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VOICES RISING 64, 69, 72, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 109
VOICES RISING
CONTENT
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The
Festival Programme will consist of:
All ASPBAE
member and friends are invited to participate in this Festival of Learning.
1.
Participants can avail of the conference package of US$400 per person to
cover meals and accommodations for seven nights, airport transfers, the
exposure visit, participation in the historical tour, shared-space in the
exhibit area and basic workshop material.
Yogyakarta
is accessible by air through Jakarta and Bali Denpasar. There are several
daily flights through these routes. Direct flights to Yogyakarta may be also
be organised through Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Please check with your
travel agent on the cheapest and most economical route to and from your
respective cities. Cette rencontre est en fait une initiative de la campagne mondiale sur les OMD, de CIVICUS et OXFAM. L’objectif était surtout de préparer un plan d’action vigoureux pour 2005 autour des OMD. Le programme sur deux jours (le 20 et 21 septembre) a permis : 1. Aux différent participants de se présenter et de constater que les différentes parties du monde étaient déjà représentées (séance de la soirée du 19 Septembre) ; 2. de faire le point sur les initiatives autour des OMD aux niveaux international et régional (Afrique, Proche-Orient, Asie, Amérique Latine, Amérique du Nord, Europe) ; 3. de noter des considérations particulières, liées aux luttes contre les discriminations (les Dalits de l’Inde) et à la bonne gouvernance politique (Zimbabwe) ; d’autres sensibilités bien expérimentées ont influé sur les travaux (groupe sur l’éducation, sur le commerce équitable) ; 4. de proposer des initiatives d’action communes déjà en Décembre 2004 (la période du 1er au 10 Décembre, journée des Droits Humains) ; 5. de cerner les enjeux de 2005 (la rencontre du G8 en GB (Grande Bretagne), le sommet des NU (Nations-Unies), la rencontre de l’OMC (Organisation Modiale du Commerce) etc ; 6. de proposer un plan d’action qui intègre les préoccupations nationales, sous-régioanles, régionales et internationales ; 7. d’avancer dans la structuration du comité de facilitation. Il faut noter que les différentes parties du monde sont représentées et l’Afrique a pu faire passer ses préoccupations en termes de contenu et de représentation afin que les différentes sous-régions soient représentées et que les équilibres linguistiques et de genre soient tenus en compte.
QUE FAIRE APRES CETTE RENCONTRE ?
Sigles : CONGAD : Conseil des ONG d’Appui au Développement Sénégal OMD : Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement
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VOICES RISING ********************************* 1.- FOLLOW UP TO THE WORLD CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM We are very happy to inform you that some countries are following the recommendations emerged from the World Conference Against Racism, most surely because civil society is following up very closely the resulting agreements and because, obviously, there is a political will to do it. In Porto Alegre, province of Rio Grande do Sur, Brazil, ACMUN, a NGO of African descendant women, organized a Writing Award about the local government’s decision of establishing a 12% quota for African descendant people in the municipality’s public competitions for employment. This competition received 14 top-level presentations. We translated only the presentations that won the first and second prizes. It is important to say that these writings were done by persons who know the real meaning of the term discrimination, and who struggle for a life with true social inclusion. First Prize Quotas: the Path to Equality By Jocelaine Machado* On September 2003 the Municipality of Porto Alegre approved the bill that establishes a 12% quota for black people in all its public competitions, at all levels. The approval was unanimous.
This victory brought the people
from the province of Rio Grande do Sul (and particularly from the city of
Porto Alegre) closer to the beginning of the materialization of an issue
that, until that moment, was only, in the practice, at media level. The
quotas in the University of Rio de Janeiro are a good example. Affirmative action policies should be promoted by the State as a way to enforce equality, because, contrary to the thought of those who believe in a Brazilian racial democracy, it is necessary to bring them about. The lack of opportunities and the subsequent economic difficulties (related to racial issues) offer black people no access possibilities. What we see in most cases is the following vicious circle: “I was born black, poor, I don’t get a satisfactory life standard, I have black, poor children that do not get a satisfactory life standard, who in turn have black poor children that do not get a satisfactory life standard…” And this has been so for long. There are few who manage to break with this almost “natural” circle. Quotas are a way to facilitate the following circle: “I was born black, poor, I have hindrances to overcome, but I apply for a public competition, I go to university, I have black children to whom I manage to give a better education, who in turn also apply for public competition, and who have black children WHO DO NOT NEED QUOTAS”.
Quotas are not favors, they are
part of the payment of a debt that Brazilian society owes to black persons,
and these persons need to feel worthy of them. *Author’s Profile: Jocelaine Machado is African descendant, she is 29 years old and works as an analyst of Human Resources. She studies Psychology and she is a black people activist in cultural actions and in the movement of persons with disabilities. Second Prize Quotas: in search of lost dignity By Paulo Luiz Rodrigues*
In Brazil, the starting point
was slavery, where through slaves' strength and sweat, the Colony and the
Empire became wealthy, but that wealth was not used for the benefit of
slaves, who remained illiterate, undermined in cultural and religious
values, and suffering violent loss of mental and physical liberty. And
things turned even worse when the Empire decided to promote a false
abolition, on the grounds that by throwing them out of farms they would
become full citizens: the Empire was not concerned about how to provide
them with work, housing, food and education. Author’s Profile: Paulo Luiz Rodrigues is African descendant, he is 47 years old, and a Mechanical Engineering graduate. He is a black people activist and vice-president of “GT Black People: History, Culture and Society” and member of the Ecumenical Center of Black Culture. ******************************************** 2.- Lack of Education for Girls: A Global Emergency
AVIVA UNICEF's new report 'The State of the World's Children, says: 65 million girls receive no schooling is a serious global emergency holding up economic development and leaving the girls themselves open to exploitation and a life of poverty. While countries that signed the UN Millennium Declaration pledged to achieve universal primary education by 2015, a target that already is slipping out of sight in some regions, the UNICEF report stresses the need for "gender parity." It says that regions that have invested in girls' education, such as South-East Asia, experience faster rates of development. Educating girls has a multiplier effect because they in turn send their children to school, because the girls learn to defend themselves against HIV/AIDS and because they are less likely to be forced into prostitution. Girls' education also paid off in better family health. "To educate a girl is to educate a whole family," UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said in a foreword to the report. "And what is true of families is also true of communities and, ultimately, whole countries. Study after study has taught us that there is no tool for development more effective than the education of girls." UNICEF urged government leaders to include girls' education as an essential component of development efforts, and create a national ethos "so that communities are as scandalized and concerned about girls kept out of school as they are about boys and girls more visibly exploited at work." No matter how poor a country, it said, "all primary school fees and charges must be immediately abolished." UNICEF added that industrialized countries should direct 10% of official aid to basic education, with programs that benefit girls as their special priority. It is also important, it said, to train teachers to be aware of the importance of gender parity, rather than favoring boys and leaving girls "to sweep the floors or clean the toilets." It urged the adoption of "child-friendly" schools where children feel safe, where their self-esteem is respected and which are healthy with adequate sanitation and separate toilets for girls. The fact that an estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked into forced labor, slavery and prostitution every year was "proof of the world's systematic failure to protect its youngest citizens," UNICEF said. "Human rights principles have not been integrated into economic development programs, and the ultimate objective of development -- human well-being instead of economic performance has thus been lost," UNICEF said. Source: PlanetWire, 11/12/03 ************************************** 3.- Accommodation in Mumbai, India
Boletim FSM You can make a reservation at Mumbai hotels through our online booking service. To do so, select the link: http://www.wsfindia.org/sitamice/, choose the hotel region and category, and then, fill in the form. The service provider will answer your request within six days. In order to confirm the reservation, you must arrange an online deposit (corresponding to a daily rate), by credit card or bank transfer. In the latter case, you have to indicate the organization’s name and the aim of the payment (in this case it is “accommodation”). We do not accept checks. See here the payment modes:
Bank Transfer with Swift code
(foreign currencies)
The closing date for
reservation is December 20. You can also make reservation for single
rooms now. For more information, write to
accommodation@wsfindia.org.
Group I – US$ 50.00 – OECD
countries: Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Korea, Denmark,
Spain, United States, Finland, France, Greece, Netherlands, Ireland,
Iceland, Italy, Japan, Luxemburg, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, United
Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland. ……………………………………………………….
Registration deadline for
organisations and individuals has been extended to December 25, 2003 ************************************ 4.- WEDO Announcement: Global Advocacy Internship available for Young Women activists from Africa and Asia
WEDO is an international
advocacy organization that seeks to increase the power of women worldwide as
decision-makers at all levels to achieve economic and social justice, a
healthy and peaceful planet, and human rights for all. Following the decade
of UN development conferences information about WEDO, please see www.wedo.org ************************************* 5.-Training on Making Governance Gender Responsive CAPWIP Institute for Gender, Governance & Leadership (CIGGL) 18 December 2003 Dear Friends,
The Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP),
in cooperation with the Asia Pacific Gender Equality Network (UNDP-APGEN)
and the PARAGON Regional Governance Programme for Asia (UNDP-PARAGON),
produced a generic training course manual called “MAKING GOVERNANCE
GENDER-RESPONSIVE”. The course is designed for middle and senior level
government executives, women and men in local governments, political
parties, research & training institutes and civil society organziations who
are leading or participating in governance reform initiatives in their
respective countries. It aims to propel them to formulate specific action
agenda towards a gender-responsive governance. Specifically, it intends to
help participants to:
In general the “MAKING GOVERNANCE GENDER-RESPONSIVE” aims to increase the understanding and appreciation of the process of making governance gender responsive. It also aims to ensure their synergistic and successful implementation of the customized MGGR-ABC in their respective countries. The course is composed of three modules that aim to enhance participants’ understanding of the link between gender and governance as well as increase their awareness of gender biases in governance. We hope that you will be able send representatives from your organizations, country, regions as participants to "MAKING GOVERNANCE GENDER-RESPONSIVE”. CAPWIP is shouldering the expenses for the trainers; the participants are expected to pay for their own airfares and for the board and lodging. We hope that you will be able to find your own sponsors to cover the above expenses. The deadline for sending in your applications is on January 23, 2004 for the February 2004 training, May 20, 2004 for the June 2004 training and September 21, 2004 for the October 2004 training. We are sending you the information materials and registration forms regarding the MGGR:ABC as an attachment to this invitation. Let us join hands in promoting a gender responsive governance through transformative leadership and Citizenship in the Asia Pacific region. We look forward to your participation. Sincerely yours,
************************************ (New York Office) Human Rights Watch, the international monitoring and advocacy organization, seeks a director to create a new Human Rights Watch project documenting human rights abuses based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This project will build on several years of reporting and advocacy on these issues in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, and the United States. The director will be the organization's chief strategist, advisor and spokesperson in relation to its work on all issues related to persecution of and discrimination against sexual minorities. He or she also will be a key member of the organization's central management. Description: The director will be responsible for the planning and execution of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Project's research and advocacy and the setting of program priorities. He or she will be responsible for overseeing the collection of detailed information on human rights practices in different regions, the publication of reliable, comprehensive, insightful and timely reports on those practices, and the use of those reports and other advocacy material to generate international pressure to curb human rights violations. He or she will take part in research and writing, provide final editing of reports and other written interventions, and coordinate campaigns with allied organizations and local NGOs. He or she will represent the organization frequently before the international press and broadcast media and meet with government and other high-level officials both in different regions and elsewhere, including at the United Nations and other international and regional fora. The director also will assist with fundraising by helping to identify and recruit donors and draft funding proposals. There is a strong preference that the director be based in HRW's New York headquarters. Qualifications:
The successful applicant should
have a thorough knowledge of human rights issues and public and
international affairs, professional experience working on human rights or
humanitarian issues, and substantial experience in and knowledge of the
human rights issues surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity. He
or she must have the ability to pursue an impartial human rights agenda in
complex political
contexts, an understanding of the regional challenges to human rights, and a
strong commitment to promote human rights. He or she must have the
demonstrated ability to work with a team of talented professionals in
several offices, to think creatively and strategically, Salary and Benefits:
Human Rights Watch seeks
exceptional candidates and offers competitive compensation and generous
employer-paid benefits. HRW will pay reasonable relocation expenses and will
assist employees in obtaining necessary U.S. work authorization; non-US
citizens are encouraged to PLEASE APPLY BY JANUARY 2, 2004 by sending a letter of interest, resume, list of references, and two original writing samples (unedited by others) to:
Search
Committee (LGBT Director) *********************************** 7.- !!!AMENDMENT!!! NEW DATES OF SYMPOSIUM: March 3 & 4, 2004 CALL FOR PAPER WHITHER GAD? RE-EXAMINING GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT
Since the 1970s, it has been
recognized that women's contribution to economic and social processes is
central to international development. Given this concerted effort over the past 25 years, it is time to analyse and evaluate the extent to which women's concerns really have become part of the international development agenda and to judge whether that agenda has changed as women have been better integrated. This symposium, which will be held at the University of Ottawa on March 3-4, 2004 will address this question. Invited speakers will include representatives of donor agencies and NGOs and development scholars and researchers. Faculty members and graduate students are invited to submit abstracts for papers addressing gender and development issues in any one of the following areas: health, education, communications (including information, communications technologies), science and technology policy, natural resource management and law. Papers should be suitable for presentation during a 15 minute time slot and should include some consideration as to the success or failure of the "gender and development" approach. Abstracts, which must be received by January 15, 2004, should be sent to the Joint Chair in Women's Studies, c/o Helene Boudreault, University of Ottawa, 143 Seraphin-Marion, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, or by fax (613) 562-5994, or by email at hboudre@uottawa.ca ************************************************ 8.- CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: INTERNATIONAL LEGAL STUDIES LL.M. WITH A SPECIALIZATION IN GENDER AND THE LAW
Women & International Law
Program ABOUT THE GENDER AND THE LAW LL.M. SPECIALIZATION: Founded by two women in 1896 to make legal education available to women, the Washington College of Law has a tradition of promoting women's full and equal participation in society. WCL established the LL.M. Specialization in Gender and the Law as part of its International Legal Studies Program in 1997. The flexibility of the Gender and the Law specialization enables students to shape a program within our International Legal Studies curriculum that fits their goals and interests. Students can pursue a course of study incorporating international, comparative, and domestic approaches to legal issues related to gender. Courses include comparative family law; sex-based discrimination; gender, cultural difference and international human rights; battered women and the law; and economic, social and cultural rights, among others. Many of our standard courses also incorporate perspectives based on gender and race. Our location in Washington, D.C. affords students the opportunity to intern for prominent non-governmental and advocacy organizations devoted to women's rights. Students can also pursue independent study and writing under faculty supervision. In addition, the program organizes conferences and events where students meet officials, policy-makers and advocates shaping the development of the women's rights agenda in different communities. Gender and the Law LL.M. students have gone on to work at the World Bank, in national women's ministries in their home countries, and for international women's rights programs around the world. Their work has been recognized and highlighted by scholarly organizations such as the Law and Society Association, as well as by the media. ABOUT WCL AND THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL STUDIES PROGRAM:
WCL's International Legal
Studies Program attracts lawyers from around the world, currently enrolling
180 students from 68 countries. TO APPLY: For an application and additional information about the International Legal Studies LL.M. and the Gender and the Law specialization, please contact the ILSP Admissions Coordinator at llminfo@wcl.american.edu. The application is also available online at the ILSP website below. The application deadline for the 2004 fall semester is May 1, 2004.
Email:
llminfo@wcl.american.edu **************************************************
9.- CALL FOR
NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2004-2005 KING BAUDOUIN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PRIZE Since 1980, the King Baudouin International Development Prize has awarded 150,000 euros biennially to an individual or organization for sustainable achievements in improving the lives of people in the developing world. However, the granting of the prize goes beyond the financial support which it represents. The Prize is also and, above all, designed to raise awareness among "decision makers" and the general public of an issue which merits their attention. The selection, entrusted to an independent jury, emphasizes the multiplier effect of the initiatives, and the opportunities they give to the people they serve to take control of their own development. Previous prize winners cover a broad spectrum of fields, including micro-credit, HIV/AIDS, land reform, human rights, and the certification of fair trade products. Nominations must be received by February 1st, 2004. For more information on how to submit a candidate's file, please visit ww.kbprize.org. You may also send us an e-mail at info@kbprize.org, or call +32.2.549.0273. Applications submitted by individuals seeking the Prize for themselves or for an organization in which they are active will not be taken into account. Thank you in advance for your kind assistance. Yours sincerely,
Luc Tayart de Borms
Dr. Peter Piot 10.- PhD fellowship Ingrid
Goedhart The Centre for the Study of Culture and Society (CSCS) offers a fellowship awarded by SEPHIS to a student from any country in the South to spend one academic year in Bangalore, India, beginning July 2004. The main purpose of the fellowship programme is to help develop alternative frameworks for research and teaching as well as new theoretical paradigms that take into account the specific experiences of non-Western societies. The student can either register with CSCS for the Ph.D. in Cultural Studies (validated by the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, MAHE, a deemed Indian university, and also by Kuvempu University, a Karnataka State institution) or register in his/her own country and do the CSCS coursework for two semesters. The Ph.D. programme's uniqueness lies in the following: - Core research area for the next five years: Culture and Democracy. - Focus on inter-disciplinarity. - Emphasis on the formulation of research problems and teaching programmes in relation to democracy and cultural issues that draw on conventional disciplines but cut across their boundaries. Eligibility: A Master's Degree in any discipline with 55% marks or its grade equivalent if the student is registering with CSCS for the Ph.D., OR proof of Ph.D. registration in any Southern university if the student is coming only for coursework. Benefits: A substantial stipend, international airfare, furnished housing in Bangalore, travel costs for three weeks within India for visits to different academic institutions, tuition and other fees will be provided for. Current CSCS faculty are drawn from the fields of literary studies, film and media studies, political theory, history, anthropology and art history, with a strong background in at least ten years of inter-disciplinary cultural studies. To apply for the CSCS-Sephis Fellowship: Applications should include a sample of writing such as a term paper, a current CV, two letters of recommendation, transcripts of last two degrees obtained, and proof of eligibility. Write to
Dr.Tejaswini Niranjana, Convenor, Ph.D. Committee, CSCS, 466, 9th Cross,
First Block, Jayanagar, Bangalore 560011, India. Deadline:
CONTENT …………………………………………………………………. 1.- GEO Workshop at the WSF
GEO will
hold a workshop at the World Social Forum that will take place in Mumbai,
India, January 16-24, 2003. ********************************************************* 2.- Celita Eccher’s message at the Opening Ceremony of CONFINTEA V+6 Review We wish to share with you the message of Celita Eccher, ICAE Secretary-General, at the Opening Ceremony of CONFINTEA V+6 Review, Bangkok, on September 8th 2003. Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a great pleasure for me to be here in the opening session of the Review of the Fifth International Conference on Adult Education of UNESCO V. I was asked to come here today to share with you some of the results and reflections that emerged from the workshop on gender and education, with a special focus on literacy. We, as part of the women’s movements have learnt that personal experiences are also political. Allow me therefore to start this dialogue with a personal reflection:
I think
that equity in gender relationships advances, slowly, but it advances
Quoting
Freud’s famous question: what do women really want? Well, we want many
things. We specially want learning for inclusion. As simple as that, but yet
so complex.
We want
literacy that allows us: ******************************************************* 3.- December issue of the Popular Education News You can access the December issue of the Popular Education News at www.popednews.org This month’s theme: Community Organizing, Part I For further information, contact Larry Olds at <lolds@popednews.org> *************************************************************** 4.- CSW in March 2004 in New York
NGO CSW NY Dear Friends,
it is now
time to register for the NGO participation at the upcomming CSW in March
2004 in New York. Yours sincerely,
Angelica
Far The NGO Committee on the Status of Women cordially invites you to the following events during the 48th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women The NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY was created in 1972 as a Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO.) Committees were later formed in Geneva and Vienna. These three Committees have worked together over the years to bring a positive presence to women’s issues globally for over 30 years. It is our goal to help NGO representatives link with those who are like-minded to bring the issues of women from around the world to the attention of decision-makers at the United Nations. We provide space for NGO meetings and side events, and facilitate training and the sharing of information through an annual consultation. We work closely with the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women to assist NGO representatives in giving voice to their concerns. Today, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY has compiled a global list of contacts and has a website – www.ngocongo.org/ngosubs/stwomny.htm – offering information to NGOs worldwide. The Committee is a voluntary organization, without paid staff, that covers expenses for its administration and programs through membership dues and donations. We invite you to join us and to contribute to our on-going programs with a donation. We are a charitable 50l(c)3 organization, which means that your contribution to these efforts is tax deductible to the extent provided by US law. Pre-Registration Instructions PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT CLEARLY ! Registration deadline: 20 February 2004. Advance registration is necessary for ALL. Please return Pre-Registration Form by fax, e-mail or post, even if your payment will follow.
1. You may
send a check with your registration form for full payment in $ U.S. drawn on
a U.S. bank, made payable to ‘NGO/C.S.W./N.Y.’, P.O. Box 3571, Grand Central
Station, New York, NY 10163, U.S.A. Since paying at the door is not permitted at this year’s venue, please pay at the Bahá'í International Community office at 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 120 (corner of First Ave. and 48th Street) in Manhattan, on Friday, 27 February from 9 AM – 5 PM, and Saturday, 28 February from 10 AM – 12 noon. If necessary, you may pay at the door or nearby but this will lead to delays in registration. If your organization is paying with one check for several participants: Enclosed is a check for U.S. $______drawn on a U.S. bank made payable to ‘NGO/C.S.W./N.Y.’ for____ person(s). We are enclosing registration forms for the persons covered by this payment. Send completed form(s) and check(s) to: ‘NGO/C.S.W., N.Y.,’ NGO Consultation, P.O. Box 3571, Grand Central Station, New York, N.Y., 10163, U.S.A.
Forms
without checks can be Faxed:
212-692-0724 or E-mailed:
NGO_CSW_NY@hotmail.com
Full Name
of Organization
(Registration will be sorted by organization)___________________
Volunteers
Combined
registration: Cost: TOTAL DUE:______$_________ [A limited number of scholarships are available. If interested, please apply by 16 January 2004.] ************************************
5.- World Citizen Legislative Initiative SPREAD THE CAMPAIGN ! Dear Sir/Madam, The decision to launch the "World Campaign for In-Depth Reform of the System of International Institutions" was initially taken at the second plenary meeting of UBUNTU World Forum of Civil Society Networks, which took place in April 2002. International events in recent months have led us to the conclusion that the campaign is more necessary than ever, and to the decision to go ahead with the campaign launch, having previously presented it at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg and the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre. Over the last year we have made contacts with a series of personalities and international organisations representative of civil society, and these have all contributed to the design and structure of a campaign that is finally launched worldwide today. You can find full information at the campaign website www.reformcampaign.net , but let me highlight a few points about this initiative. The "World Campaign for In-Depth Reform of the System of International Institutions" seeks to give a voice to all those that, individually and/or collectively, in response to the grave problems the world currently faces, claim our democratic right to take part in global decisions that affect our everyday lives. Together we aim to move towards a true system of global democratic governance that can help us to build a world of justice and equality, a diverse, sustainable, peaceful world. The only way to achieve this is if all those who share this goal with us make it their own, and if each of us, according to our possibilities, become official supporters, actors, spreaders of the campaign. The simplest way to take part is by signing the campaign manifesto. It is also possible, however ¾and herein lies the key to the campaign¾ to become an active campaign supporter, helping to obtain the signatures and support of many more people. It is with this aim in mind, therefore, that I am please to inform you of the campaign launch and, particularly, to invite you, on behalf of Federico Mayor and all the other individuals and organisations promoting the campaign, to give your full, active support to it. Best wishes, Josep Xercavins i Valls
Coordinator
of the UBUNTU Ad Hoc Secretariat and of the World Campaign ******************************************* 6.- Call for Nominations: “Women’s Safety Awards 2004” AWID Resource Net Announcements / Issue 190 Wednesday, December 3, 2003 For more information on categories, eligibility and selection criteria or to submit an application, please visit: www.femmesetvilles.org or email concours@femmesetvilles.org The Women's Safety Awards are designed to elicit and reward good practices and municipal policies relating to women's safety and the improvement of women's sense of safety. The focus of the Awards is institutional change at the municipal level, through showcasing 'good practices and policies' and disseminating information on 'what works'. Specifically, the Awards
objectives
are to:
Up to 10
Canadian and 10 international initiatives will be awarded. Winners will
participate in traveling seminars which will showcase good practices and
policies at conferences and meetings on crime prevention and women's safety.
Winners
will receive extensive publicity. Good practices and policies will be
announced at a press conference, results will be published on the Femmes et
villes/Women in Cities International website (which is linked to other
relevant websites) and information will be disseminated through list-servs
-Advocacy,
networking and community mobilization ************************************************* 7.- Funding for projects against racism
AWID
Resource Net
Examples of
projects eligible for funding - in addition to the ones mentioned in the
project description - are: CONTENT 1. - STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: AMNESTY PREPARES TO LAUNCH WORLDWIDE CAMPAIGN
2. - THE PARLIAMENT OF NAVARRA APPROVED THE
POLITICAL DECLARATION, WHICH REJECTS GENDER VIOLENCE 5. - DISSEMINATION OF UN VAS - NOVEMBER 2003 (UN VAC) 6. - LOCAL FACULTY FELLOWSHIPS / CIVIC EDUCATION PROJECT / DEADLINE: MARCH 01, 2004. ………………………………………………………………….
1. - STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: AMNESTY PREPARES TO LAUNCH WORLDWIDE CAMPAIGN 25/11/2003 http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ESLPOL300302003 25 November: UN Day for Elimination of Violence against Women Violence against women and girls is the most pervasive human rights challenge of our times. It cuts across cultural and religious boundaries, political, social and economic status. There is a call for help against domestic violence every minute in Britain. In Ciudad Juárez, more than 370 poor young women, the youngest only 11, have been abducted, brutally tortured, raped and murdered in cities on the Mexican/US border without the authorities taking proper measures to investigate and address the problem. In the USA, 700,000 women are reported raped every year. In South Africa, teenage girls are at the greatest risk of rape. Fifty per cent of all murders in Bangladesh are of women by their partners. Around the world, 120 million girls are genitally mutilated. According to the World Bank figures, at least one in five women and girls has been beaten or sexually abused in her life time - that is a shameful statistic at the beginning of the 21st century. The revelations from UN representatives that a very high proportion of girls in Burundi are raped before they reach the age of 18 were shocking. They showed, once again, that women and girls are the first - and often the forgotten - victims of war. Women are neither safe in times of war nor in times on peace. In Pakistan, hundreds of women are killed by their fathers or brothers in the name of honor. Brides are burnt to death in India because they fail to bring a sufficient dowry. In parts of Africa, girls are subjected to genital mutilation in the name of religion and culture. Adultery and bearing children outside marriage are crime for which women are sentenced to death by stoning in many countries. In Saudi Arabia, 15 girls died in a fire because they were not allowed to leave school premises not wearing head scarves and without their male relatives there to receive them. For many women their home is a place of terror, even in rich societies. On International Women's Day, 8 March 2004, Amnesty International will launch a global campaign to eradicate violence against women. With the support of ordinary people, both men and women, we will put an end to this human rights scandal. Violence against women is fed by a global culture which, despite the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, despite the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, despite treaties, laws and declarations, denies women equal rights with men. This must stop. Underlying the abuses suffered by women is a discrimination perpetuated by governments and by society -- and here everyone has a responsibility -- political leaders; corporate leaders; community leaders; the media and ordinary people. Amnesty International has been working to eradicate torture and other human rights abuses for a number of years now. Amnesty International's Secretary General -- the first woman secretary general of the organization -- made a global campaign to combat violence against women one of her own personal goals. Amnesty International is preparing a launch of a world wide campaign to Stop Violence Against Women in March 2004. The organization would like to think that we are giving voice to all those women whose rights are being violated in prisons, police cells or detention centres, in their homes, their community or their places of work. Giving voice to women like: Radhia Nasraoui of Tunisia, who has been imprisoned, harassed, and placed under constant surveillance because of her work as a human rights lawyer. Women like Digna Ochoa, who was killed in Mexico because she dared to speak out against injustice. Women like Malaysian human rights activist and mother of three, Irene Fernandez, who was sentenced for a report she produced on immigration detention camps. Women like Dr Frances Lovemore, the medical director of an NGO in Zimbabwe, for speaking out against torture and politically-motivated rape and many others. Every human rights agreement and treaty, from the Universal Declaration on Human Rights onwards, has required states to make sure that discrimination of many kinds is addressed and eradicated. This should include discrimination between men and women. The United Nations General Assembly, the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Vienna and Beijing Declarations, have confirmed that violence against women is a form of discrimination which all states are required to eradicate -- because it is a form of discrimination and also because it stops women from enjoying their fundamental human rights. The international humanitarian law (the "laws of war") and international criminal law, including the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, all identify violence against women of many types and in many situations as crimes. Even though violence against women has been described in international law as illegal and a crime, and requires states to provide assistance and protection for victims, this has often been ignored by many states. "Despite successes in awareness-raising and standard-setting... very little has changed in the lives of most women. A few women have benefited from these changes, but for the vast majority, violence against women remains a taboo issue, invisible in society and a shameful fact of life. Statistics continue to show high rates of violence and abuse. Most cases of violence against women result in impunity for the perpetrators, which fuels the perpetuation of this grave violation. More must be done to provide equal access to effective judicial protection and guarantees. If the first decade [of the rapporteurship on violence against women] emphasized standard-setting and awareness-raising; the second decade must focus on effective implementation and the development of innovative strategies to ensure that the prohibition against violence is a tangible reality for the world's women." - (Radhika Coomaraswamy, the former Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, E/CN.4/2003/75, para 78-79) Today Amnesty International reiterates its calls upon all governments to: · respect women's rights themselves - this means not allowing or condoning, or standing by without action, when their police officers or armed forces commit crimes of violence against women; · protect women's rights from being violated by private citizens -- particularly family members -- the most prevalent form of violence against women is domestic violence; · ensure that women can enjoy their human rights - through creating a society that respects women, and acting effectively to help women victims of violence through provision of services and punishing the perpetrators.
A human
rights scandal: Violence against women - 25/11/2003
****************************************************
Eliane
Cavalleiro “Access to a Non Sexist, Non Racist Education... Women’s Unpostponable Right” Introduction: In Guatemalan education, there is still inequality of opportunities for women, as they have the highest illiteracy levels and drop out of school before finishing third grade, being indigenous women living in poverty and extreme poverty, mostly in rural areas, the most affected; this influences on the fact that they have such precarious living conditions
Beyond
illiteracy, school drop out, limited access, deficient quality, scarce
equity and scant formal education coverage aimed at women, the system
homogenizes the same type of education for all, which lacks elements that
guarantee the human beings’ human development in all their lives’ stages,
and particularly women’s, for supporting the transformation of the
foundations on which subordination lies.
Fundamentation:
§ From
1995 to 2000 there has not been a significant increase in the percentage of
women’s enrolment at all education levels. Out of 8 girls that enroll in
primary school, only one finishes sixth grade. Girls’ school dropout in
rural areas is of 66.4% from the third grade onwards.
Several
recommendations were issued to the Government States, such as: - Recognise that education is a means for promoting new democratic practices based on respect for differences and capable of ensuring effective equity and equality of opportunities for girls and women.
The
Programme for Action of the World Conference Against Racism, Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance recognizes the need to establish the
intersectionality of the multiple forms of institutionalized discrimination,
such as gender, ethnos, age, caste, disability, language, class, culture,
religion, civil status.
[1]
Informe de Verificación de Minugua, septiembre 2001. Los desafíos para la
participación de las mujeres guatemaltecas. Los pueblos indígenas de
Guatemala: la superación de la discriminación en el marco de los Acuerdos de
Paz. ********************************************************************** 4.- KOFI ANNAN URGED LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES "NOT TO BE SATISFIED WITH THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS, BUT TO AIM HIGHER". FOR YOUR INTEREST
Patricia
Garce "Should you not aim, by 2015, not just to halve but to eradicate extreme poverty in your countries; to halve poverty of any description; and to significantly reduce inequality in wealth and income?", he added. Further, he pointed out that the Region should also aim higher regarding other Goals. (...) "I urge you to go further: aim for universal secondary schooling, and aim at equal access for men and women to jobs, at all levels, as well as to positions of power in both public and private sectors". He also stressed the need for rich countries to comply with Goal 8, and to address the issue of financial flows volatility and "to end the scandal of unequal access and unfair competition and unfair trade". The full speech is http://www.un.org/spanish/aboutun/sg/mensajes/cumbreiberoa.htm
Best, ************************************************************************* 5.- DISSEMINATION OF UN VAS - NOVEMBER 2003 (UN VAC) Dear All, In our efforts to disseminate UN vacancy announcements to reach as many qualified professional women as possible, please find enclosed the latest list of vacancies at the senior levels. I would be grateful if you could distribute this to your network so that we can reach as many women candidates as possible. For requirements, eligibility and application deadlines, please visit the United Nations website at UN Human Resources 'Galaxy' e-Staffing System at: https://jobs.un.org/release1/vacancy/vacancy.asp The system provides instructions on application procedures. Please follow them. Kindly be aware that online applications are strongly encouraged to enable the UN to place your resume into a permanent database. It is most important that you observe the deadlines for applications. The website provides also information on vacant post in the UN common system. You can also go to www.un.org/womenwatch/daw where you will find useful links to other UN agencies such as IOM, ILO, IMF, etc. In addition, to find more information on vacancies in the UN common system, please visit the following websites for instructions on how to apply:
*
www.un.org/osagi *
www.wfp.org For external applicants who do not have access to Internet facilities, you can either complete a UN Personal History Form (P.11) available at UN offices and/or forward a detailed summary that should contain:
· date
of birth With regard to peacekeeping mission assignments, the Department for Peacekeeping Operations is committed to increasing the number of women working in peacekeeping missions, particularly at the senior and managerial levels. Striving to redress the current imbalance, the Department is looking at expanding its recruitment sources and at developing its gender network. All vacancies are advertised on the Galaxy system. It would be much appreciated if you could disseminate this information within your organization.
Thank you. **************************************************** 6.- LOCAL FACULTY FELLOWSHIPS / CIVIC EDUCATION PROJECT / DEADLINE: MARCH 01, 2004.
awid@awid.org Fellowships begin in September 2004. The Local Faculty Fellowship program is open to citizens of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Serbia and Montenegro, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Academics from the above countries having graduated (or expecting to graduate by September 2004) from a North American or West European university with a postgraduate degree in a social science are encouraged to apply. CEP supports efforts to return to, and remain in, university teaching in the Fellow’s home country by providing a monthly stipend, teaching materials, and participation in various CEP events and activities. Local Faculty Fellowships are awarded in the social sciences (including area studies, anthropology, gender studies, economics, history, political science, psychology, public administration, and sociology). CEP also offers teaching fellowships in law and journalism/media studies. TO APPLY: For application forms and guidelines, please see the fellowship programs area of our web site: www.cep.org.hu/programs/index.html Deadline: March 01, 2004. (cross-posted from balkans@yahoogroups.com )
VOICES RISING CONTENT
1. -
WELCOME TO RAINBOW PLANET 1. - WELCOME TO RAINBOW PLANET
Sonia Correa
See below: WSF will be an exciting event with the Rainbow planet.... Dear friends Greetings from Rainbow Planet! We are a coalition of diverse progressive groups working for the rights of sexuality minorities (homosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals, transgenders and others who are oppressed due to their sexual orientation and/or gender expression), sex-workers and PLWHA (People Living With HIV/AIDS) in India. We came together to make our issues visible at the WSF (World Social Forum, 16-21 January 2004, Mumbai, India, www.wsfindia.org ). We hope to organise as many events as possible on issues concerning sexuality minorities, sex-workers and PLWHA. We hope to mobilise 1000+ people. We are requesting WSF organisers to allot us an exclusive space for 1000 people for all days, so that all the activities (initiated by us and others) on sexual rights issues can be organised in one common space. We wish to call it 'Rainbow Planet'. 'Rainbow Planet' Concept Note The struggles of those who come within the rubric of sexual outlaws be they sexual minorities, sex-workers or those who face stigma because of their sexual behavior (i.e. those who are affected by/living with HIV/AIDS) have still to attain the status of a movement. It is to use a metaphor common in queer circles still 'coming out'. It is a newcomer, compared to the more established activisms of workers, farmers, adivasis, dalits, women and environment. Its 'legitimacy' is still not clear even as sexual outlaws try to claim a place among the communities of suffering. While some spaces have opened out, we are still liable to be dismissed as advocating a personal choice or a lifestyle issue at best or a perversion or deviation at worst. As an activist friend put it, 'More often than not, the abuse suffered by these subaltern sexual cultures has been made invisible even by the activist community using a convoluted logic that arrogates to itself the ability to calibrate pain. First comes class, then comes caste, then come gender, ecology and so on. If there is any space left on this ark of suffering, then sexuality is included as a humble cabin boy. There is no hope of the last being the first in this inheritance of the meek.' It is in this context that Rainbow Planet is being organized so as to clearly articulate that that the field of sexuality is deeply political and that sexuality remains a basis of deep and pervasive violence and violation which is often unrecognized, under reported and invisibilized by a politics which stubbornly refuses to grant legitimacy to the struggles and aspirations of sexual minorities, sex-workers and PLWHA. Our objective is not only to put on board the state violence and legal violence which those us, who are sex-workers, sexuality minorities and PLWHA face but also to put on board the notion that there is a societal violence as well, the violence of a judgmental attitude that pushes people, who practice or experience their sexuality differently to the very edge of society. The violence of forced circumstances that lead to the acceptance of survival strategies that increases vulnerability to life threatening situations. Also, in the context of changes being created by the crises in the current patterns of globalization and governance that are leading to the destruction and devaluation of livelihoods and life systems of entire communities of people in the global south; to the absolute erosion of all notions of rights or dignity for the survivors of the violence of trafficking for the purpose of prostitution. Apart from testifying to the violence, Rainbow Planet through the voices and visions of survivors and resistors will seek to understand and unravel the hidden realities of persons involved in prostitution and sex-work, sexuality minorities and PLWHA, so as to celebrate the survival among incredible odds of a subculture of resistance to dominant notions of sexuality. The objectives of Rainbow Planet - To ensure recognition of sexuality rights as a legitimate human rights struggles based upon the voices of sexual outlaws - Advocate for and share widely the issues, concerns and opportunities related to the core theme from the perspective of the victims, survivors and resistors of the violence of stigmatization, discrimination and a judgmental attitude. - Provide a forum for people in prostitution and sex-work, sexuality minorities and PLWHA from different regions of the world to share, reflect and have a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of stigma and discrimination in different contexts. - Recognize and build upon the strengths and survival strategies of affected persons towards challenging and transforming discriminatory social and legal policies and evolving a notion of rights rooted in their realities. - Illustrate the critical linkages and the borderless nature of the core issues and the importance of regional networks. - Deepen knowledge through dialogue among people in the regions and facilitate creative and concrete policies and program action. - Reiterate the urgency of the crisis related to governance in the global south due to the effects of globalisation and the impact of these on trafficking for prostitution. - Formulate concrete and relevant follow up actions and campaigns at the regional, national and international levels to evolve long term sustainable strategies to address the issues. - Strengthen regional and national networking among individuals and groups on this issue in order to work for more effective action and advocacy at various levels. Present members are Rainbow Planet Alternative Law Forum (Bangalore), DISC (Bangalore), DMSC (Calcutta), FIRM (Trivandrum), INP+ (Chennai), Peoples Union for Civil Liberties - Karnataka, Sangama (Bangalore), Sangram (Sangli), Sexworkers Forum- Kerala, SWAM (Chennai), WINS (Tirupati), Vaathil (Kerala), VAMP (Maharashtra and Karnataka) Events registered for WSF We have registered 3 events online (www.wsfindia.org) for 1000 people each, one event for each of us: sex-workers, sexuality minorities and PLWHA. We have also registered a common event for 4000 people to have a dialogue betweens various social movements on sexuality issues. We need to do a lot of lobbying to make sure that space is allocated for us at WSF. JOIN US! SUPPORT US!! The more groups are part of this common effort, the more impact we can make at WSF by mobilising people, lobbying for space, making our issues visible, showing our strength in numbers. We invite all the progressive groups/people in India and abroad to join hands with us to say 'Another World is Possible for sexual outlaws'. If you wish to join us please send an email to sangama@sangamaonline.org or sangama@vsnl.net In Solidarity
SANGAMA
Press Release No. 2
“Because a home and a country without war and without violence
is possible” Close to 47% of the citizens of Putumayo are women, a little over 350,000 women. Of those, more than 67% live in the countryside and 32.5% in the urban areas. A large number of women are head of household and they have low paid jobs with few guarantees for social security. According to estimate of the health authorities of the department, some 22.7% of the women are of child-bearing age and of these, about 3.3% are pregnant, which increases their health risks because there is little likelihood of integrated care during the pre-natal and post-natal periods and during pregnancy and birth. To this situation of having been abandoned by the State, one must add the activities of the armed actors. Many mothers have felt impotent in the face of recruitment of their sons and daughters for the war; in the face of how they impose, through force of arms, the regulations that govern daily life among neighbors and within their very homes; the manner in which their daughters should dress and with whom they can fall in love. Bodies of women have been violated [by the armed actors] as a way of demonstrating their power, thus bodies of women become booty of war. In 2002 the Solidarity Network reported 21,366 persons displaced from the department of Putumayo, of whom more than 50% are women. Because their husbands have been killed by the armed actors, the women flee from their lands to protect their children from being recruited or because their plots of lands have been destroyed by glyphosate. The Movement of Women against war demands an anti-narcotics policy that will give consideration to the participation of women; that will install a commission for scientific investigation of the effects of glyphosate; and that will implement not military but social policies. Finally, we propose a national and international oversight commission to gauge the effectiveness of the current anti-narcotics policy. We invite you to join us in this act of solidarity with the women of Putumayo, their families and their communities.
Reports: Putumayo abandoned (statistics) Putumayo, borders the departments of Cauca and Caqueta on the north; on the south, Peru and Ecuador; on the west, Narino; and, on the east, the Amazon region. Putumayo measures 24,885 square kilometers and is part of the Colombian Amazon region, along with Caqueta, Vaupes, Guaviare, Amazonas and Guainia. Statistics regarding lack of basic necessities and poverty levels in Putumayo are among the highest in the country. While the national average poverty level is 37.6%, in Putumayo, it is more than 79%. Among basic services, [only] a 49% [of the population] has aqueducts for water, 45% sewer facilities and 58% electric power. Only a little over 50% of the children of school age, 3-16 years, attend school. The lowest percentage is among pre-school age children at 14%, basic secondary and middle school with 33%, and the highest percentage in basic primary. In this case, however, it has been shown that of 100 children who enroll in first grade, only 25 finish the fifth grade. The rate for higher education is only 3%, with illiteracy at 11% and 10% quitting school. Statistics with regard to subsidized health services in Putumayo are several points below the national average. While throughout the entire country, this level reaches 68%, in Putumayo, it is only slightly over 52%. Lack of health services takes on even greater proportions in the rural areas where medical missions have been harassed by the armed groups.
Translated from Spanish by
3. - FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT Draft Resolution on High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development
Daniel Platz You can find the draft resolution and the GA President's summary of the High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development on our website at:
Best,
Hilkka Pietila For everyone who is following the discussions about the forthcoming 10 years review and appraisal of the Beijing PFA as well as the campaign promoting the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. The UN questionnaire on the Beijing+10 review and assessment is still being awaited, while the preparations for the 48. session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in March 2004 are taking place. There are a lot of activities going on in the UN system with the view towards 2005. There is an interesting project of the UNDP and UNRISD related to the Beijing+10 and the MDGs+5. I The UNDP report "Millennium Development Goals: National reports, a look through a gender lens" on gender analyses made on the MDGs country reports of 13 countries are very interesting. You can find it in the UNDP Web: http://www.undp.org/gender/docs/mdgs-genderlens.pdf (It this web address does not work, there is a link to this report also in the first page of WomenWatch, which is the easiest way to find it!) There has been prepared also other interesting reports related to the MDGs. UNIFEM has published "Volume 2: World's Women 2002. Gender Equality and the Millennium Development Goals" (www.unifem.org/index.php ). The World Bank has produced a good booklet "Gender Equality & the Millennium Development Goals". Both of these and the UNDP Report (above) are also available: http://www.worldbank.org/gender/mdgworkshop/home.htm Critical debate on these subjects is going on in many online workshops and also for instance in the latest issue of the DAWN Informs. All issues of DAWN Informs are available on the DAWN website: www.dawn.org.fj I find that the UN is very much ahead of its member states by relating gender mainstreaming so strongly with the MDGs. It looks like all these activities are aimed to assure that gender perspective is taken into consideration all the way in the implementation and follow up of the MDGs both in the international community as well as in the member states. After all, the true implementation of the Beijing PFA and MDGs do take place at the national level in member states. Therefore it is up to us, women in all countries, to keep our governments accountable and see to it that
- both of these important programmes do have attention and resources, they
need;
Registration of organizations and delegates, as well as participants (people who are not members of any group or organisation) is open. Click here and see all the registration procedures. The closing date is November 30. Registration of self-organized activities closed on October 30. However, organisations that have proposed activities still may access their profiles in order to modify their data. See here how to do this research. Click here for registration fees and modes of payment.
Overall Registration Calendar
Central Africa Social Forum 6. - FELLOWSHIPS (GENDER-TECHNOLOGY-ENVIRONMENT) The Institute for Advanced Studies on Science, Technology and Society (IAS-STS)
Graz, Austria
AWID Resource Net
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME 2004/2005: The IAS-STS provides the necessary research infrastructure, while a number of guest lecturers and workshops foster an atmosphere of creativity and scholarly discussion. The grants of the fellowship programme 2004/2005 are dedicated to projects investigating the following issues:
1. GENDER - TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT:
2. ETHICAL, LEGAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF GENOME RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY:
3. TECHNOLOGY STUDIES AND SUSTAINABILITY:
TO APPLY: Please note that it is also possible to apply for a fellowship without a grant or to apply for a short-term fellowship without grant (not longer than one month: Visiting Fellows). We also encourage senior scientists to apply as guest lecturers. Closing date for applications is 15 January 2004.
For application forms and further information:
Institute for Advanced Studies on Science, Technology and Society (cross-posted from genderstudies@kcgs.org.ua )
YEAR II - VOL 2. Nº75 November 14th , 2003 The International Gender and Education Office (GEO) of ICAE creates CONTENT
1.- EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM 1.- EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM
Other News - Roberto Savio / IPS PARIS, Nov 10 (IPS) - The European Social Forum opening in Paris Wednesday will look for an economic model that could become an alternative to capital-led globalisation. This
search will be a central theme during the three days of meetings that will
see 270 seminars, 55 conferences and 287 workshops in and around Paris.
Close to 60,000 delegates from 1,500 non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
are expected to attend. A
second line of discussion against neo-liberalism calls for debates on
citizens' and democratic rights in Europe, and an analysis of the draft
European Union constitution. .................................................... Protest-parade November 15th, 2 p.m.
WSF Bulletin On November 12, 2003
Protest departs : Place de la République 2 p.m. ****************************************************** 2.- INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY IN THE WORLD SOCIAL FORUM
Collective Consultation NGOs EFA
Dear all,
(Please note that the last date for administrative registering participation
is November 30, 2003). Thank you for your useful participation. Kind regards, UNESCO Contact Team ******************************************************** 3.- "THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION FOR ALL - HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION AND THE RELEVANCE OF PAULO FREIRE'S EDUCATIONAL APPROACH" http://www.unesco.org/education/uie/news/index.shtml
Conference of the German Institute for Human Rights the Paulo Freire
Kooperation Preliminary Programme Deutsches Institut für Menschenrechte Invitation to the Conference Human Rights Education is a rather new educational approach which has been developing since the 1990s - especially in the English speaking world. In the context of German educational research and practice, a productive combination of Human Rights Education with the approaches of the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire remains to be discovered. In the light of the current discussions on educational policies - following the results of international comparative studies on education (PISA, IGLU, etc.) - aspects and elements of Freire's categorical education (e.g. dialogue - orientation, project method and situational approach) are gaining increasing importance. Yet, in a time where reform-oriented education is being misunderstood simply as a methodological question, innovative educational approaches like Human Rights Education or Education for Liberation hold a high potential to link the individual with society and the social environment through political acts. The conference "The Right to Education for All -Human Rights Education and the Relevance of Paulo Freire’s Educational Approach“ will try to create a platform for discussion by addressing the following goals:
. to promote the development and implementation of Human
Rights Education in Germany following the principles of the United
Nations-Decade for Human Rights Education
(1995-2004); To access the preliminary programme of the Conference go to: http://www.unesco.org/education/uie/news/index.shtml ******************************************************** 4.- AMERICAS FREE TRADE ZONE
Wall Street Journal The differences seem so wide that some predict a coming meeting of trade ministers scheduled for the week of Nov. 17 in Miami could end just as disastrously as the September meetings of the World Trade Organization in Cancun, Mexico. Those talks on a global trade deal collapsed after negotiators were unable to narrow the wide gap between rich and poor countries. "This is a very perilous trade situation facing the United States and the world," said Fred Bergsten, head of the Institute for International Economics, a Washington-based think tank. "You could have another Cancun in Miami. That would mean the administration's goal [of a hemisphere-wide free-trade area] would be, if not up in smoke, at least in suspended animation." In hopes of breaking the current impasse, the U.S. on Friday and Saturday will hold hastily arranged discussions with trade ministers from 16 of the 34 countries involved to try to craft a Free Trade Area of the Americas. Before the talks begin with a dinner Friday night, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick will meet separately with Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorin. The U.S., the world's largest economy, and Brazil, the largest economy in South America, are co-chairing the free-trade discussions as they enter what was to be the final stretch leading up to a Jan. 1, 2005, deadline for an agreement to tear down trade barriers between all nations in the hemisphere, except Cuba. But instead of entering into tough bargaining over how tariffs and other trade barriers will be phased out, the U.S. and Brazil are still fighting over the scope of the agreement. Brazil, miffed at the U.S. refusal to negotiate agriculture subsidies and by how the U.S. imposes antidumping tariffs, has threatened to take off the bargaining table issues such as investment and intellectual-property rights, two high-priority issues for U.S. companies. The U.S. position is that the matters it wants kept out of the free-trade talks are already being negotiated in the broader WTO negotiations, and that Japan and the European Union, two big providers of agricultural subsidies, are part of those negotiations but not involved in the free-trade talks. But Brazil counters that the same thing can be said about investment rules and intellectual-property rights, issues the U.S. insists belong in the free-trade talks. Brazil's demands are coming at a politically awkward time for the Bush administration with the 2004 presidential election looming. Florida farmers don't want to see increased competition from cheaper-priced Brazilian oranges, and Brazil's other big exports -- sugar and soybeans -- also touch sensitive nerves in the U.S. farm belt. Likewise, putting U.S. antidumping practices into the free-trade talks' bargaining mix would upset such politically sensitive industries as steel and textiles, which benefit under the current rules. The Bush administration is unhappy with Brazil because it organized a group of 22 developing countries who stood up to industrialized nations during the Cancun talks, resulting in the stalemate there. Mr. Zoellick called Brazil the leader of the "won't do" countries and warned that America could turn away from stalled talks and strike separate free-trade agreements with "can do" nations in Latin America and elsewhere. Since Cancun, the Group of 22 has shrunk as some nations have dropped out, fearful of raising U.S. ire. But Brazil still has the support of such key developing countries as China, India and South Africa, and neighboring South American power Argentina, whose president, Nestor Kirchner, signed a statement with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva last month pledging jointly to fight for fair trade agreements. The growing tensions create a tough environment in which to reach necessary compromises. "I am pessimistic that Miami can be a success, but trade negotiations are always a 'Perils of Pauline' affair where everything looks completely hopeless until the very moment a breakthrough is achieved," said Brink Lindsey, a trade expert at the Cato Institute, another Washington think tank. Economists, however, warned that the trade brinkmanship the U.S. and other countries are playing could ultimately be dangerous to the global economy if investors become spooked by the discord. "They could trigger a lot of unintended consequences that could be very damaging to financial markets and the economy," Mr. Bergsten said. "Markets abhor trade wars and international conflict." ******************************************************* 5.- HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT PERSONNEL - GENDER & REPRESENTATION Advisor / Oxfam GB / Oxford, UK / Closing date: December 07, 2003.
AWID Resource Net
Title: Humanitarian Support Personnel - Gender & Representation
Salary: £16,599-20,920 net salary per annum, equivalent to £22,150-28,600
gross in the UK. (Net = take home pay. Oxfam will meet the tax and social
security liabilities of post-holder in addition to net salary.) The postholder will help Humanitarian Project staff to understand the issues and implement programmes that are gender sensitive, and more accountable to the affected population. From better-informed consultation with local women and men, and by promoting their participation and involvement, we shall implement better programmes. Consideration of the needs and priorities for vulnerable groups and minorities is also a priority. Each assignment will be undertaken with a clear Terms of Reference detailing the responsibilities for that assignment. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: * To join humanitarian programmes for about 3-6 months in order to advise and assist regional and country humanitarian staff with improving gender and representation mainstreaming in the starting up, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation phases of projects. * To advise regional and country programme staff on gender and representation issues as they relate to emergency preparedness. * To support and act as international counterpart to regional and country managers, through advising, mentoring, coaching and capacity building in gender and representation mainstreaming in humanitarian programmes. * To undertake short periods of research or project work in Oxford to document experience and build up institutional learning on aspects of gender mainstreamed humanitarian assistance. * To undertake representational, public speaking, media, and advocacy work on humanitarian assistance response and protection issues as requested. * To assist Oxfam staff to be familiar with and abide by the NGO/Red Cross Code of Conduct, the People in Aid Code, Oxfam International procedures and other regulatory codes (e.g. InterAction Field Co-operation Protocol). * To develop links and integrate with other ongoing mainstreaming activities as they relate to HIV and protection, on a case-by-case basis. SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES: ESSENTIAL: *
At least 3-5 years of practical experience of grassroots development in the
NGO context, including in gender and representation mainstreaming and the
promotion of basic rights. DESIRABLE: *
Understanding of and experience with Oxfam’s organisational culture. TO
APPLY: Organization’s website: http://www.oxfam.org.uk ************************************************************** 6.- THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY (WSIS)
Geneva, Switzerland The Summit hosted by the United Nations will bring together all of the world's nations to try to develop a global framework to deal with the challenges of the information society, and to take advantage of its opportunities. After the event of December 2003, the process will continue al regional and national levels. The second Summit, to be held in Tunis in November 2005, will review the process and progress made and will identify a possible further plan of action.
www.itu.int/wsis CONTENT
1.- SARA LONGWE, GEO MEMBER, AWARDED WITH THE AFRICA
PRIZE FOR LEADERSHIP
Congratulations to our friend Sara Longwe, FEMNET, member of the Gender and Education Office Team of ICAE!! The Hunger Project has awarded her the Africa Prize for Leadership, and she received this prize on October 11th in New York. This prize is awarded every two years and this year it has been awarded to her (Zambian) and Maeza Ashenafi (Ethiopian) for their work in women's rights, which is seen as a positive contribution towards ending hunger in African families through women’s empowerment (see www.thp.org for details). She has decided to dedicate her prize money ($50,000) to establishing a foundation for action-oriented projects on women's rights. She calls the THP award a set of 'golden steps to gender equality'!
Sandra
Aragon Dear Colleagues, In the course of preparations for the World Conference against Racism, which took place in Durban, South Africa in September 2001, and also during the Conference itself, non-governmental organizations played an important role in helping to define and analyse the relevant issues. In the final document, states recognized the fundamental role of civil society in the fight against racism. They also encouraged the full participation of non-governmental organizations in the follow-up to the World Conference. In order to encourage this follow-up, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights will convene a training workshop addressed to African NGOs on 6 and 7 November 2003, in Banjul, Gambia, headquarters of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR). The meeting will be held alongside the African Commission 34th ordinary session. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights will take advantage of the fact that many national grassroots NGOs in the African region will be gathered in Banjul. The objective of the meeting is to provide NGOs with practical and innovative training regarding the work of the United Nations in combating racism and also to identify in what ways NGOs can play an important role in the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. Proposed Programme of Work FIRST SESSION: 6 November 13:00-15:00 hours -
Opening remarks by Ms. Olatokunbo Ige, Coordinator of the African Team at
OHCHR, Chairperson of the meeting;
SECOND SESSION 7 November 11.00-14:00 hours Participation Non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council as well as those which have been accredited for the World Conference against Racism, indigenous organizations accredited pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolution 1995/32 and NGOs accredited to the African Commission for Human Rights are invited to participate in the workshop. Non-governmental organizations wishing to participate in the workshop are invited to indicate the names of their representatives to the Secretariat (only by fax at +41 22 917 90 50 on letterhead, signed by the appropriate official of your organization), no later than 4 November. Date and venue The meeting will take place from 6 to 7 November 2003 at the Corinthia Atlantic Hotel, Banjul. Best regards, Sandra
Aragón-Parriaux
Synthesis Report of the CONFINTEA V Midterm Review
Meeting Preface The Midterm Review of the Fifth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA V) brought together over three hundred representatives of Member States, including ministers and senior-level officials, and agencies of the United Nations system as well as non-governmental and civil-society organizations and academic and research institutions from more than ninety countries in Bangkok, Thailand, from September 6 to 11, 2003. Organized by the UNESCO Institute for Education (UIE) in collaboration with the UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education and with support from the Department of Non-formal Education of the Ministry of Education of Thailand, the Review was aimed at tracking goals accomplished and difficulties encountered over the past six years in executing the CONFINTEA V agenda. Through a series of thematic workshops, regional reviews and plenary sessions, it examined recent trends and new developments in practices and policies of adult learning and education. In looking forward to the CONFINTEA VI Conference in 2009, the Review was designed to propose strategies for the advancement of adult learning to be followed in future programs. It also sought to ally more closely the CONFINTEA V agenda with the Dakar Framework for Action and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. As a synthesis of the Review proceedings, this Report outlines the major issues and key recommendations which emerged during the six-day meeting. The participants were unanimous in calling for renewed commitment, sharing of national and international resources and creative partnerships in adult learning. We hope that UNESCO and all stakeholders in adult education will take our Call for Action and Accountability to heart in affirming the joy of adult learning.
Justin Ellis
4.- CONVERGENCE > Volume 36 Number 1 Contents Editorial On
Global Wisdom: Some Thoughts About the Role of Adult Education in Rebuilding
Civil Society in Argentina Editorial Convergence, the journal of the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE), has a new home base in the United Kingdom, the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE). This change does not affect the ownership, sponsorship, policies or procedures of the journal. What NIACE will do is help ICAE with more efficient production, international promotion and distribution of the journal. Manuscripts for publication should continue to be sent directly to the Editor. The International Council for Adult Education has also transferred its Toronto office to Montevideo under the coordination of Celita Eccher, the new General Secretary, and maintains a Secretariat office in Montreal. However, all journal activity has been moved out of these offices. We hope you will be challenged by the strength and diversity of the ideas presented in this issue. Zwierzynski’s article on Global Wisdom foreshadows our future special issue on the World Social Forum. While his analysis of empire centers on macro analysis, Summer, Rafi and Plumb concern themselves with micro analysis, as it occurs on the ground in social change. Each is concerned with how activity directed towards liberation can be diverted. Finally, we have descriptions of three educational programs. Osorio and Doll discuss education for the so called “third age” or older adult in Spain and Brazil respectively; Romano is concerned with the struggle for proletarianising of the Italian university that he sees being carried out through the inclusion of adult education. I wish to personally thank Stephan Dobson for his excellent work as Managing Editor and especially for his help in breaking me in on my job. This issue represents his last work for ICAE. We welcome David Shaw from NIACE who takes up these duties.
Phyllis Cunningham
The
International Gender and Education Office (GEO)
Bangkok, Thailand, September 6-11, 2003 Provisional Time Table September 6-7, Saturday and Sunday, Thematic Reviews Organized by the thematic networks, the aims of the review are a) to discuss the gains (accomplishments) since 1997 as well as problems areas in achieving Hamburg declaration; b) to look at the latest developments and trends in their respective themes; and c) to come up with concrete recommendations for the CONFINTEA V Review. It is expected that after the two day meeting, the networks will come up with a written report to be submitted by September 8 and which will be the basis for plenary presentations on September 9. September 8, Monday, UN Literacy Decade Regional Launching and Opening of CONFINTEA V Review Regional
Launching of the UN Literacy Decade as well as
celebration of International Literacy Day (ILD) September 9, Tuesday, Thematic Presentations and Regional Reviews AM
Plenary Presentation of Thematic Reviews (based on
Sept. 6-7 networks meeting) September 10, Wednesday, Regional Presentations and other Reports 09.00
- 11.00 Pleanary Presentation of Regional Reviews Boletim
FSM The programme includes a short, 3 to 5 minute film about the WSF and the Asia Social Forum; a presentation on what the WSF is all about, with information about the venue, date and main thematic focuses of the 2004 event, and a press conference. Launch of WSF 2004 in Brazil São Paulo Joint launch of the 4 World Social Forum and the 1 Brazil Social Forum, on September 2, 2003, at 700 p.m., in theTUSP (Centro Universitário Maria Antônia). There will be a debate "From Porto Alegre to Mumbai views of the World Social Forum and the antiglobalization movements, with Boaventura de Souza Santos, Christophe Aguiton, Fátima Mello e Teivo Teivainen, and. It will be attended by members of the WSF Secretariat, the Brazilian Council and the WSF International Council. Porto Alegre Launch of the 4 WSF on September 3, at the Usina do Gasômetro, room 209, at 630 p.m. The event, organized by the Rio Grande do Sul Committee (Comitê Gaúcho), will be attended by representatives of the WSF International Council, WSF Secretariat and civil society organizations. Natal - On August 19, the 2 Potiguar (Rio Grande do Norte) Social Forum was officially launched in the Sesc Auditorium Cidade Alta, Natal. Also launched during the event was the 1st Brazil Social Forum and the call to action for the World Social Forum 2004, in India. The 2 Potiguar Social Forum will be held from October 2 to 5, 2003, in Praça Pedro Velho square, in the Petropolis district of Natal. More information CDHMP
(Aluizio) (+55 84) 9964-7102 / 201-0242 /
221-5932 During September, the ASF website will also be launched, at the URL www.forosocialamericas.org, and registration of organizations and events will begin. Registering activities - WSF 2004 Since the beginning of August, registration has been open for activities at WSF 2004 in Mumbai, India, and will remain open until September 30. Registration of organizations and delegates will start in early September and continue until November 30. WSF2004 registration fees for organizations and delegates have been set according to the differing ability of delegates from different parts of the world to pay. They are as follows US$ 100 the following OECD countries Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Korea, Denmark, Spain, United States, Finland, France, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Luxemburg, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland US$ 25 Africa Latin America, Asia (except SAARC member-countries), Other European countries US$ 2 or INR 100 Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan Sri Lanka More information http//www.wsfindia.org/event2004 Meeting of the Europe SF Preparatory Assembly The European Assembly in Preparation for the Europe Social Forum (ESF) will next meet from September 29 to 30, at Bobigny, France. This is the Assembly’s fourth meeting this year. The last one took place from July 19 to 20, at Genoa Italy. The organizers of the event expect between 25,000 and 30,000 participants at the 2 ESF, which is to be held from November 12 to 16, 2003, in Paris and Saint-Denis, France. More information on the web site http//www.fse-esf.org. Read too issue No. 2 of the ESF Newsletter (French). Contacts
1.-
93 DAYS / 93 WAYS 1.- 93 DAYS / 93 WAYS
AFRICA:
REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS OF CONFINTEA V- 8TH- 10TH
JULY 2003 Gorgui Sow, the Coordinator for ANCEFA also took turn in welcoming participants to the workshop and also introduced the President of CONGAD and Vice Chairman of International Conference on Adult Education (ICAE). Prof Bouba Diop, who asked to chair the morning session in place of Jennifer Chiwela who had not arrived. Prof. Diop apologised on behalf of the people and CSO in Senegal for the postponement of the meeting due to the official visit of President Bush of America. He then gave the background of the activities of ICAE and the expectations of CONGAD and his participation and experiences in CONFITEA V in Hamburg in 1997. Participants were informed of the background of the Terms of references (TOR) and processes of Civil Society regional consultations of CONFINTEA V by the ANCEFA coordinator. He gave a brief description of the meeting in 1997 and referred to the recommendation for Government and CSOs as agreed in the Hamburg Declaration and the Agenda for the Future. After 5 years, there is the need to review the progress of government and CSOs in the implementation of Literacy and adult education. As part of the process, a collective consultation of CSOs from all the regions was held in April 2003 in Paris and the roles of the two big networks, PAALAE and PAMOJA was agreed upon. The Coordinator took time to discuss logistics- accommodation, confirmation of flights, per diem and communication facilities for the comfort of participants. After which the rapporteurs for the day were selected.
The
participants were given time to introduce
themselves. (Refer to the list of Participants).
Carol Medel gave a presentation on the CONFINTEA V
review which will be held in Bangkok, from the
6th-11th September 2003. She also highlighted the
following; A second presentation on Africa and UN Literacy Decade (UNLD) was given by Martina Simeti. She highlighted the need to shift from literacy to literacies and concrete actions that must be taken within the decade. She also referred to the Dakar Framework of action. Participants were informed of the official launching of UNLD in New York by the UNESCO Director General in Feb. 2003.This is to be followed by regional and national launches (refer to detailed paper). Presentation of Shadow Reports Lamin Kane presented the shadow report of Senegal. In his report he mentioned the approach which is being used by the government as “faire-faire” which places the responsibility of implementation of Literacy and adult learning on the shoulders on NGOs and private Sector. The study which, took two months compared the state of education in 1997 and 2000, highlighted both positive and negative effects of the approach. He shared the limitations of the study, the principal being the lack of information by the government officials. It was commented that before 1993, there was no adult education policy but this approach of the government provided the opportunity for other stakeholders (CSOs & business men) to be involved in the provision of adult literacy. However there is lack of advocacy skills for the involvement of CSOs in policy formulation. (Refer to detail report). The Shadow report of Zambia was given by Jennifer Chiwela. The report was conducted over a four month period, comparing the state of education from 1996-2002 and it made use of various methodologies including e-mails, letters and interviews in the collection of data. There were a lot of challenges identified among which was the unavailability of data from government officials and those obtained were not gender disaggregated and it was therefore difficult to identify the gender gaps. It was also found that CSOs were less involved in the formulation of policies. The government uses traditional approach to literacy. However, there is opportunity now for the involvement of CSOs because of the establishment of the national coalitions of NGOs working in education. One major limitation was the fact that the report could not be validated by the government due to lack of funds (see attached report).
Civil
society feed back (country report /questionnaire
CONFINTEA V)
The
day came to a close after the presentations.
INTERNATIONAL
GENDER AND TRADE NETWORK [IGTN]
Rogeria
Peixinho The WTO Secretariat and developed countries have avoided answering the question directly and, instead, have resorted to doublespeak. In some instances, they say “Cancun is not important” while at other times, they say “Cancun is crucial.” Their actions, however, reveal something more. The WTO Secretariat and trade ministers from developed and selected developing countries have continued the exclusionary and undemocratic processes characteristic of the world trading body by holding Mini Ministerials in various parts of the world. Bi-lateral talks between the US and the EU continue to take place in hopes of resolving differences in their Cancun trade agendas. An aggressive public relations feat by the WTO General Director Supachai led to the recent formation of two advisory groups composed of NGOs and business people. All these things are taking place in response to two inter-connected developments. In Geneva, the IGTN sees the stalemate in the negotiations and unaccomplished work plans of all of the WTO working committees arising from the active and informed negotiations by developing countries as an opportunity. Elsewhere in the world, the IGTN joins in the expanding base of discontent and global opposition to the multilateral trading system as public awareness of the assault of the free trade system on their lives and communities grows. Amidst these contradictions, the WTO is, once again, reeling from both external public pressure and its internal differences. The developed countries and the trans-national corporations, however, are determined to persist and utilize their political edge to get the agreements that will secure their commercial interests above all else. In Doha, we saw how the pressure tactics of developed countries succeeded in eroding the unified stand of developing country negotiators. We expect that similar pressure will be applied in Cancun. Therefore, it is important to maintain our ongoing national campaigns and mobilizations in order to seek greater public accountability from our elected officials. As our trade ministers negotiate in Cancun, we must intensify the pressure from civil society in Cancun as well as in our respective countries. To this end, the IGTN supports the call of our sisters and brothers in Latin America for a global day of protest against the WTO on the 13th of September 2003. We support ongoing efforts of several women’s networks to hold an International Women’s Forum as part of the People’s Forum in Cancun. The unfettered expansion of the market under the WTO multilateral trading system, including regional trading agreements such as the FTAA/ALCA, have marginalized concerns about human development and human rights. In addition, structural reforms and policies linked to trade intensification and financial liberalization are peddled as engines of women’s increased access to incomes and employment. However, studies show that these policies and reforms have generated a host of concerns over poor women’s rights and welfare. The rapid opening of the economies of developing countries, associated with decreased real incomes, lack of labour protection, and retreat of states from their welfare-provisioning responsibilities, has compromised the provisioning of care and social services at the macroeconomic level. At the same time, it has increased the vulnerability of women’s health, bodily integrity and well-being as they are forced to manoeuvre both the productive economy and the socially reproductive care economy. As women gather at the International Women’s Forum, we must also raise our concern over the lack of women’s perspectives and participation in the politics and leadership of progressive mass organizations. We must unite with our sisters and brothers in global social movements and NGOs that are using critical, feminist constuctivist engagement in fighting for our rights within a volatile economic system. IGTN’s Demands on Country Negotiators in Cancun AGRICULTURE: IGTN joins the worldwide call of social movements and NGOs for the attainment of food sovereignty for all states and peoples. The concept of food sovereignty not only relates to food production, agricultural expansion and availability of food in the market but also to the operation of a broader social and political arrangement in which the role of government and people-sensitive public policy in both production and social reproduction is central. Our call for food sovereignty is linked with a desire to stop the spread of malnourishment, starvation and hunger among the world’s peoples, particularly those in developing countries where there is a high dependence on agriculture. Despite increasing deprivation of traditional livelihoods, many women and families living in poverty, especially those in rural areas are still expected to be the default providers of food, water and other consumption needs of their households. The structure of the Agreement on Agriculture (AOA) only exacerbates the inequalities in world agricultural trade. Furthermore, its central focus is not about promoting agricultural trade between countries, but rather is aimed primarily at accumulation and profit taking for a handful of big agribusiness corporations. Thus, we say: “Agriculture out of WTO!” In the interim, we should press our government negotiators in Cancun to push vigorously for Food Security Mechanisms (FSM); utilize the Special Safeguard (SSG) measures for protecting domestic production of staple foods; thwart the retention of the Peace Clause and demand that the agricultural subsidies in the developed countries be dismantled. Most importantly, developing countries must be vigilant about trading-off market access of agricultural products for any of the Singapore Issues GATS: We are currently experiencing a crisis in social welfare in much of the world. The South has already experienced the assault on social services through the structural adjustment programs of the 1980s while the welfare states in the North have recently been threatened by the liberalization of services under the WTO discipline. The gross neglect of social reproduction in economic debates among policymakers and government negotiators can be clearly seen in the discussion of the liberalization of services. Moreover, developing countries, many of which have low “social capital,” have not been paying enough attention to the issue of essential services and its implications for the development of the capabilities of their citizens. Not surprisingly, the cost of social reproduction of the labor force is being left to women’s unpaid care functions within households and communities and to labor’s current earning power. Compared with sate control, services in the hands of transnational corporations have become less efficient, less accessible, and less affordable to households and their management has become less accountable through the use of measures such as immunity from liability. This liberalization process has an adverse impact on human development objectives and exacerbates existing social and gender inequalities. Therefore, the IGTN demands the removal of services essential for social reproduction from GATS. Towards this end, IGTN calls on government negotiators in Cancun to push for a moratorium on services negotiations until a human development and gender equity-oriented assessment of their impact on developing countries is completed (Article XIX.3); to assert the domestic right to regulate (VI.4); to defend the right of states not to make further commitments; and to work further on the definition and refinement of services (Para I.3 c).
TRIPS:
SINGAPORE
ISSUES:
measures are
being introduced at a time when FDI-led growth has
been widely discredited. There is a danger that
Chapter 11 of NAFTA will become the model for
dispute settlement, and this would enable investors
to bring cases against states. IGTN calls on
government negotiators to oppose proposals on the
New Issues such as the EU and the Costa
Rica-Canada-South Korea proposals on Investment.
Government negotiators must also oppose the
intensification of discussion within the General
Council of the WTO on neo-liberal Coherence and
Cooperation between the IMF, WB and WTO. Finally, we
must maintain the resistance lodged by civil society
organizations and some developing countries against
the application of national treatment and MFN to
foreign investments and the restriction of
performance requirements related to investments.
Senior
Advisor / Royal Tropical Institute (KIT),
Development
July
19, 2003.
Development
Policy and Practice works to achieve this in a
number of key
areas that include: Social development and gender
equity, |