Message-ID: <33446E5A.5AD8@wigsat.org> Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 21:58:35 -0500 From: Sophia Huyer <mailto:shuyer@wigsat.org> Subject: Int'l Gender, S&T Digest No. 8 To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
***INTERNATIONAL GENDER, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DIGEST ***of the Women in Global Science and Technology Network (WIGSAT)
No. 8, April 1997
**********PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO YOUR NETWORKS********
**Sent by email and regular mail to individuals and organisations working in gender, science and technology around the world. **Posted on listservs and electronic conferences **A total reach of over 3000 **Also posted on GSD’s World Wide Web site at http://www.wigsat.org/index.html, along with other WIGSAT activities.
Women in Global Science and Technology Network (WIGSAT) 39 Spadina Road, Toronto, Ontario M5R 2S9, CANADA Tel 1 (416) 926-7570, Fax 1 (416) 926-9481 email: mailto:shuyer@ifias.ca http://www.ifias.ca/gsd/gsdinfo.html
******************************************************* Welcome to the INTERNATIONAL GENDER, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DIGEST.
WE INVITE SUBMISSIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, REPORTS, ETC.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this digest, send a message to mailto:WIGSAT-L@list.ifias.ca with the message “subscribe” or “unsubscribe” in the subject line.
******************************************************** UPCOMING MEETINGS
1)Seventh International Symposium on Society and Resource Management, Columbia, Missouri
This biennial symposium focuses on the integration of the social and natural sciences in addressing resource and environmental issues. A commitment to increasing the contributions and roles of the social sciences is particularly emphasized. The goal is to foster increased dialogue among natural resource managers, social scientists, policymakers, and resource management scientists. Exploration of the linkages between culture, environment, and society will be a guiding theme at the 1988 event. This thrust is based on the notion that complex resource issues are societal problems based in cultural systems and can be addressed by multidisciplinary perspectives. In addition, any presentations bringing social science perspectives to resource and environmental issues will be welcomed. Symposium activities include concurrent paper and poster sessions, panel and round table discussions, film/video sessions, and various field trips. Hosted by the University of Missouri, the Symposium welcomes all researchers, managers, academicians, policy specialists, and students interested in the human aspects of resource management. For more information on participation, visit our website [http://silva.snr.missouri.edu/issrm] or contact any of the co-chairs:
Sandy Rikoon University of Missouri-Columbia, Rural Sociology, Sociology Building 108, Columbia, MO 65211 Telephone: (573) 882-0861 Fax: (573) 882-1473 E-mail: mailto:ssrsjsr@showme.missouri.edu
Charlie Nilon Fisheries and Wildlife, 112 Stephens Hall, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211 Telephone: (573) 882-3738 Fax: (573) 882-5070 E-mail: mailto:srnilon@muccmail.missouri.edu
Bill Kurtz Forestry, 1-30 Agriculture Building, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211 Telephone (573) 882-4567 Fax: (573) 882-1977 E-mail: mailto:bill_kurtz@muccmail.missouri.edu
2) CALL FOR PAPERS - WOMEN AND LABOUR CONFERENCE, NOVEMBER 28-30, 1997 DEAKIN UNIVERSITY, GEELONG, VICTORIA
Theme: Feminist Social Change Across the Generations: Diversity, Power, Communication, Strategies for Change
Aims: To gather women together who are interested in improving the lives of all women in Australia; to share information and research and formulate strategies for change; to involve community workers, activists and academics; to form a national women's organisation. The 6th National Women & Labour conference is about all the work/labour that all women do in all spheres of life.
Format: We are seeking paper presentations, panels, workshops and round table discussions. We especially welcome contributions from community workers, activists, students and junior scholars as well as established scholars focusing on strategies for change in women's lives. There will also be invited keynote speakers and plenary sessions.
Proposals: Please send a 100 word summary of your contribution together with a title and three keywords to assist us in programming. Include your name, address, contact details and a short biography.
Closing date: June 30, 1997
Suggestions for Papers:
Education, Sport, Religion, Blue Collar Work, the Police Force, the Arts, Publishing, Effect of Economic Restructuring on Women's Work, Indigenous Women, Immigrant Women's Networks, Disabilities, Unpaid Work, Violence, Health, Women's Services, Trade Unions, Part-time and Casual Labour, Activism and Organising, Impact of Social and Economic Restructure on Women's Lives, Wages for Housework, Childcare, Apprenticeships and Training, Women as Carers, Unemployment, Sexuality, Lesbian Issues
For more information, contact: Organising Committee, 6th National Women & Labour Conference Australian Women's Research Centre, Deakin University, GEELONG 3217, Australia email: mailto:aworc@deakin.edu.au Phone: (03) 5227 2597 Fax: (03) 5227 2018
******************************************************* NETWORKING
1) CHANGING AFRICAN CITIES – A brief introduction to the work of the Coalition for the Development of Urban Africa
Africa has rapidly become an urbanized continent, and urban life brings the region’s enormous vitality and imagination together with a wide array of challenges about how to make cities work and sustainable. In some ways, these challenges are not new, as urban inclinations in Africa have existed for centuries. But as the functions and dynamics of cities everywhere change, Africans must remobilize their skills, values and understandings so that their citiesare truly engines of growth, participation and livelihood in a globalizing world.
HOW IS THIS DONE : African NGOs, researchers, community groups and urban professionals recognize that they must consolidate the perspectives and visions that have been gained through many years of experience working with diverse communities across the continent. Many effective practices for providing essential services, managing the urban environment and promoting democratic governance have come to the fore in various neighborhoods and communities. But too often these initiatives exist as isolated instances. Now, what is required is a broader implementation, a « scaling-up » of policies and programs that work across cities as a whole. If African cities are to be truly urban, than a process of diverse groups, sectors and institutions, including NGOs, municipalities and the private sector, working together in concrete partnership must be instituted at all levels. Linkages among African cities, as well as between them and other urban areas of the world must be strengthened. After all, Africans from all walks of life are moving back and forth between cities within Africa and throughout the world. This movement can be a ressource, a way of building connections between communities and of strengthening the power of Africans to make their voices and ideas heard. In addition, new efforts must be made to better understand how Africans are using their cities, how they produce livelihoods and work together, how they use the city and they how they understand their lives within them.
The purpose of the coalition is to bring together people and organizations at work in African cities. Since cities are places where so many activities happen side-by-side, then the best way for making them work is to encourage activists and professionals involved in development, government, education, culture, and health to also work side. The Coalition sees its main responsibility as bringing about concrete activities where this kind of work can happen.
The Coalition began with Habitat II. A year before the United Nations Global Conference on Human Settlements, which took place in Istanbul in June 1996, African NGOs involved in urban work decided to organize themselves as a regional body to try to make sure that African thinking and solutions were taken seriously by the international community. This body was known as the African NGO Habitat II Caucus. During that year the Caucus conducted a widespread exchange of information among NGOs throughout the continent, developing a program of activities in all stages of the Habitat II process which emphasized critical interchanges between different groups making up the key elements of the African social fabric. At Istanbul, the success of its efforts encouraged the Caucus to call for the organization of the Coalition and an ongoing program of activities.
Today, the Coalition counts the active participation of some seventy-five organizations from across the continent.
The Coalition program is made up of three components :
1. BUILDING AFRICAN APPROACHES TO URBAN DEVELOPMENT An information resource network which promotes an exchange of views, information and opportunities among researchers, activists, local authorities, women and youth groupings, and other professionals, and which is aimed at building inter-institutional working relationships within and between African cities. The aim is to strengthen advocacy at regional and international levels and cultivate innovative approaches and methodologies.
A program of capacity building and consultation with African urban NGOs and CBOs to maximize their ability to understand the implications of Habitat II, grapple with municipal-wide issues and dynamics, scale-up and mainstream local initiatives and practices, and engage in broad based partnerships
A regional instrument for initiating and managing ongoing dialogues with key regional and international institutions on the implementation of effective approaches to urban development and to ensure an effective voice for the different experiences of African NGOs.
2. IMPLEMENTING LOCAL URBAN DEVELOPMENT AGENDAS Assists NGOs in different cities to carry out urban development work at the level of the city as a whole, especially in areas such as infrastructure development, governance, and the provision of urban and human services, through enabling them to focus on the development of broad-based, city wide partnerships. The program helps NGOs conceptualize, prepare and implement such partnerships—where local authorities, NGOs, CBOs, researchers, professional associations, local institutions and the private sector share responsibility for the design, implementation and management of the process.
Assists NGOs to conduct the consultations with different sectors and communities, the research of key urban dynamics and the assessments of key urban indicators and institutional orderings necessary in order to put together viable partnerships.
Promotes an exchange of experiences, consultations, and comparative work among NGOs involved in this work in order to strengthen the understanding of processes necessary for effective development partnerships and for building stronger economic and cultural links between African cities.
3. THE CRITICAL URBAN STUDIES CONSORTIUM A international network of urbanists and researchers concerned with Africa which collectively is putting together :
*A visioning process which looks at what African cities could be, with an emphasis on making futures based on maximizing the strengths and resources that already exist. *Conducts and emphasizes investigations on different ways diverse sectors and economies can be linked across African cities and between African cities and those of different continents. *Examines the effects of globalization on the reshaping of and new opportunities for African cities.
The Coalition draws upon the accumulated experiences and expertise of a wide range of participating NGOs, researchers and other professionals, comparing and assessing their work, its applicability to different African cities, and disseminating documentation concerning this work across the continent. While new thinking and approaches are sometimes necessary, we also believe that much has been done already, and that it is a matter of letting people know about this work and what it takes for initiatives to be successful in their cities. Therefore, we would like to hear from you about what you are doing and what your future plans are. We exist in order to identify ways of assisting you do what you want to do and putting you in contact with the resources and expertise that might enable you to get the job done.
You can reach the Coalition at the coordinating unit in Dakar: Coalition for the Development of Urban Africa @The Urban Popular Economy Program (ECOPOP) BP 3370 Dakar, Senegal Tel 221-253200 Fax 221-253232 email : mailto:africaucus@enda.sn
2) GHACLAD-SCOPE, AN OPEN FORUM FOR DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES AND APPLICATIONS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION, DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURE DIRECTION OF DISTANCE EDUCATION IN GHANA
Project SCOPE Incorporated, a Boston-based nonprofit developer of telecenters worldwide to deliver education and training, is pleased to announce ghaclad-scope, a listserv created to discuss the issues and challenges related to the Ghana Distance Education Project, an initiative begun in 1996, jointly sponsored by the Voluntary Workcamps Association of Ghana (VOLU) and Operation Crossroads Africa and driven by an informal volunteer advisory committee consisting of members from Ghana, US, Europe, the global academic community and Ghanian ISP's.
The initiatives of the Ghana Distance Education Project are as follows:
1) To explore means of utilizing computers, telecommunications, audio/visual media and information technology to enhance primary, secondary, tertiary, vocational, professional development and continuing adult education in Ghana; 2) To strengthen the capacity of grassroots organizations, low-income communities and local schools to initiate, choose, plan and manage their own self-help projects through information technology and telecommunications; 3) To create a demonstration effect on public opinion in terms of what information technology, electronic networking and community-based computing can offer for national and international development; 4) To increase awareness of how the computer and electronic connectivity can re-orient youth groups toward the economy and labor market of the 21st century; and 5) To foster opportunities for youth from the US and Europe to engage in "service learning" providing computer literacy instruction to Ghanian participants and technical assistance to the Project as they learn about Ghanian culture and society.
The primary focus of the listserv's activity will consist of news and discussion relating directly to the Ghana Distance Education Project and its technical and administrative needs. Anyone can join; however, we ask only that you introduce yourself to the list members when you subscribe.
Project SCOPE will archive material at http://www.projectscope.org and develop a database of resources generated as a result of the ghaclad-scope discussions. Thank you for joining us, and we welcome your participation and your involving others in the listserv who would benefit from and contribute to the discussion process.
To join ghaclad-scope, send an e-mail message to "mailto:majordomo@igc.org" with the words "subscribe ghaclad-scope" in the message area. Do not include the quotes, leave the subject line blank and include nothing in the message except "subscribe ghaclad-scope". If you have any difficulty or any questions, please e-mail me directly to mailto:cmanjourides@projectscope.org.
Carolyn Manjourides, President Project SCOPE Incorporated, 25 Huntington Avenue, Suite 331, Boston, MA 02116 USA (617)424-1121 Tel/Days (617)262-1929 Tel/Eves (617)437-9329 FAX mailto:cmanjourides@projectscope.org http://www.projectscope.org
******************************************************* ANNOUNCEMENTS
1) UN WOMEN'S INSTITUTIONS JOINTLY LAUNCH WOMENWATCH, AN INTERNET GATEWAY ON THE ADVANCEMENT AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
The three entities in the UN system specifically devoted to women's issues, the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), and the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), have pooled efforts and resources to create WomenWatch, a joint space on the Internet on the advancement and empowerment of women, which was launched on International Women's Day, March 8, 1997.
WomenWatch is a gateway to UN information and data on women worldwide and an evolving electronic forum on global women's issues in the follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women (FWCW). The Internet site provides up-to-date information on the UN's work on behalf of the women of the world and on the global agenda for improving the status of women. It is designed to serve as an important contribution to the outreach programmes of its collaborating partners, providing a cost- effective means to expand outreach and networking, and streamlining access to information.
The joint initiative responds to a growing demand for information which can be obtained today at unprecedented speed through the use of computer communication techonology. Women stand to benefit from these new technologies and to be on the cutting edge of their development. One of the objectives of WomenWatch is to enable more women to not only be mere users of computer networking but also producers and full beneficiaries as recommended by the Beijing Platform for Action.
The Internet site will be accessible through the World Wide Web at http://www.un.org/womenwatch, as well as through other Internet tools such as the electronic mail (mailto:womenwatch@un.org) and the gopher (gopher://gopher.un.org). The information will be organized in an Internet-accessible database to allow users in developing countries who do not have direct access to all Internet tools to retrieve the information. Efforts will also be made to repackage and redisseminate information to locations with no Internet access. Closer cooperation will be fostered with organizations that provide training in the use of electronic communication technologies.
UNIFEM is launching its new web site to coincide with the launching of the WomenWatch gateway.UNIFEM promotes the economic and political empowerment of women in developing countries. According to Noeleen Heyzer, UNIFEM's Director, "The Internet is a powerful tool that women can use to see with new eyes, understand with new minds, build connections across borders and develop relationships based on common concerns and interests". The WomenWatch initiative of which UNIFEM's web site is a component is an important outreach and networking tool to further goals to achieve women's empowerment.
INSTRAW is also launching its new web site as a component of WomenWatch at this time. INSTRAW is an autonomous research and training institute within the framework of the UN, working towards the advancement of women. INSTRAW conducts research and training activities developing new methods to enhance women's contribution and participation in the development process. It does this through networking, sharing and dissemination information world-wide. WomenWatch will expand the Institute's outreach, enabling its constituency to access electronically the Institute's reports, research studies and public information materials and will facilitate cooperation with other UN entities making the Institute's training materials available on-line.
For more information, contact: DAW, Oliva Acosta, (212) 963 0272 mailto:acostao@un.org UNIFEM, Melanie Roth, (212) 906 6897 mailto:melanie.roth@undp.org INSTRAW, Julia Tavares, (809) 685 2111
2)INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING PROGRAMME International Agricultural Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
The International Environmental Training Programme will be held from November 1997 to January 1998 at the International Agricultural Centre (IAC), Wageningen, The Netherlands. The programme will consist of intensive short courses on five subjects, each lasting two weeks. These courses will be: • Gender in Policy Development for Sustainable Land Use October 1997 • Agrodiversity: Biodiversity and Environmental Variation in Agrosystems October 1997 • Strategic Environmental Assessment: a Framework for Sustainable Land Use Planning November 1997 • Technology for Ecological Agriculture November 1997 • Environmental Economics: Tools for Policy Analysis in Rural Development January 1998
All of these courses are developed by IAC in cooperation with universities, research institutes and NGOs in the Netherlands that are well-known for their expertise in environmental issues in developing countries and countries in transition.
The courses are intended for senior policy and management staff of governmental and non governmental development and research organizations and of donor agencies. As it is IAC policy to promote equal opportunities for education, we especially encourage women to apply. Because the subject matter is related and candidates may be interested in taking more than one course, those wishing to take advantage of this option can request a reduced fee. Because the number of spaces in each course is limited, we recommend that candidates apply for admission as soon as possible.
For more information , contact J. J. Hooftm Director IAC, P.O. Box 88, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands Tel 31 317 49 01 11, Fax 31 317 41 85 52 email: mailto:iac@iac.agro.nl
******************************************************* JOB POSITIONS/FELLOWSHIPS
The Network of East-West Women (NEWW) is seeking an Executive Director. An international non-profit with headquarters in Washington, D.C., the Network supports emerging women's movements in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Former Soviet Union (FSU). Qualifications include: creative thinking about international feminism; initiative and leadership; a track record of successful fundraising and program development; a capacity to work well with a diverse range of people and organizations; experience managing staff and budget; women's movement experience; a gusto for networking and electronic communications. A familiarity with CEE and the FSU is desirable. An advanced academic or professional degree, or a publishing record in feminist issues also a plus. Salary commensurate with experience: $45,000 - $58,000. For more information about NEWW and its projects, send a request by email to: mailto:newwny@igc.apc.org
Please send resumes with letter of application to: NEWW Executive Director Search, c/o Donna Axel, 535 E. 14th St. #2C, New York, N.Y. 10009. Application deadline is April 15, 1997.
******************************************************* BOOKS, NEWSLETTERS, JOURNALS...
1)FARMER-TO-FARMER EXTENSION: LESSONS FROM THE FIELD by Daniel Selener, Jacqueline Chenier, Raul Zelaya et al. 1997. IIRR: New York. 150 pp. (Also available in Spanish)
This book is the result of two workshops, one in Honduras and another in Ecuador, that were conducted to document and analyze the experiences of several rural development projects, using the "farmer-to-farmer" extension methodology.
It is important to emphasize that most of the information contained in the book is from the farmer promoters (*) points of view, based on many years of their practical experience working in farmer-to-farmer programs.
The description and analysis presented offers a broad set of experiences. This information can be analyzed and adapted by the reader to his/her own project, according to the context, project philosophy, objectives, and available resources, among others.
The book contents are: PART I: DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE FARMER-TO-FARMER METHODOLOGY PART II: CASE STUDIES Chapters 14 to 18 present 5 case studies from Mexico, Nicaragua and Ecuador.
This book is especially useful for people working in different kinds of projects (agriculture, health, education, community development, etc.) following participatory approaches to rural development.
HOW TO ORDER:
The cost of the FARMER-TO-FARMER book is 15 US dollars, mailing included. Please make check payable to "IIRR" in US Dollars, from a bank located in the US, or check in any European currency (equivalent to 15 U$S) from a bank located in Europe. Send the check to: IIRR, Apartado Postal 17-08-8494, Quito, ECUADOR (South America)
If you need further information you can contact us at: FAX: (593-2) 443 763 e-mail: mailto:daniel@iirr.ecx.ec
2) WOMEN INK WWW SITE! Women, Ink., a unique one-stop shopping source for women-and development books, is pleased to announce its arrival on the World Wide Web. For immediate access, please point your browsers to the following URL: http://www.womenink.org
What can you expect to find in our Web pages? A fascinating collection of the newest and best books on women and development. These titles are in 30 different subject categories, ranging from Women's Human Rights to Environment and Sustainable Development, from Culture to Clip-Art, from over 70 different publishers all over the world, including low-budget non governmental or ganizations. It is also the only source for publications of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the NGO Forum on Women '95 Office. Easy ordering for any of the nearly 200 titles from our just-published 1997 catalogue. Information about the Southern Partners Project, a Women, Ink. initiative to assist and improve women's publishing in different regions through a programme of South-South and North-South networking, communication, and training. Opportunities to get your titles featured in the collection for international market access. Gateways to other providers of information, resources and services in women and development.
For more information about the Women, Ink. Web pages, please contact Rosemary Kalapurakal or Tina Johnson. Tel: 1-212-687-8633; fax: 1-212-661-2704; e mail: mailto:wink@igc.apc.org; snail-mail: 777 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA.
*See the GSD WWW Page on International Gender and S&T Policy Issues Information Map at http://www.ifias.ca/gsd/gstpmap.html for more book and media information.
******************************************************* GSD ELECTRONIC SERVICES
1) World Wide Web Site -
All documents and information contained in this digest, the digest itself, and other interesting things, including the International Gender, Science and Technology Policy Issues Information Map, and the latest Once and Future Action Network (OFAN) newsletter, are available on the GSD World Wide Web site. The home page for this site is http://www.ifias.ca/gsd/gsdinfo.html, and for the OFAN page, http:/www.ifias.ca/gsd/ofan/ofan.html
2) WomenSciTech Conference
To subscribe to this discussion on international gender, science and technology, send a message to mailto:WST-L@list.ifias.ca with “subscribe” in the subject line.
******************************************************* Women in Global Science and Technology Network Gender, Science and Development Programme 39 Spadina Road Toronto, Ontario M5R 2S9 Canada Tel 1-416-926-7570 email: mailto:shuyer@ifias.ca Fax 1-416-9269481 http://www.wigsat.org/index.html