VOICES RISING
YEAR IV - NΊ170
February 24, 2006


content
1.-
ICAE Paving the way towards the World Assembly - Nairobi 2007
2.- POLYCENTRIC WSF 2006 KARACHI: INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATION POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 28TH
3.-
EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM WOMEN'S MEETING IN PREPARATORY
4.- CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS
5.-
A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE AND POTENTIAL OF LEARNING
6.- UNAIDS new website


 

1.- ICAE Paving the way towards the World Assembly - Nairobi 2007

Virtual Seminar
March 6 - 24, 2006

 

ICAE is organizing a Virtual Seminar among its members - preparatory to ICAE World Assembly that shall be held in January 2007 in Nairobi, before World Social Forum.

The Virtual Seminar aims at providing the opportunity for all national and regional members of ICAE, to reflect on nature, functions and role of global networks in the present context. And also about the limitations, opportunities and challenges of global networks, that make us evaluate organizational structures as well as their functions, interlinkage and new networking opportunities that come up.

The objectives of the Virtual Seminar are:

- To provide a participation space for all ICAE and GEO members, with relation to the preparatory process of ICAE World Assembly and the definition of strategic and organizational aspects.

- To promote the reflection on global networks, their functions and challenges in the present global context, incorporating new perspectives, experiences and lessons learnt, as part of the preparatory process of ICAE World Assembly, and as a new step for the renewal of ICAE.

This is how we are planning to organize it:

* It will be a three-week seminar, from March 6 to 24: the first week will focus on definition, types of network and functions, advantages and challenges of global networks. The second one will be a brainstorming on how we want ICAE to be in 2009, and the third one will relate to more logistic aspects such as the name or slogan of the assembly, issues and courses of action, and work commissions for the Assembly. (See programme below)

* The seminar will be coordinated from Montevideo, with weekly summaries through a moderated list, that is to say, we will try to gather short messages into single messages so as to make reading easier.

* The technological requirements to participate in this seminar are very simple, just an email address through which members will daily receive the key papers (about 2 pages long), as well as the comments and suggestions that any participant may be willing to make in a spontaneous and simple way, just like in face-to-face seminars. Thus, you will only have to be able to open your email, preferably daily, at any time, so as to read the inputs and participate when you deem convenient, by simply replying to the list.

Considering that it is an international seminar, there might be some time lag, due to time differences, but we will try to sort this out so as not to interfere with reading.


Programme

 

Session 1: March 6 - 10

 

Introduction - Paul Belanger

 

Global Networks. Functions. Organizational Models - Ana Laura Rivoir

 

Sharing and learning from the experience of some global networks: Advantages and challenges of global networks

Cecilia Alemany - Social Watch

David Archer - Global Campaign for Education/ CIRAC (Reflect -Action)

Ximena Machicao - REPEM

Kumi Naidoo CIVICUS-GCAP 

 

Analyzing in depth how networks operate in the present global context -

Jeanine Anderson

 

Summary of the week

 


Session 2: March 13 - 17

 

Brainstorming: How do we want ICAE to be in 2009?

 

Contributions from the Executive Council, regional and national members

 

Babacar Diop Buuba - ICAE Vicepresident for ICAE in Africa

Summary of the expectations and visions for ICAE towards 2009. (The systematization of this session could give place to a 2nd. virtual seminar)

 

Session 3: March 20 – 24

 

Exchange of proposals on:

 

Definition of a “Slogan” for the Assembly

 

Thematic lines to be dealt with in depth at the Assembly.

Issues / work guidelines

 

Creation of commissions for the organization of the Assembly

 

Summary of proposals

 

Final conclusions

 

……
Contacts

Marcela Hernandez: secretariat@icae.org.uy

 

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2.- POLYCENTRIC WSF 2006 KARACHI: INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATION POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 28TH

WSF Bulletin
gerente@forumsocialmundial.org.br
February 17th, 2006

 
Individual registration to take part in the Polycentric 2006 WSF Karachi (Pakistan) has been postponed to February 28th, 2006. The form is available at the link:
http://www.wsf2006karachi.org/registration/individual.aspx. Press registration is also open. See the form at the website: http://www.wsf2006karachi.org/registration/MediaRegistration.aspx

Registration of organizations and activities closed on February 16th. See the list of registered events at the website:
http://www.wsf2006karachi.org/registeredevents.html

The polycentric WSF 2006 Karachi (Pakistan) will take place from
March 24th to 29th, 2006. Click here for further information.

Contacts:
E-mail: mail@wsf2006karachi.org
www.wsf2006karachi.org 
Telephone number: 92 21 824-0716 Fax: 92 21 824-0714
Address: 43-4B, Block-6, P.E.C.H.S, Behind Nursery Market, Karachi, Pakistan.

 

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EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM WOMEN'S MEETING IN PREPARATORY


Website of European Social Forum -
http://www.fse-esf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=17 The ESF website
The European Social Forum (ESF) is an open space where civil society groups and movements opposed to neo-liberalism and a world dominated by capital or by any form of imperialism, but engaged in building a society centered on the human person, come together to pursue their thinking, to debate ideas democratically, to formulate proposals, to share their experiences freely and to network for effective action.  This website is therefore an open space to facilitate the ESF process that was embodied in [Firenze,2002], [Paris,2003] and [London,2004] and will be in [Athens,2006].

REPORT OF WOMEN'S MEETING IN THE PREPARATORY ASSEMBLY OF VIENNA 6-8 JANUARY 2006 OF THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM

WUNRN
http://www.wunrn.com

Introducers: Josette Rome Chastanet ( World March of Women, France, IFE) and Sonia Mitralia (Greek Committee for the organization of the Women's Assembly)

In this meeting took part: 38 women from 12 countries (Catalonia, Italy, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Turkey, Great Britain, France, Holland, Hungary, Romania and Greece) and 28 organizations from all over Europe : FSG (Greece), Cidette (France), Rouge (France), Kokkino (Greece), No Vox (France), Sud Ptt (France),  Hungary hoc.for « HEP » Association, Union
Syndical Solidaires (France), DEA (Greece), Colletivo Bellaciao (Britain), Imece Women Solidarity (Turkey), Network Health Cobas (Italy), Romanian Social Forum (Romania), Intersindical Alternativa de Catalunya (Catalunya), COBAS (Italy), Wilf Europe (Germany), ASF fem Forum and KPO (Austria), Platki Women (Germany), Steiriche Friedens-Platform (Austria),
Initiative of Homosexuals against oppression and Genoa Initiative 2001 (Greece), Social Forum (Turkey), Hungary Social Forum Association (Hungary), Abortion Rights, (Britain), National Assembly Agaist Racisme, (Britain), International Free Women's Foundation, (Pays Bas), IFE EFI, (France), ADEDY (Greece), Women's World March (Greece).

The meeting of women in Vienna's Preparatory Assembly, reaffirmed that the attendance of movements for women's rights during the 4th European Social Forum, will deal with :

1. The organization of an Assembly of Women in the frame of the 4th ESF in Athens.

The Assembly of Women in the 4th ESF will constitute an autonomous space of discussion with the objective to allow the women of the European feminist movement  speak and make our special oppression visible.
It should be the CLIMAX and the CENTRAL POINT of movements' attendance for women's rights within Forum's framework.
The main task of the Assembly of Women will be to converge into a common place all different thematic tasks in the seminars and the laboratories that will take place during the ESF, concerning the elaborations of the area of the "Feminist Alternative Proposal" itself, as well as those of other countries that will present the dimension of women's rights.
An invitation will be launched for collaboration and participation in the Assembly of Women, to all organizations and collectivities that will organize seminars and laboratories that will treat the specific gender dimension in their works.
Thus, the function of the Women's Assembly will almost be the same with the one of the Social Movements' Assembly.

2.  A European Manifest will be adopted during the Women's Assembly. It will include the proposals that will come up during the ESF by the workshops, the seminars and the laboratories of feminists and other social movements that are fighting for women's rights.

A draft of the European Manifesto will be launched as soon as possible.
The target of this manifest is:
a.. To start a European process of discussion between us, henceforth, in order to integrate this manifest in the Assembly of Women during the 4th ESF. 
b.. To get acquainted with each other and develop relationships between networks for women's rights and social movements and try to converge by an appeal that will analyze the main points of the specific attacks against women's rights. The Manifest has to overcome our disagreements and unify us, it must underline some of our basic demands which could serve to develop campaigns of massive mobilizations with specific goals. Finally, the Manifest will probably have the function of an "Emergency Appeal" in order to organize certain unified mobilizations and the massive counter answer of women to the attacks launched, for example against the right to abort or against the reactionary politics like the "re-evangelization of Europe" so popular in Vatican, applied in some countries of the European Union (Poland, Ireland, Portugal...), against the comeback  of slavery and extreme poverty of women, etc.  3..
To make this manifest available to mixed organizations and networks in order to be taken into consideration in the elaboration of the strategy of the alter globalization movement,  face to the new facts of Europe's construction.

3. The organization of a women's space
This space will be in a central place (not isolated from other movements) in order to unite stands and kiosks, it will be self-organized and will offer the possibility to show videos, organize exhibitions etc. It will serve as a meeting point.

4. The proposal for thematic seminars and workshops  that will be useful in order to describe and analyze the problematic of women's rights and to construct networks and campaigns.
The seminars and the workshops should take place before the Assembly of Women so that there will be an interaction between them.

Some of the seminars' titles that have been proposed are: "Preparation of a european campaign against violence against women. The preparation of the mobilization for the 25th of November and the demand of a unique European law against violence due to gender", «Women Rights, secular state, democracy and equality, feminists for a secular Europe. What kind of Democracy for another Europe? The role of feminism in politics, feminism and the question of power, women's rights and feminist strategies in Eastern and Central Europe countries: threats and resistances", « Which trade-union strategy for the fight against precarious employment of women?
», «What does it mean nowadays to be a young woman?",  « Women and the Bolkestein Directive», « E.U and liberalization of European economies and the consequences  for women's lives and the equality of the sexes », «Women, asylum and immigrants : violence and coercive employment and trafficking », «Women, asylum and immigration", «Which politics in Europe
for the effective fight against women's trafficking ? The role of civils' society organizations », "The contribution of women in the resolution of conflicts, the maintenance  and the construction of peace", "Lessons taken from the action of various NGOs of different orientations like the
feminine ` Friends 1325 ' and examples taken from the functioning  of directives CEDAW in the local and regional legislation", "Immigrants, Gypsies and women of South in Europe: Poverty, precarious employment, exclusions, exploitation and discriminations ", "The fight for the defence
and the extension of women's rights to abort in Europe", "Increasing attacks against the reproductive rights and their repercussions on the equality of two sexes".

You can be informed for the program, be connected, register or propose the seminars or your workshops in the electronic address:
http://workspace.fse-esf.org

5. The visibility of the Women Assembly. As we have already stressed, we demand that the Assembly of Women constitutes a main event of the entire ESF, and that it takes place in a central space of the Forum. Since the seminars and the workshops should take place before the Assembly of Women, therefore the Assembly should be organized either on Friday afternoon
(17-20 hour) 5th of May 2006 or Saturday morning  6th of May 2006 (this will depend on the hour of the demonstration). We ask the support of the ESF and the Greek committee, so as, if it is possible, the Assembly of Women does not coincide with another big event organized at the same hour.

Finally, organizations and individuals can register to a European feminist mailing-list, after having been in touch with the following e-mail: soniamitralia@gmail.com

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3.-
CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS

Girls in the World:  A Global Anthology

WUNRN
wunrn@WHATHELPS.COM

Edited by Jennifer Hillman Helgren and Colleen A. Vasconcellos
Abstract Deadline:  February 28, 2006

We invite proposals for manuscripts to be included in a collection of essays on the history of girlhood in international and transnational contexts.  The purpose is to understand the centrality of girlhood in shaping women's lives and to study through a comparative framework how age
and gender, along with a multitude of other identities, mold and influence women's experiences.
Essays will contribute to developing cross-national perspectives and methodologies in the history of gender, children, and youth.  Moreover, we feel that given current trends toward globalization, it is imperative that scholars address ordinary individuals' relationships to war, migration, economic markets, and institutions.  Girlhood is defined broadly, and we
welcome analysis of the category of girlhood itself.  Manuscripts examining girls' experiences in Africa, Latin America, Australia, and Canada are especially welcome.
While essays may cover a range of topics, regions, and time periods, we are interested in research that addresses one or more of the following questions:
a.. How have international developments, such as migrations, wars, globalization, labor, economic markets, and international diplomacy, influenced girls' lives, cultures and/or identities? 
b.. What have been girls' roles in creating communities and shaping cultures internationally, nationally, and locally? 
c.. To what extent have girls operated as global actors and agents?  
d.. What roles have girls played, both symbolically and actively, in global political arenas? 
e.. When are girls' cultures subcultures of dominant national cultures and when do they cross (and even challenge) national boundaries? 
f.. How have girls' cultures been constituted through their responses to cultural, institutional, and familial expectations?  
g.. How do girls' educational, health, legal rights, material culture, and play vary across time and place? 
h.. How do images of and for girls in literature, art, and photography vary across time and place?

Individual manuscript proposals should include:
*a 250-word abstract and title
*author contact information
*your curriculum vitae
Please note how your work will contribute to cross-national perspectives
The submission deadline is February 28, 2006.  Please email your proposals directly to Jennifer Helgren at jennifer.helgren@cgu.edu  and Colleen Vasconcellos at colleen@mail.h-net.msu.edu

Completed manuscripts will be due in the summer of 2006.  If you have any
questions or comments, please contact either editor:

Dr. Helgren
E: jennifer.helgren@cgu.edu
P: (510) 521-8790

Dr. Vasconcellos
E. colleen@mail.h-net.msu.edu
P:  (678) 839-6032

Dr. Jennifer Hillman Helgren
Ph.D. Claremont, currently a lecturer in Women's Studies at San Francisco
State University and in History at California State University East Bay

Dr. Colleen A. Vasconcellos
Ph.D. Florida International University, currently a Visiting Assistant
Professor of History at the University of West Georgia

We are also both members of the Society for the History of Children and Youth, and the volume will definitely be affiliated with this organization as well.
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4.- A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE AND POTENTIAL OF LEARNING

Ed Melia
Ed.Melia@niace.org.uk

 

National Institute of Adult Continuing Education
www.niace.org.uk

Press Release
24th February 2006
PR09/06

The continual advances in technology are having a profound effect on not just children’s learning but how adults learn aswell. Hundreds of practitioners from across the country will come together in Birmingham next week at an event - funded by the Learning and Skills Council and organised by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) - to celebrate the progress, ideas and innovation currently being used in the delivery of adult education. 

The E-Guides National Event 2006 – to be held in Birmingham at the Hilton Metropole Hotel on Wednesday 1st March and Thursday 2nd March - will include projects illustrating the latest technology and methods used to teach adults.  Delegates have the choice of over 50 different workshops covering such issues as developments in working with learners with disabilities and impairments, blogging and podcasting, Internet radio and mobile learning.  The E-Guides programme has trained over 1,200 tutors and managers as E-Guides, who in turn have trained nearly 9,000 other staff, to date, in how to embed e-learning.

Mary Moss, Project Officer, ICT and Learning Team at NIACE, said, “This two-day event offers a flexible programme for delegates to pursue their specific interests in e-learning. There will be the opportunity to update knowledge on e-learning developments in adult and community learning and listen to a variety of dynamic speakers on topics relevant to adult educators. There will also be the opportunity - through workshops and plenary sessions - to discuss the best way forward, to consider how to consolidate the skills and knowledge gained to date and sustain the enthusiasm and momentum generated by the E-Guide training programme.”

She continued, “E-Guide trainers and adult and community learning advisors from the Joint Information Systems Committee Regional Support Centres will be on hand to provide advice and support. We are also inviting E-Guides to present their own Hot Tips. This is an opportunity for practitioners to share their own experiences of encouraging colleagues to use e-learning in the classroom and beyond.”

Speakers at the E-Guides National Event will include Jon Gamble, Director of Adult Learning at the Learning and Skills Council, and John Brown, Group Development Director at the University for Industry (Ufi). Other contributions will come from the BBC, Channel 4, Teachers’ TV, Learning and Skills Development Agency, Adult Learning Inspectorate, Becta’s Community Learning Resource, www.aclearn.net and the Joint Information Systems Committee, as well as from exemplar projects in the field, such as How to Be a History Detective.

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5.- UNAIDS new website

Kouraich.Jaouahdou@unctad.org

UNAIDS has launched a new version of its website complete with a new navigation, branding and logo (
www.unaids.org).

The website, which will also be available in French, Spanish and Russian, provides content specifically chosen for each audience group; business and labour; civil society; donors; media; people living with HIV/AIDS; policy-makers; researchers; the UN family; and women as well as an easier more intuitive navigation structure.

The new focus of the website is to include all the relevant documentation and publications but also to highlight the impact of UNAIDS’ work through its cosponsors and partners.  Each of the new sections provides additional background information, relevant publications and links to outside sources.

New also is the UNAIDS quarterly newsletter (
www.unaids.org/en/mediacentre/newsletter). The first issue features a letter from the UNAIDS Executive Director, information on a regional consultation on universal access in Latin America and UNAIDS support to Kenya. Future issues will be available in French, Spanish and Russian. Subscriber information is available online: (www.unaids.org/Services/Subscribe.aspx).

 

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