Scotland. There's a lot at stake. We have a message for them. This is your moment to make history by making poverty history. So this is our moment, this is our time, this is our change to stand up for what's right. We are not looking for charity, we're looking for justice".
On the other side, in Johannesburg, in a message to Sunday Mirror readers, Mandela said: "Today, we live in a world that is divided. It is a world where millions of children die because they have no access to medicines. It is a world of great promise and hope. It is also a world of despair, disease and hunger". Mandela added: "The leaders of the G8 countries will meet in Scotland and they will face perhaps the most critical question our world has had to face: How do we remove the face of poverty from our world? They've a historic opportunity to open the door to open and the possibility of a better future for all"
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GCE E-NEWS: TONY BLAIR MEETS GCE FRIENDS'-
Global Campaign for Education
web@campaignforeducation.org
GCE E-News 6 July / CME Bulletin
Tony Blair meets GCE Friends' on White Band Day
On the first global White Band Day, 1 July, children delivered a big red London bus full of GCE Friends' to Tony Blair at Downing Street as part of the Send My Friend to School campaign; and Asian coalitions launched the ASPBAE/GCE School Report' ranking countries across the region on their progress towards the education for all goals.
At least 5 million children from over 110 countries have taken part in Send My Friend to School, making more than 3.5 million of the colourful cardboard friends' and presenting them to parliamentarians, government ministers and heads of state.
"The campaign has made me realise that there are millions of children desperate to learn. We are the lucky ones, but education shouldn't be a luxury it is a right," said Maria Hession, 18, who took part in the hand-over to Mr Blair on Friday.
In Scotland today the Friends' will join in a special Children's G8' bringing together young people from the South as well as their peers from G8 countries. The C8 will present a declaration to the G8.
Over the past 2 weeks, campaigners in 15 countries have organised high-profile events with politicians and celebrities to launch the Friends on their way to the G8 summit in the UK. Asia School Report events also took place in a further 8 countries.
Here's more about the adventures of the Friends' around the world: Cote D'Ivoire
Schools made an incredible 2 million cut-out friends' during the Global Week of Action. On 16 June, the African White Band Day, campaigners held three symbolic send-off events for the friends at Abidjan's international airport, the US and French embassies and the main bus station. Prime Minister and the national advisor of the President Gbagbo, Mr Anougble took part along with local celebrities and footballers.
There are also plans for a concert in July.
Much more detail on this exciting mobilisation can be found in French on: www.cooperation.net/cme or email kmalanhoua@yahoo.fr
South Africa
Two linked events were organised by GCAP and GCE members, including SANGOCO, SACC, EJNF, SAMOHO and Oxfam, to commemorate the June 16 schoolchildren's uprising and mobilise the youth for the ongoing struggle against poverty and injustice. The 1976 youth uprising that is commemorated on June 16 was sparked by the fight for equal chances at quality education..
At the Soweto museum dedicated to the memory of Hector Pieterson (the boy who was killed by police in the 1976 riots), 200 students from 14 local schools participated in a morning seminar in dialogue with activists from the 1976 generation. In the afternoon, 50 of these young people travelled to present giant Friends' to the UK High Commissioner, Paul Boateng, during a massive GCAP rally. Boateng assured the students that he will take their messages to Tony Blair and make sure they are heard at Gleneagles.
US
On June 15th and 16 th the US group brought in six groups of students to Washington DC to meet with their members of Congress and Senators. On the 15th they attended a briefing lunch about the GCE, went on a tour of the capital, and attended a reception held by the Basic Education Coalition on Capital Hill, with two important legislators in attendance. See Photos by Kaveh Sardari
The young people were able to hold lots of lobby meetings with lawmakers. At least 10 Senators and Congressman endorsed the messages from the Send My Friend Campaign.
The events got lots of coverage in national media such as USA Today, MSNBC, Bloomberg and Parade Magazine (read by 37 million Americans). The New York Times published two editorials, one supporting the Fast Track Initiative and another urging President Bush to pledge funds for girls' education when he goes to the G8.
Ireland
The Irish Coalition hosted a media/public awareness raising event at the General Post Office, O'Connell Street in Dublin to post the Irish Friends to the G8. The theme was "Educate to End Global Poverty". Eight children one from each G8 country posted eight boxes of Irish Friends addressed to their respective country leaders. The event was attended by Union and NGO representatives. Germany
The German GCE coalition met with Dr. Uschi Eid, the Under-Secretary of State for Development and African Commissioner for the G8-Africa Process named by Schroeder. The group were able to hand over the friends' and ask for them to be delivered to the G8. A letter will also be written to Schroeder highlighting the activities and asking for his support for the education messages behind the event. As representatives of GCE, the Director for Oxfam Germany Paul Bendix and Iris Manner, World Vision took part.
Ethiopia
In coordination with the GCAP coalition, the GCE and ANCEFA member coalition BEN held a day long programme with G8 embassy officials, Ethiopian radio and TV, government officials and children from the schools who took part in the GCE's send my friend campaigns global week of action.
The send off events were vibrantly celebrated in three places across Ethiopia: Diredawa, Ziway and Dukem. At Diredawa the send off events were very colourful and had clear messages to political leaders and the need for G8 leaders to take heed of the messages written as part of the Send My Friend campaign to send all children to school. The Friends' had a good send off on their way to the G8 in Scotland. In Dukem the same messages took place with orphans by bringing in together political leaders elders and the community. Rwanda
The great outcome of the day was that the Ministry for Education pledged to extend free and universal schooling beyond primary level, to at least 9 years of basic education.
The launch event, organised by GCE members VSO Rwanda, included a display of friends' in classroom settings and the VIP participants moved around the exhibition reading the messages that children had written on the friends'. Students did a role play which depicted the realities for girls being left out of school and having to do the chores in the fields and at home while their brothers went to school. The VSO country Director gave an opening speech and this was followed by the signing of pledges by the Ministry and others to then send to the G8 summit.
There was good media coverage on the national radio and 2 national newspapers. UK
With the help of the renowned artist Olafur Eliasson 10,000 friends' (or buddies' as they are known in the UK) were displayed in a specially commissioned dome in London. Eliasson's previous work included the crowd-pulling giant 'sun' in the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern.
The centrepiece of the dome was a big yellow mono frequent light ball with a white spot moving across the field of buddies. All the buddies are an identical mono tone in the yellow light, but when the white spot catches them they become individuals in full colour.
Olafur Eliasson added " The important thing to me is that behind each and every buddy there are two real children: the child in school who is making the buddy and writing their message and the child that the buddy represents who never had the opportunity to attend school."
Friends' from around the world, including those from the exhibition were handed in to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and to other G8 embassies in London on July 1st.
The June 16 events were covered in the Guardian, BBC, and Times.
Uruguay
The International Council for Adult Education along with GCE members the Popular Education Network of Women from Latin America and the Caribbean (REPEM) organised an exhibition of the cut-out friends' called "Voices Urging for Action".
"Voices Urging for Action' was made up of a selection of the life-size cut-out friends elaborated by boys, girls, young and adult women and men, in most of the provinces of the country urban and rural.
The exhibit "Voices Urging for Action" is the first exhibition of the Open Space to the Organized Society hosted by The President of the Chamber of Representatives, Ms Nora Castro. Contact: Marcela - International Council for Adult Education secretariat@icae.org.uy
France
On Tuesday June 21, the midsummer Festival of the Music, GCE member Solidarit頌aique held a song writing contest. The Summer Festival is the day in France when all the streets in France are filled with bands and music The refrain of the winning song, written and composed by Jacques Duvelle, sung by schoolgirls originating in Ile de France and the gospel choral society "Horizons", received a very good reception from the a huge crowd. The friends', made by the children decorated the theatre where the concert took place. These symbolised the 100 million children who are still excluded an education around the world. Also during the event, Solidarit頌aique made presentations to the crowds on the need for access to education for all and more aid and debt relief.
Tanzania
June 16 events at both national and district level renewed national coalition TEN/MET's call for better quality of education. "Thanks to free primary education there are so many more children in primary school now than 5 years ago" says Joseph Kisanji, Coordinator of the Tanzania Education Network a member of the Global Campaign for Education. Now donors and government must act to ensure all primary schools have enough classrooms, textbooks, desks and toilets as well as supporting in-service teacher training June 16th 2005.'
At district level politicians again went back to school' and met with orphaned children and their guardians. Discussions then followed as to how key actors can help get all children into schools.
In the coming weeks, Kisanji says, TEN/MET will be following up the pledges made by the politicians, the parliamentarians and prominent business people in order to keep them to their word!
TEN/MET are part of the of Global Campaign for Education and ANCEFA, and its members supporting the activities and recommendations include Action Aid, CARE, FAWETZ, HakiElimu, Kivulini, Oxfam GB and Save the Children.
Kenya
16 June celebrations by members of Elimu Yetu Coalition (part of GCE and ANCEFA) featured a march through the streets and a keynote speech by the Vice-President, Hon. Moody Awori. About 3000 children as well as MPs and local politicians took part. On Saturday, the 18 th , EYC and ActionAid supported an event dubbed Elimika Uchanuke. The children also participated in this event, as part of the Send My Friend to School' campaign by drawing their friends who are not in school on Manila Papers, cutting them out and collecting them in a Mkokoteni in a symbolic send-off to the G8 meeting at Gleneagles, Scotland. The guests included Mrs. Yvonne Wamalwa (wife of late Vice President) and Mrs. Achillo Ayacko ( wife of Minister for Gender). The guest artists were Kayamba Africa and a child music star (16 years old) Czars who entertained the crowd.
Also from 1 st July onwards the 'Friends' will feature prominently in the Kenya White Band events with the messages of 'Send My Friend to School' highlighted in a massive march, rally and human chain being organised at Nairobi's Uhuru Park by the national GCAP coalition.
Senegal
At the end of an international Dakar +5'conference organised by UNESCO, the national education coalition held a huge lobby meeting with the President of Senegal on 16 June. At this event all the messages and 'friends' made during the GCE Action Week were handed over. Five hundred children took part and well-known Senegalese celebrities as well coverage by the national media.
Contact: Souleye Gorbal Sy Coalept@yahoo.fr
Brazil
The National Campaign for the Right to Education, a GCE member, brought giant Friend' puppets to the capital Brasilia for a series of colourful events together with the national GCAP coalition on June 30 and July 1. More details to follow!
Asia
In collaboration with GCE, the Asia Pacific regional network ASPBAE is launching the first-ever region-wide report card on governments' progress towards the education for all goals. Of the countries covered only 2 receive an A' while class giants China and India disappoint by getting only a C' and E' respectively.
The report is being released in regionally coordinated campaign activities from June 29 through the first week of July in countries all over the Asia South Pacific as part of the July 1 White Arm band day campaign of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (G CAP). In Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, National Coalitions for Education are launching the Report by inviting ministers; ambassadors of G8 countries; government officials; media and civil society. They are demanding accelerated action from their governments and the international community to for Education to End Poverty.
To read the executive summary or full text of the Asia Pacific School Report go to www.campaignforeducation.org/schoolreport or www. aspbae.org
Bangladesh
As part of the 2 week G-CAP mobilization activities in the country, the Asia Pacific School Report Card will be launched on 3rd July by the Prime Minister or Education Minister. The launch will be organized by Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) and the national G-CAP coalition as part of a workshop with the Ambassadors and heads of international organizations in Dhaka.
India
The National Coalition for Education (NCE) focused on the theme Educate Girls to End Poverty focusing on why India is failing to meet the 2005 MDG target on girls education . On 30th June the report was released by Kailash Satyarthi, president of Global Campaign for Education (GCE) and the chairperson of Global March Against Child Labour . The report launch also concluded the two-day public hearing on education which saw nearly 150 children from different parts of India assemble in New Delhi and voice their concerns and demands on education related issues. Delegates from the gathering presented their charter of demands to the representative of the German embassy, which is one of the G8 countries. On 1st July the children wearing white arm bands met Ambassadors of G-8 Countries and government ministers to present their charter of demands and the School Report Card.
Indonesia
E-Net for Justice launched the school report card at national and district levels. At the national level, a public dialogue was be organized on 29th June and followed the next day with a meeting with the national parliament and the national human rights commission where the school report card and poverty report would be presented. At the district level, the report card was launched in three provinces - Bogor (West Java), Manado (North Celebes) and Bengkulu (Bengkulu, Sumatra). On 1st July, E-Net for Justice with other networks under the anti poverty committee participated in the white arm band campaign.
Nepal
On July 1 , the GCE-Nepal Education coalition invited all the organizations working for children and education to launch the report card with child delegates.
Pakistan
In the first week of July, the Pakistan Coalition for Education (PCE) will launch the report card in Islamabad along with member organizations of the coalition.
Solomon Islands
In the first week of July , Coalition of Education in Solomon Islands (COESI) will launch the report inviting government officials, parliamentarians, and members of civil society, dignitaries from national and international NGOs, teachers unions and media.
Sri Lanka
On July 1 , representatives of the National Coalition for Educational Development launched the report in a workshop on the theme Need for an Education system to end poverty' inviting officials from Ministry of Education; academics from University of Colombo and Provincial & District Representatives of the coalition.
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2.- HARMONIZING ANTI-POVERTY AGENDAS
By Salma Maoulidi
smlidi@yahoo.com
Is the G-CAP about governance?
Or is it about Aid?
Is it about popular protest or outrage?
Maybe it is finally about payback, a sense of social responsibility?
These are just some of the questions from different quarters accompanying the massive activist global action against poverty, and establishments that perpetrate impoverishment, that kicked off at the Informal Interactive Hearings of the General Assembly with NGOs, Civil Society Organizations and the Private Sector (23-24 June 2005) and gaining momentum with strategy meetings on the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) held in New York on June 22, 2005. To give visibility to this global action and to events comprising of the Make Poverty History Campaign organized as part of the G-CAP anti-imperialist and anti-poverty activists observe White Band Days.
July 1, 2005 marked the first White Band Day with a focus on the upcoming G8. Two more White Band Days are envisaged focusing on the UN during the Millennium Summit in September and the WTO Talks in December 2005. While Tanzania is a HIPC country, and very much an object of global anti-poverty forums, many in Tanzania, including professionals, do not know about the campaign. Few organizations marked the first White Band Day. My organization organized an interactive community meeting involving about sixty members of the community and youth leaders from Mwanayamala, Magomeni and Mabibo to discuss and strategize on home grown community based anti-poverty options. Later on in the day, I met up with about thirty some professionals to continue an ongoing discussion on the Tanzania we want. Surprisingly, as was the case with local communities, most were not aware about July 1 being a White Band Day. It is therefore fair to conclude that the Tanzania community is remotely aware of the G-CAP or global movements against poverty and injustice, let alone of national initiatives in tackling poverty. How can they then lend support to the global call to action?
Trade justice is one of the key areas for activism in the Make Poverty History Campaign and coincidentally it transpires at a time the Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair is ongoing. Notable, however, are the disparities in trade practice even locally. It became clear to me that the majority of Tanzanians are not there yet: Most came to the grounds on an outing, not to take advantage of the business/trade opportunities at hand. Moreover, most came to buy goods for consumption not investment. Increasingly, foreign exhibitors confine themselves to industrial ware, processed goods and pharmaceuticals, which attract local agents with significant capital. The only popular consumables on sale are plastic flowers and trinkets from China and the Middle East. Surely, the flooding of these meaningless beautifying gadgets and signal a new phase of colonization?!
Locals have been recruited at foreign stalls to help foreign representatives communicate with potential buyers but few Tanzanian companies have translators, the assumption being everybody speaks the language! The Tanzanian translators are mostly concerned with impressing others with kimombo (their command of English) not communicating with the public and potential buyers about the products on offer. Most local exhibitors are not friendly- they are visibly hungry to make a sale not to expand and strengthen relationships. Moreover, the organization of pavilions is chaotic and not conducive for engagement.
Like other struggling economies, we contend with the question of an appropriate trade and governance regime and as activist we similarly ought to consider how we maximize on the means and ends aspect of trade and investment such that we are not beguiled by naοve prescriptive economic formulas on the one hand and the promises of cheap investments on the other considering that most investment gigs coming into the region are of dubious sources involving money laundering schemes or the dumping of goods. Our legal framework largely favours external and big capital and less so internal investments or local governance raising questions as to the exercise of choice in the current economic regime.
Moreover, the current economic model is about individualization more than it is about collectivism while to make meaningful progress, Africa needs to raise the income and living standard levels of the bulk of her population. In sum, to eradicate poverty, African governments must devise economic and social formulas that take account of both individual and collective interests to minimize income and social disparities. Therefore, it demands our notion of national and regional sovereignty not only be confined to geographical borders and partnerships but also extend to encompass ideology and practice.
Certainly, the alternative we offer, NEPAD, has not gone far enough to challenge neo-liberal economic models. Activists and alternative economists are yet to convincingly articulated an alternative attractive enough for a revolutionary to run with. Further, the struggle lacks local roots. Indeed, African activism is fragmented with weak local base or agenda. Local advocacy against impoverishment is tied to professions and paychecks not to popular consciousness, which suggests in many ways the need to address fermenting class based struggles.
Thankfully, hope reigns at different quarters: As activists observe G-CAP, the Africa Union (AU) met in Syrte, Libya for an Ordinary Session of the Executive Council followed by an Ordinary Session of the Assembly. African leaders used the opportunity to consolidate efforts towards the articulation of a common stand detailing key demands to the G8. The message, delivered by the Chair of the AU, President Olesegun Obasanjo, was unequivocal- Cancel debt for all African countries, whether with HIPC status or otherwise and implement a new trade regime allowing Africa to trade at par at the world market. Africa demonstrated an unprecedented show of unity and resolve. Certainly, the boldness exhibited is not only on account of recognizing the continents increasing importance militarily and economically but is undoubtedly aided by the sheer support from civil society on the G-CAP, reminiscent of Cancun.
Therefore, Africans look at the upcoming G8 with much anticipation. However, while the demands put forward by the AU appear revolutionary in the sense that they are unequivocal and shared, they suffer from the contradictions that inform the G-CAP and ensuing discussion as the suitability of the means to achieve the end. Indeed, the demands do not fundamentally challenge economic and trade models defined under national Poverty Reduction Programmes (PRS) or NEPAD for the matter that are universally blamed for grave human rights violations, especially in denying citizens basic services.
Moreover, these models, which also influence governance structures, equally give room to despotic rulers to rule with impunity in varying degrees- Mugabe and the demolitions and disputed land redistributions; Ethiopia and killing of civilians during the last elections; Sudan and genocide in Dafur; and Uganda attempting a democratic maneuver to change the Constitution to possibly allow for unlimited rule.
In my opinion, the prevailing human rights violation in the continent is but a reflection, and in many cases continuation, of an unresolved and depraved colonial past. Indeed the colonial regime and currently neoliberal legal and economic frameworks allow for this culture of impunity to reign. As western leaders prepared to negotiate some generosity towards Africa, they would not do so with recrimination perhaps to absolve their sins and make Africans defensive about their poverty, after all nothing works with these Africans!
The G8, therefore, comes amidst a tense political climate between Africa and G8 nations particularly with former colonizers. But how can the West chastise Africa when it fails to live up to the ideals it seeks to apply against Africa? For one, no western leader is willing to apologize for the evil of slavery and injustice of colonialism. Further, since it is rich mineral wealth of Africa and Latin America that built Europe and America and lay the foundation for their wealth; and it is African labour and products that built the biggest economies though conveniently unrecognized and uncompensated how can there be trade justice? Certainly we need to go beyond campaigning for an egalitarian trade regime to actually translate the concept to the realization of justice.
Africas poverty is structural. Solutions geared at structural transformation are thus in order. Also, other than addressing issues of governance there is need to revamp the concept of AID. And while we are calling for more aid, we need to recognize that development aid justifies imperialist domination through pseudo benevolent intentions. Indeed, like the military establishment, which destabilizes nations through conflict, aid seeks to create confusion among governments and local populations as to development priorities and practice. We have become the object of social experimentation and retardation. To make headway in the call to action, activists must be ready to challenge the sector and its essence.
We also need to reclaim and heal a peoples sense of physical and cultural violation.
Salma Maoulidi
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3.- CIVIL SOCIETY INTERACTIVE HEARINGS
By Ana Agostino
GEO/ICAE
anajairo@mweb.co.za
I am back from the interactive hearings in New York and would like to share some of the highlights with you.
1. The hearings were organised around the four clusters of the Secretary General's Report "In Larger Freedom": freedom to live in dignity (human rights), freedom from want (development and financing for development), freedom from fear (security), and UN Reform. Civil society organisations from many parts of the world presented statements around each of these clusters. It is interesting to note that gender as a crosscutting issue was brought up not just by women but by almost every speaker! The message was so strong that during the closing session the Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Anan, emphasised the need for gender equality. Governments were expected to participate at the level of ambassadors, and some were there, though most countries were represented by other members of their permanent delegations to the UN. The important thing is that they were there in bigger numbers than expected. Their contributions were not really very substantial, though several governments emphasised on the importance of the hearings, on the need to keep it as a regular feature of the General Assembly procedures. During the cluster on Human Rights Norway highlighted the importance of the hearings and also called for stronger language on gender equality in the outcome document adding that "MDGs will not be met without gender equality"; Germany mentioned the importance of strengthening the human rights council and of having NGO views on how this organ should be structured; Chile called for a human security framework and said to civil society "you give us the dimension of consciousness"; Egypt mentioned the need for extensive material support particularly for the African Union.
During the cluster on Development Sweden said that rich countries have a responsibility towards the achievement of the MDGs, that they have always demanded accountability from poor countries and that now it is their turn to be accountable; Tunisia highlighted the importance of civil society and said that the goal should be the elimination and not the reduction of poverty.
During the cluster on UN Reform Brazil called for the implementation of the recommendations from the Cardoso report; France mentioned the importance of the hearings and the interaction with civil society; Germany said that the outcome document should reflect the need to strengthen the relationship between the UN and civil society, that ECOSOC is the organ where civil society should be heard, that it should also be heard at the summit and at the General Assembly. To this comment the President of the General Assembly said that a resolution has already been adopted and that the rules for the summit are set (civil society will not be allowed participation except three representatives at the plenary, one from the private sector, one from NGOs and one from civil society). Mexico said that it supported the incorporation of the interactive hearings as a regular procedure of the General Assembly and so did South Africa. Sweden called on member states to have a dialogue at national and global levels with civil society.
As part of the GCAP delegation we had a meeting with the German Ambassador previous to the hearing. He was very open to civil society participation and the aims of the Global Call in general. Nevertheless, he said that there are many difficult issues still to be decided upon for the outcome document of the summit. One of them is the changes in the Security Council and if there are no changes there he believes this might impact on the whole document. Other critical areas he mentioned are: financing for development (several countries are resisting the target of 0,7 of GDP for aid); the definition of terrorism; the use of force, among others.
2. The day before the hearings there was a strategic session of the GCAP feminist task force. I am attaching the key messages agreed upon by the women participating. After the hearings there were also strategic sessions to plan the actions towards the summit. I include here a summary of the points that we felt were clearly put forward at the hearings as areas that need to be included in the outcome document. They are in no specific order:
- human rights as the framework
- violence against women
- gender as crosscutting issue and importance of gender
- indivisibility of goals
- interrelatedness of MDGs and other agendas
- need of women to be visible in conflict prevention and post-conflict
- environmental sustainability
- special needs of youth and young women
- engendered use of ICT
- need for disaggregated data
- sexual and reproductive rights and services
- central role of communities and civil society
- call for implementation and action
- questioning of economic paradigm (growth/market oriented)
- aid cannot be linked to any particular economic model
- about financing for development: many references were made to the role of the IFIs (International Financial Institutions) though few concrete proposal were made, such as to bring them under the UN system and have them report to ECOSOC
- issues of national sovereignty
- rights of indigenous peoples / indigenous knowledge
- Human Rights Commission / Council: need to maintain special procedures
- value of previous conferences and documents
- importance of civil society participation
- need to strengthen UN offices dealing with gender
- education goal should not be limited to primary education
A decision was taken at the meeting to put together a visionary document "to serve as a common platform to feminists and women's movements around the world on a shared vision, positions and proposals around and beyond the Millennium Summit, to be used in advocacy, media and outreach".
The document will be organised around the four clusters. A team was formed to put it together and then circulate it. I am in charge of drafting the section on development. The drafting team will build on already existing documents prepared by women's organisations around the process. I will circulate to you my part and at a later stage the document.
There were other proposals for the two months leading up to the Summit in September:
- to continue lobbying governments at the national level in terms of the language of the outcome document and also the national positions
- to try to lobby governments to advocate for the inclusion of women and civil society representation in the official delegations to the summit
- it was agreed upon that there is no need to promote a large presence of women in New York during the summit (the process will be closed and there is no accreditation for NGOs), but that a few key feminists from different regions should be there particularly to talk to the media
- to participate or organise events around the days of the summit, like the GCAP whitebandday on September 10. It is important to remember that those days coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Beijing conference.
Up to here a summary of the hearings and related activities. I think it would be very good to get your feedback and exchange ideas of how can we continue our work towards the summit and beyond.
Looking forward to all your comments and the coming events, greetings from Pretoria
Ana
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4.- INTERVIEW WITH BARBARA ADAMS, UNIFEM
by Ana Agostino
ICAE-GEO
During the Informal interactive hearings with civil society, Voices Rising had the opportunity to ask Barbara Adams from UNIFEM her views on various issues of the Millennium + 5 process and their impact on womens human rights. She first addressed the question of whether or not the hearings, and specifically womens messages there and throughout the process, can have an impact on the outcome document. According to Adams the references to gender have increased significantly in the last version (from June 3) as a result of the work of womens organizations. She added and we can see more. But the problem is that the outcome document will emphasize on UN reform and some governments with progressive positions in controversial issues such as sexual and reproductive health and rights might offer language there as trade-ins for other issues during the negotiations. She believes also that the hearings were very powerful in pushing gender language into macroeconomic policies, something that will be difficult to keep in the final document. It will demand continuous work. Adams emphasized though that the outcome document is not the only tool, national statements are also very important.
She then addressed the issue of civil society participation at the Millennium Summit, and she believes it will be minimal. Security will be extremely tight due to the presence of the heads of state. But Adams thinks that NGOs should demand places in each of the round tables and that the hearings showed the value of civil society participation. In September the text of the outcome document will be already closed, so there is no possibility of influencing any more, but it is important to have a media strategy. Media will be everywhere!
She finally addressed the issue of UN reform and particularly its impact on the gender machinery. Adams highlighted the fact that there are two distinctive aspects to this issue: one that has to do with intergovernmental bodies reform and creation (Security Council, ECOSOC, Human Rights Council) and the other one related to the Secretariat and the system coherence. In this last case pressure is coming from outside the UN, mainly from the donor countries, towards harmonization and simplification. She sees a positive aspect to this and that is the need for donors coordination which will allow recipients to have one common system of reporting. But the pressure of donors leads agencies to work more internally in order to coordinate. UNIFEM, though, does not work like that, with an emphasis on coordination at the level of country teams. It aims more at strengthening the gender mainstreaming component of other agencies. Some donor countries have used this as an argument to withdraw funds from UNIFEM saying that the agency is too small to influence the system and too small to do the job itself, so it is better to fund other agencies directly. Adams adds though, that with this approach mainstreaming of gender has become technical rather than political. She believes that the harmonization and simplification strategy can be damaging for UNIFEM. There is a risk to lose autonomy. Currently it has an autonomous association with UNDP but this relationship has ambiguities and it is not clearly understood. Demands are placed on UNIFEM that are not within its mandate generating frustration and in the long run weakening the agencys position. The governments pushing for harmonization are precisely the ones that tend to support gender funding and mainstreaming (Northern governments, European Union) but the new trends and the consequential reform might jeopardize this. UNIFEM recently commissioned a study on trends of donors and gender and the results were discouraging. The report is called Accountability Upside Down. Gender Equality in a partnership for poverty eradication and it was authored by Eurostep and Social Watch (February 2005). It takes a sample of nine bilateral donors (Canada, the European Community, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States) selected on the basis of their size and their expected position in relation to gender. The report examines how these donors have operationalised their commitments in their development policies over the last five years and assesses the implementation of their aid programmes in 2003. One of the findings is what the authors call policy evaporation meaning that it is increasingly difficult to track resources for gender equality, how inadequately gender is included in country programming and that there is an almost total absence of mechanisms to monitor results or evaluate if there has been any impact. The report also concludes that the new aid architecture has hardly any mechanisms for accountability and fewer mechanisms for implementation of national obligations for gender equality. It adds without adequate authority for ensuring institutional accountability inside donor agencies, commitments to gender equality will not be realized. Additionally, without financial resources dedicated to support an adequate gender architecture which has political authority, the implementation gap will not be closed.
In line with these conclusions, the board of UNIFEM made recommendations for strengthening the gender architecture, but according to Adams, many at the UN dont like it. Currently this architecture is formed by DAW (Division for the Advancement of Women) at the Secretariat and responsible for policy, UNIFEM, in charge of the operational level, and INSTRAW, responsible for research. Adams said that some people believe this its too fragmented and think that a super agency on gender should be created. She does not see this need, rather, she believes that there is a need for strengthening the implementation part. The direction changes will take is still open and Adams sees the need for more informal and broad discussion on the best way to reform the gender architecture. It is clear that UNIFEM does not have the same status as other agencies. Its status within the United Nations system has remained almost static for several years, and the grade level of its top management has not changed since 1989. This leaves UNIFEM out of various structures including the Senior Management Team of UNDP where crucial decisions are taken. It is also clear that strengthening the agency should go in the direction of placing it at a level of high policy determination that will impact in a stronger architecture on gender throughout the UN. Not just technical but mainly political. Many issues are at stake in the reform and many role-players will influence the end result. Donors are clearly important but not the only ones. And how to approach donors is also key. According to Adams UNIFEM usually links with gender offices in governments which are not the powerful ones. The same happens with womens organizations.
She adds that at the hearings we saw the importance of womens agendas being taken to others peoples terrains, clearly into macroeconomics. UNIFEM should do the same: walk into the development cooperation work and get results there.
The debate is open and UNIFEM would like womens organizations to be as involved as possible. The hearings showed that they are actually amongst the strongest voices and that they know how to make themselves heard!
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5.- 3rd GRUNDTVIG AWARD 2005
Active Citizenship for a Democratic Society
Ellinor Haase
EAEA
eaea-main@eaea.org
The EAEA invites all organisations active in adult learning to submit projects that focus on active citizenship.
What is active citizenship?
Active citizenship can be defined as citizens taking opportunities to become actively and democratically involved in defining and tackling the problems of their communities and improving their quality of life.
Many people have problems or feel inhibited of participating actively in society.
You may have found ways of motivating them or you may have developed activities:
- to learn about ones rights and duties as a citizen
- to value prior learning and experiences to get more self-esteem
- to get involved in environmental issues in the community and beyond
- to engage in further learning about their position in society
- to help migrants to get included
- to engage in intercultural learning
- to bring generations together to learn from each other and/or work together
- to explore ways of advocacy for learning of disabled people
- to establish a new life on their own
- to work for social inclusion in a multicultural society
- to break down barriers between residents and foster a sense of belonging through community involvement and volunteering
- to provide and support services, independent on public authorities, for hard-to-reach groups
- to commit themselves to work in their community
- to commit themselves to working for gender equality
This list is not exhaustive. You may consider other examples (of active citizenship) in the light of the criteria outlined above.
What do we expect?
- A transnational project or initiative on active citizenship with at least three countries involved
- A transnational project or initiative that has been completed or is close to completion
- A description of your project:
§ What were the main goals of the project
§ What you actually did and how you did it
§ Which was (were) your target group(s)
§ What was special about your way of working and what processes or partnerships were important
§ Which aspect of active citizenship you focused on
§ How you got people involved
- Some explanation about the impact:
§ What the impact for the participating organisations and the target group(s) was
§ How you recognised and how you tracked success
§ What you have learned from this piece of work what would you do again or differently next time
§ If the project would work without partners from other countries
And finally: The Wow! Factor:
What made this project special and what could others learn from it?
A special Prize will be awarded for an outstanding out-of-Europe project on Active Citizenship for a Democratic Society
Conditions:
Entries must be received until Monday, 3 October 2005, at the
EAEA main office
To the attention of Ms Ellinor Haase
Rue Liedts 27
B-1030 Bruxelles
Tel. + 32 2 513 52 05
Fax + 32 2 513 57 34
e-mail: eaea-main@eaea.org
Send your project description together with the completed form to the EAEA.
You may submit a description of your project in one of the following languages: English, French, German, and Spanish.
What do we offer?
- The Award a specifically designed piece of art for the coordinating organisation and certificates for all partners
- An invitation to 2 persons of the winning organisation to the EAEA General Assembly 2005, including travel and accommodation; an invitation to the partners, 1 person per organisation, to the EAEA General Assembly, covering either travel or accommodation. The EAEA General Assembly this year takes place in Norway.
- Publicity for the winning project and for all other projects submitted via the EAEA website, the mailing list to more than 100 organisations in 34 European countries, and reports.
3rd GRUNDTVIG AWARD 2005
Active Citizenship in a Democratic Society
Name of the submitting organisation
Address ..
Phone .
Fax ..
e-mail ..
Partner(s)
1
2
3
4
5
Title of the project/initiative ..
Start and completion dates
Summary (max 4 pages)
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6.- FORUM OF THE REGIONS
The Forum of the Regions will take place on Wednesday 5 October 2005 as part of the 3rd World Environmental Education Congress (3rd WEEC-Torino, 2-6 October 2005).
Regarding environmental education, the Italian Regions are organized in the National System of INFEA (Information, Training, Environmental Education). The purpose of the network is to carry out actions of confrontation, common and agreed upon strategies for sustainable development, activities of documentation and information.
The Forum in October is an important moment to present local environmental education and sustainability activities to an international public. Consequently, many Italian Regions have already agreed to participate in the Forum.
A communal expository space- the piazza delle Regioni- will be the main venue for gathering and displaying materials about environmental education produced by the INFEA system and by individual local groups.
The Forum participants will also be able to attend the WEEC sessions, enriching the Congress with their presence.
For information and registrations: www.3weec.org - info@3weec.org
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7.- VACANCY
pemms_robert@trustmymail.com
Goodday,
The United Nations Development Program(UNDP) is currently screening applicants for the postion of UNDP Program director in thier various countries of residence with a very attractive salary.
JOB DESCRIPTION :
AS the Program Director you will be responsible for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of UNDP-ORG program portfolio. The Program Director forms part of the senior management team of country office along with the Director of Finance and Director of Administration.These programs are focused in the following sectors: microbusiness/microcredit,agriculture, water & sanitation,health and nutrition,community mobilization, conflict resolution and civil society development.UNDP works in partnership with
other international NGOs, local NGOs, community based organizations (CBOs),local government,American Airlines andline ministries. Funding originates from USDA, European Commission, Community Fund, Taiwan, British Foreign Office, SIDA, USAID and others. The Program Director will spend 50% of his/her time in new program development, and 50% coordinating on-going programs. New program development will entail liaising with donors and
partners, assessing needs, conceptualizing designs, writing proposalsand drafting work plans for start-up and implementation. The Program Director will work closely with sectoral managers and project directors to integrate activities, and ensure that programs are on track. Monitoring
and evaluation will be an important responsibility as well as reporting to headquarters and donors.
Responsibilities/Duties:
1. Coordinate and provide programmatic support to sectoral managers (e.g. agriculture, health)and project coordinators to integrate to the fullest extent possible.
2. Under the guidance of the Country Director, identify new programmatic opportunities for UNDP-ORG and lead the conceptualization of new project designs with the participation of UNDP- ORG staff, partners and beneficiaries.
3. Under the supervision of the Country Director, prepare project proposals responding to donor
announcements as well as write unsolicited proposals and respond to questions/requests by donors to make amendments to project documents.
4.Under the guidance of the Financial Director,assist in monitoring program expenses, as well as the preparation of budgets for annual plans, proposals and related activities.
5.Facilitate coordination between UNDP-ORG program staff and international NGO partners,local NGO partners,and community based organizations in the design and implementation of joint projects.
6. Under the guidance of the Country Director, liaise with donors, cultivating strong relationships between donor staff and UNDP-ORG in your country of residence.
7. Prepare monitoring and progress reports for UNDP-ORG Headquarters, donors and the
government of Your country.
8.Assist in developing job descriptions, recruiting and interviewing candidates and evaluating programmatic personnel.
9. Periodically review UNDP-ORG strategy in your country of residence, and with the support of program staff, make adjustments to his strategy, including the development of indicators for an eventual phase out. 10. Organize periodic meetings of program staff to facilitate coordination and sharing of experiences and lessons learned.
11. Develop the Terms of Reference of project evaluations and baseline surveys and where appropriate participate in evaluation activities.
12. Travel to the field to monitor projects and support staff for making changes/improvements for keeping projects on track, and achieving outputs and objectives.Ensure that project quality is maintained at the highest level of standards.
13. Coordinate with other UNDP-ORG program staff in the region, particularly in regional projects such as the Community Investment Action Program (CAIP),the Peaceful Communities Initiative (PCI), DIPECHO (Disaster Preparedness) and the Regional Health and Sanitation Project.
14. Identify training needs for UNDP-ORG program staff and NGO partners and develop, implement and maintain training plans as necessary.
15.Mentor national staff to assume higher responsibilities for program management.
16.Liaise with headquarters technical staff to coordinate program development, sharing of
lessons learned and to obtain technical backstopping as needed.
17. Other duties as assigned.
18.An office of the UNDP-ORG Program director is to be established in your country of residence staffs are to be employed they shall be under our salary scheme.
Notice: Qualified applicants must attend a training program under R. Thomas Consulting & Training in Georgia U.S.A with original certificate from R.Thomas Consulting & Training as periquisite for employment.
Yours Sincerely,
Mr.Perry Emms Robert.
Program director
UNDP-ORG.
email: pemms_robert@trustmymail.com
Tel:+1-206-350-3022
Fax:+1-206-888-2655
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