Activities

Call for Registrations: Global Seminar 2019 3-6 October 2019

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Overview

What:             IUSY Global Seminar

When:            3-6 October 2019

Where:           Stockholm, Sweden

 

Overview of the event

The Olof Palme International Centre’s Global Project finances the IUSY Global Seminar. The IUSY Global Seminar 2019 will gather together IUSY member organisations and representatives from the districts of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League (SSU). New to this year is that the second day will be spent having a joint programme together with IFLRY, The International Federation of Liberal Youth. The aim of the seminar will be to provide to the Member Organisations and to the SSU representatives a platform to discuss and come up with ideas on how we can battle shrinking civil society space and support civil society organisations and activists across the globe. A secondary aim is also to strengthen collaboration with IFLRY on topics that we agree on. The seminar will be an opportunity for us to learn and reflect upon new ideas and partnerships in our work for a fairer and more equal world.

Theme

A cornerstone of a democratic society is an empowered and independent civil society. Civil society organiations (CSOs) are the voice of the people and ensure that decision-makers make policies that respond to the needs of its citizens. In the last couple of years civil society has been under attack. CIVICUS has documented that civil society space is attacked in 111 countries and that only four per cent of the world’s population live in countries where our fundamental civil society freedoms such as freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression are respected. The shrinking space has presented itself as restrictive legislation, restricted access to funding for CSOs, and attacks such as threats, violence and murders have been committed to human rights defenders and civil society representatives and organisations. The Global Seminar will tackle the topic of shrinking civil society space and the role of political youth organisations. Together we will learn more about the attacks on civil society but also discuss what our roles are as political youth organisations in a more democratic world by ensuring that we have a free and independent civil society.

For more information about the state of civil society during 2018 read CIVICUS 2019 report.

For any questions or remarks please don’t hesitate to contact the IUSY Secretariat at iusy@iusy.org, put Global Seminar 2019 in the subject line.

With best regards,

Johanna Ortega                                                Ana Pirtskhalava

IUSY President                                            IUSY Secretary General

Participation Profile & Selection Process

Each member organisation may register up to one participant for the meeting.
The selection criteria will be based on
1. The questions listed in the application form

  1. Gender Balance (both IUSY statutes and the global project require gender balance)
  2. Regional Balance

Participants must be able to attend the entire programme of the seminar.

It’s preferable that participants have an interest in working with civil society and has knowledge about the threats against civil society today as well as previous experience working with liberal youth.

All participants must be aged 18-35 years old, with no exceptions.

How to apply

Participants must apply by filling in the registration form that you can find here. Or copy paste it to your browser: https://forms.gle/tLWevqnbTkXqbsA26

Please note that a thought out answer to the questions are required as it is part of the selection process.

The deadline for application is 05 of August.

Participation fee

The participation fee for the event is 50€ per person and must be paid with bank transfer by Wednesday 15th September 2019.

Please note that you will have to be selected before you pay the participation fee.
The participation fee will cover accommodation, meals, refreshments and programme for the duration of the event. Any additional nights’ accommodation must be arranged and paid for by participants.

Payment should be via bank transfer to IUSYs account.

Once you have made the bank transfer, please send a payment receipt to iusy@iusy.org. Please be aware that IUSY cannot take responsibility for any bank fees.

Visas

The IUSY Secretariat will support visa applications for the event. Please note that the Secretariat will support you with a visa invitation letter. Participants themselves must apply for the visa and book appointments with the embassies/consulates.

Travel Reimbursement

Travel reimbursement is available up to a fixed reference price. Only economy tickets will be reimbursed. Please note that as this event is open to all IUSY’s regions the amount of Travel Reimbursement available to the different organisations will become available after the selection process has finished.

Cancellations

Each organisation whose participant withdraws after the 25th of September without a valid reason will be charged the participation fee.

Contacts

Amanda Lilliefeldt

Amanda.lilliefeldt@iusy.org or

iusy@iusy.org / +4369913532970

Call for Applications: Training of Trainers 2019

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Dear Comrades,

We are glad to invite you to the 3rd edition of the Training of Trainers of IUSY Pool of Trainers which will take place in Mollina, Spain from the 15th to the 22rd of September, 2019 (including travel dates).

In this Training for Trainers we aim to provide active members of IUSY the chance to acquire and develop training and facilitating skills, knowledge on non-formal education and youth work. Together we will explore non-formal education methods and discover how it can improve our activities. in addition, we will also strengthen the network of trainers to help us deliver future IUSY activities and promote non-formal education within IUSY and its member organisations.

Training of Trainer of IUSY Pool of Trainers will take place within the framework of University of Youth and Development (UYD) which is an activity organized by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe (NSC).

Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the IUSY Secretariat at iusy@iusy.org.

Kind regards,

Johanna Ortega                      Ana Pirtskhalava                          Agustina Rodriguez

IUSY President                      IUSY Secretary General                 IUSY PoT coordinator

OVERVIEW

What: Training of Trainers of IUSY Pool of Trainers (PoT)

When: 15th – 22nd September 2019 (including travel days)

Where: Mollina, (Malaga), Spain

Age: 18-35 years

Deadline to apply: 21st July, 2019

ABOUT THE ACTIVITY

IUSY is part of UNMGCY (major group on youth and children) and member of ICMYO constantly working not only with its member organisations worldwide, but also with other organisations in the global level tackling issues related to young people and youth rights. In this scope, the SDG number 16 is particularly relevant to the work of IUSY that promotes youth empowerment and active youth participation.

In different regions of the world where IUSY works, access to justice is unequal. This applies to many groups, in particular young people. This situation creates obstacles to youth engagement, active participation in political and social life. With this activity, which is a Training of Trainers we want to provide a space and opportunity to reflect on the topic of Youth and Justice as an important element to youth empowerment and participation where justice is equal for all and ensures protection of the society. The activity will focus on the theme partially from human rights perspective, partially through peace education which will allow diverse group of participants to build bridges that will make real and tangible the relation between all young people who want to contribute to the construction of peace, solidarity and social justice.

OBJECTIVES

  • To introduce the topic of non-formal education from the perspective of justice, peace education and human rights
  • To promote the concept of non-formal education as a working tool among the participants and, as an extension, their member organisations
  • To provide participants with knowledge, tools and confidence to pursue training in their local organisations
  • To bring the global perspective to the local level by providing training and facilitation skills to the participants
  • To train members on the concepts that are relevant for youth political activism/campaigning training in order to be multipliers in their organisations (such as advocacy, speech drafting, communication skills, etc.)
  • To develop the IUSY Pool of Trainers by improving the training capacities of young activists and youth organisations

The workshops will be facilitated based on the core values of participatory non-formal education/learning and on the basis of global education. The programme will promote critical analysis and be tool-oriented to improve the capacities of young activists and youth organisations at the national and local levels.

WHO CAN APPLY? PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS

This activity is not aimed towards the leadership of IUSY member organisations, it is addressed to youth activists. Please note that this is an educational activity therefore it is required that the participants stay for the whole activity duration and also to contribute to IUSY activities after the training.

Participants should:

  • Belong to IUSY member organisation.
  • Be aged 18-35
  • Experience or strong interest in non-formal education, training and facilitation
  • Have a proficient level of English (the only working language during the activity)
  • Availability to contribute to IUSY activities and IUSY Pool of Trainers

Since we expect to provide all regions with trainers for their events, we’re aiming for participants from all regions and from a variety of member organisations.

According to the IUSY statutes, we’re also looking to achieve a gender-balanced training so we reserve the right to select participants based on gender criteria if needed.

HOW TO APPLY

Due to limited space of 10-12 people, there will be an application process. To apply you must complete the registration by 21st of July.

Click here or follow the link below to complete the application form

https://forms.gle/o94fHYc8dqgtMyWP8

NOTE: No registration will be accepted after the deadline.

ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES

Day of arrival is the 15th of September 2019. Departure is set for the 22nd of September 2019. Please make your travel arrangements accordingly and do not forget that IUSY will not be able to cover accommodation or any other additional expenses for participants who need to stay additional nights. Transfers will be organised only on the day of arrival and departure.

TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT

IUSY will cover your flight ticket up to a fixed reference price. The maximum amount for travel reimbursement will be sent to you together with a confirmation letter.

Please note that you should not buy any flight ticket before your application is approved!!!

VISA

The IUSY Secretariat will support visa applications for the event. If you require a visa, please send a copy of your passport to iusy@iusy.org as soon as possible, so the secretariat can draft a visa invitation letter for you.

If your participation is confirmed we ask you to contact the Spanish embassy/consulate in your country as fast as possible for visa appointment.

ACCOMODATION, VENUE & TRANSFER

Details on the meeting venue, hotel and pick up will be communicated after your participation is confirmed. Please note that accommodation and meals are fully covered by IUSY. Airport transfers from Malaga airport to the venue and back will be provided only on the dates of arrival and departure. 

PARTICIPATION FEE

The participation fee is set for 50 Euro and should be transferred to IUSY bank account before the activity starts. Bank details will be sent along with a confirmation letter.

CANCELLATION FEE

There will be a 50 Euro cancellation fee charged to each organisation whose participant withdraws after 20th August and without a valid reason.

 CONTACT INFORMATION

Should you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact the coordinator of the project at the IUSY Secretariat:

Gohar Ghandilyan

IUSY Project Manager

EMAIL: gohar.ghandilyan@iusy.org

Phone: +43 699 135 32 960

IUSY Secretariat

EMAIL: iusy@iusy.org

We are looking forward to receiving your application!                                   

Call for Registrations: African Committee Leadership Conference 2019!

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Overview

What:             Regional committee meeting for members of the African region

When:             12-15 September, 2019 (including travel dates)

Where:           Gaborone, Botswana

Age/gender: 18-35 years old and gender balanced delegations only

Size:               2 participants per member organisation

Deadline:       1 July 2019

 

Outline

The African Committee Leadership Conference 2019 will bring together the young leaders of IUSY member organisations from the African region. The AFC will be organised in partnership with our member organisation Botswana Congress Party Youth League. The aim of the meeting is to strengthen the partnership among IUSY member organisations and enhance the cooperation in the region. The meeting will offer a platform to discuss current political situations in the region, give space to engage in a dialogue on common struggles and obstacles, and work together to come up with strategies to enact political and social change. Participants can look forward to getting involved in political debates and discussions, sharing experiences and ideas and building up their regional network. There will also be an added focus on skill building. Committee Meetings are the most important platforms for the regions in between the IUSY Congresses and Councils.

The theme of the Committee Meeting in 2019 “Youth opportunities in Africa & How We Can Guarantee Decent Work for Youth”

Unemployment is a global phenomenon whereby eligible workforce of a nation is disengaged in the service of the nation. It is not only a serious economic issue but has social implications that affect almost all countries and all people either directly or indirectly. It causes social disquiet and is the harbinger of the spate of crimes, perennial youth unrest and unstable socio-economic structure that has bedevilled several nations.

Africa indeed is a very rich continent with a potential youth percentage and while security is the key factor to stability and economic growth, unemployed and the luck of descent work for youth in Africa is a big drive to violence and instability across the continent, how can we as socialist youth address this issue and contribute to right policies toward a better and adequate work opportunities for youth in Africa?

For any questions or remarks please don’t hesitate to contact the IUSY Secretariat at iusy@iusy.org

We are very much looking forward to seeing you!

With best regards,

Johanna Ortega                                                                    Ana Pirtskhalava

           IUSY President                                                                IUSY Secretary General

 

Participant profile

Each member organisation in the region may register up to two participants for the meeting. Please note that delegations MUST be gender-balanced and a delegation cannot consist of two men. All participants must be aged 18-35 years old, with no exceptions. IUSY statutes as well as the Global Project require gender balance in order to be able to participate in the meeting. Participants must hold a leadership position in their organisation and member organisations will need to approve all applications.

Participants must be able to attend the entire programme. The working language of the meeting is English and French. Translation between French and English will be provided.

How to apply

Participants must apply by completing the online registration form latest by 1 July, 2019. All applicants will receive the outcome of their application within 1 week of the application deadline. Click here to fill in your registration or copy paste the link to your browser: https://forms.gle/DKEdGShJLKbFyLsZ8

Participation fee

The participation fee for the activity is 30€ per person and must be paid by 22 August 2019. The participation fee will cover accommodation, meals, refreshments and programme for the duration of the event. Any additional nights’ accommodation must be arranged and paid by participants.

Once you have made the bank transfer, please send a payment receipt to iusy@iusy.org. Please be aware that IUSY cannot take responsibility for any bank fees. If you are unable to make a bank transfer in advance you must inform us before 22 August 2019.

Outstanding membership fees and/or debts

Please note that only organisations without outstanding membership fees or debts are entitled to receive travel reimbursement. Therefore, we would ask for organisations to transfer their outstanding fees or debts by bank transfer as soon as possible.

If you are unable to pay your membership fee and/or debt, please contact the IUSY Secretary General Ana Pirtskhalava (ana.pirtskhalava@iusy.org) and IUSY President of Control Commission (roland.gur@iusy.org) to discuss possible options.

Travel reimbursement

Travel reimbursement is available up to a fixed reference price. Only economy tickets will be reimbursed. Kindly note that only gender balanced delegations are entitled to the maximum amount of reimbursement.

All travel reimbursements will be made in euro via bank transfer after the meeting. No travel reimbursement will be available in cash on the event without prior agreement at least one week in advance of the event. This applies to very exceptional cases and should be discussed with the Secretariat.

Please note that IUSY can only reimburse cost of travels proven by original documents. Therefore, do not forget to keep and hand in to the IUSY Secretariat ALL of the following documents at the meeting:

Flights:

  1. Booking confirmation, itinerary and ticket (emailed in advance to iusy@iusy.org)
  2. Original boarding passes for all flight segments (given to the Secretariat on arrival)
  3. Local travel tickets, where relevant (given to the Secretariat on arrival)
  4. Your bank account details (please make sure you bring them with you)

Train/coach:

  1. Booking confirmation, itinerary and ticket (emailed in advance to iusy@iusy.org)
  2. Original, stamped tickets for all journey segments (given to the Secretariat on arrival)
  3. Local travel tickets, where relevant (given to the Secretariat on arrival)
  4. Your bank account details (please make sure you bring them with you)

Car:

  1. Origin address and route map (emailed in advance to iusy@iusy.org)
  2. At least one gas/fuel receipt (given to the Secretariat on arrival)
  3. Your bank account details (please make sure you bring them with you)

Reference prices for travel reimbursement

Travel reimbursement will be offered to participants up to the fixed reference price below and upon proof of the requested documents above. Visa costs are included within this reference price. The reference prices below are for two delegates. If one delegate will be attending the meeting only half of the reimbursement will be made.

Country Organisation Travel Reimbursement
Angola J MPLA €150,00
Benin J PSD €280,00
Botswana BCP €0,00
Burkina Faso PDP/PS €150,00
Burkina Faso UNJ/MPP €150,00
Cape Verde J Do PAIC €250,00
Central Africa MLJC €250,00
Chad M3F €200,00
Democratic Republic of Congo Ligue Des Jeunes De L’Union Pour La Democratie Et Le Progres Social €200,00
Equatorial Guinea CPDS €200,00
Gabon MJU €200,00
Gambia YUDP €250,00
Ghana NDC YL €150,00
Kenya LPK YC €150,00
Mali JADEMA €200,00
Mali UJ-RPM €200,00
Morocco IY €200,00
Namibia SWAPO €100,00
Niger OJT €200,00
Senegal MNJS €200,00
South Africa ANCYL €80,00
Swaziland SWAYOCO €80,00
Tanzania CCMYL €180,00
Togo CDPA €180,00
Tunisia JCD €180,00
Uganda UYD €180,00
Western Zahara UJSARIO €250,00
Western Zahara UESARIO €250,00
Zimbabwe MDCYA €100,00
Zimbabwe PDP €100,00

Please note that this amount might change when the participant group has been selected.

Visas

The IUSY Secretariat will support visa applications for the event. If you require a visa, please send a copy of your passport to iusy@iusy.org as soon as possible, so the secretariat can draft a visa invitation letter for you. Please note that you have to arrange the appointment with the consulate/embassy yourself.

Travel

Arrivals and Departures

Day of arrival for the IUSY African Leadership Conference is 12 September and the day of departure is the 15 September. Please make sure to arrange your travel accordingly and do not forget that IUSY will NOT be able to cover accommodation or any other additional expenses for delegates who need to stay additional nights in Botswana.

How to get to the hotel

Details on the how to get to the hotel and venue will be provided at least two weeks before the event. Please note that to be able to get an airport transfer you need to send us your travel details by the 22 of August.

Accommodation and meeting venue

Detailed information about the hotel and meeting venue will be sent to all participants nearer the time, at the latest two weeks in advance of the event.

Cancellations

There will be a 30€ cancellation fee charged to each organisation whose participant withdraws after 22 of August, 2019 without a valid reason.

Contact

Amanda Lilliefeldt

IUSY Project Manager

Email: iusy@iusy.org or amanda.lilliefeldt@iusy.org

Phone: +43 699 135 32 970                         

We are looking forward to receiving your registrations!

Feminist Working Group: Call for Applications

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OVERVIEW

What: Feminist Working Group Meeting 2019
When: 27-30 June 2019 (including travel dates)
Where: Salvador Alllende Haus, Oer-Erkenschwick (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
Age: 18-35 years
Size: Maximum 2 participant per region
Registration Deadline: 30th April, 2019

OUTLINE

The Feminist Working Group 2019 will bring together young activists of IUSY member organisations from all seven regions. The aim of the meeting is to strengthen the

Feminist Working Group and enhance organisational cooperation on the topic.

The meeting will offer a platform to discuss current organisational and regional situation in regards to gender equality, gender discrimination, inclusive participation and gender based violence. It will also give space to engage in a dialogue on common struggles and obstacles, and work together to come up with strategies to enact political and social change. Participants can look forward to meeting youth actors, getting involved in political debates and discussions, sharing experiences and ideas and building up their international network. There will also be an added focus on working on a toolkit/guideline for gender equality in youth organisations.

THEME – Gender mainstreaming in youth organisations

In the past two years IUSY Feminist Working Group has had enriching experiences and opportunities to meet and discuss our common struggles and problems regarding feminism, gender equality, gender based violence and many related topics. We have implemented two social media campaigns on “Stories of Women*” (2017, 2018) and one Women*Resist video campaign which is still ongoing.

During our discussions and experience sharing we observed that the struggle for gender equality and against discrimination and violence in many cases and contexts remains limited to women’s groups within the organisations. Therefore, too often it is limited to those organisations and movements that already have strong feminist structures and working groups. We also identified that there is a “feminist bubble” where gender issues are tackled in a safe space, giving the impression that practices have changed, when, for many organisations and in many cases, they indeed have not. This situation is more complex when there are so many organisations with different realities and contexts gathered under the umbrella of IUSY.

This year we plan to focus on our member organisations, their struggles and their contribution for making a change. We want to open a space for us and our participants to explore the topic of gender equality and all related aspects in our organisations and in our movement. We believe that that there is a huge potential to work together and make a significant change. We want to explore the reach of gender equality by recognising and naming the challenges that we face in different organisations and realities. Only by starting with this we can more forward to have more inclusive organisations without discrimination and violence. Finally, we will set advanced goals for gender equality in youth organisations and design tools/guidelines and methods to carry them out – the IUSY Toolkit/ Guideline for gender equality in youth organisations, which will be shared in our global movement and with our partner youth organisations.

Objectives of the working group meeting 2019

  • Strengthen the understanding of gender identity and recognise the importance of gender equality in youth organisations and our movement
  • Comprehend the current situation in youth organisations regarding gender equality and the main challenges and issues to address in order to improve further
  • Set short- and long-term goals for improvement of gender equality in youth organisations and design an advanced strategy to reach the defined goals
  • Engage in creating a toolkit/guideline for gender equality in youth organisationsThe activity is hosted by our member organisation Sozialistische Jugend Deutschland – Die Falken.Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the IUSY Secretariat at iusy@iusy.org.

IUSY toolkit/guideline

WHO CAN APPLY

This activity is not aimed towards the leadership of IUSY member organisations, it is addressed to youth activists. Please note that it is required that the participants stay for the whole duration of the activity and also to contribute to IUSY activities after the meeting.

Participants should:

  • –  Belong to IUSY member organisation.
  • –  Be aged 18-35
  • –  Have been active/working/studying in the field of feminism/feminist movement
  • –  Be willing to continue to work and be active in the field of gender and feminism
  • –  Be willing to work in creating the toolkit
  • –  Availability to contribute to IUSY activities in future
  • –  Have a proficient level of English (the only working language during the activity)Please note that places are limited and there will be a selection process based on your application. We will inform everyone who has applied about the result of their application one week after the deadline.HOW TO APPLY

    Due to limited space for participation there will be an application process.

    To apply you must complete the following form by 30th April 2019. Please follow the link below. It is essential to fill in the parts which reflect your experience, background and motivation in joining the activity.

    Link to the registration: https://forms.gle/4M7JVeAEhjqGAVKc8  NOTE: No registration will be accepted after the deadline.

TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT

IUSY will cover your flight ticket up to a fixed reference price. The maximum amount for travel reimbursement will be sent to you together with a confirmation letter.

Please note you SHOULD NOT buy any flight tickets before your application is approved!!!

VISA

The IUSY Secretariat will support visa applications for the event. If you require a visa, please send a copy of your passport to iusy@iusy.org as soon as possible, so the secretariat can draft a visa invitation letter for you. If your participation is confirmed we ask you to contact the German embassy/consulate in your country as fast as possible for visa appointment.

ACCOMODATION & VENUE

Details on the meeting venue, hotel and transport from/to airport will be communicated after your participation is confirmed. Please note that accommodation and meals are fully covered by project.

PARTICIPATION FEE

The participation fee for the activity is 30€ per person and must be paid by 1st of June 2019. The participation fee will cover accommodation, meals, refreshments and programme for the duration of the event. Any additional nights’ accommodation must be arranged and paid by participants.

Once you have made the bank transfer, please send a payment receipt to iusy@iusy.org. Please be aware that IUSY cannot take responsibility for any bank fees. If you are unable to make a bank transfer in advance you must inform us before 1 June 2019.

OUTSTANDING MEMBERSHIP FEES AND/OR DEBTS

Please note that only organisations without outstanding membership fees or debts are entitled to receive travel reimbursement. Therefore, we would ask for organisations to transfer their outstanding fees or debts by bank transfer as soon as possible.

If you are unable to pay your membership fee and/or debt, please contact the IUSY Secretary General Ana Pirtskhalava (ana.pirtskhalava@iusy.org) and IUSY President of Control Commission (roland.gur@iusy.org) to discuss possible options.

CANCELLATION FEE

There will be a 30 Euro cancellation fee charged to each organisation whose participant withdraws after 1 June and without a valid reason.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Should you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact the coordinator of the project at the IUSY Secretariat:

Gohar Ghandilyan

IUSY Project Manager
EMAIL: gohar.ghandilyan@iusy.org Phone: +43 699 135 32 960

IUSY Secretariat

EMAIL: iusy@iusy.org

Student Working Group 2019: Call for Applications

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Overview

What:             Student Working Group Meeting

When:             2-5 May, 2019 (including travel dates)

Where:           Brussels, Belgium

Age/gender: 18-35 years old and gender balanced

Size:               Max 2 participants per region

Deadline:       10 April 2019

Outline

The Student Working Group 2019 will bring together young activists of IUSY member organisations from all 7 regions. The aim of the meeting is to strengthen the Student Working Group and enhance student cooperation. The meeting will offer a platform to discuss current political situations in the regions in regards to education, give space to engage in a dialogue on common struggles and obstacles, and work together to come up with strategies to enact political and social change. Participants can look forward to meeting youth actors, getting involved in political debates and discussions, sharing experiences and ideas and building up their international network. There will also be an added focus on skill building.

The theme of the Working Group in 2019 “Towards Societies of Knowledge?”

UNESCO defines a knowledge society as: “a society that is nurtured by its diversity and its capacities”. As every society already possesses its own sets of knowledge, the knowledge society is about connecting what a society already possesses with the new forms of development and spread of knowledge. The knowledge society differs from the information society as the latter is based on technological breakthroughs and this is only a small part of knowledge societies. Knowledge societies include broader social, ethical and political dimensions as well as various forms of knowledge and cultural and linguistic diversity. For a knowledge society, the traditional forms of learning such as through books, radio, television and school should not be overlooked for technological breakthroughs. Education through textbooks and teachers is deemed more important than internet access and technology. The building of a knowledge society also puts emphasis on knowledge sharing and the inclusion of all generations. One of the most defining characteristics that differs knowledge societies from older forms of knowledge societies is the special emphasis on human rights and the participatory character. The human rights perspectives it highlights in particular are freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of information, media pluralism and academic freedom, the right to education (as well as of pushing for free access to education), and the right to freely participate in cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.

To read more about how to build a knowledge society follow this link.

During the working group we will explore foundations of knowledge societies as a source for development, the importance of freedom of expression, learning societies and a culture of innovation, learning as a key value, new inputs for education including e-learning, and the universal access to knowledge. Through exploring these topics we can analyse the new challenges of education, the effects of technology and how youth fits into this process. We will also discuss how this makes a difference in political participation.

For any questions or remarks please don’t hesitate to contact the IUSY Secretariat at iusy@iusy.org

WHO CAN APPLY? PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS

This activity is not aimed towards the leadership of IUSY member organisations; it is addressed to youth activists. Please note that it is required that the participants stay for the whole duration of the activity and also to contribute to IUSY activities after the activity.

Participants should:

  • Belong to IUSY member organisation.
  • Be aged 18-35
  • have been active/working/studying in the field of Students rights
  • be willing to continue to work and be active in the field of Students rights
  • be willing to plan and conduct follow-up activities to the training at local and national level
  • Have availability to contribute to IUSY activities in the future
  • Have a proficient level of English (the only working language during the activity)

We’re aiming for participants from all regions and from a variety of member organisations.

According to the IUSY statutes, we’re also looking to achieve a gender-balanced training so we reserve the right to select participants based on gender criteria if needed.

HOW TO APPLY

Due to limited space for participation there will be an application process. To apply you must complete the following form by 23:59 CET 10 April. Please follow the link below. It is essential to fill in the parts that reflect your experience, background and motivation in joining the activity.

Link to the registration:

https://goo.gl/forms/EWqVZkzIQuZSyvAv1

NOTE: No registration will be accepted after the deadline.   

Participation fee

The participation fee for the activity is 30€ per person and must be paid by 18 April 2019. The participation fee will cover accommodation, meals, refreshments and programme for the duration of the event. Any additional nights’ accommodation must be arranged and paid by participants.

Outstanding membership fees and/or debts

Please note that only organisations without outstanding membership fees or debts are entitled to receive travel reimbursement. Therefore, we would ask for organisations to transfer their outstanding fees or debts by bank transfer as soon as possible.

If you are unable to pay your membership fee and/or debt, please contact the IUSY Secretary General Ana Pirtskhalava (ana.pirtskhalava@iusy.org) and IUSY President of Control Commission (roland.gur@iusy.org) to discuss possible options.

Travel reimbursement

IUSY will cover your flight ticket up to a fixed reference price. The maximum amount for travel reimbursement will be sent to you together with a confirmation letter that states you have been selected.

Please note you should not buy any flight tickets before your application is approved!!!

Visas

The IUSY Secretariat will support visa applications for the event. If you require a visa, please send a copy of your passport to iusy@iusy.org as soon as possible, so the secretariat can draft a visa invitation letter for you. Please note that you will have to book your appointments and conduct the visa process by yourself.

Travel

Arrivals and Departures

Day of arrival for the IUSY Student Working Group is 2 May and the day of departure is the 5 May. Please make sure to arrange your travel accordingly and do not forget that IUSY will NOT be able to cover accommodation or any other additional expenses for delegates who need to stay additional nights in Brussels.

Cancellations

There will be a 30€ cancellation fee charged to each organisation whose participant withdraws after 20 April, 2019 without a valid reason.

Contact

Amanda Lilliefeldt

IUSY Project Manager

Email: iusy@iusy.org or amanda.lilliefeldt@iusy.org

Phone: +43 699 135 32 970

 

As we go marching marching…

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110 years ago we started to celebrate the International Women*’s day.

The idea of an international women*’s day was born on 28th of February 1909 based on the initiative of the American Socialist Party.

One year later, in Copenhagen, the Socialist International held a meeting that adopted an International Women’s Day, although no fixed date was set.  As a result of the Copenhagen initiative an annual celebration with marches for women’s rights have been held. International Women’s day has been celebrated on 8th of March since 1975.

Since 1910, women* have held demonstrations to promote equal rights, including suffrage for women*. They protested in order to obtain the right to vote and to hold public office. They also protested against gender discrimination in employment.

March 8 became a symbol for the global resistance of women* struggling for their human rights, equality, recognition and respect.

Still, 110 years later, the struggle for gender equality is just as needed.

What are we fighting for today?

Today, we are still suffering from the persisting inequalities between men and women*, due to social, economic and cultural reasons, represent one of the most pervasive forms of oppression in human history.

Gender specific education, gender stereotypes, and labour market division still produce patriarchal structures at all levels of society.

More than two thirds of all people suffering from poverty are women*. They have low and inadequate access to health systems and education. Their income is lower, their working hours are longer, their access to the working market is limited and the social security systems often ignore their needs.  Further, women* are not represented in public life when you look at it according to their numbers among the population, only one out of eight parliamentarians all over the world is female*.

Women* are too facing sexual harassment, rape, and violence.

We all need to support women*s struggle for equal rights and opportunities as well as self-determination all around the world.

Legislation and positive action programmes should guarantee full equality between men* and women*. This means equal access to education, equal access to all jobs and equal pay for work of equal value.

We need to enforce the right to a self-determined sexuality, receive information and practical assistance in using and getting contraceptives. This right should be guaranteed to all women*.

Every woman* should be able to make decisions when it comes to her own body.  The reproductive rights of women*, including the right to have an abortion, the right to planned parenthood and the right to contraception must be respected and implemented all over the world.

We need an improvement of the child care system and a reduction of working hours in order to ensure equal opportunities and to reach a better work-life balance for both women* and men*.

We need to ensure women*’s equal participation in social and political activities in every country.  It is crucial to have a guaranteed right to equal representation of women* at all levels of decision making.

The above statements are some of the reasons why we fight and continue to fight every day to build a global feminist consciousness with the aim to make gender equality a reality everywhere in the world.

It is one of the fundamental aims of IUSY to work together, women* and men from all corners of the world, from the South hemisphere to the North. We will continue to work diligently to achieve self-determination, economic independence, new gender roles and non-violent relations.

Equality and justice for women* are a crucial element of a fair and peaceful world.

IUSY Asia Pacific bares plans for 2019, passes resolutions on democracy and human rights

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Asia Pacific member organizations of the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) approved their annual activity plan and resolutions on democracy and human rights during their committee meeting in December last year.

IUSY members in the region passed the following resolutions unanimously:

  • A resolution on the minorities, marginalized and displaced peoples in Asia

  • A resolution resolve the Bhutanese refugee situation in Nepal

  • A resolution calling for the liberation of Tibet

  • A resolution supporting people’s call for democratic elections in Thailand

  • A resolution calling for justice for Nirmala Pant, a young woman murdered and raped in Nepal

The member organizations also identified key skills and knowledge for future training designs including management and leadership, public speaking, campaigning, organizing, networking, international law and other topics.

IUSY-APC will also have human rights campaigns with special focus on regional concerns such as climate change, ending gender inequality and violence against women, and curbing corruption.

The plans include expansion of members to youth organizations in SAARC, student groups in the Philippines, political parties in the SEA region, and women’s organizations in Nepal.

Participating organizations include Akbayan Youth in the Philippines, Nepal Students Union and Nepal Tarun Dal, Youth for a New Society in Burma, Young Progressives for Social Democracy in Thailand, Tibetan Youth Congress, Youth Organization of Bhutan, and Pergerakan Indonesia.

Day 17: Stories of Women*: Women’s Rights Are Still Under Attack – We need to continue to mobilise

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This year is the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women has existed for 39 years and been ratified for 37 years. For 70 years human rights have been a protected concept and for 37 years the promotion of gender equality has been a corner stone of international law. Amnesty International labeled 2018 as a year of female resistance, we have seen women* raising their voices and kicking ass. We have seen successes like repeal the 8th, the Ni una Menos campaign in Latin America, the protests of endemic violence in South Africa and India, the brave women* in Saudi Arabia and Iran who has faced imprisonment for protesting the right to drive and the forced wearing of the hijab respectively and the thousands of people across the globe who have continued the #MeToo movement are among the highlights. [1] Although 2018 has been a year full of women*’s rights heroes there has been a reason for it. We continue to see countless violations of human rights and attacks on women* across the globe. Women* remain a marginalised group and continue to suffer discrimination and violations.

During the International Day for Women* Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs), UN experts highlighted that it is becoming increasingly difficult and dangerous for women* human rights defenders to do their job. This because in addition to facing the standard risks, threats and intimidation that somehow comes along with defending our fundamental rights, women* face more multifaceted attacks based purely on their gender. Carrying out the work itself often challenges social constructs of family and gender roles which can cause hostility from the general population and authorities which lead to stigmatisation, ostracism by various groups including community leaders, faith-based groups, families and communities who consider them to be threatening religion, honour or culture through their work. Often the real threat to women* human rights defenders is the work itself, taking steps to advancing women’s rights makes them targets of attacks. Women*’s rights defenders are at a higher risk of “being subjected to different forms of violence, prejudice, exclusion and repudiation than their male counterparts” [2] according to UN experts.We need to continue to demand justice to women*’s rights defenders like Marielle Franco who was murdered for promoting the rights of black women*, LGBTI and young people. We need to continue to speak up for women’ human rights defenders, we need to continue to celebrate their bravery and we need to come together to stop attacks against them.

The wave of nationalism and populism brings with it attacks on women*. Nationalistic and populist regimes will always have negative consequences for women*. We have attacks on women* ranging from wanting to put us back in the kitchen and to birth more babies (despite the fact that our earth is overpopulated) to continued victim blaming. Women* are not and should never be reduced to being incubators without rights of their own. Women* will reproduce when they choose to, but it is not their whole identity or purpose to do so. The attacks on women*’s right to control their own bodies are one of the fundamental reasons why we are not yet equal to men. Until we can control our own bodies both legally and socially we will not be equal to men. For example El Salvadors total ban on abortion can be seen more as a war on women*. The country has yet another poster child for the trauma, abuse and punishment this type of ignorance and violation causes. The recent poster child is a 19-year-old rape victim who gave birth to a stillborn in a latrine who has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for murder. Countless women* have been imprisoned in the country for having miscarriages, as a result of that abortion is banned in all circumstances. The ban punishes mostly poor young women* with obstetric complications. [3] The problem becomes that for women who cannot access safe, legal and free abortions and in the case of women* in El Salvador, once she becomes pregnant, she loses all her rights because the fetus has more rights than she does. We have to continue to demand free, safe and legal abortions for all women*. You do not have to be pro-abortion, but you have to be pro choice. What you cannot do is restrict another woman*’s right to choose; her body, her life, her choice.

2018 is ending and our legal systems are still full of prejudice and victim blaming. Women* are not believed. 2018 has seen countless of rape cases where the rapist has been acquitted and the victim has 1) not been believed 2) blamed for what happened. One of the most famous and outrageous cases was that of the 17 year old girl in Ireland who was raped by a 27 year old man. The 27 year old in this case gets acquitted because the defense lawyer uses the victim’s underwear, a thong with lace, to say that she consented.[4] Never in my life has my underwear said if I wanted to have sex or not. So if she were wearing boy-shorts or “granny” panties her refusal would be different? Victim blaming has to stop. We cannot accept the continuance of this awful patriarchal system to continue. We need to continue to raise our voices and speak out against victim blaming.

NewsMavens (an ace European news outlet solely consisting of female journalists and of women* picking the news) released a report on Obstetric violence, a report revealing the prevalence of gynecologists’ gas lighting women*. What struck me the hardest was not the countless descriptions of harm caused to women (although it did make me want to puke and hit a wall simultaneously) it was this quote: “many gynecological procedures are done without pain relief or the anesthetic is not working properly and women are not believed when they complain. Other times, as in childbirth, pain relief is forced on women. Women’s point of views [are] not taken into account when it comes to their experiences and to the care they need or want in maternity and childbirth. They are infantilized and made to feel inferior, which puts their life and the life of their babies at risk.” [5] Further, it was that we are not discussing our reproductive health and rights, as it is seen as something intimate. But most of all the painful fact is the culture of “this is just how it is done”. Traumatic births, violence from our health care providers and procedures without anesthetics is not something women should have to endure going into 2019. We need to continue to create forums for women’s voices and stories to be heard. We need to create better care policies and continue the fight for women to be believed.

These are just a few examples of how women*’s rights are restricted across the globe and of systemic issues that we need to continue to fight to change. So in 2019, join me and let’s mobilise to defend women*’s rights defenders, strengthen our sexual health and reproductive rights, end victim blaming and strengthen women*’s position in society so that our voices are not only hard but believed. Sign petitions, join movements, speak out in person and online. No one can do everything, but we all can do something.

Amanda Lilliefeldt
IUSY Project Manager, Feminist and Human Rights Activist

[1] https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/12/oppressive-sexist-policies-galvanize-bold-fight-for-womens-rights/

[2] https://www.ohchr.org/en/issues/women/wrgs/pages/hrdefenders.aspx

[3] https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/jul/06/el-salvador-teen-rape-victim-sentenced-30-years-prison-stillbirth

[4] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/15/world/europe/ireland-underwear-rape-case-protest.html

[5] https://newsmavens.com/special-review/914/when-gynecologists-gaslight-women