XIVth Feminist Capacity Building Course
Date:- 22 June 2009
XIVth Feminist Capacity Building Course
On Gender, Sustainable Livelihoods,
Human Rights and Peace
21 October-19 November 2009
Kathmandu, Nepal
BACKGROUND
This
course is designed to provide clarity, dialogue and shared
understanding on concepts and issues related to gender, justice,
poverty, sustainable development , peace, democracy and human rights.
Since 1988, twelve such South Asian courses have been organized through
which over 400 women activists and gender trainers have improved their
capacities and developed a feminist perspective. Many of these women
are now in senior positions in different development organizations
and/or are conducting similar gender workshops in their own countries.
These
courses have also led to effective networking between participants and
their organizations at the South Asian level. The last course was held
in Nepal from August 11th to September 7th, 2008.
OBJECTIVES
The main objectives of the next course are:
To
facilitate an intensive dialogue and sharing of experiences amongst
women development practitioners, trainers and planners, media women,
women’s studies lecturers , activists etc.
To
provide participants with an opportunity to increase their
understanding, awareness and sensitivity to a range of issues related
to gender, peace, development, justice and human rights.
To
share information and build a feminist perspective on ongoing processes
of liberalization, globalization, militarization, identity politics,
conflict transformation and peace building.
To
help participants increase their self awareness and self confidence and
enhance their analytical, communication and training capacities.
To
strengthen networking and co-operation for advocacy and action for
sustainable development, gender equality, human rights, peace and
holistic health in South Asia and elsewhere.
PARTICIPANTS
A maximum of 35 women participants will be selected to participate in this course.
The applicant must have minimum five years work experience in a development organization, people’s movement/ profession etc.
The following women are invited to apply for the course:
Women committed to women’s empowerment, human rights, sustainable livelihoods, holistic health, peace, democracy and secularism.
Women working in development programmes run by NGOs, government departments; UN agencies etc.
Women
working with organizations of agricultural workers, fishworkers, labor
organizations, health service providers and other people’s
organizations;
Women scholars/researchers involved in action-research on gender, development, mental and emotional health, peace etc.
Women academics teaching women’s studies courses;
Professional women from different fields like health, law, medicine and media.
Women facilitating capacity building processes/programmes on gender, peace, development, rights etc.
DURATION, DATES, VENUE AND LANGUAGE
The course will be residential. The tentative dates are 21 October—19 November 2009.
The venue will be a comfortable place in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The working language of the course will be English. Therefore a good knowledge of written and spoken English is necessary.
CONTENT
The
course will cover the following subjects although the exact topics will
be decided on the basis of the needs and interests of the participants,
and through discussions with the resource persons.
Introduction to concepts of patriarchy, gender, masculinity, femininity, feminism, women’s movement etc
The
present neo liberal paradigm of development and its impact on poverty
and gender. Alternatives to this paradigm of development.
Violence against women and violence in general.
Religion, secularism and communalism
Militarization, identity politics, conflict transformation and peace
Self-awareness and self-growth
Leadership and confidence building
Mental and emotional health, reproductive health, sexuality and politics of body
Organizational development
Feminist training methodologies
METHODOLOGY
The methodology of the course will be participatory and experiential.
The
course will also provide opportunities for participants to acquire and
develop training skills, through ‘learning by doing’. Participants will
be involved in deciding the daily schedules, planning and coordinating
specific sessions, making presentations on issues, preparing learning
materials and documenting the sessions. Attempts will be made to
minimize the formal divisions between ‘organizers’ and ‘participants’.
The emphasis will be on group discussions and case presentations.
Relevant
reading materials will be identified and provided and films on specific
issues will be screened as part of the sessions.
In
order to make the process more lively and effective songs, dance,
music, plays, posters and films will be used throughout the course.
We will also make an effort to organize visits to local NGOs/women’s organizations and encourage participation in public events.
Yoga and other physical exercises will be part of the daily schedule.
RESOURCE PERSONS
Resource
persons will be knowledgeable feminist activists/scholars who are part
of South Asian women’s movements and are committed to supporting
processes of women’s empowerment and solidarity. In the past, the
following have acted as resource persons.
Bangladesh: Farida Akhter, Khushi Kabir, Sultana Kamal, Qazi Faruque Ahmed
India:
Kamla Bhasin, Abha Bhaiya, V.Rukmini Rao, Vasantha Kannabiran,
Nandita Haksar, Rama Melkote, Nandita Shah, Nandita Gandhi, Kalyani
Menon-Sen, Deepa Dhanraj, Nivedita Narain, Amrita Chhachhi.
Nepal:
Mina Acharya, Durga Ghimire, Sapana Pradhan-Malla, Saloni Singh, Mira
Mishra, Renu Rajbhandari, Hisila Yami, Indira Shrestha
Pakistan: Rubina Saigol, Maria Rashid, Najma Sadeque, Ambreen Ahmad, Nighat Said Khan, Azra Talat Sayeed, Zehra Kamal
Sri Lanka: Sunila Abeysekera, Kumari Jayawardena
COSTS
Participants
or their organizations are expected to pay for their travel and $1500
to cover costs of food and lodging. Please note that Sangat does not
charge any fee at all for the course.
Sangat
will provide some fellowships for those who are not able to pay for
their participation. Please note that fellowships are limited and will
be on first come first served basis.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications/nominations should be accompanied by:
1.Personal information sheet
2.Detailed CV of the applicant/nominee
3.An 800-1000 words write up on why the applicant/nominee would like to attend this course.
If the applicant/nominee is not able to pay, an application to Sangat for fellowship
Please ensure that you have a passport with at least one year validity before you apply for this course.
Applications/nominations should reach Sangat on email latest by 15th July, 2009.
Ms. Amrita Nandy-Joshi
Coordinator
Sangat
B-114 Shivalik, Malviya Nagar
New Delhi 110 017
Tel: +91-11- 26692166
Email: sangat@...
XIIIth Feminist Capacity Building Course on
Gender, Sustainable Livelihoods, Human Rights and Peace
21 October -19 November, 2009
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