CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
(Deadline: 5 October 2010)
Re-examining Gender Based Violence, Strengthening Advocacy
Work: 21 Days of Learning for 16 Days of Activism
Date: October 25 – November 13, 2010
Venue: Isis
International, 3 Marunong Street,
Barangay Central, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Isis International believes that at the
core of effective advocacy is holistic communications strategies. As such,
Isis has worked to engage its partners and networks to look into the theory
and practice of feminist development communications for effective advocacy
work through the Isis International
Activist School
on Feminist Development Communications.
The Isis
International Activist
School is part of the
organisation's efforts to systematise capacity building on gender and
development communications for activists, feminists, and development
practitioners on a variety of issues such as peace, human rights, migration,
gender based violence and LGBT advocacy. One of the more recently conducted
activist school was held in August 2010 on the Isis
International Activist
School on Engendering Climate
Justice.
In time for activities and campaigns for
the annual 16 Days of Activism, Isis would like to
contribute towards a gathering of practitioners and activists for a
three-week workshop on Re-examining Gender Based Violence, Strengthening
Advocacy Work: 21 Days of Learnings for 16 Days of Activism.
Rethinking Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Strategising
Advocacies
The United Nations defines violence against
women as any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to
result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including
threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether
occurring in public or in private life. There are many forms of violence
against women, including sexual, physical, or emotional abuse by an intimate
partner; physical or sexual abuse by family members or others; sexual
harassment and abuse by authority figures (such as teachers, police officers
or employers); trafficking for forced labour or sex; and such traditional
practices as forced or child marriages, dowry-related violence; and honour
killings, when women are murdered in the name of family honour. Systematic
sexual abuse in conflict situations is another form of violence against
women. Feminists have taken part in naming and analysing this experience of
violence by women.
As awareness on gender based violence
progressed, communities, organisations and governments have taken a stand to
denounce and actively work to combat violence against women through a variety
of programs. At the international level, a UN resolution has designated
November 25 as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against
Women, that gives importance to all of these efforts. This mandate has given
way to women's groups from all over the world to join hands in a campaign now
known as the 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women (November
25-December 10).
Despite the joint efforts and progress
made, to date, gender based violence still remains the biggest challenge in
addressing women's human rights and gender equality. Realising the work at
hand, organisations continue to be invested in understanding the experience
of violence. New perspectives and new strategies have emerged to effectively
address gender-based violence. As women’s organisations all over the world
think of ways to take action in the upcoming 16 Days of Activism, we are
faced with the urgent task to understand and further reflect on appropriate
practices, and strategies for addressing gender based violence within
specific contexts.
Isis International, in its aim to
contribute to current efforts in addressing gender based violence, offers a
space for learning, exchange and interaction among development workers in the
area of GBV from the Asia Pacific region.
The Isis International Activist School has
allotted 21 days for: learning and exchange on gender based violence within a
multi-cultural setting; exploring new perspectives and frameworks in
understanding GBV; field visits to various organisations and learn about
existing and emerging practices in addressing GBV; sharing on organisational
development strategies for strengthened institutional practice on addressing
GBV; understanding the role of feminist development communications in
sharpening advocacy for GBV; and practical training on the use of key
development communication tools for advocacy and campaigns for the 16 Days of
Activism and beyond. It is within this context that we have designed the
three-week workshop with the following objectives:
o
To
share country / region specific experience of gender based violence and ways
this is being addressed by activists from various of agencies, organisations
and networks;
o
To
sharpen the understanding of the progression of theories and frameworks on
understanding gender based violence;
o
To
engage in a learning exchange with groups and organisations on current
practices and strategies in addressing GBV;
o
To
identify ways this new learning can shape organisational practice and
advocacy strategies;
o
To
develop advocacy and communication plans that reflect the learning from the
three-week workshop; and
o
To
produce the multi-media productions and other communication materials
utilising the newly acquired skills and knowledge for the upcoming 16 days
activism.
How will the activist school
programme be implemented? The activist school is grounded in
participatory and experiential learning and will use creative, and interactive
methodologies that ensure maximum participant and facilitator interaction
within a non-threatening, and enriching learning environment. In the history
of its capacity building work, Isis has maintained a pool of resource persons
from the academe, social movements, media, and development communications
fields in Asia and the Pacific . Their expertise will
be tapped to enhance and intensify the activist school programme.
Who can participate? Women in top to
middle management of organisations working on the issue of gender based
violence in the Asia Pacific Region.
What are the required language
skills?
The workshop will be conducted in English. Handouts and reading materials
that will be distributed will also be in English. However, fluency in English
is not a requirement since peer translation may be facilitated for you.
Participants who can speak English will be asked to translate for their
co-participants, their contribution towards this work will be considered a
non-monetary counterpart.
Who can apply for scholarships? Full scholarship,
which covers travel expenses and board and lodging for the duration of the
workshop, are limited to participants representing organisations working on
the issue of GBV in Asia Pacific only. Participants coming from other parts
of the world may also participate but will be asked to cover their own travel
expenses. Participants are also encouraged to attend the workshop with the
full financial support of their organisations, when possible. This is to
ensure that more individuals are able to participate.
What is expected of the participants? Selected
participants will be expected to attend the all of the sessions and give
their full and active participation. Other expectations are detailed as
follows:
During the workshop:
o
Share
knowledge, skills and experiences;
o
Contribute
to a conducive atmosphere for learning and exchange;
o
Take
part in the evaluation sessions;
After the workshop:
o
Implement
the advocacy communications plan that will be drafted during the workshop;
o
Share
learning and skills after the workshop through echo-sessions with respective
organisations and networks;
o
Participate
in the Isis Activist
School tracer study on post
workshop monitoring and evaluation three months after the workshop to share
the outcomes of participants' post workshop activities.
What is the application process and
when is the deadline? The screening will come in two stages, below are the
requirements and deadline per stage:
Initial
Screening
|
Accomplished
application form, organisational information, and e-copies of
advocacy and communications materials
|
5
October 2010
|
Announcement
of Successful Applicants
|
|
8-10
October 2010
|
Final
Requirements (for successful applicants)
|
Submission
of 3-5 paged country paper on the situation of gender based violence and
your organisations’ involvement in addressing GBV
|
15
October 2010
|
For submission of applications and
requirements, or for more information on the Isis
Activist School
please contact Erika and Sabrina of the Governance, Communications and
Democracy Programme:
Erika
Rosario, Programme Associate
Email: erika@isiswomen.org
This e-mail address is being
protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel. No: +63 2 9281956 local 114
|
|
Sabrina
Buzzalino, Programme Assistant
Email: sabrina@isiswomen.org
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from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel. No: +63 2 9281956 local 101
|
|