Shadow Report

During the last months, the whole world has been suffering the crisis in food price. According to recent figures today 1.4 billion persons live under the new poverty line of USD 1.25, and the majority of these are women and girls. Some 850 million persons around the world suffer from hunger and 820 of those 850 million live in developing countries, areas that are likely to be more affected by climate change. These figures are linked to the rise in food price because world provision of cereals in 2007 was 420 million tons, a historical minimum since 1983. According to an OECD report, a third of the rise in agriculture prices foreseen for the next nine years is caused by biofuels.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, more than 50 million people still haven’t got access to adequate food. Child malnutrition, with is negative biological, social and economic effects, is currently affecting more than 9 million children and the achievements in the fight against poverty and indigence are in risk due to lack of food. The problem of poverty and hunger in the region is related to worth wealth distribution and land concentration in the world. This results from the neoliberal economic policies of extreme privatization and reduction of national investment imposed by the international financial institutions This situation has had more relevance in Haiti, Argentina, Peru and Mexico and the UN agencies in the region foresee a 5% rise in food prices that will increase indigence in almost one point.

According to FAO, “Latin America and the Caribbean have a 31% surplus in food resources. The region’s problem of hunger is therefore not one of production but, rather, one of access to food” . Beyond economic trends, climatic or protectionist factors that have an important impact on the current crisis, the main problem of this food crisis is the lack of access to land and properties and consequently to food, particularly among rural and indigenous women and household heads.

This situation is worsened when neutral policies are implemented that underestimate and ignore the role and contribution of rural and indigenous women in food production and through development strategies that have no gender perspective, with a negative impact on women’s living conditions and their possibilities of contributing to food production and rural, local and regional development

Food crisis and the rise of prices can bring unpredictable political consequences. If prices continue rising, 10 million more people are in risk of becoming poor and a similar number of poor people could increase.

In view of this situation, we, peasant organizations, and organizations of rural and indigenous women, feminists organizations and other women’s networks concerned with overcoming poverty and reaching gender equality report that the current food crisis is the result of the failure of the structural and macroeconomic policies implemented during the last 30 years under the leadership of the international financial institutions (IMF, WB, IDB and the WTO). In Latin America and the Caribbean these policies have in brief:

- reduced the policy space of developing countries to define their own development and rural strategies;

- Promoted the exportation of national and local agriculture production without considering the need to cover the national demand first.

- Promoted free trade agreements in unequal basis for developing countries, that raised vulnerabilities of several sectors and social groups, with clear negative effects in rural women in several countries.

- Supported financial speculation on food and a state that has no longer the role as controller of imports and exports.

- Have ignored the role in promoting agricultural adaptation and of land property of the peasant an rural communities where the role of women is key.

- Have prioritized the servicing of the foreign debt in detriment of public domestic investment with a gender perspective in the national agricultural sector.

- Promoted national poverty reduction strategies without considering inequality differences and discriminations.

- Promoted the reduction of the role of the state in all policies, particularly in rural development and market regulation, but also in social policies.

Through the above-mentioned actions they have contributed to worsening the difficult living conditions of millions of peasants, and, particularly, for the most vulnerable groups: women, indigenous women and boys and girls.

The immediate solution to this crisis in Latin America and the Caribbean can be developed through short and medium term actions, we cannot let the solution for the long term because it will be too late.

- Establishment of national agricultural policies with a gender perspective and with a significant budget as part of a broader programme of national investment, prepared with the participation of all stakeholders.

• Development of policies and strategies with gender perspective that take into consideration the role, responsibilities and rights of men, women, according to age and ethnicity.

• Immediate implementation of support programmes and economic subsidies, in the countries of the region, addressing the poorest sectors of the population, including school lunch programmes, delivery of food packages, particularly for women who are household heads, employment programmes.

• Implementation of the process of land reform and actions to overcome legal and economic obstacles so that women can have access to resources and benefits such as access to land, water, credit and all the inputs for basic production.

• Development of flexible micro-financing programmes that respond to debts contracted by indigenous and rural women.

• Development and support of programmes and actions based on traditional knowledge, particularly in what refers to conservation and exchange of native seeds.

• Developed countries must reach their commitment to allocate 0.7% of their GDP in Official Development Aid (ODA) and make explicit work plans to achieve this commitment; and moreover they should commit to reach 10% of ODA for gender equality and women’s empowerment by 2010 and 20% by 2015, setting out in the action plan of donors, recipient countries and the DAC strategies for reaching the target, monitoring performance and evaluating impact.

• The international community must commit to advance in the gaps of MDG8 and its negative effects in poverty, inequality, and the current financial, food, energetic and climate change crisis that particularly affect women.

• Promote studies and analysis to visualize the impact of food crisis and the strategies for sustainable livelihoods for rural, urban poor and indigenous women.

• Support investment in family agriculture and improve markets, promoting the fair trade approach to enable the marketization of women smallholders’ products.

• Eliminate export barriers with the objective of encouraging small farmers to increase their cropping areas.

• Review the criteria for aid allocation and debt relief, including the inequality dimension and considering the particularities of middle income countries, where women confront the multiplier effect of inequalities and discrimination.

Signatures
•        Action Aid
•        Feminist Task Force, GCAP
•        AWID
•        Gender and Education Office (GEO) from ICAE
•        Centro de la Mujer Peruana Flora Tristán, Peru
•        World YWCA
•        Red Encuentro de Entidades No Gubernamentales para el Desarrollo (Argentina)
GCAP Argentina: Campaña Nacional "Ningún Hogar Pobre en Argentina".
•        Le Monde selon les Femmes, Belgium
•        Red de Educación Popular Entre Mujeres de América Latina y el Caribe –REPEM
•        Development Alternatives with Women for a new Era (DAWN)
•        National Alliance of Women (NAWO), India
•        Mahila Dakshata Samiti (MDS), India
•        Women's Resource and Advocacy Centre, India
•        National Alliance of Women (NAWO), India
•        Mahila Dakshata Samiti (MDS), Nigeria
•        Women's Resource and Advocacy Centre, Nigeria
•        The International Presentation Association of the Sisters of the Presentation' NY, USA
•        ENLACE-Education and Networking for Latina Cooperation and Empowerment, USA
•        Center for Women's Global Leadership, USA
•        International Gender and Trade Network (IGTN)
•        Centro de Formación y Promoción Humana Santa Ángela, Peru
•        Nang Lao Liang Won , Shan Women's Action Network ( SWAN) Burma
•        Carmen Colazo
•        Wahu Kaara, KENYA DEBT RELIEF NETWORK (KENDREN)
•        Marta Benavides-- SIGLO XXIII, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR COOPERATION AMONGST PEOPLES -- EL SALVADOR
•        Moema L. Viezzer, Lina Grondin, Instituto de Comunicação solidaria

In spite of the constant increasing security in the area of the UN and of the difficulties people faced to get to the venue of the poverty hearing and the women's tribunals, the Church Centre was packed and both activities went very well. At the end of the day, once the women's tribunals had finalised, there was a shared feeling that a very important event had taken place, one that had opened many eyes, unveiling the other side of a city that so many people associate with endless possibilities and abundance. The testimonies showed, instead, deprivation, exploitation, marginalisation, lack of access to basic services, and above all, how these conditions are marked by women's origins and belongings. Testimonies were so powerful that one of the judges, Charlotte Bunch, said that the process of the tribunals were very important because "we are renaming our reality", "we are putting an end to silence". That was said after so many women living in New York under conditions of poverty or women working in underprivileged areas of the city gave one after the other personal testimonies and numerous statistics about how women of color are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, maternal mortality, domestic violence, lack of access to health services, to education, to security.

The women's tribunals took place in the afternoon, following the poverty hearings in the morning. The two activities were called: A Day of Voices. The first part were the poverty hearings on the MDGs organised by GCAP as a whole that focused on three topics: Poverty and Hunger, Addressing Education and Environmental Sustainability. There were testimonies for each of the topics, one expert witness and then the advocates for each topic made their comments. The judges were: Ela Bhatt (India) for education, Archbishop Ndungane (South Africa) for poverty and hunger and Serigne Mansaour Sy (Senegal) for environmental sustainability. Mary Robinson (Ireland) was also one of the advocates and the chair of the hearing. They were testimonies from all regions of the world, including from children. There were members of the FTF in each of the themes (Lysa John from India in poverty and hunger, Sharmila Karki from Nepal in education and Marta Benavides from El Salvador in environment. Most speakers emphasised the centrality of focusing on women. Mary Robinson highlighted that there was a sense of urgency, that responding to the realities presented at the tribunal required above all power and political will. She added "there is always money to buy arms and to bail financial institutions", so the challenge is to change the power dynamics. She added that our strength are the numbers, the millions of people that more and more are working as networks and are bringing together issues that will necessarily find common solutions: environment, human rights, youth, women, faith based organisations. She also linked these MDG demands with other processes such as the Financing for Development, and the World Social Forum. And she also emphasised the importance that at the hearings many of the witnesses expressed themselves in their own language, highlighting the importance of space, voice, identity and culture all advocates committed themselves to present the testimonies and recommendations to those in positions of power to take decisions around the MDGs.

And then we had the Women's Tribunals on Poverty and the MDGs, focusing on poverty of women in New York city. It was co-organised by the FTF, the Women of Color Policy Network together with the UN-Non Governmental Liaison Service. It was also organised around themes linked to the MDGs: MDG 1, Poverty and Economic Security; MDG 5 and 6, Women and Health; and MDG 3, Women's Empowerment and Human Security and Dignity. The panel of jurists included: Cathy Abisa, Director of the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, Dr. Vinu Aram, Director of Shanti Ashram, Charlotte Bunch, Director of the Centre for Women's GLobal Leadership and Taina Bien Amie. Witnesses included women from various backgrounds, latinas, Afro Americans, muslim women, recent immigrants; they all shared experiences that highlighted the disparities in race and class in relation to health, to access to employment, to security. They were very powerful testimonies, some in the form of poems, some shared with difficulty as the situation was sometimes overwhelming, some with the support of translators. They were all testimonies of women that have been failed by those responsible for securing their basic rights. And as the panel of jurist said, were also failed by other women who have found comfort zones in a city (and a country) that denies its own injustices and violations while pretending to impose its lifestyle on humanity as a whole. At the end of the session, Rosa presented the next steps that will be followed which are: Compilation of witness testimony and recommendations by expert witnesses

Recommendations from Jurists

Summary of Women’s Tribunals to the Secretary-General
Outcomes & Commitments
She also presented the following as concrete outcomes:
Shadow report release on NYC and MDGs;

Increased partnership between local and global women’s groups with an aim to foster linkages;
Increased awareness about women and poverty in the north and the localization of MDGs;
Testimony and Documentation (oral histories, written and film) on Women and the MDGs, including the filming of the entire poverty tribunal.

And she finally presented the following commitments: Commit to holding women’s tribunals around the world Commit to NYC tribunals on health and migrant women Commit to linking the HLE on MDGs to the Financing for Development Doha Commit to supporting gender equality architecture reform (GEAR)

As you can see it was a very intensive and moving day, and it announces an intense work ahead.

There is much more to share with you all and we will be doing that in the coming days, but I want to say that I was proud that as FTF we were able to co-organise this activity and that the work done by our colleagues in New York was outstanding.

More soon. And we look forward to your engagement with the tribunals in the coming months.

We are very glad to announce that People's Action Forum (PAF), has recently won a Prize for the International Literacy Prizes 2008, granted by UNESCO. Please find attached the Press communique released by UNESCO.
On behalf of ICAE, we would like you to join us in congratulating PAF's President, Jennifer Chiwela, for such an honourable award.

Nos complace anunciar que People's Action Forum (PAF), ganó recientemente un premio en el marco de los Premios Internacionales de Alfabetización 2008, otorgado por la UNESCO. Adjunto encontrarán el comunicado de prensa emitido por la UNESCO.

En nombre del ICAE, deseamos felicitar a la Presidenta de PAF, Jennifer Chiwela, por tan honorable galardón.

Nous sommes très heureux d'annoncer que People's Action Forum (PAF, le forum d'action de peuple), a récemment gagné un prix pour les prix internationaux d'alfabetization 2008, accordé par l'UNESCO. Veuillez trouver ci-joint le communiqué de presse publié par l'UNESCO.

Au nom d'ICAE, nous voudrions que vous nous joigniez en félicitant le Président de PAF, Jennifer Chiwela, pour un prix si honorable.

Paris, 30 July - Literacy projects in Brazil, Ethiopia, South Africa and Zambia have won the four UNESCO International Literacy Prizes* this year. The laureates were proclaimed by the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, on the recommendation of an international jury. A programme in Morocco and another from the British Broadcasting Corporation received an Honourable Mention.

The UNESCO International Reading Association Literacy Prize is awarded to the Curitiba City Council’s programme “Alfabetizando com saude” (Brazil). This programme stands out for its success over the years and the genuine collaboration with and between the Health and Education Municipal bodies of the City of Curitiba.

The UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize goes to the People’s Action Forum programme “Reflect and HIV/AIDS” (Zambia). Recognizing the potential of women’s literacy in the prevention and treatment of diseases, particularly HIV and AIDS, the “Reflect and HIV/AIDS” programme is remarkable for its innovative cultural programmes in mother tongue languages used to reach rural women.

One of the two UNESCO Confucius Prizes for Literacy is attributed to Operation Upgrade (South Africa), for the “Kwanibela Project”, continuing the Operation’s 40-year history of commitment and change. Its focus on rural women, HIV/AIDS awareness, family nutrition and income, as well as its promising results and innovative elements, provide a true model for other countries.

The other UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy is awarded to the Adult and Non-Formal Education Association in Ethiopia (ANFEAE) programme, “Literacy Plus” (Ethiopia), which exceeds simple literacy for rural women. Outstanding in its community-based approach to teaching business, conflict resolution and disease prevention, and for its writing workshops for the newly literate, it provides a model of innovation and self-sustainability.

The Honourable Mention of the UNESCO International Reading Association Literacy Prize is awarded to the Moroccan association Integration for its outstanding work with the visually impaired and blind. Its programme, “Reading Access for the Visually Impaired in Marrakech”, is an exceptional contribution to the efforts of universalizing literacy.

The Honourable Mention of the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize is awarded to the British Broadcasting Corporation Programme “BBC-RAW” (Reading and Writing) for its large-scale broadcasts providing an entertainment-led environment to teach reading and writing. The BBC is commended for taking the responsibility to serve the public interest.

The UNESCO International Literacy Prizes are awarded every year in recognition of excellence and innovation in literacy throughout the world. Complying with the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) thematic calendar, the theme for this year’s Prizes was “Literacy and Health”, with a strong emphasis on epidemics and communicable diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

The award ceremony will take place on 8 September 2008 in Paris (France) on the occasion of the celebration of International Literacy Day.

****

* The US $ 20,000 UNESCO International Reading Association Literacy Award was founded in 1979 thanks to the International Reading Association.

The US $20,000 King Sejong Literacy Prize was created in 1989 through the generosity of the Government of the Republic of Korea.

The Adult Learners' Festival

AONTAS Launches STAR Awards for 2009

The Editor of Convergence is inviting readers from Voices Rising to become reviewers for Convergence,
ICAE’s worldwide journal of adult and non-formal education.

Right to education in emergency situations

Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic,
social and cultural rights, including the right to development

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, Vernor Muñoz*

The Special Rapporteur on the right to education has identified emergencies as a source of
serious violations of the right to education, one that currently affects a large number of people.
By emergency, the Special Rapporteur means a situation arising out of armed conflict or natural disaster.

The Special Rapporteur opens the discussion with a brief introduction to education in emergencies
and an assessment of the consequences of emergencies and the effect of recent trends on the place of
education in emergencies. He then gives an overview of the legal and political framework that in part
determines the international community’s response to emergencies and attempts to clarify the responsibilities
of those involved. He goes on to outline the priorities of “actor” agencies and donors who in one way or another
are involved in realizing the right to education in emergencies, and tries to identify the main education providers;
subsequent sections deal with the affected populations and the curriculum.

The Special Rapporteur then summarizes the answers to a questionnaire sent to governments and civil society
organizations, which were used in the preparation of the report.

Lastly, the Special Rapporteur makes a number of general recommendations and recommendations to States,
donors, intergovernmental organizations and civil society organizations.

* The present report is submitted late in order to incorporate the most recent information.

We are glad to announce that on Monday April 21 the Virtual Seminar organized by ICAE, as part of the preparatory process towards CONFINTEA VI, will open.

Up to this moment 632 participants from different regions have been subscribed, and this will definitely ensure the diversity of perspectives. We expect to have an active participation and to receive creative and innovative inputs that will enrich the exchange and contribute to come up with solid advocacy proposals for CONFINTEA VI.

Experienced gender official from Spain chosen to head UNIFEM

7 April 2008 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced today that Inés Alberdi of Spain has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

Statement from Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era

We are dismayed by the way in which the UN has made the appointment of a new Executive Director for UNIFEM. We feel that the selection process has been deeply flawed and its integrity violated.

How much does an office cost at the United Nations?

Roberto Bissio *

New York - Ines Alberdi has all the necessary requirements to have an excellent performance as director of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), a post for which she was appointed on Monday, April 7. The Madrid newspaper: El Pais described her as follows: "sister of the former minister of Social Affairs, Cristina Alberdi, and candidate of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) in the elections of the Community of Madrid in 2003, Inés Alberdi is professor of Sociology at the Complutense University and a recognized expert with international experience on issues related to women and family. She has been a consultant to several international agencies, including the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) dependent on United Nations ".

Latin American Regional Meeting on Education in Prison
Brasilia, 27 and 28 March, 2008
By Adelaida Entenza - ICAE

One of ICAE strategies in Programme III: "Capacity building and partnership consolidation" of its Strategic Plan,
is to facilitate the inter-relation with national members, and to increase their sense of ownership through a
membership desk that enables agile and friendly communications.
Along this line and with the aim of promoting and establishing stronger collaborative work between and amongst
organisations/networks, ICAE Executive Council has decided to send a survey to all ICAE members, as a reflective
and ‘forward-looking’ exercise.

As a global network, and in order to better provide a sustainable and active support to its members and achieve
the objective and expected results of its Strategic Plan, ICAE wants to give the opportunity to its members, to
present their views, suggestions and proposals for the improvement of ICAE work.

During the first days of April, our Secretariat will be sending out the survey to each of our members in the hope
that they take the time to fill it in and send it to secretariat@icae.org.uy before May 1st.

TAKE PART IN THE WORLD’S BIGGEST LESSON AND BE PART OF THE GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS!

The just ended Global Campaign for Education’s World Assembly in Sao Paulo, Brazil reiterated its commitment to the fight for quality education for all and to mobilise as many people as possible for this year’s Global Action Week.

CONFINTEA VI National Reports: date for submission extended by one month

http://www.unesco.org/uil/en/nesico/confintea/confinteanVInreports.htm

The National Reports on the Development and State of the Art of Adult Learning and Education in Preparation of CONFINTEA VI will help to draw an accurate picture of the complex realities of adult learning and education and identify key issues and messages to be drawn to the attention of the
International Conference.

"Women's Tribunal on Poverty"

The GCAP Feminist Task Force invites you to a "Women's Tribunal on Poverty" and the launch of the March 8th International Women’s Day Global Mobilization
Date: 28-February-2008
Time: 3:15 PM - 4:45 PM
Room: Church Center - Hardin Room (11th Fl.)
Parallel Event Details
Event ID: 740

Letter in support of the Regional Cooperative Center for Adult Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (CREFAL)

Important personalities of youth and adult education in Mexico are spreading a letter addressed to the Mexican authorities with a view to solving the critical situation this institution of wide experience and recognition for the defence of the right to education of young and adult people in all Latin America is currently living.

1.- Participation in the Global Campaign for Education's World Assembly
Sao Paulo, January 22 -24

Celita Eccher (ICAE General Secretary), participated on behalf of ICAE in the Global Campaign for Education's 3rd World Assembly. The theme for the Assembly was: 'Education at the Crossroads: Time for Action Now'. The work agenda included a global overview of the state of EFA midway to 2015, the new action strategies plan including the Global Action Week 2008 strategies that will seek to call the G-8 attention, as well as a presentation of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education (United Nations), Vernor Muñoz, on the situation of the right to education in the world, a report we hope to share with you soon.

Global Campaign for Education's 3rd World Assembly comes to a close.

Alex Kent
alex@campaignforeducation.org

Global Campaign for Education's 3rd World Assembly comes to a close.
Sao Paulo (22nd - 24th January)

The Global Campaign for Education's (GCE) Third World Assembly united
civil society and campaigners from 85 countries, and 31 international organisations, to reflect on the progress made by the campaign and to determine the campaigns future direction. GCE was set up in 1999 ahead of the Dakar World Education Forum, to ensure civil society input and pressure on all government commitments and progress towards Education for All. Mandated to campaign until the Education for All deadline in 2015, this World Assembly take place at the campaigns mid-way point.

It is people’s dignity, initiative and actions that hold the key to the future!

Another world free from starvation, discrimination and environmental degradation is possible. However, this vital goal is absolutely unattainable without the exercise by each and all citizens of their right to learn and increase their capacity for action throughout their lifetimes.

GCAP Invitation to members, partners and constituents to mark GCAP’s 3rd Anniversary by joining the World Social Forum Day of Action –“Another World free of Poverty and Inequality is Possible” on January 26, 2008

Conference Statement and Report on The Right to Education in the Context of Migration and Integration

More than two hundred participants from about fifty countries came together in Bonn from 15 to 16 November 2007 to inform
each other and search for ways to cooperate closer in the future in the complex and diverse field of migration and integration
through adult education.

Commission of Inquiry calls for Evidence on Adult Learning and Demographic Change

7- 8 December, 2007

Within the framework of the policy of education for all and lifelong learning, the Ministry of Education and Culture of Uruguay, the Non Formal Education Area of the Education Bureau has proposed the organization the “1st. Adult Learning Festival in Uruguay”.

Global Alliance for Development

On 25 October I represented ICAE and REPEM at the “Global Alliance for Development: Getting to the end of the way to meeting the Millennium Development Goals” event in Barcelona, invited by the ANUE, United Nations Association in Spain.

01/11/07

ICAE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

The next ICAE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING, will take place in Bonn, on November 17-18, 2007 within
the framework of the International Conference “Right To Education In The Context Of Migration” that
will be held on November 15-16, 2007.

Within the framework of ICAE 2008/2010 Strategic Plan and of its Programme 1: "The right to Education and Lifelong Learning
the new Global Agenda”, ICAE is organizing the “First Sub-Regional Meeting on Citizen’s Watch”.

Farewell message from ICAE President to IALLA III graduates

I will not repeat the difficult exercise of repeating by heart each of your names, but I will remember the way that each
and all of you, through this sharing of experiences, were so active building new analysis, new questions and new visions for action.

As participants of IALLA III, you have proved more than ever that the real hope for the future lies in this gradual but solid bottom up movement of building competent and active networks.

IALLA III 2007 - September 24 to October 12, 2007

With the advent of spring, 33 participants from all around the world, are starting to arrive in Uruguay where
they will be attending the ICAE Academy of Lifelong Learning Advocacy which is a 3-week international training course.
This is the third edition of the course and the first time taking place in Latin America as the two previous editions were held in Norway...

International Adult Learners’ Week 2007: Reviewing a Global Advocacy Network on the Way Towards CONFINTEA VI

The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education in England and Wales (NIACE) and the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) are jointly
organising the 2007 International Adult Learners’ Week in Manchester, UK, from 20–22 September 2007, in partnership with
the UK Government’s Department for Education and Skills (DfES), the UK National
Commission for UNESCO and the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE).

INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS WOMEN'S FORUM ON THE OCCASION OF THE ADOPTION BY
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

IIWF welcomes the adoption by the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the United Nations General Assembly,
on September 13, 2007.

The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples will serve as a comprehensive international human rights instrument
for Indigenous women, men and youth around the world. The Declaration specifies consultations, cooperation,
or partnership between Indigenous Peoples and States, which would allow Indigenous women to strengthen their
advocacy in local, national and international arenas...

ICAE invites to support and suscribe

ICAE invites to support and subscribe this statement and send it to UBUNTU, to the following address: josep.xercavins@ubuntu.upc.edu

On the occasion of the opening of the Sixty-second Annual General Assembly of the United Nations:
“LET US MAKE THE UNITED NATIONS THE CENTRAL INSTRUMENT IN DEMOCRATIC WORLD GOVERNANCE”

International Womens´ Tribunal on Poverty

Ana Agostino, Feminist Task Force coordinator

On October 17 the GCAP Feminist Task Force will highlight the feminization of poverty at four major International
Womens´ Tribunals on Poverty (IWTP). With 70% of the worlds´ poor being women, the Tribunals will serve to inform and present testimony on the conditions of women worldwide. The Tribunals will serve to pressure governments and collect testimony to present to officials on the worsening conditions of women...

On September 8^th celebrations of another International Literacy Day will take place around the world. This year there may be some real cause for celebration. After decades of being disregarded and under-funded, adult literacy is climbing up the agenda. Although most governments still spend less than 1% of their education budget on adult literacy there is growing momentum behind the demand for at least 3%...

Press Release
Global Campaign for Education
6^th September 2007

Today more than 800 million adults are ill equipped to work their way out of poverty and ill health. Missing out on education, has meant more than missing out on the ability to read this article. Without an education 1 in 5 people, are without the knowledge, empowerment and skills to better their lives, to escape poverty, to protect their children from illness and participate fully in shaping the society in which they live...

Every year the Global Campaign for Education organizes a Global Action Week that takes place simultaneously all over the world...

Fourth Meeting of UNESCO’s Collective Consultation of NGOs on Education for All (CCNGO/EFA) held in Dakar, Senegal, from 3 to 5 September 2007.

Babacar Diop Buuba, Vice-President of ICAE, will be representing the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) in this meeting and has been invited by UNESCO to take the lead in the following workshop:

3. Learning & Life Skills for Young People and Adults- ICAE
Ensuring that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life skills programmes

This workshop will be held on: Tuesday 4 september, from 2 to 4 pm

For further information:
http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=54139&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

This is the 4^th in the series of Vice Chancellor’s Julius Nyerere Annual Lectures on Lifelong Learning

“Building a convivial society: Insights from Nyerere and Freire"

ICAE new co-chair of the Global Call for Action Against Poverty - GCAP
Last week the International Facilitation Team (IFT) of the GCAP-Global Call for Action Against Poverty endorsed the selection of the new two co-chairs of the Coalition.
ICAE, represented by Ana Agostino, was proposed by the FTF to take on this responsibility and was confirmed by the IFT...

New ICAE Members 2007
We would like to welcome these 10 organizations, from different regions of the world, that have been accepted as ICAE members during 2007. We hope these new affiliations further strengthen and extend our network worldwide and contribute to the promotion of adult education and lifelong learning, as fundamental tools to fight poverty, inequality, discrimination and exclusion...

International Conference “The Right to Education in the Context of Migration and Integration“

15/16.11.2007 in Bonn
Germany

Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband e.V. (DVV), International Council for Adult Education (ICAE), European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA), The European Language Certificates (telc GmbH), Deutsche Welle (DW)

"CONFINTEA VI is just around the corner." This was the mood within the Consultative Group that met at the International People's College in Elsinore, Denmark, in March 2007. This was a historic setting be-cause the first UNESCO International Conference on Adult Education was held at this residential adult education centre in 1949. Another conference has been held every twelve years since then, in Montreal, Tokyo, Paris and, most recently, Hamburg in 1997 (www.unesco.org/education/uie/confintea) .

For further information see: VOICES RISING Nº231

Letter to Education International: Barometer of Human and Trade Union Rights in Education?

Rosa Maria Torres
fronesis2015@gmail.com

First of all we would like to congratulate EI for the initiative and the efforts undertaken in the organisation of this Barometer, launched during the recent World Conference of Education International held in Berlin from 22 to 26 July.

“Ensuring Lifelong Skills for ALL” under the spirit of “Partners, Pathways and Pedagogies”.

Call for papers and participation

Dates: 26-28 November 2007
Venue: Faculty of Education, National University of Malaysia

International Conference / The right to education in the context of migration and integration

15-16/11/07, Bonn

Language as a key to integration and participation. Promoting inclusion and participation through adult education and international co-operation.
Partners for this conference include The European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA) and The International Council for Adult Education (ICAE)

Quality Education to End Exclusion
The Action Week dates are set for 21st – 29th April 2008.

The Zanzibar Arts and Music Council (BASAZA) recently held a festival at the famous Ngome Kongwe amphitheatre to mark the life of a legend of Taarab music Sitti binti Saad whose melodious voice and sonnets revolutionized Taarab and public speech.

13/07/07

IALLA III – 2007
On July 6 we closed the application period of the ICAE Academy of Lifelong Learning Advocacy III (IALLA III) 2007. The call was a great success, 90 persons from all regions of the world applied to our training course. At this moment the Selection Committee is working on the revision of applications so by the end of July we expect to have the shortlist of the new generation of IALLA III students

Last week’s spectacular collapse of the WTO G4 Ministers’ meeting in Potsdam heralded a new crisis in the Doha world trade talks. Behind the failure was a deep difference of views and paradigms on what “development” means and what developed and developing countries have to do in this Round.

THE World Trade Organisation suffered another blow last week to its Doha Round when the Ministerial meeting of the Group of 4 – the United States, European Union, India and Brazil – collapsed on Day 3 of what was to have been a six-day marathon of talks.

It was not only one more failure in the troubled history of this Round, but probably a fatal one. It now seems impossible that the “modalities” (key frameworks and figures) for agriculture and industrial products will be completed by the end of July, since four of the key players are unable to agree.

The G4 chose Potsdam as the venue of their talks. This is a small German town famous for hosting the meeting of the Allied victors to plan the post-Second World War world order, after the surrender of Germany.

Perhaps they thought the new Potsdam meeting would signal the start of a new WTO order. But it was not to be. Potsdam may instead come to symbolise the unravelling of the Doha Round, unless some miracle happens in the next few weeks.

First, the configuration in relations between the four changed. The US and EU agreed among themselves on agriculture, and united to press the two developing countries very hard to very steeply cut their industrial tariffs.

Before, the EU had been pushing the US to reduce its agricultural subsidies, while the US pushed the EU to cut its agricultural tariffs by more.

At Potsdam the US offered US$17bil (RM58bil) as the cap for its overall trade-distorting subsidies or OTDS (which is above the US$15bil (RM51bil) the EU had asked for and the US$12bil (RM41bil) demanded by the G20 developing countries).

The EU offered an average tariff cut of 50% in farm tariffs (below the 54% demanded by the G20 and far below the 60% demanded by the US).

The EU and US were agreeable to each other’s “lowering of ambition,” or to “forgive each other’s sins.” And then they combined to be tough on India and Brazil on industrial tariffs and on India to open the agricultural markets of developing countries.

It was a repeat of the past. At critical moments in trade talks (such as in the Uruguay Round and before the WTO’s 2003 Cancun Ministerial meeting) the US and EU would get together, forgive each other’s sins, and then together go after the developing countries.

Second, it became clear that with the US-EU rapprochement, the developing countries were going to benefit very little or nothing.

The heart of the Doha programme was supposed to be to do away with (or at least substantially reduce) the developed countries’ agricultural subsidies.

At Potsdam the US offered to cut its allowed level of OTDS to US$17bil. This was found to be too low by Brazil and India. Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath told the media that the US applied OTDS was only US$10.8bil (RM36.7bil) in 2006.

He remarked: “And the offer is US$17billion, which is more than 50% of the current applied level. There is no equity, there is no logic in this. We can’t correct the flaws.”

Third, the US and EU are now wrongly portraying the G4 collapse as the fault of two inflexible developing countries that were not willing to give anything in return for their own generous offers.

But the EU and US offers are anything but generous. They had already claimed to have liberalised agriculture in the Uruguay Round, but this was bluff because the many loopholes in the WTO’s agriculture rules have allowed their domestic subsidies not only to continue but also increase.

One loophole is that they can continue to use so-called non-distorting subsidies without limit in a “Green Box.” But many of these are now found to be trade-distorting after all.

“In effect, the EU and US are offering nothing, and for their offer of zero they are trying to extract blood from the developing countries in cutting their industrial and agricultural tariffs and also in services,” said Chakravarthi Raghavan, a long-time analyst of WTO developments.

At Potsdam, the EU and US insisted on a formula that would cut industrial tariffs of developing countries by 60% or more on average. But the EU was only prepared to cut its own industrial tariffs by about 30%, and its agricultural tariffs by an average 50%.

The two developing countries were outraged by this demand, on top of the little or nothing that the two developed countries had offered to do on agricultural subsidies.

Fourth, the four parties were operating under two contrasting paradigms. The US officials insisted on “new trade flows” as the main aim. By this they meant that the developing countries have to cut their bound duties so deeply that they go significantly below their present applied or actual rates.

What the US and EU want is expanded market access to developing countries for their firms in agriculture, industry and services.

But this cannot be equated with development or the Development Round. The developing countries are instead worried that deep tariff cuts would threaten the survival of local industries and farmers that cannot compete with cheaper imports. That would be anti-development and not development and would defeat the purpose of the “Development Round.”

Nath said that a Development Round implies new trade flows for developing countries into markets of developed countries, and not the other way round.

“Development content clearly specifies who are the givers and takers in this Development Round. Now (with the demands of the rich countries), the givers become the takers and the takers have become the givers.”

All the above leads to the conclusion that the developed countries were never interested in development or the interests of the developing countries when they launched the Doha Work Programme in 2001.

They had to call it a Development Round to entice the developing countries to join. Now the developing countries are calling their bluff, asking that the talks really have a development content.

And, in answer, the US and EU are saying that they want “new trade flows” from developing countries in order for their offers in agriculture to stand.

The US Trade Representative Susan Schwab had to resort to saying that “new trade flows” (read significant cuts to applied rates by developing countries) is what lifts poor countries out of poverty.

But the poor countries think otherwise, which is why the majority are fighting to limit the degree of liberalisation they have to undertake.

29/06/07

ICAE Virtual Seminar / CONFINTEA_BENCHMARKS
July 2 - 6, 2007
We shall start the preparatory process towards CONFINTEA VI, with an ICAE Virtual Seminar on Adult Education Benchmarks, that will take place from
July 2 to 6.

FROM SIMPLE CURIOSITY TO A LEARNING EXPERIENCE
By nature, nobody likes to write. But when you have something to share with your peers, writing becomes very pleasant.
And even more when you have experiences, whether positive or negative, to share with your friends, colleagues, etc.

Educators Giovanni Pampanini and Melita Cristaldi visit ICAE
(June 12 - 13, 2007)
On occasion of the recent visit to our offices of italian educators Giovanni Pampanini and Melita Cristaldi,
we are sharing with you a brief summary of the activities developed during their stay in Montevideo.

REFUGEES NEED TAILORED ROUTES TO EMPLOYMENT
For refugees to play a more significant role in the UK labour market and increase their chances of integrating more fully
into the country, systems are needed to recognise their prior learning, skills, experience and qualifications. Refugees should
also have the opportunity to learn occupationally-specific ESOL and employers need access to improved information that will
demonstrate the benefits of employing refugee workers. These are interim findings from Progress GB to be presented at the
Routes to appropriate employment briefing at the Welfare to Work conference being held in Birmingham today
(Thursday 21^st June 2007).

On 18 and 19 June there will be a preparatory meeting for the Latin American and the Caribbean Regional Conference in support of Global Literacy. It will take place in Santiago, Chile. We have received the information that this meeting is not part of the preparatory process towards CONFINTEA VI. There will be another meeting for that purpose as part of the regional process. Voices Rising will inform when and where that meeting will take place.

IALLA III 2007

Reminder
Only 2 weeks left to apply for ICAE Academy of Lifelong Learning Advocacy (deadline: June 30, 2007).
Please note that there are scholarships for applicants from the south.

04/06/07

G8 Update from Rostock Germany

Dear All,

After yesterday's rally in Rostock at which GCAP campaigners took to the streets to call for and end to poverty, GCAP campaigners were today given a
great opportunity in Berlin when they were given a space to present their Voices Petition to Chancellor Merkel after she met Tony Blair in an
unscheduled bilateral.

See this link for Getty news agency images of the meeting between GCAP Germany campaigners & Merkel and Blair.
http://editorial.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?EventId=74366674

These are paid photos which newspapers can purchase and download. We have been promised our own free photo will come shortly so for now this is just a
flavour. Anything you can do to help it get pick up would be appreciated.
The release is also attached and pasted below,

June 3rd, 2007

REF: Angela Merkel Meets Tony Blair

MILLION-STRONG MANDATE FROM THE PEOPLE TO THE G8.
"One million voices, one message, stop poverty now! Eight leaders must act."

In Berlin today, German Chancellor, Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, voiced their commitment to taking action when they
were presented with a million strong mandate from the people to the G8 leaders. The petition, collected by The Global Call to Action Against
Poverty (GCAP), calls on the leaders to act urgently on the G8 commitments made at the Gleneagles G8 Summit in 2005 when they meet in Heiligendamm this
week.

Expressed in the form of two speech bubbles representing the people's voices, Dr. Claudia Warning and Dr. Ulla Mikota, of the German development
NGO coalition VENRO – a GCAP member - highlighted the core message: One million voices, one message, stop poverty now! Eight leaders must act.

Two years on from the G8 meeting in Gleneagles, 50,000 people die every day from lack of access to basic healthcare, 6,000 alone in Africa from HIV and
AIDS. Despite recent welcome announcements on aid and funding for HIV/AIDS, the G8 is consistently falling short on delivering its promises. German
people have been mobilising along with millions in the North and South urging the G8 not to ignore their demands.

"Time is running out for the poor. Urgent decisions to fill the current gap between the commitments and reality need to be taken next week in
Heiligendamm. We thank Ms. Merkel and Mr. Blair for taking this mandate to next week's summit. The people's call to the G8 leaders is straightforward:
End poverty now." said Dr. Claudia Warning, VENRO chairperson who had helped coordinate the online petition as she handed it to the leaders.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to bring this message to the meeting.

Deine Stimme Gegen Armut, alongside The Global Call to Action Against Poverty, will be keeping pressure on the G8 throughout the week culminating
in a concert in Rostock on July 7th where over 65,000 people are expected to hear the petition's final tally when GCAP chair Kumi Naidoo takes the stage
at 7pm.

ENDS/
For more information on GCAP and G8 actions, go to www.whiteband.org
and www.deine-stimme-gegen-armut.de

GCAP contacts duing the G8:

Ciara O'Sullivan, GCAP Media Coordinator, + 49 (0)151 53655193,
ciara-os@hotmail.com

Aktionsteam "Deine Stimme gegen Armut", Stefan Kreutzberger, +49 (0)
27582501, +49 (0)170 9037410, s.kreutzberger@venro.org

Kel Currah, GCAP's G8 Working Group, + 49 (0)151 536 55 191,
kel_currah@wvi.org

Regards

Irfan Mufti
GCAP Campaign Manager

Together you represent the world’s economic powerhouses. We write to ask that when you meet in Potsdam Germany this May, you also strive to represent the millions of people whose lives are blighted by extreme poverty.
VOICES RISING Nº222

On Wednesday 23 May / 2007, in Copenhagen, Denmark, there was a joint meeting of the Nordic development aid and cooperation agencies, the Nordic umbrellas for adult learning and ICAE.

Early in the year, in January, the Nordic umbrellas had met in Tallinn to discuss the work of adult education in relation to international solidarity and sustainable development. As a result of that meeting they issued a statement in which they highlighted the fact that the struggle against poverty and the threats to the global environment are among the most serious issues faced by humanity today. They analysed the challenges that this situation poses to AE and to the Nordic organisations in particular as well as the role that ICAE, as a global AE network, can play. In that statement they also called for a meeting to take place in Spring 2007 with the participation of the Nordic aid agencies, the AE organisations from the region and ICAE to debate around education and learning as strategic tools for development.
More VOICES RISING Nº221

Stand Up and Take Action 2008

The Adult Learners' Festival

AONTAS Launches STAR Awards for 2009

Right to education in emergency situations

Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic,
social and cultural rights, including the right to development

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, Vernor Muñoz*

Adult Learners' Week - a festival that could change your life

Experienced gender official from Spain chosen to head UNIFEM

GCAP Invitation to members, partners and constituents to mark GCAP’s 3rd Anniversary by joining the World Social Forum Day of Action –“Another World free of Poverty and Inequality is Possible” on January 26, 2008

Global Alliance for Development

“Building a convivial society: Insights from Nyerere and Freire"

International Conference / The right to education in the context of migration and integration

15-16/11/07, Bonn

Stand Up and Take Action 2008

The Adult Learners' Festival

AONTAS Launches STAR Awards for 2009

Right to education in emergency situations Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, Vernor Muñoz*

Adult Learners' Week - a festival that could change your life

Experienced gender official from Spain chosen to head UNIFEM

GCAP Invitation to members, partners and constituents to mark GCAP’s 3rd Anniversary by joining the World Social Forum Day of Action –“Another World free of Poverty and Inequality is Possible” on January 26, 2008

Global Alliance for Development

“Building a convivial society: Insights from Nyerere and Freire"

International Conference / The right to education in the context of migration and integration 15-16/11/07, Bonn

Right to education in emergency situations

Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic,
social and cultural rights, including the right to development

International Conference / The right to education in the context of migration and integration

15-16/11/07, Bonn