Working groups
IUSY Feminist Working Group Statement and Call to Action
IUSY QWG Guideline on how to be an Ally
DEADLINE EXTENDED: IUSY Queer Working group 2020
Overview
What: Queer Working Group
When: 27th-29th May
Where: Online meeting; ZOOM platform
Age: 18-35 years
Size: 25-30 people keeping the balance between the regions
Deadline: 24th May 12:00 CEST.
Outline
The current COVID-19 situation has made us realise how much the crisis situation affects people in already disadvantage situations. The LGBTI community is particularly vulnerable to suffer discrimination, or high-risk characteristics are likely to be disproportionately impacted by both the virus itself and the following safety measures.
IUSY Queer working group meeting aims to provide young activists from member organizations with knowledge on the theme of LGBT* issues and rights as well as develop, skills and competences to identify and counter homophobic and transphobic attitudes in their political activism. This years’ QWG will aim to recap on the work done in the past year and work further on guidelines and policy proposals for adapting their online activism to the current online times.
Theme
The COVID-19 outbreak has unexpected effects for LGBTQ people around the world from social isolation, domestic abuse, higher risk of infection by being part of the risk group (HIV positive, LGBTQI elderly), or online harassment.
The crisis situation is forcing LGBTQ youth back into living with their families in lockdown where they may not be accepted, where they can experience abuse, places vulnerable people at risk of homelessness and employment insecurity. The lock down may lead the LGBTQI community to find themselves in social isolation, particularly elderly. The current situation limits the social interaction to online social media, where often governments do not have strong policies on online harassment and hate speech.
On the health aspect there are several factors which may make LGBT people more at risk of contracting COVID-19, in addition many trans and non-binary people have been denied access to prescribed and scheduled hormone injections, treatments or surgeries by these being ‘non-essential’. This is likely to add to the anxiety and other associated mental health conditions which are already more prevalent.
The state of alarm and government policies like the one introduced in Hungary this week, the government proposed a bill that would make it illegal to change gender identity in official documents are hindering progress on potential legal changes that could grant LGBTQ people greater rights.
Queer voices are oftentimes silenced in society, so in order to support them we have to actively louden those voices. The easiest way is to give up spaces and opportunities to speak and let those spaces be occupied by LGBT people.
Participant’s profile
This activity is aimed towards the activists of IUSY member organisations. Please note that it is required that the participants stay for the whole duration of the activity and also to contribute to the working group after the meeting.
Participants should:
- Belong to IUSY member organisation
- Be aged 18-35
- Have been active/working/studying in the field of queer rights movement
- Be willing to continue to work and be active in the field of queer peoples’ rights
- Availability to contribute to IUSY activities in future
How to apply
Simply fill in the registration form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMXh-H8TPpeKv-kcJl28D-ReKnSqSsci-y4om_KAMVWquWcA/viewform
by Friday 22nd May 2020.
All applicants will receive the outcome of their application by the end of the day.
Online Meeting
The meeting will take place online, through the online platform Zoom. It will be in English and without any participation fee. Participants once confirmed their participation, will receive the programme, more detailed technical information and the link and an entry code to the meeting room.
The event will take place during three days for about two hours a day. This means we will have a space to talk, to share, to support and to act. The programme will offer some offline activities as well as reflexion time. We encourage the participants to remain active, engaged and available during the time of the on-going activity.
It is important to remember that our events are safe spaces and that we are mindful and respectful towards each other.
Contact
Ana Ruiz
IUSY Project Manager
EMAIL: ana.ruiz@iusy.org
Phone: +43 699 135 32 970
Or
Gohar Ghandilyan
IUSY Project Manager
EMAIL: gohar.ghandilyan@iusy.org
Phone: +43 699 135 32 960
We are looking forward to receiving your registration and meeting you online!
IUSY Feminist Working Group 2020
OVERVIEW
What: Feminist Working Group Meeting 2020
When: 11-13 May, 2020 (exact time to be confirmed)
Where: Zoom online platform
Age: 18-35 years
Registration Deadline: 5 May, 2020
Outline
Every year, IUSY Feminist Working Group brings together young activists of IUSY member organisations from all seven regions to engage in a dialogue on common struggles and obstacles, and work together to come up with strategies to enact political and social change.
In the past three years IUSY Feminist Working Group has had enriching experiences and opportunities to meet. We have implemented two social media campaigns on “Stories of Women*”(2017, 2018) and theWomen*Resist video campaign. In 2019, we have published the toolkit “The struggle for equality. A toolkit for the feminist fight” together with the participants of international activity supported by the European Youth Foundation.
Because our regular annual working group cannot take place at the moment due to COVID-19, we are organising our Feminist Working Group 2020 online. We want to give our participants the opportunity to share how they are doing in this situation and what is happening in their realities from the feminist perspective.
What can you expect?
We will get together for 3 days (about 2 hours per day) in an informal and formal settings. This means we will have a space to talk, to share, to support and to act.
More details on the programme will come soon and all registered participants will be informed of the technicalities and the content of the meeting.
The meeting will be held online on the Zoom platform. It will be in English and without any participation fee. Time of the meeting will be specified as soon as possible taking into account the different time zones.
It is important to remember that our events are safe spaces and that we are mindful and respectful towards each other.
With best regards,
Johanna Ortega Ana Pirtskhalava Caterina Cerroni
IUSY President IUSY Secretary General Feminist WG coordinator
Who can apply
This activity is aimed towards the activists of IUSY member organisations. Please note that it is required that the participants stay for the whole duration of the activity and also to contribute to the working group 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
- Availability to contribute to IUSY activities in future
How to apply
To apply you must complete the following form by 5 May 2020.
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
We are looking forward to receiving your registration and meeting you online!
Deadline extended: IUSY’s Student Working Group 2020
What: Student Working Group
When: 27th-29th April
Where: Online meeting platform, ZOOM
Age: 18-35 years
Size: 25-30 people keeping the balance between the regions
Deadline: 25th April 12:00 am (CET time)
Outline
The current COVID-19 situation has made us realise how much a crisis situation that forces governments to declare a state of emergency can influence student’s lives and rights. The Student Working Group 2020 will bring together young activists of IUSY member organisations from all 7 regions, online. The aim of the meeting is to learn on the implications of crisis situations on basic human rights and students rights and enhance student international solidarity. The meeting will offer a platform to discuss how the situation has affected student life in the regions, give space to engage in a dialogue on common struggles and obstacles, and work together to come up with strategies to defend, advocate and campaign for students rights in crisis situations.
Participant’s profile
Please note that the event must be gender-balanced and therefore the selection criteria will follow this premise in order to ensure such balance. Both the IUSY statues and the Global Project require gender balance.
Participants must be able to
attend the entire programme of the seminar and be active throughout the year
after the meeting. This is due to that the work of the Working Group will be
carried out throughout the year in line with the working plan.
It’s preferable that participants have experience in Students issues and are
interested in human rights.
All participants must be aged 18-35 years old, with no exceptions.
How to apply
Participants must apply by filling the registration form online https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfwkbzTpv0x5PihJdm-Vx4lyBxEJ3YxA51ZkyCwC429r4H7MA/viewform
Deadline Thursday 23 April 2018.
Online Meeting
The meeting will take place online, through the online platform Zoom. Participants once confirmed their participation, will receive a link and an entry code to the meeting room.
The event will take place during three days and will offer some offline activities as well as reflexion time. We encourage the participants to remain active, engaged and available during the time of the on-going activity.
Dowload the full invitation here
Contact
Ana Ruiz
IUSY Project Manager
iusy@iusy.org / +4369913532970
A Toolkit for the Feminist Fight!
We are super excited to share with you our new publication “A struggle for Equality. A Toolkit for the Feminist Fight!”.
This toolkit was created and developed by the participants of the international activity “The struggle for equality
continues: Mapping the road to gender equality
in youth organisations” that took place in Berlin in October 2019. The activity was supported by the European Youth Foundation.
We hope this toolkit will motivate and inspire you to transform your organisation, your surroundings and to make the world safer, more peaceful and more just for everyone.
Big thanks to all the 20 participants who actually are the creators of this toolkit, to the team of the activity, to IUSY Feminist Working Group, to our amazing editor Sarah Carney and the illustrator and graphic designer Coline Robin.
Click here to download the toolkit: Struggle for equality. A toolkit for the feminist fight!