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GEO/ICAE
1. - IALLA III 2007
4.- ATELIER « Echange d'expériences
et formation pour le plaidoyer » 7.- IMPACT ASSESSMENT & SHARED LEARNING ADVISORS, Asia & Africa
The
International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) is pleased to announce its
third edition of the Academy of Lifelong Learning Advocacy that will be held
in Montevideo, Uruguay, from September 24 to October 12, 2007.
………. FRENCH
Le Conseil International d'Éducation des Adultes a le plaisir d'annoncer la troisième édition de son cours de formation en défense des droits pour l'apprentissage tout au long de la vie (ICAE Academy of Lifelong Learning Advocacy - IALLA), qui aura lieu à Montevideo, Uruguay, du 24 septembre au 12 octobre, 2007.
La date limite pour se présenter est le 30 juin 2007. Veuillez envoyer les renseignements à: icaeialla@gmail.com
Merci d'en
donner la plus ample diffusion.
Helsingor, Denmark
1 – 2
March 2007 A. Background The Sixth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI) will be part of the series of global platforms for policy dialogue and advocacy on adult education and learning which have been organized by UNESCO every twelve to thirteen years since 1949. The first CONFINTEA took place in Helsingor (Denmark) at the International People’s College in 1949, followed by conferences held in Montreal (Canada) in 1960, Tokyo (Japan) in 1972, Paris (France) in 1985, and finally in Hamburg (Germany) in 1997.
In November 2006, the Executive Board of UNESCO requested the Director-General of UNESCO during its 175th session to make the necessary arrangements for the organization of CONFINTEA VI in 2009. Reaffirming its leadership role in literacy, non-formal education, adult and lifelong learning, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) was entrusted with coordinating the preparation of the conference, in cooperation with UNESCO Headquarters and Regional Bureaus and the CONFINTEA VI Host Country.
Given the cross-sectoral nature of adult education and learning and in line with the tradition of previous UNESCO-led CONFINTEA conferences, the preparation of CONFINTEA VI will be based on a broad consultative process and partnerships with education stakeholders from UNESCO Member States, sister UN Agencies and international development partners, civil society, research institutions, the private sector and learners.
One critical element in the consultation process will be the Consultative Group, which will function as the key conceptual unit and advisory committee during the preparatory phase for CONFINTEA VI. The Group: - Is composed of approximately 10-15 persons with an education expert profile, reflecting an institutional, geographic and gender balance; - Represents UNESCO Member States, UN Agencies, development agencies, international or regional non-governmental organizations and academicians, the CONFINTEA VI host country and UNESCO (Headquarters, Regional Bureaus and UIL); and - Is expected to convene twice a year in 2007 and 2008, and once in 2009.
The meeting in Helsingor at the International People’s College was the first get-together of the Consultative Group. It was hosted by the Danish Government through the Danish National Commission.
B. Objectives of the Meeting
The main objective of the first meeting of the Consultative Group was to discuss and collect suggestions and recommendations for the vision, overall orientation and focus on CONFINTEA VI.
Furthermore, the meeting was meant to meet the following objectives: - To spell out what difference CONFINTEA VI should make, and what the expected outcomes will be, - To outline strategies for the preparation and organization of CONFINTEA VI, To determine the next steps and contributions in the process, and - To clarify the role and function of the Consultative Group.
I. Vision, Overall Orientation and Focus of CONFINTEA VI
As discussed and agreed upon by the Consultative Group members, the CONFINTEA VI preparatory process and the conference as well as the follow-up will be based on three major principles:
First, CONFINTEA VI will push forward the recognition of adult learning and education as an important element of and factor conducive to lifelong learning, of which literacy is the foundation.
Secondly, CONFINTEA VI will highlight the crucial role of adult learning and education for the realization of current international education and development agendas (EFA, UNLD, LIFE, DESD, and MDGs) by creating the respective articulation and constituting a “meeting point” for the other agendas.
Thirdly, CONFINTEAVI will take implementation at its heart: it will create political momentum and commitment and come up with the tools for implementation in order to move “from rhetoric to action”.
Overall, the Consultative Group confirmed the importance of inter-sectorality and partnerships: While CONFINTEA VI will be a “UNESCO-led” conference, it will be based on the participation of stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds and the inclusion of a broad range of concerns and issues relevant to adult learning from their perspectives. The initial collection includes:
Contextual concerns and issues: - the right to adult learning, - democracy, conflict resolution, peace-building and respect for diversity, - migration and integration, - gender-related barriers, rural-urban divides and marginalization, and - building “learning societies”.
Programmatic and content-related concerns and issues: - literacy, as one of the central issues, - recognition of informal learning and previous qualifications, - learning at work, re-training, upgrading, employment-related issues, - the quality of adult education (access, participation, indicators, benchmarks, technology), and - structures and regulations of adult education (policy, legislation, financing/funding schemes, professionalization of adult educators).
Concerns and issues with a view to specific target populations: - women, - out-of-school youth, - rural populations, and - marginalized populations.
However, while applying a holistic perspective which aims at convergence and respects diversity, CONFINTEA VI will prioritize and be selective, both in the thematic focus (e.g. not taking up again the ten themes of CONFINTEA V but identifying priority themes and main challenges) as well as in the procedure. At the same time, CONFINTEA VI will capitalize on the lessons learnt from recent developments and from the (systemic and economic) barriers and blocks to implementation.
II. What difference and outcomes will CONFINTEA VI generate?
The Consultative Group reiterated the need for the overall outcome of CONFINTEA VI to be moving from rhetoric to action. Concretely this will entail the following results and products: - advocacy, political momentum and commitment for adult learning and education generated, - synergies with the EFA, UNLD, LIFE, DESD agendas and the MDGs ensured, - links and interfaces with other areas (e.g. health, agriculture) created, - cooperation (between governments, bi-lateral organizations and UN agencies) increased, - new financing possibilities (e.g. commitment of international development organizations and south-south cooperation) developed and applied, - professional growth and quality in adult education improved, and - a final conference document (e.g. “framework for action”) adopted, with tools (e.g. benchmarks) to measure progress and to ensure implementation.
Empowerment, understood in a holistic way, will be pursued as an additional central outcome, namely: - the empowerment of all actors: policy makers (giving them the right tools and understanding and possible solutions), professionals/practitioners, researchers, and the private sector, and adult and out-of-school learners (through having their voices and needs taken into consideration and discussed), - empowerment as a result of the learning experience through exchanging on polices, practices and new approaches, and through further disseminating/highlighting the expanded vision of literacy.
III. Strategies for the Preparation and Organization Of CONFINTEA VI
The preparatory strategy for CONFINTEA VI will be based on several pillars: 1) national reporting (on the basis of questionnaires and selected benchmarks), 2) regional preparatory meetings (ideally with national reports already prepared for the meetings), 3) thematic consultation and reviews (coordinated as well as independent), 4) a communication and advocacy strategy (possibly mobilizing journalists to write articles), and 5) partnerships between UN Agencies, international development partners, civil society, research institutions, the private sector and learners.
Central elements in the preparatory and follow-up strategies will be the development of benchmarks to measure progress and barriers, advocate and create commitment, and the collection of research-based evidence to highlight why adult learning and education are of key importance, which will include: - the national and regional reports and thematic reviews, - selected cases of successful/effective practice, - commissioned studies (e.g. by UN agencies and other organizations/actors) to help understand barriers and to highlight options, - commissioned studies summarizing and disseminating already existing research results to practitioners and policy makers, - the preparation of a Global Adult Education Report, and - stories and voices of adult learners and out-of-school youth, and their participation in the consultation as well as in the analysis.
IV. Next Steps and Contributions in the Preparatory and Organizational Strategies
Subsequent to the first meeting of the Consultative Group and in response to the candidacy presented by the Brazilian Minister of Education, the UNESCO Director-General confirmed in April 2007 during the 176th UNESCO Executive Board session that Brazil will host the CONFINTEA VI conference in May 2009, and invited UNESCO Member States to contribute and participate in all consultations pertaining to the process.
Regarding the CONFINTEA VI Regional Preparatory Meetings, various proposals have been informally made for the venue. In Latin America, the UNESCO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (OREALC) suggested to organize the meeting in conjunction with the Regional Literacy Meeting in Costa Rica in May 2008 (as part of the Global Literacy Campaign and LIFE), while Mexico has been put forward as another option. Proposals regarding the venue for the regional meetings in the other regions include South Korea for Asia/Pacific in September 2008, Kenya for Africa, and Norway, Hungary, Portugal, France or Ireland for Europe.
The Consultative Group suggested tapping other international and regional meetings as advocacy venues for CONFINTEA VI, such as all the Regional Literacy Conferences currently organized in the framework of the Global Literacy Campaign and LIFE. They could be used as an opportunity to raise the profile of CONFINTEA VI and to reinforce the CONFINTEA VI process by highlighting the relation between literacy and adult education. The UNESCO Director-General will be requested to incorporate a reference to CONFINTEA VI in his welcome addresses during the meetings; this has meanwhile been done in the case of the Regional Meeting in the Arab States (Doha, Qatar) in March 2007.
A special Round Table will be organized by UIL during the next UNESCO General Conference in October 2007. Another major education conference to be tapped for advocacy and the inclusion of CONFINTEA VI concerns is the next International Conference on Education (IBE in 2008), which will focus on “inclusion”. Furthermore, the EFA High Level Group Meeting (December 2007) would be an appropriate forum to highlight CONFINTEA VI.
Partnerships between UN agencies in preparation of CONFINTEA VI are equally evolving. The Consultative Group members representing UNICEF, ILO, FAO and the Swiss Development Corporation indicated their interest to collaborate on identifying good practices in reaching out to rural people through extension.
One important partner from the UN family still to be mobilized and involved in the CONFINTEA VI process is UNDP (possibly via the UN representative at country level), in particular if the central role of adult learning and education for the MDGs is to be highlighted.
The South Korean Consultative Group member will be part of the core group to develop benchmarks, on behalf of Asia/Pacific.
Several Consultative Group members indicated that their respective institution could contribute to the compilation of research-based evidence. OECD, following its country studies on adult learning polices and practices conducted in seventeen countries (”Beyond Rhetoric” and “Promoting Adult Learning”), could be helpful in extending this review approach to other countries in preparation of CONFINTEA VI. A study on adult learning indicators in Africa could be carried out by the Swiss Development Corporation. FAO is ready to produce a case study on adult education and agriculture, while the International Council for Adult Education will contribute a study on a specific theme, which will be decided later.
UIL, being a member of the Editorial Board of the Global Monitoring Report, will explore whether the upcoming GMR issue which will assess the EFA goals 3 and 4 can be linked to or used for CONFINTEA VI.
With a view to the formal UNESCO process, the UNESCO Director-General will be requested to invite the heads of UN Agencies to take part in the CONFINTEA VI. A letter will be sent from the UNESCO Director-General to Member States before autumn 2007, informing them about the CONFINTEA VI process and indicating what is expected of them in the national and regional reporting process. For this as well as other official communication, the official entry points for UNESCO will be the National UNESCO Commissions; they will decide on who will write the national report and on the composition of the delegation to the regional preparatory meetings as well as to the CONFINTEA VI conference in 2009.
A few tentative titles and mottos for the CONFINTEA VI conference brainstormed by the Consultative Group included: - “Adult Learning – Shaping the Competencies for the Future” - “Adult Learning – a Key for the MDGs” - “Sustaining Learning, Sustaining Development” - “Adult Learning – Shaping the Active Participation of People in the Millennium”.
Following the key principle of CONFINTEAVI moving “from rhetoric to action”, the Consultative Group will assume a central role in providing guidance on how to shape the entire CONFINTEA VI preparatory and follow-up process (including advocacy, communication, mobilization of partners, and monitoring).
The Consultative Group will also provide conceptual clarity and guidance for the priority themes, while ensuring the connection/synergy with other international education and development agendas. It will propose key actors (and possible speakers) and ways of how to incorporate them into the preparatory process. Through its Norwegian member, it will be the link with the UNESCO Executive Board. The overall frame elaborated by the Consultative Group will be inputted into the regional meetings; however, the regions will come up with their own agenda.
However, since CONFINTEA VI will be a “UNESCO category II conference”, a formal Steering Committee will be set up for the Conference itself (as well as a more technical drafting committee). In line with the tradition, the President of the Steering Committee will be from the host country, with ministers from different regions acting as vice-presidents. The exact composition of the Steering Committee will be determined as a result of the preparatory/consultative process.
Annex I: Preliminary Road Map leading to CONFINTEA VI
Annex II: Members of the Consultative Group
The following individuals took part in the first Consultative Group meeting, representing:
The Danish Hosts:
Member States:
UN Agencies:
Multi-lateral Agencies:
Non-Governmental Organizations:
Academicians:
UNESCO:
The following individuals were invited to the Consultative Group but could not take part in the first meeting: · Ms Vandana Jena, Director-General, National Literacy Mission, India · Ms Maria Lourdes Almazan Khan, Secretary-General, Asian South-Pacific Bureau of Adult Education (ASPAE) · Ms Marta Ferreira, Directorate A- Lifelong Learning, European Commission
b.bochynek@unesco.org UNESCO - UIL
3.- CEAAL WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE PREPARATORY MEETING OF THE REGIONAL LATIN AMERICAN GLOBAL LITERACY MEETING, PREPARATORY TO CONFINTEA VI.
La Carta
CEAAL 222
Translation: ICAE CEAAL, jointly with other institutions, will collaborate in the call, organization and development of the Regional Conference to be held in the city of San José, Costa Rica, in May 2008. The preparatory meeting will take place in UNESCO Regional Office Headquarters in Santiago de Chile, between June 18 and 19, 2007. In said meeting, the structure, dynamic and possible results of the Regional Conference will be defined, and each organization convened shall determine the commitments to be assumed regarding the Regional Conference.
At this preparatory meeting, CEAAL will be represented by MIRIAM CAMILO, in charge of the Literacy Group, Member of the Steering Committee and of CEAAL in Dominican Republic, and by EDGARDO ALVAREZ, CEAAL Delegate at the High Level Task Force of the Collective Consultation of NGOs CNGO, UNESCO Paris - member of the Task Force for Education Policy Advocacy of CEAAL and of CEAAL in Chile.
The United Nations Literacy Decade considers literacy as a stepping stone for the achievement of Education for All and lifelong learning. The goal of the decade is to mobilize political decisions and action, as well as the necessary resources to turn literacy into an international priority. Besides, literacy complements the poverty reduction initiatives, as set by MDGs.
The important experience and background of CEAAL as an expert organization that represents civil society, supporting literacy and youth and adult education actions in the region, goes along the same line. In this context, on September 18, 2006, at an International Conference in New York, UNESCO launched a series of Regional Conferences to put literacy at the center of education efforts in all countries across the world, at regional and global level.
During the Second Intergovernmental Meeting of the Regional Education Project for Latin America and the Caribbean (EPT/PRELAC) that was held in Buenos Aires, on March 29-30, 2007, on one hand, it was announced that the Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean would be held in May 2008, in the city of San José, Costa Rica, and that the next Adult Education World Conference (CONFINTEA VI) would take place in May 2009, in Brazil.
3. Résultats attendus
Le
processus de sélection utilisera les critères ci-dessus , et également
tiendra en compte de l'équilibre entre genres et âges, ainsi que de la
représentation de la diversité culturelle, politique et géographique de la
région (au moins une personne par pays). 1. Remplir le formulaire de candidature ci-joint. 2. Rédiger une lettre de motivation personnelle et une lettre de recommandation de l'organisation que vous représentez (une page maximum chacune). 3. Envoyer les 3 documents, par e-mail ou par fax , à l'Espace Associatif et à Social Watch
Espace
Associatif : Christiane Dardé :
espasso@menara.ma
; Fax : 00 212 (0) 37 77 41 83
5.- GCE ASKS G8 "LIVE UP TO YOUR POTENTIAL, GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO GO TO SCHOOL"
GCE, ANCEFA AND GNECC ASK AFRICAN FINANCE MINISTERS TO REMEMBER EDUCATION
17-19 September 2007
Venue: Protea Hotel Stellenbosch
Facilitators: Prof. Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt and Prof. Margaret Fletcher (Griffith University, Australia)
Registration fee: R3 500.00
Background: Leaders are in key positions to effect change in their environments especially regarding poverty reduction. The main purpose of the seminar is to develop leadership qualities and high level, practical and effective research skills for designing, conducting and evaluating innovative projects of self-selected topics on poverty reduction, improved practice and other change management areas. The focus will be on projects in the fields of education, health and development.
Target group: Programme managers in community settings Community developers Postgraduate students planning action research projects in fields of health education or development Academic supervising and/or examining action research theses Practitioners who wish to conduct and report on major action research projects Leaders who want to plan and conduct a project to bring about change in their communities
Programme: The following topics will be covered in the workshop: • Action learning (establishing a practical theory) • Action research (refining terminology) • Philosophy and fieldwork (claiming a research position) • Project management (design, conduct and evaluation)- implementation • Writing a report/paper/article (writing the research) • Publishing
Closing date: 5 September 2007 Details: http://www.sun.ac.za/chae Contact person: Mrs Liesl Cronje E-mail: LCCRON@sun.ac.za
7.- IMPACT ASSESSMENT & SHARED LEARNING ADVISORS, Asia & Africa
Salary - £25050.00 per annum, International terms and conditions of service apply
We are looking for 2-3 experienced development and rights activists to join our international Impact Assessment and Shared Learning team, to be located in one of AAI’s offices across Asia or Africa. You will be passionate about helping ActionAid to walk the talk on our values and principles. You will help us to ensure we are accountable and transparent in all that we do, particularly to our primary stakeholders, poor and excluded people. You will help to ensure that our processes include a constant analysis and action on power imbalances. You will be deeply committed to and have the necessary skills to help AAI realise our commitment to women’s rights. You will be oriented towards critical reflection and learning.
Your responsibilities will include: q Develop robust planning and M&E frameworks and systems that improve the quality and effectiveness of our work q Increase staff capacity and understanding of principles and processes of AAI Accountability, Learning, and Planning System (ALPS) and provide practical support on applying Alps q Promote the development of learning processes and platforms within and across country programmes, themes, regions and functions to ensure ActionAid International increases its knowledge and critical thinking in support of its mission and goals and its partners.
We seek candidates who are passionate and enthusiastic, possess good interpersonal skills, have at least 5 yrs experience of working with a development/human rights organisation, especially in participatory monitoring and evaluation. Understanding and experience of strategies and approaches for shared learning and capability to motivate and build collective action in this area. Practical experience of participatory approaches, facilitation, strategic planning, and monitoring and evaluation work. Fluency in English and one other language of the region is essential and ability to work in a multi –locational team and be willing to travel extensively.
These posts will report to the Head of Impact Assessment and Shared learning.
Applications should be sent with a CV, cover letter and contact names and details of at least two referees no later than 18 June 2007. Send applications to: iaslafrica.jhb@actionaid.org for Africa region, and iaslasia.jhb@actionaid.org for Asia region
Whilst all applicants are assessed strictly on their individual merits, qualified women are especially encouraged to apply.
ActionAid International Website: www.actionaid.org
PLEASE TAKE NOTE One of the objectives of Voices Rising, the on line magazine from ICAE (International Council for Adult Education) is to democratize the access to information. Although Voices Rising believes that the information it receives is of trustable sources and before publishing it measures are taken to ensure that it is reliable, the possibility is always there that we can make a mistake or that we can be surprised by ill intentions. Therefore, and with the aim of protecting the interests of all our subscribers and readers, VOICES RISING recommends that you take all necessary precautions before taking significant decision in relation to the published information. If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to VOICES RISING please write to: voicesrising@icae.org.uy
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