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> Issue 3, April 2002
News From The Advocacy Project:
News From AP Partners:
Israeli Assault Targets Palestinian Civil Society
Israel's violent assault on the West Bank has dealt a devastating blow to Palestinian civil society and caused extensive damage to the offices of at least two of the eight Palestinian groups whose work is supported by Grassroots International. The eight groups were all profiled in a special series of 'On the Record' last year.
The two groups are the Democracy and Workers Rights Centre in Ramallah, and the Ibda'a Cultural center in the refugee camp of Dheisheh, Bethlehem. The Ramallah offices of the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC) and the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC) have also reportedly been damaged. Gaza so far has not suffered the kind of all-out invasion launched against the West Bank.
The two buildings belonging to the Ibda'a Center were taken over by Israeli troops on March 11 when the Israelis attacked the Dheisheh refugee camp. The Israelis detained 600 men in the camp between the ages of 14 and 40, including two brothers, Motasem (17) and Ahmad (16) Al-Ghrouz, who were members of Ibda'a Dance Troup that visited the United States in 1999.
The Israelis invaded Ramallah at the end of March. After the curfew was temporarily lifted on April 4, Hasan Barghouthi, director of the Democracy and Workers Rights Centre, returned to find the DWRC office ransacked. He wrote: 'In DWRC's office, they broke the main door, many internal doors, a lot of equipment has been stolen, and important damage was sustained. For seven days now, people are living without water, electricity, medicine, and sick people cannot reach hospitals, which is especially critical for those suffering from renal diseases. Israeli soldiers broke into hundreds of houses, arresting over one thousand men between 16 to 45 years old, stealing money, gold, mobile phones, and other valuables, and turning things upside down.' DWRC has issued many appeals during recent weeks.
While there is considerable international sympathy for Israeli victims of suicide bombings, the ferocity and violence of Israel's operation has shocked international opinion. There have been summary executions. Ambulances have been blocked and fired on. International journalists have been targeted. International human rights monitors have been deported. Far from rooting out 'terrorism,' this seems certain to encourage more violence against Israelis and reduce the influence of moderate Palestinian civil society.
As this issue of AdvocacyNet goes out, it is far from clear whether Israel will withdraw from the West Bank towns. Nor is it clear what political or social context Palestinian civil society will be operating in. As was reported in last year's series of 'On the Record', many Palestinian NGOs have played a crucial role in holding the Palestinian Authority accountable. If - as seems likely - the Authority is disabled, it will point to a very different role for Palestinian civil society. In the meantime, GRI's partners will clearly need an enormous amount of support to help them rebuild.
The Advocacy Project will continue to support GRI's work, and that of GRI's Palestinian partners, to the fullest extent possible.
Direct Support: GRI has started an emergency fund for its Palestinian partners. To contribute, and to read the latest issue of GRI's newsletter from Palestine, visit the Grassroots website.
Information: Visit the website of the Palestinian Monitor. Among the notable items - a first-hand account by Jihad Mashal of the Israeli invasion of Ramallah. Mr. Mashal is the deputy director of the UPMRC and prominent in the Palestine NGO Committee (PNGO). He assisted the joint AP-GRI mission to the occupied territories last year.
Civil Society Appeal: On March 29, eight Palestinian civic leaders issued an urgent appeal to global civil society to protest against the Israeli assault and put an end to the occupation. They included three heads of the eight groups supported by GRI. The text of the appeal can be found on the website of the Gaza Mental Health Community Programme (GMHCP).
Palestine Series of 'On the Record' in Print
Last year's series of 'On the Record', which profiled the work of GRI's eight partners and looked at the role of Palestinian civil society, is now in print. Copies of the report, entitled 'Palestinian Civil Society Under Siege,' can be obtained by sending a check or money order for $15 (to cover printing and postage) to the Advocacy Project, 1326 14th Street, NW, Washington DC, 20005 USA.
Concern as US, UK and Australia Seek to Dilute UN Study on Violence Against Children
Child rights activists are concerned that the UK, US and Australia may be trying to water down a key UN study on violence against children in advance of the forthcoming Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Children.
Details of the controversy can be found in the latest issue (Vol 3 #6) of 'On the Record for Children,' an email newsletter about the Special Session which is produced by The Advocacy Project on behalf of the NGO Committee on UNICEF. Back issues are available on the Committee's website.
The study on violence has been requested by the Committee which monitors application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in the hope that it might discourage state-sponsored violence (including corporal and capital punishment) and also domestic violence against children). The idea is that a high-level review by an independent expert would draw attention to the problem and provide activists with a point of reference for their campaigns. Some had hoped that the study could be formally launched at the Special Session.
The General Assembly has accepted the proposal in principle (GA Resolution 56/138), while at the same time ignoring many of the Committee's recommendations about the scope of the study. The resolution makes no mention of an independent expert.
The idea of an independent expert received important backing last week from UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at a meeting with NGOs in Geneva. The involvement of these three major UN agencies would be essential for the success of any study.
If and when the General Assembly can be persuaded to accept the appointment of an independent expert, many governments could try to restrict the scope of the study. Sources say that the UK and Australia are lobbying to prevent any inclusion of corporal punishment, which is still permitted in both countries. The United States, for its part, is strongly committed to retaining the death penalty for crimes committed before the age of 18, which is expressly outlawed by the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Meanwhile preparations are under way for the Special Session, which has been rescheduled for May 8-10. Negotiations on the 'Outcome document' which will serve as a mission statement for the Session are set to resume on April 29.
Street Children of India Come Alive in 'Web Profile' of the Global Movement for Children
The Advocacy Project has worked with the Global Movement for Children to design a 'web profile' of the Movement in India, in advance of the Special Session of the General Assembly on Children.
The profile takes the form of sixteen illustrated web pages that describe the life of vulnerable children in Delhi and the efforts of groups that work with them. The material - photographs and articles - was collected by writer Anaga Dalal during a visit to India in February. It has been edited and designed by AP working with web designer Ruby Seinrich.
The Global Movement for Children was launched on April 26 last year by UNICEF and six prominent NGOs with a call to 'Say Yes' to children. People were asked to pledge support for ten principles that protect children and vote on the three they considered most urgent. The ten principles can be found on the website of the Global Movement.
The aim of the Global Movement is to mobilize support for children in the run-up to the Special Session, particularly at the community level. Four and a half million Indians have made pledges, and the Movement has the enthusiastic support of the Indian government at the national and local levels.
At the same time, Ms. Dalal finds that life for many young Indians remains perilous. One-third of the world's malnourished children-54 million-live in India and 25 percent of Indian girls do not live past the age of fifteen. India also has as many as 100 million child laborers. At least 500,000 Indian children live and work on the streets.
Ms. Dalal's portrait offers a graphic account of what it means to be young and unprotected on the streets. But it also offers countless inspiring examples of community action that draw from the ten principles of the Global Movement. Some are highly personal. Eighty year-old Usha Maira spends many hours a week educating nine-year old Ajay, a 'ragpicker' who collects trash in her exclusive New Delhi neighborhood.
The picture emerges of a Global Movement that is flexible enough to be adapted to local needs, while providing a clear and specific set of principles. As Ms. Dalal notes, this formula may be a political necessity in a huge decentralized country that has never taken kindly to imposed messages from the outside.
Young Roma Networkers to Attend eRider Conference in Florida
The Advocacy Project and Open Society Institute brought two young Roma activists to a meeting of information technology experts in Florida, as part of an OSI/AP program to help Roma organizations in Eastern Europe use information technology (IT) in their campaigns.
Gyula Vamosi, 23, from Hungary and Enisa Eminova, 20, from Macedonia attended the 2002 Circuit Rider Round Up conference in Florida (April 12-14). The conference brought together IT experts from around the United States to share the latest news about how IT is being adapted to serve the needs of the nonprofit community.
During their visit in the US, Gyula and Enisa also met with staff from OSI and several Roma support groups in New York.
The goal of the current AP project is to assess the IT needs and capacities of Roma advocacy groups in six countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Roma face discrimination at all levels. They also find it hard to develop a distinctive Roma voice in their own countries, and in the region.
AP has been asked by OSI to assess the possibilities of developing an integrated program of IT support for the Roma by eRiders (IT trouble shooters who help non-profits). Any such program would clearly have to draw from the Roma themselves, and Gyula and Enisa are just two of several tech-savvy young Roma professionals who might form part of such a team. They met with AP's technical director recently in Eastern Europe.
At the conference AP Technical Director Teresa Crawford was awarded the 'Dirk Award' for her outstanding contributions to the eRider community and her efforts to support human rights activists around the world. The Circuit Rider conference is in its sixth year and serves as a valuable resource for individuals and organizations working in nonprofit technology. For more information on the conference visit the NTEN website.
Political Prisoners are Denied Basic Medical Treatment in Peru
Pilar Hinojosa Tellez was six months pregnant when she was detained and accused of membership in the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) in June 1992. She remains in jail. For the ten years, Pilar has been denied the specialized medical attention she needs and on February 12, 2002, she began refusing food to protest against this violation of her basic rights. One third of the political prisoners in Peru are now on a hunger strike.
To read a dramatic account of the mistreatment of Pilar and other Peruvian prisoners, contact Rights Action, or visit their website. Telephone: (Toronto) 416 654 2074. The Advocacy Project has produced two series of 'On the Record' with Rights Action. One covered the response to Hurricane Mitch (1999). The second profiled the work of the Rio Negro survivors in Guatemala (2000).
New Report on NGO Coordination in Afghanistan Available
An important and comprehensive new report on coordination among NGOs in Afghanistan has just been released by the Geneva-based International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA). The report was written by ICVA's Coordinator, Ed Schenkenberg van Mierop, following a mission to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
While acknowledging many difficulties, the report is generally complimentary of the work being done by NGOs, in difficult circumstances. It certainly does not paint a picture of confusion, competition and overlap among NGOs of the sort that occurred in Kosovo in 1999.
The report also offers a brief assessment of the UN mission, and looks in detail at the needs and potential of the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR), which is the central NGO coordinating mechanism.
AdvocacyNet will provide a more detailed analysis of the report in the next issue. For copies of the report, contact ICVA. The Advocacy Project worked with ICVA in 1999.
'My Short Skirt' Bounds up the Kosovo Top 20
As part of its campaign to eradicate violence against women in Kosovo, the Kosova Women's Network has produced a hit song called 'My Short Skirt,' which has now reached number two on the Kosovo Top 20.
The success of their recording has delighted members of the KWN, which is being supported by The Advocacy Project with a grant from the Open Society Institute (OSI). The network comprises 32 women's groups. AP is helping them to develop a newsletter, design and manage a website, and improve their capacity to use information technology in their campaigns.
The words of 'My Short Skirt' are based on a monologue by the feminist playwright Eve Ensler. It was recorded by four local artists, one of whom - Iliriana Loxha - is working as the information officer for the Kosova Women's Network.
The artists warn intruders to keep away from their short skirt: 'It is not an invitation or provocation for rape. It does not ask to be torn or pulled down. It is mine has nothing to do with you. It's mine, like everything under it. It is the flag of the army of women.'
The Advocacy Project's support for the KWN is now in its seventh month. In addition to helping the network develop a website and newsletter, the program also seeks to connect its members to each other and to the Internet, and help them achieve basic computer literacy.
This technical assistance is being coordinated by Heroina Telaku, 19, an economics student from Prishtina who was trained in information technology by AP's Technical Director, Teresa Crawford. Ms. Telaku estimates that 75 percent of the network is connected and able to use computers.
Three issues of the newsletter - KWN Voices - have now been published, and the newsletter is going out to over 500 subscribers. To subscribe, send an email to this address with only the word 'subscribe' in the body of the message or visit this website. Back issues of the newsletter can be found on the website, which also contains background information on KWN campaigns. Inquiries and submissions can be sent to KWN.
British Students Raise Funds for Nigerian Youth AIDS Project
In a concrete example of how young people from the North and South can work together to fight the threat of AIDS, British students have raised $462 for Streetwise, a small AIDS educational project in Lagos Nigeria that has been designed and sponsored by the African network of Youth Against AIDS (YAA).
The money was raised at a recent social gathering of the Southern African Society at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London. It represents a major breakthrough for YAA's 'Adopt a Project' scheme, under which YAA's African partners generate small, community-based projects. YAA has been hoping to use its contacts in northern universities to raise funds.
AP helped Youth Against AIDS to develop the network, and profiled its members in a special series of 'On the Record' last year. AP also designed the YAA website. The understanding was that YAA would then use this information capacity to consolidate links between its members in Africa and young people in the North. The London fundraising event is the first tangible product, and shows that the YAA formula is resilient and self-sufficient.
YAA is part of a growing international network of young AIDS activists which was described in the concluding issue of the recent series of 'On the Record':
'It must be remembered that the YAA network is not so much a formal organization as a loose association of AIDS activists who are all well known in their countries for their work on AIDS. They also work through many networks: YAA, Advocates for Youth, the Student Global AIDS Campaign, Student Partnerships Worldwide, and many more.
'This international network of youth against AIDS is fluid, flexible and driven by a sense of urgency rather than money. It embraces campaigns which ebb and flow in their intensity. Today it may be antriretroviral drugs, but tomorrow it could be needle-exchange programs. Each new campaign attracts new activists, new energy, new skills.
'This network of young people is growing, and making an impact, because it is focussed on specific goals and campaigns, not on fundraising and administration. This is what cushions it against the cynicism, venality, and bureaucracy that are the death of so many other well-meaning international projects.'
For back issues of the series and a sampling of some of the responses from readers, visit AP's YAA section.
Intruders Killed by Reclusive Ecuadorian Tribe as Government's Push for New Oil Exploration Resumes
In an incident that illustrates the importance of respecting indigenous rights, three woodsmen were speared to death in the Ecuadorian Amazon on March 17 by members of the Tagaeri clan for repeatedly ignoring appeals not to cut wood on Tagaeri traditional territory.
The Tagaeri are one of only two 'uncontacted' groups of indigenous people in Ecuador, and the violence of their response shows how they respond to intruders. In spite of this, the Ecuadorian government is gearing up to launch a new round of oil exploration deep in the Amazon and could well affect the land of the Huaorani nation, which encompasses the Tagaeri clan.
In an indication of its determination to push ahead with oil production, the government recently arrested and deported several foreign environmentalists who had tried to block a new pipeline from passing through the Mindo Cloud Reserve, which is world-famous as a nature sanctuary.
With oil prices rising, there is a natural temptation for the Ecuadorian government to increase the production of oil. But as Peter Lippman warns in his recent series of 'On the Record', this 'boom and bust' dependency on oil has proved disastrous for the country. It has devastated the environment, undermined indigenous rights, impoverished Ecuadorians, created political instability and helped Ecuador wrack up one of Latin America's largest debts. As the risk of global warming becomes clearer, this obsession with fossil fuel makes even less sense. Certainly, none of these costs are passed on to the consumer at the gas pump.
In the concluding issues of his series, Lippman makes it clear that there are alternative models of development which are more respectful of the environment and of people. This include 'debt for nature' swaps, under which highly indebted countries are forgiven portions of their debt in return for safeguarding the environment. Many of these ideas are coming from indigenous groups and their allies like the Center for Economic and Social rights (CDES).
News From The Advocacy Project:
AP Receives Grant to Study Use of Information Technology in War
The Advocacy Project has received a grant from the US Institute of Peace to study the use of information technology (IT) by civil society before, during and after conflict. The research will begin in Fall 2002 and will look at three case studies - Colombia, Georgia and the Palestinian Occupied Territories.
IT has shown itself to be a valuable tool in peace-building in the Balkans, but the successes are scattered. Until now, no one has attempted to draw conclusions or develop a policy framework.
Using material collected from the case studies, the research team will attempt to develop a methodology for assessing the success of IT, and show how IT could be used more effectively by civil society. It will also seek to develop the outlines of a more coordinated donor policy.
The research program hopes to work closely with the USIP's Virtual Diplomacy Program at USIP, which seeks to explore the role of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in the conduct of diplomacy, particularly as it affects international conflict management and resolution. For more on USIP's Virtual Diplomacy Program visit the program's website.
AP to Profile Afghan Women's Network
Charity Fain, Assistant Coordinator of The Advocacy Project, is on mission in Peshawar (Pakistan) where she is meeting with the Afghan Women's Network to assess their information needs, and profile some of their members for a new AWN website.
AWN was created in 1995 and comprises some 200 individuals and groups. It is widely viewed as effective, neutral, and representative of the richness of Afghan women's society.
At the same time, many of its members are reluctant to return to Afghanistan until they feel more reassured about security. The problem is that security is also deteriorating in the refugee camps, as the UN reduces its budget and donors push to speed up repatriation back to Afghanistan. The Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children, which has supported AWN for some years, has received reports of violence against refugees in the camps and cases of forced marriage.
Ms. Fain will be working with the Women's Commission during her mission. Based on their findings, AP and the WC will then decide whether to seek funding for a full-time information officer, or a consultant, who can assist the Afghan Women's Network set some clear goals and lobby for them.
The funding for Ms. Fain's mission is provided by East-West Management, a partner of AP which works extensively with civil society in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Issue 3, April 2002
News From AP Partners:
- Israeli Assault Targets Palestinian Civil Society
- Palestine Series of 'On the Record' in Print
- Concern as US, UK and Australia Seek to Dilute UN Study on Violence Against Children
- Street Children of India Come Alive in 'Web Profile' of the Global Movement for Children
- Young Roma Networkers to Attend eRider Conference in Florida
- Political Prisoners are Denied Basic Medical Treatment in Peru
- New Report on NGO Coordination in Afghanistan Available
- 'My Short Skirt' Bounds up the Kosovo Top 20
- British Students Raise Funds for Nigerian Youth AIDS Project
- Intruders Killed by Reclusive Ecuadorian Tribe as Government's Push for New Oil Exploration Resumes
News From The Advocacy Project:
- AP Receives Grant to Study Use of Information Technology in War
- AP to Profile Afghan Women's Network
News From AP Partners:
Israeli Assault Targets Palestinian Civil Society
Israel's violent assault on the West Bank has dealt a devastating blow to Palestinian civil society and caused extensive damage to the offices of at least two of the eight Palestinian groups whose work is supported by Grassroots International. The eight groups were all profiled in a special series of 'On the Record' last year.
The two groups are the Democracy and Workers Rights Centre in Ramallah, and the Ibda'a Cultural center in the refugee camp of Dheisheh, Bethlehem. The Ramallah offices of the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC) and the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC) have also reportedly been damaged. Gaza so far has not suffered the kind of all-out invasion launched against the West Bank.
The two buildings belonging to the Ibda'a Center were taken over by Israeli troops on March 11 when the Israelis attacked the Dheisheh refugee camp. The Israelis detained 600 men in the camp between the ages of 14 and 40, including two brothers, Motasem (17) and Ahmad (16) Al-Ghrouz, who were members of Ibda'a Dance Troup that visited the United States in 1999.
The Israelis invaded Ramallah at the end of March. After the curfew was temporarily lifted on April 4, Hasan Barghouthi, director of the Democracy and Workers Rights Centre, returned to find the DWRC office ransacked. He wrote: 'In DWRC's office, they broke the main door, many internal doors, a lot of equipment has been stolen, and important damage was sustained. For seven days now, people are living without water, electricity, medicine, and sick people cannot reach hospitals, which is especially critical for those suffering from renal diseases. Israeli soldiers broke into hundreds of houses, arresting over one thousand men between 16 to 45 years old, stealing money, gold, mobile phones, and other valuables, and turning things upside down.' DWRC has issued many appeals during recent weeks.
While there is considerable international sympathy for Israeli victims of suicide bombings, the ferocity and violence of Israel's operation has shocked international opinion. There have been summary executions. Ambulances have been blocked and fired on. International journalists have been targeted. International human rights monitors have been deported. Far from rooting out 'terrorism,' this seems certain to encourage more violence against Israelis and reduce the influence of moderate Palestinian civil society.
As this issue of AdvocacyNet goes out, it is far from clear whether Israel will withdraw from the West Bank towns. Nor is it clear what political or social context Palestinian civil society will be operating in. As was reported in last year's series of 'On the Record', many Palestinian NGOs have played a crucial role in holding the Palestinian Authority accountable. If - as seems likely - the Authority is disabled, it will point to a very different role for Palestinian civil society. In the meantime, GRI's partners will clearly need an enormous amount of support to help them rebuild.
The Advocacy Project will continue to support GRI's work, and that of GRI's Palestinian partners, to the fullest extent possible.
Direct Support: GRI has started an emergency fund for its Palestinian partners. To contribute, and to read the latest issue of GRI's newsletter from Palestine, visit the Grassroots website.
Information: Visit the website of the Palestinian Monitor. Among the notable items - a first-hand account by Jihad Mashal of the Israeli invasion of Ramallah. Mr. Mashal is the deputy director of the UPMRC and prominent in the Palestine NGO Committee (PNGO). He assisted the joint AP-GRI mission to the occupied territories last year.
Civil Society Appeal: On March 29, eight Palestinian civic leaders issued an urgent appeal to global civil society to protest against the Israeli assault and put an end to the occupation. They included three heads of the eight groups supported by GRI. The text of the appeal can be found on the website of the Gaza Mental Health Community Programme (GMHCP).
- Contact Mr. Barghouthi.
Palestine Series of 'On the Record' in Print
Last year's series of 'On the Record', which profiled the work of GRI's eight partners and looked at the role of Palestinian civil society, is now in print. Copies of the report, entitled 'Palestinian Civil Society Under Siege,' can be obtained by sending a check or money order for $15 (to cover printing and postage) to the Advocacy Project, 1326 14th Street, NW, Washington DC, 20005 USA.
Concern as US, UK and Australia Seek to Dilute UN Study on Violence Against Children
Child rights activists are concerned that the UK, US and Australia may be trying to water down a key UN study on violence against children in advance of the forthcoming Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Children.
Details of the controversy can be found in the latest issue (Vol 3 #6) of 'On the Record for Children,' an email newsletter about the Special Session which is produced by The Advocacy Project on behalf of the NGO Committee on UNICEF. Back issues are available on the Committee's website.
The study on violence has been requested by the Committee which monitors application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in the hope that it might discourage state-sponsored violence (including corporal and capital punishment) and also domestic violence against children). The idea is that a high-level review by an independent expert would draw attention to the problem and provide activists with a point of reference for their campaigns. Some had hoped that the study could be formally launched at the Special Session.
The General Assembly has accepted the proposal in principle (GA Resolution 56/138), while at the same time ignoring many of the Committee's recommendations about the scope of the study. The resolution makes no mention of an independent expert.
The idea of an independent expert received important backing last week from UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at a meeting with NGOs in Geneva. The involvement of these three major UN agencies would be essential for the success of any study.
If and when the General Assembly can be persuaded to accept the appointment of an independent expert, many governments could try to restrict the scope of the study. Sources say that the UK and Australia are lobbying to prevent any inclusion of corporal punishment, which is still permitted in both countries. The United States, for its part, is strongly committed to retaining the death penalty for crimes committed before the age of 18, which is expressly outlawed by the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Meanwhile preparations are under way for the Special Session, which has been rescheduled for May 8-10. Negotiations on the 'Outcome document' which will serve as a mission statement for the Session are set to resume on April 29.
- 'On the Record for Children,' will be publishing weekly until the Special Session and daily during the Session itself. The publication is distributed free of charge to subscribers via email and is also posted on the NGO Committee website. To subscribe, send a blank email to this address. You will then receive a one-click request for confirmation. To comment or contribute any article email AP.
- For more information about the NGO position on the study on violence against children, contact Robert Cecchetti at the World Organization Against Torture in Geneva.
Street Children of India Come Alive in 'Web Profile' of the Global Movement for Children
The Advocacy Project has worked with the Global Movement for Children to design a 'web profile' of the Movement in India, in advance of the Special Session of the General Assembly on Children.
The profile takes the form of sixteen illustrated web pages that describe the life of vulnerable children in Delhi and the efforts of groups that work with them. The material - photographs and articles - was collected by writer Anaga Dalal during a visit to India in February. It has been edited and designed by AP working with web designer Ruby Seinrich.
The Global Movement for Children was launched on April 26 last year by UNICEF and six prominent NGOs with a call to 'Say Yes' to children. People were asked to pledge support for ten principles that protect children and vote on the three they considered most urgent. The ten principles can be found on the website of the Global Movement.
The aim of the Global Movement is to mobilize support for children in the run-up to the Special Session, particularly at the community level. Four and a half million Indians have made pledges, and the Movement has the enthusiastic support of the Indian government at the national and local levels.
At the same time, Ms. Dalal finds that life for many young Indians remains perilous. One-third of the world's malnourished children-54 million-live in India and 25 percent of Indian girls do not live past the age of fifteen. India also has as many as 100 million child laborers. At least 500,000 Indian children live and work on the streets.
Ms. Dalal's portrait offers a graphic account of what it means to be young and unprotected on the streets. But it also offers countless inspiring examples of community action that draw from the ten principles of the Global Movement. Some are highly personal. Eighty year-old Usha Maira spends many hours a week educating nine-year old Ajay, a 'ragpicker' who collects trash in her exclusive New Delhi neighborhood.
The picture emerges of a Global Movement that is flexible enough to be adapted to local needs, while providing a clear and specific set of principles. As Ms. Dalal notes, this formula may be a political necessity in a huge decentralized country that has never taken kindly to imposed messages from the outside.
Young Roma Networkers to Attend eRider Conference in Florida
The Advocacy Project and Open Society Institute brought two young Roma activists to a meeting of information technology experts in Florida, as part of an OSI/AP program to help Roma organizations in Eastern Europe use information technology (IT) in their campaigns.
Gyula Vamosi, 23, from Hungary and Enisa Eminova, 20, from Macedonia attended the 2002 Circuit Rider Round Up conference in Florida (April 12-14). The conference brought together IT experts from around the United States to share the latest news about how IT is being adapted to serve the needs of the nonprofit community.
During their visit in the US, Gyula and Enisa also met with staff from OSI and several Roma support groups in New York.
The goal of the current AP project is to assess the IT needs and capacities of Roma advocacy groups in six countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Roma face discrimination at all levels. They also find it hard to develop a distinctive Roma voice in their own countries, and in the region.
AP has been asked by OSI to assess the possibilities of developing an integrated program of IT support for the Roma by eRiders (IT trouble shooters who help non-profits). Any such program would clearly have to draw from the Roma themselves, and Gyula and Enisa are just two of several tech-savvy young Roma professionals who might form part of such a team. They met with AP's technical director recently in Eastern Europe.
At the conference AP Technical Director Teresa Crawford was awarded the 'Dirk Award' for her outstanding contributions to the eRider community and her efforts to support human rights activists around the world. The Circuit Rider conference is in its sixth year and serves as a valuable resource for individuals and organizations working in nonprofit technology. For more information on the conference visit the NTEN website.
Political Prisoners are Denied Basic Medical Treatment in Peru
Pilar Hinojosa Tellez was six months pregnant when she was detained and accused of membership in the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) in June 1992. She remains in jail. For the ten years, Pilar has been denied the specialized medical attention she needs and on February 12, 2002, she began refusing food to protest against this violation of her basic rights. One third of the political prisoners in Peru are now on a hunger strike.
To read a dramatic account of the mistreatment of Pilar and other Peruvian prisoners, contact Rights Action, or visit their website. Telephone: (Toronto) 416 654 2074. The Advocacy Project has produced two series of 'On the Record' with Rights Action. One covered the response to Hurricane Mitch (1999). The second profiled the work of the Rio Negro survivors in Guatemala (2000).
New Report on NGO Coordination in Afghanistan Available
An important and comprehensive new report on coordination among NGOs in Afghanistan has just been released by the Geneva-based International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA). The report was written by ICVA's Coordinator, Ed Schenkenberg van Mierop, following a mission to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
While acknowledging many difficulties, the report is generally complimentary of the work being done by NGOs, in difficult circumstances. It certainly does not paint a picture of confusion, competition and overlap among NGOs of the sort that occurred in Kosovo in 1999.
The report also offers a brief assessment of the UN mission, and looks in detail at the needs and potential of the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR), which is the central NGO coordinating mechanism.
AdvocacyNet will provide a more detailed analysis of the report in the next issue. For copies of the report, contact ICVA. The Advocacy Project worked with ICVA in 1999.
'My Short Skirt' Bounds up the Kosovo Top 20
As part of its campaign to eradicate violence against women in Kosovo, the Kosova Women's Network has produced a hit song called 'My Short Skirt,' which has now reached number two on the Kosovo Top 20.
The success of their recording has delighted members of the KWN, which is being supported by The Advocacy Project with a grant from the Open Society Institute (OSI). The network comprises 32 women's groups. AP is helping them to develop a newsletter, design and manage a website, and improve their capacity to use information technology in their campaigns.
The words of 'My Short Skirt' are based on a monologue by the feminist playwright Eve Ensler. It was recorded by four local artists, one of whom - Iliriana Loxha - is working as the information officer for the Kosova Women's Network.
The artists warn intruders to keep away from their short skirt: 'It is not an invitation or provocation for rape. It does not ask to be torn or pulled down. It is mine has nothing to do with you. It's mine, like everything under it. It is the flag of the army of women.'
The Advocacy Project's support for the KWN is now in its seventh month. In addition to helping the network develop a website and newsletter, the program also seeks to connect its members to each other and to the Internet, and help them achieve basic computer literacy.
This technical assistance is being coordinated by Heroina Telaku, 19, an economics student from Prishtina who was trained in information technology by AP's Technical Director, Teresa Crawford. Ms. Telaku estimates that 75 percent of the network is connected and able to use computers.
Three issues of the newsletter - KWN Voices - have now been published, and the newsletter is going out to over 500 subscribers. To subscribe, send an email to this address with only the word 'subscribe' in the body of the message or visit this website. Back issues of the newsletter can be found on the website, which also contains background information on KWN campaigns. Inquiries and submissions can be sent to KWN.
British Students Raise Funds for Nigerian Youth AIDS Project
In a concrete example of how young people from the North and South can work together to fight the threat of AIDS, British students have raised $462 for Streetwise, a small AIDS educational project in Lagos Nigeria that has been designed and sponsored by the African network of Youth Against AIDS (YAA).
The money was raised at a recent social gathering of the Southern African Society at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London. It represents a major breakthrough for YAA's 'Adopt a Project' scheme, under which YAA's African partners generate small, community-based projects. YAA has been hoping to use its contacts in northern universities to raise funds.
AP helped Youth Against AIDS to develop the network, and profiled its members in a special series of 'On the Record' last year. AP also designed the YAA website. The understanding was that YAA would then use this information capacity to consolidate links between its members in Africa and young people in the North. The London fundraising event is the first tangible product, and shows that the YAA formula is resilient and self-sufficient.
YAA is part of a growing international network of young AIDS activists which was described in the concluding issue of the recent series of 'On the Record':
'It must be remembered that the YAA network is not so much a formal organization as a loose association of AIDS activists who are all well known in their countries for their work on AIDS. They also work through many networks: YAA, Advocates for Youth, the Student Global AIDS Campaign, Student Partnerships Worldwide, and many more.
'This international network of youth against AIDS is fluid, flexible and driven by a sense of urgency rather than money. It embraces campaigns which ebb and flow in their intensity. Today it may be antriretroviral drugs, but tomorrow it could be needle-exchange programs. Each new campaign attracts new activists, new energy, new skills.
'This network of young people is growing, and making an impact, because it is focussed on specific goals and campaigns, not on fundraising and administration. This is what cushions it against the cynicism, venality, and bureaucracy that are the death of so many other well-meaning international projects.'
For back issues of the series and a sampling of some of the responses from readers, visit AP's YAA section.
Intruders Killed by Reclusive Ecuadorian Tribe as Government's Push for New Oil Exploration Resumes
In an incident that illustrates the importance of respecting indigenous rights, three woodsmen were speared to death in the Ecuadorian Amazon on March 17 by members of the Tagaeri clan for repeatedly ignoring appeals not to cut wood on Tagaeri traditional territory.
The Tagaeri are one of only two 'uncontacted' groups of indigenous people in Ecuador, and the violence of their response shows how they respond to intruders. In spite of this, the Ecuadorian government is gearing up to launch a new round of oil exploration deep in the Amazon and could well affect the land of the Huaorani nation, which encompasses the Tagaeri clan.
In an indication of its determination to push ahead with oil production, the government recently arrested and deported several foreign environmentalists who had tried to block a new pipeline from passing through the Mindo Cloud Reserve, which is world-famous as a nature sanctuary.
With oil prices rising, there is a natural temptation for the Ecuadorian government to increase the production of oil. But as Peter Lippman warns in his recent series of 'On the Record', this 'boom and bust' dependency on oil has proved disastrous for the country. It has devastated the environment, undermined indigenous rights, impoverished Ecuadorians, created political instability and helped Ecuador wrack up one of Latin America's largest debts. As the risk of global warming becomes clearer, this obsession with fossil fuel makes even less sense. Certainly, none of these costs are passed on to the consumer at the gas pump.
In the concluding issues of his series, Lippman makes it clear that there are alternative models of development which are more respectful of the environment and of people. This include 'debt for nature' swaps, under which highly indebted countries are forgiven portions of their debt in return for safeguarding the environment. Many of these ideas are coming from indigenous groups and their allies like the Center for Economic and Social rights (CDES).
News From The Advocacy Project:
AP Receives Grant to Study Use of Information Technology in War
The Advocacy Project has received a grant from the US Institute of Peace to study the use of information technology (IT) by civil society before, during and after conflict. The research will begin in Fall 2002 and will look at three case studies - Colombia, Georgia and the Palestinian Occupied Territories.
IT has shown itself to be a valuable tool in peace-building in the Balkans, but the successes are scattered. Until now, no one has attempted to draw conclusions or develop a policy framework.
Using material collected from the case studies, the research team will attempt to develop a methodology for assessing the success of IT, and show how IT could be used more effectively by civil society. It will also seek to develop the outlines of a more coordinated donor policy.
The research program hopes to work closely with the USIP's Virtual Diplomacy Program at USIP, which seeks to explore the role of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in the conduct of diplomacy, particularly as it affects international conflict management and resolution. For more on USIP's Virtual Diplomacy Program visit the program's website.
AP to Profile Afghan Women's Network
Charity Fain, Assistant Coordinator of The Advocacy Project, is on mission in Peshawar (Pakistan) where she is meeting with the Afghan Women's Network to assess their information needs, and profile some of their members for a new AWN website.
AWN was created in 1995 and comprises some 200 individuals and groups. It is widely viewed as effective, neutral, and representative of the richness of Afghan women's society.
At the same time, many of its members are reluctant to return to Afghanistan until they feel more reassured about security. The problem is that security is also deteriorating in the refugee camps, as the UN reduces its budget and donors push to speed up repatriation back to Afghanistan. The Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children, which has supported AWN for some years, has received reports of violence against refugees in the camps and cases of forced marriage.
Ms. Fain will be working with the Women's Commission during her mission. Based on their findings, AP and the WC will then decide whether to seek funding for a full-time information officer, or a consultant, who can assist the Afghan Women's Network set some clear goals and lobby for them.
The funding for Ms. Fain's mission is provided by East-West Management, a partner of AP which works extensively with civil society in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
- Visit the East-West Management Institute's website
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