Scriptorium

Linked with our presentation of Dina Abdel Wahab – Egypt.

Linked also with our presentation of ashoka.

The Baby Academy is a chain of preschools for children three months to five years old. The school’s child-centered philosophy is based on love, learning and play and its curriculum is tailored to children’s developmental needs and designed to inspire children to achieve their potential.

Today the business is thriving with a remarkable 20 percent of its preschoolers children with special needs. Abdel Wahab recently opened a new branch in Cairo and plans to open two more schools in the next two years. Eventually she’d like to franchise the concept.

According to a United Nations report, less than four percent of Arab children have access to preschool education. The mission of The Baby Academy is to become a leader in early childhood education throughout Egypt and the Middle East.

Continuer la lecture de « The Baby Academy »

Linked with Dina Abdel Wahab – Egypt, with the Baby Academy, with Hasanain Juaini – Indonesia, and with Paul Rice – USA.

In Egyptian society, as in many societies, brain and genetic disorders are not well understood by the public. People who have, for example, autism or a severe learning disability are shunned, pushed to society’s margins, and written off as burdensome to families and society. Faulty public perception, shaped by ignorance and misunderstanding, is the condemning factor that underlies all others.

Dina, the mother of a five-year-old with Down’s syndrome, sees that to change attitudes and pave the way for societal reform, children are the place to start. In fact, the early preschool years offer an especially promising opportunity to realize important advances in societal integration by setting a different expectation of normalcy early on.

This insight has led to the first of what Dina hopes will be a regional network of preschools that prioritize the integration of children with special needs and children without them.

Traditionally, Egyptian children with special needs have not been well-accepted or provided for in mainstream culture. Already crowded public schools won’t accept children with disabilities and private schools will admit only the brightest students, leaving no place for children with a number of common disabilities. (Red more on pbs.org).

Continuer la lecture de « ashoka »

Linked with our presentation Kafil Ahmed – Bangladesh.

Oxfam is an international organisation, helping poor people in many different corners of the world. Wherever we work, we always try to employ local people to help us, and we fund local organisations which are working to fight poverty. The use of this local knowledge and skills means that the work is done by the people who know most about the local communities and the problems facing them. (Read more on Oxfam).

Kafil Ahmed in his boat visiting local groups

The clean water-project for Bangladesh is realised with Oxfam’s help: Fill a bucket with ditchwater, pour the contents into the membrane.water4life filter, pump for a couple of minutes and out of the tap will come clean, safe drinking water. The invention is the work of DSM employees and is intended to provide Bangladesh with a safe water supply.

Continuer la lecture de « Oxfam »

Linked to our presentation of Delphine NANA MEKOUNTE – Cameroun, of February 4, 2006.

Also linked to our presentation of SUMMARY REPORT OF THE YAOUNDE COLLOQUIUM of February 4, 2006.

The African Civil Society for the Information Society (ACSIS) makes The Africa Region Report to CS Bureau:

The African civil society contribution to the WSIS process dates back to before the official launching of the WSIS.

In 2000, during the Bamako meeting titled “The passerelles du developpement” African civil society started its mobilization process to be ready in number for the WSIS process. This explains why, in May 2002, again in Bamako, during the first regional meeting dedicated to WSIS, African civil society was present in large numbers.

A major achievement in the Bamako meeting was the setting up of an inclusive African coordinating body dedicated to mobilization, sensitizing and awareness arising amongst African stakeholders. This body, called the African Group, innovated in many ways.

Continuer la lecture de « African Civil Society for the Information Society »

Linked to our presentation again op-icescr of February 3, 2006.

Also linked to our presentation Magdalena Sepúlveda – Chile & Colombia of February 3, 2006.

The Association for Women’s Rights in Development AWID, an international membership organization connecting, informing and mobilizing thousands of people and organizations committed to achieving womens rights.

What are the specific obligations of states to ensure non-discrimination under the Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights? A Discussion: The Nature of Obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, by Magdalena Sepúlveda, 2003 (See ou text on again op-icescr of February 3, 2006). By Renu Mandhane.

The goal is to cause policy, institutional and individual change that will improve the lives of women and girls everywhere. We do this by facilitating ongoing debates on fundamental and provocative issues as well as by building the individual and organizational capacities of those working for women’s empowerment and social justice.

Plenary reports of Forum in Thailand, Oct. 27-30, 2005.

Continuer la lecture de « Association for Women's Rights in Development AWID »

Linked with Axis for Peace 2005 of August 3, 2006.

Manifesto:

The sovereignty of the peoples, a precondition to the establishment of democracy, is today being challenged by certain members of the United Nations’ Security Council, in spite of the International Rights drafted by the Hague Conferences and stated by the UN San Francisco Charter.

Some peoples have been deprived of their freedom to choose their political system, of their cultural identity, of their natural resources’, and of the fruit of their labour.

State-supported transnational armed groups have wreaked terror in other states in order to destabilise and weaken them. Based on fictional allegations, a coalition has asserted its right to self-defense in order to militarily impose complacent regimes, and take control of communication corridors and oil fields. State-related associations, supposedly dedicated to the promotion of noble ideals, have financed street protests aimed at overthrowing governments.

The main challenge to world peace is the phenomenon of extremism on all sides, including governments and oppositions.

An ideology of hatred is spreading, discriminating and humiliating some civilisations. It is inevitably leading to a conflict. Proclaiming the superiority of a lifestyle, it is summoning its expansion by the means of force.

The will to power, and war, are back.

We want to save international peace.

That is why we are inviting intellectuals and political leaders of good will to gather and debate, on November 17th and 18th 2005, in Brussels, to exchange analysies and propose viable solutions in order to reactivate international law and mechanisms for peaceful solutions to world disagreements.

(Read more on Axis for Peace.net).

Linked to our presentation of HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE GLOBAL ECONOMY on January 30, 2006.

Linked to our presentation of Jaribu Hill – USA on January 31, 2006.

And linked to our presentation of Economy and Human Rights – one on January 30, 2006.

WORKERS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS! – “Right to Work, Free Choice of Employment, Just and Favorable Conditions of Work and Protection Against Unemployment.” Universal Declaration of Human Rights Human Rights Article 23 (1) All human beings deserve to go to their place of employment without being the constant victims of racial discrimination. All workers deserve to be paid decent wages to support their families and live dignified lives. The work environment should be free from life threatening hazards. No one deserves to die in order to make a living!

Continuer la lecture de « Mississippi Workers' Center for Human Rights »

Linked to our presentation of Jaribu Hill – USA on January 31, 2006.

Linked to our presentation of Economy and Human Rights – one on January 30, 2006.

Linked also to our presentation of Mississippi Workers’ Center for Human Rights on January 31, 2006.

The Northeastern University School of Law‘s Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy was founded in 2005 to provide a forum on the implications of economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights and globalization theory and practice.

The program’s activities include:

Continuer la lecture de « HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE GLOBAL ECONOMY »

Linked to our presentation of Divina Frau-Meigs – France on January 29, 2006.

Linked to our presentation of education, academia and research on January 28, 2006.

Within the framework of the Civil Society, this Taskforce contributes to the World Summit On the Information Society WSIS, organized by the United Nations. The Working Group (WG) deals both with online shared Educational Content (e.g. OpenCourseWare) and with Research related to Education (Methodology, Media, Sociology, Psychology).

Continuer la lecture de « Taskforce on Education, Academia and Research »

Make campaign agains poverty, go to the web ‘make poverty history‘ and go on.

The 6th Annual Summit of Nigeria NGOs tagged ‘Makurdi 2006’ will hold on February 23 –26, 2006 at Benue Hotels, Makurdi Benue State of Nigeria. Theme: Peace-building in a Democratic Setting: A Collective Responsibility. NGO Guide 2000 and the World Association of Non-Governmental organizations, WANGO Nigeria, will host this year’s event.

‘Makurdi 2006’ is specifically designed to address some contemporary issues affecting the third sector and the nation at large. The three-day event will focus on some key issues in addition to the central theme of the summit: Framework for NGO Legislation in Nigeria, International Code of Ethics & Conduct for NGOs, The Freedom of Information Bill among other capacity-building workshops, plenary and panel sessions.

For further information and to participate, visit NGO guide 2000 and click on ‘Makurdi 2006’. The summit will admit 200 participants and there is no registration fee.

Linked to our presentation of Noelí Pocaterra – Venezuela on January 26, 2006.

The Wayuu Women’s Network and University of Zulia Indigenous Children’s Education Project – Venezuela

In 1985 the Wayuu Women’s Network established a partnership with the University of Zulia to address a growing concern over the acculturation of Wayuu children, loss of language, culture, and religion, and an ensuing breakdown of family and community protection of children.

The project was initiated by Noeli Pocaterra, founder of the Wayuu Women’s Network, and vice-president of the Venezuelan National Assembly. The children’s project’s main focus is to provide Wayuu and neighbouring indigenous children with a high standard of bicultural education to provide them with the tools to thrive in their own and the dominant culture.

Continuer la lecture de « Network of Wayuu Indigenous Women »

Linked to our presentation of Moving politics … to the people on January 25, 2006.

Also linked to our presentation of Wahu Kaara – Kenya on January 25, 2006.

The Network’s first activity was a debt procession in April 2000 in Nairobi. The procession was to raise awareness among citizens, the government and international financial institutions on the impact the heavy debt burden has on the provision of social services and to expose the bad economic governance that exist in the government as well as in the international financial institutions.
The procession was considered a threat by the government and was crushed by the police who later arraigned the network members and their supporters to court.

Continuer la lecture de « THE KENYA DEBT RELIEF NETWORK »

NIGD aims at promoting global democratization by producing and developing emancipatory knowledge for democratic movements, organizations and states. NIGD’s work is based on the conviction that globalization as coming-together-of-humanity must be based on cross-cultural dialogue concerning both philosophical fundamentals and concrete reform proposals. NIGD projects are usually joint endeavours with a number of partners from the global south.

NIGD operates from Helsinki, Finland, and Lima, Peru. NIGD was founded in Helsinki in 1997, according to the Finnish law on public associations. It emerged from the Finnish follow-up process (1995-1997) to the UN Secretary-General’s annual reports on democratization. In 1998 – 2002, NIGD received annual funding from the Nottingham Trent University, UK, which has also been the site for many of NIGD’s activities. In addition, and since 2002, NIGD’s activities have been funded projectwise.

NIGD conducts research, publishes Discussion and Working Papers and organises workshops, seminars, and conferences. Consultancy work is also among NIGD’s activities.

NIGD has been involved in transnational campaigns, for instance for a currency transactions tax and, more generally, for global democratization. NIGD aims at strengthening global civil society and is also a founding member of the International Council of the World Social Forum.

See them at the WSF 2006 in Bamako, Caracas and Karachi.

See the rest on their site by above link.

A conference, entitled where to go from Tunis will be held on February 21-22 2006 in Copenhagen, in the National museum of Denmark. Discussed will be the impact of WSIS Tunis on global development in general, and specially in the future of the information society.

How to insure that ICTs become a real source of development, what will be the role of the Civil Society in the implementation of the Tunis results.

The themes: national ICT stategies; local access to ITC; Human Rights and ICT; International follow-up mechanism to the WSIS-process – with special focus on the Internet Governance Forum and the ECOSOC Commission on Science and Technology.

Participation on the conference is free of charge, lunch and refreshments are included.

Information and register on www.una.dk/wsis, or contact Ms. Jane Johnsen at jane@una.dk.