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June 2004, No. 4: South African lesbians fear rise of crime against them

ISSUES
South African lesbians fear rise of crime against them
Another Philippine journalist killed
Girls' well-being neglected in India
Women writers beginning to write out gender bias in Japanese fiction

ANNOUNCEMENTS/CONFERENCES
24th International Fundraising Congress
International course on Gender Mainstreaming
Fellowships available at Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Course on Gender, Sexuality and Sexual Health in Southeast Asia, China

CAMPAIGNS
Campaign to help artists hounded by U.S. gov't.

ISIS ON WSIS
Official process for Phase 2 began with 1st Tunisia PrepCom

WEB RESOURCES
Foto8
MediaLens
Global Reproductive Health Forum (GRHF)

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ISSUES
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SOUTH AFRICAN LESBIANS FEAR RISE OF CRIME AGAINST THEM

South Africa's lesbian community fears the alarming rise of crime against them.

This was the statement released by Donna Smith, chief executive officer of the Forum for the Empowerment of Women. An advocate, Smith spoke on the negative experiences of lesbians in South Africa at the Ninth International Conference of the South African Association of Marital and Family Therapy on 18 May 2004.

Police, health workers, counsellors and people in similar service-oriented positions-be it in health care or protection from physical harm-do not extend their services to lesbians, Smith said. This is especially true for lesbians who look and act like men or are considered as "butch." Lesbians younger than 25 years old are the usual targets of discrimination.

"Health care workers feel uncomfortable and inadequate when it comes to gay and lesbian issues. Therapists should become more accessible especially to abused lesbians," said Smith.

In South African society, lesbians are tolerated only if they are directly contributing to the family's general income, such as shouldering siblings' school tuition. If they are not earning money however, they are treated shabbily and negatively. There have also been numerous cases where the first perpetrators of violence against lesbians were family members, neighbours, and friends of the family (with the family's 'permission').

Of late, there have been numerous cases of murder, assault, abduction and other humiliating forms of sexual abuse, but the reports did not mention figures or other statistics. However, rape remains the main crime committed against women who love women. When lesbian victims report these incidents to the police, the authorities do not treat their cases seriously, and often subject them to further victimisation by not respecting their rights. Of the 46 cases reported to the police since September 2002, only one perpetrator was convicted.

Smith is urging authorities to change the negative attitudes against lesbians. "They need to redefine concepts around family and marriage issues in line with modern reality," she concluded.

Source: "Hate crimes against lesbians on the rise" as published on the Cape Times last 19 May 2004 and posted at <http://www.choike.org/cgi-bin/choike/nuevo_eng/jump_inf.cgi?ID=1918>.

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ANOTHER PHILIPPINE JOURNALIST KILLED

Another journalist was recently killed in the Philippines, the second in 2004.

The victim was radio broadcaster Ely Binoya, station manager of "Radyo Natin" (Our Radio) in Southern Philippines. Binoya was on his way home to Malungon town in General Santos City when he was gunned down by unidentified men riding motorcycles on 17 June 2004. He died on the spot.

Binoya was known in the region as a hard-hitting commentator who courageously criticised corrupt politicians. Police are still investigating whether someone who goes by the name "Kolot" Padernilla, a nephew of Malungon Mayor Teodorico Padernilla had something to do with the killing. Binoya filed a complaint against the nephew and two others for allegedly mauling the broadcaster on 07 June.

The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), a Philippine-based organisation involving different sectors in the task of building up the press and other news media as pillars of democratic society, said if Binoya's death is proven to be work-related, it would make him the 45th journalist to be killed in the country because of work since 1986. CMFR is also conducting an investigation of the case.

The year 2003 was recorded as the worst for Philippine media since the martial law period under dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the 1970s and early '80s. A record number of seven journalists were killed last year. This year, the first killed was Ruel Endrinal, a radio broadcaster of DZRC in Legazpi City, Albay Province. He was also gunned down on 11 February.

Source: "Broadcaster slain in General Santos City, Philippines" as released by the CMFR last 18 June 2004.

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GIRLS' WELL-BEING NEGLECTED IN INDIA

Children of both sexes in India suffer severely due to neglect, but girls tend to suffer more because of gender, a new independent academic research reveals.

The study, entitled "Gender bias among children in India in their diet and immunisation against disease," was conducted by Vani Borooah, Professor of Applied Economics at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. The reports did not state the timetable of the study but Borooah released the results in the Social Science and Medicine journal in early 2004.

Using official statistics for over 4,000 children between the ages of one and two years in 16 Indian states, Borooah evaluated the likelihood of girls receiving full immunisation and being fed properly as compared to boys. Full immunisation meant the children received all the relevant doses of vaccines for tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, tetanus and measles while being fed properly meant having a nutritious diet of milk, cereals, vegetables and fruit.

Research findings show boys and girls in India suffer different levels of deprivation in terms of vaccination and nutrition. However, girls tend to be more neglected in these areas due to the prevalent preference for boys. Since families tend to protect infant boys, infant girls are less likely to get the required vaccination and the proper food, making them more prone to diseases, even death.

The study also noted the deprivation to be directly linked to religion, the parents' literacy level and their socio-economic status. According to Borooah, the levels of vaccination varied by caste and religion. For instance, Hindus have their children fully vaccinated as compared to Muslims or Dalits. The poor vaccination records of Muslims and Dalits showed a gender bias against girls. When it comes to literacy, the study showed children of literate parents tend to be properly cared for, but for both upper and lower classes, male children were given preference for health services such as vaccination. The availability of health care facilities and the price of food are also factored in by impoverished families since they generally do not have the means to afford both, thus affecting all children.

As a conclusion, the study recommends for further studies to explore the multiple aspects of child neglect in India.

Source: "Neglecting girls' diets and immunisation against disease in India" as highlighted last 11 May 2004 at <http://www.id21.org/health/h9vb1g1.html>.

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WOMEN WRITERS BEGINNING TO WRITE OUT GENDER BIAS IN JAPANESE FICTION

Sexual inequality is now being discussed in Japanese fiction by women writers frustrated with the existing problem in the country's modern literature.

Women in Japanese literature are often depicted as subservient housewives who do not have much weight when it comes to the story. Sometimes, when they are focused on, the concerns they busy themselves with are often of frilly, shallow nature. Frustrated by these stereotypical images, women writers are beginning to take matters into their own hands by writing experiences that will represent them and will "talk" to them.

One such writer is Natsuo Kirino who wrote and published her debut novel entitled Out in 2003. The book is about low income middle-aged women who conspire to hide the murdered body of one of the women's husbands. Kirino, herself middle-aged, said she wrote the novel out of frustration for not finding any good novel that portray women of her own age bracket doing things that are not stereotypical.

Literary editors and critics have also observed that emerging young women writers often wrote about themselves and what their generation is doing. They concluded that the days when fiction was dominated by uniquely Japanese themes and ethics are over, and that new trends are emerging with the birth of a new generation of Japanese who want to write on pertinent things and address sexual inequality in the country.

Japanese male writers dominate the Japanese literary scene, often crossing over and having their books translated and distributed abroad. This rarely happens to women writers, but Kirino's book may be starting a new trend. In fact, the English translation of her work was nominated best novel in the prestigious 2004 Edgar Allan Poe Awards given out by the New York, USA-based Mystery Writers of America Organisation.

Source: "Mystery Novel Gives Women a New Voice" by Suvendrini Kakuchi as posted last 12 June 2004 at <http://www.ipsnews.net>.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS/CONFERENCES
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24TH INTERNATIONAL FUNDRAISING CONGRESS

The Resource Alliance (RA), previously known as the International Fund Raising Group (IFRG), will hold the 24th International Fundraising Congress (IFC) from 12 to 15 October 2004 in The Netherlands.

The UK-based RA is an organisation that runs an international funding training programme helping the NGO sector, and the yearly IFC is one of its activities. The conference programme includes all aspects of fundraising such as research, strategy and communications. The sessions consist of workshops, panels, plenaries, mini-courses and advanced classes. About 800 people from over 50 countries are expected to attend this event.

For more details on this conference, please contact:
IFC Team
The Resource Alliance
295 Kennington road
London SE11 4QE
United Kingdom
Tel: (44-207) 587-0287
Fax: (44-207) 582-4335
E-mail: <ifc@resource-alliance.org>
Website: <http://www.resource-alliance.org/subsection.php?sectionid=5&subsectionid=75>

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INTERNATIONAL COURSE ON GENDER MAINSTREAMING

An international course entitled "Gender Mainstreaming: From Programmatic to Organisational Transformation" will be held from 04 to15 October 2004 in Cavite, a province one and a half hours away from the Philippine capital of Manila.

This event will be conducted by the Philippine-based International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) and the Interaction's Commission on the Advancement of Women (CAW). IIRR is a rural development organisation that promotes people-centred development through capacity building for poor people and their communities, development organisations and agencies. The organisation has been working in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The aim of the course is to attempt to examine various efforts in gender mainstreaming at both the programme/project and organisation levels and introduce a process on how gender can be mainstreamed within development organisations. It is designed for mid and senior-level development managers, leaders and professionals who have the ability to influence decision-makers within their organisation towards systematic gender mainstreaming. The course builds upon a review of previous and current experiences in gender mainstreaming within the participants' organisations, programmes and/or projects.

Gender mainstreaming as a strategy puts premium to gender equality as a strategic objective of development. According to IIRR, much of the efforts in gender mainstreaming by many development organisations have so far been either at the programme and project level or community levels, and not many have really extended gender equality within development organisations as can be reflected in most of their mandates, policies, systems and resources allocation and accountability. Thus, they believe that despite decades of gender research and advocacy, most development interventions continue to be gender blind, usually not aware of the fact that women and men experience poverty differently. Women's roles are often overlooked in the policy discourse within countries, organisations employing them and within programmes and projects from which they are supposed to benefit from, the reason being that women are perceived primarily based on their reproductive roles.

For more information about this course, please contact:
IIRR headquarters
Y.C. James Yen Center
Silang, Cavite 4118
Philippines
Tel: (63-46) 414-2417
Fax: (63-46) 414-2420
E-mail: <information@iirr.org> or <Education&Training@iirr.org>
Website: <http://www.iirr.org/index.htm>

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FELLOWSHIPS AVAILABLE AT WOODROW WILSON INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR SCHOLARS

The Washington D.C., USA-based Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is now accepting applications for fellowships in the social sciences and humanities for the year 2005-2006.

The Center offers residential fellowships for the entire U.S. academic year (September through May) or for a minimum of four months during the academic year. These are offered to individuals in the social sciences and humanities who submit outstanding project proposals on a broad range of national and/or international issues. Fellows are selected through a multi-level peer review process.

The proposed topics to be submitted should intersect with questions of public policy or provide the historical and/or cultural framework to illuminate policy issues of contemporary importance. Fellows are provided with a stipend (includes a round-trip transportation allowance), part-time research assistance, and access to the U.S. Library of Congress through the assistance of professional librarians.

For academic applicants, eligibility is limited to the postdoctoral level and also to applicants with publications beyond their Ph.D. dissertation. For other applicants, an equivalent level of professional achievement is expected. Applications from any country are welcome. All applicants should have a very good command of spoken English. The Center seeks a diverse group of fellows and encourages applications from women and minorities.

For more details about the fellowships, please contact:
Scholar Selection and Services Office
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
One Woodrow Wilson Plaza
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue
NW Washington, D.C.
USA 20004-3027
Tel: (1-202) 691-4170
Fax: (1- 202) 691-4001
E-mail: <fellowships@wwic.si.edu>
Website: <http://www.wilsoncenter.org/fellowships>

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COURSE ON GENDER, SEXUALITY AND SEXUAL HEALTH IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, CHINA

The Southeast Asian Consortium on Gender, Sexuality and Health will conduct the Third Leadership Course on Gender, Sexuality and Sexual Health in Southeast Asia and China from 15 August to 03 September 2004.

The 19-day course will take place at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Campus in Quezon City, Philippines. It aims to provide participants with context-specific and gender-sensitive knowledge on sexuality and sexual health in Southeast Asia and China. According to the organisers, special attention will be devoted to exploring how conceptual and theoretical frameworks-especially gender and socio-cultural theories-can be applied to policy and interventions to enhance sexual and reproductive health in this region.

Interested applicants should be nationals of Southeast Asian countries and China who are professionals possessing relevant experience in the fields of reproductive and sexual health. This could apply to academics, researchers, policy makers, programme implementers, mass media practitioners, religious leaders, health service providers and activists. The course is participatory in nature and will use the knowledge, skills and expertise of participants as a major resource. The faculty will be from the region, with a diverse background in health and social science.

The Consortium consists of UP (College of Social Sciences and Philosophy); Gadjah Mada University (Center for Population and Policy Studies); University of Indonesia (Faculty of Social and Political Sciences); Hanoi Medical University (Center for Research and Training on HIV/AIDS); Mahidol University (Center for Health Policy Studies) and Population Council Bangkok Office.

Aside from conducting courses, the Consortium also offers a regional research awards programme on gender, sexuality and sexual health in Southeast Asia and the Greater Mekong Sub-region.

For more information, please contact:

Gender and Sexuality Project/
Social Science and Philosophy Research Foundation
2nd Floor Benton Hall
University of the Philippines Diliman
Quezon City, Philippines
Telefax: (632) 426-3801
E-mail: <grants@genderasia.net>
Web page: <http://www.genderasia.net>

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CAMPAIGNS
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CAMPAIGN TO HELP ARTISTS HOUNDED BY U.S. GOV'T.

The Critical Art Ensemble (CAE) is soliciting everyone's help for its campaign to support one of its artists being "hounded" by the U.S. government. CAE is a U.S.-based internationally recognised artists' collective producing artwork to educate the public about the politics of biotechnology.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has filed bio-terrorism charges using the U.S. Patriot Act against Steve Kurtz, an Associate Professor in the Department of Art at the State University of New York's University at Buffalo (UB) in New York, USA. Kurtz is a member of CAE.

Last May 2004, Kurtz was preparing for "Free Range Grains," CAE's latest art project which involved using a mobile DNA extraction laboratory to test store-bought food for possible contamination by genetically modified grains and organisms. The materials he used to construct the laboratory were the equipment that can be found in any U.S. university's basic biology lab, even in many high school labs. On 11 May, Kurtz' wife suffered a cardiac arrest and died in her sleep, prompting the bereaved husband to call the local authorities via the 9-11 U.S. phone hotline.

When the authorities arrived in his house, they found Kurtz' art equipment "suspicious" and called in the FBI to investigate. Upon their arrival, they suspected Kurtz to be a bio-terrorist and detained him, seized his equipment, documents, computer and cordoned off his house. The FBI also held his deceased wife's body for further investigation.

When it was found that no possible "bio-terror" public threat emanated from his equipment, Kurtz was released. He also gained access to his wife's body. However, the authorities still held on to his equipment and other possessions, and the FBI pressed charges against him and sent subpoenas to his colleagues and fellow CEA artists. According to the subpoenas, the FBI is seeking charges under Section 175 of the U.S. Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989-now expanded by the U.S. Patriot Act-prohibiting the "possession of any biological agent, toxin, or delivery system without the justification of prophylactic, protective, bona fide research or other peaceful purpose."

As of 08 June, eight of Kurtz' colleagues were subpoenaed to appear before a Federal Grand Jury scheduled last 15 June for his case. The subpoenas were issued to Adele Henderson (Chair of the Art Department at UB), Andrew Johnson (Professor of Art at UB), Paul Vanouse (Professor of Art at UB), Beatriz da Costa (Professor of Art), Steven Barnes, Dorian Burr, Beverly Schlee and Claire Pentecost. As of this writing, the results of the grand jury hearing are still not officially known, but another hearing is set on 29 June. A female student of Kurtz at UB, Julie Perini, was also subpoenaed along with other people.

CAE is asking everyone's help to stop the case. According to them, the Patriot Act is being used to curtail freedom of expression, and this has to stop. About 200 supporters rallied during the grand jury hearing last 15 June, and CAE is planning another one. They are accepting donations to fund this fight and are also encouraging letters and petitions of support from everyone.

Please visit their website <http://www.caedefensefund.org/> or e-mail them at <media@caedefensefund.org> to learn more about this campaign.

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ISIS ON WSIS
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OFFICIAL PROCESS FOR PHASE 2 BEGAN WITH 1ST TUNISIA PREPCOM

The official process for WSIS Phase Two in Tunisia began with the recently concluded PrepCom-1 last 24-26 June 2004.

PrepCom-1 aims to address the process of implementing the Geneva Plan of Action, the expected results of the second phase as well as the Summit preparatory process. The event took place in Hammamet, Tunisia.

We are featuring the onsite reports that came out of the meeting in this issue and on the next, as well as a civil society statement that was read there.

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PrepCom 1 of Summit of Solutions Opens

Government officials, members of NGOs and other civil society organisations, and representatives of business entities from 125 countries came together today to participate in the First Preparatory Committee meeting of the Tunisia phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

In his address during the opening session, Yoshio Utsumi, secretary general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the main organiser of WSIS, referred to the Tunis phase as a "Summit of Solutions" that will be crucial in shaping the focus and output of the second phase of the WSIS. He underscored that the holding of the meeting in Tunisia reflects an effort to build bridges between nations. "As Hannibal crossed the Alps from Tunisia to make a landmark in history, we have today crossed the Alps to Tunisia representing the migration of WSIS from North to South," he stated. "It is not by chance that we are assembled today in Tunisia", since it is Tunisia that "first proposed a Summit on the Information society at the ITU plenipotentiary conference in Minneapolis, back in 1998," he added.

Speaking on behalf of the Tunisian government, Sadok Rabah, Tunisian Minister of Information Technologies and Transportation, reaffirmed his government's determination to provide "all conditions of success" of the second phase of the WSIS, and "to open the way for a wide contribution from all the concerned parties: governments, international organisations, civil society, and the business sector."

He reiterated the call by Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to representatives of international civil society to continue their active participation at all the stages of the Tunis phase of the Summit. He added that to ensure wider participation of civil society, Tunisia calls for the
establishment of a permanent United Nations Fund which, will address the financing needs of the international civil society related to the WSIS. He said Tunisia will contribute 400,000 dinars (US$ 320,770), which "will be essentially devoted to helping associations in the least developed countries, especially those concerned with the disabled, women and the youth, in order to facilitate their participation in the proceedings of the second phase of the Summit in Tunis."

The government delegates also elected the new PrepCom president, Latvia's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Janis Karklins. He succeeds Adama Samassekou from Mali.

The three-day PrepCom delegates were expected to address the "three difficult issues" from the Geneva phase-namely, Internet governance, media, and financing mechanisms.

In the WSIS Plan of Action which was developed during the Geneva phase, the second phase of the Summit is expected to "evaluate and assess progress made towards bridging the digital divide. The WSIS is the first international meeting that is being organised by the United Nations in two phases.

The first phase of the Summit was hosted by the Swiss government and was held in Geneva from 10 to 12 December 2003. The second phase is being hosted by the government of Tunisia and will take place in Tunis on 16-18 November 2005.

In today's plenary, the new PrepCom president announced that civil society will have a total of 30 minutes speaking time--15 minutes on 25 June and another 15 minutes on 26 June. Civil society representatives stressed that this only amounts to 2.7 percent of the total plenary time.

Onsite Report from the WSIS ­ Tunisia Phase PrepCom-1 in Hammamet, Tunisia last 24 June 2004 by Mavic Cabrera-Balleza of Isis International-Manila.


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Prepcom Plenary Suspended; CS loses one speaking slot in Plenary

The 25 June 2004 proceedings at the First PrepCom meeting of the Tunisia phase of the World Summit on the Information Society was suspended for 45 minutes following the objection of some Tunisian NGOs to a representative of the Tunisian Human Rights League who was scheduled to speak on behalf of the human rights caucus.

In addition, the Tunisian NGOs objected to the text in the civil society statement that calls for the "host country of the Summit to show exemplarity, especially in the realisation of freedom of expression, of information, of communication, as well as of freedom of association and the right to privacy, during the Tunis process and beyond." According to them, Tunisia has shown improvements in its human rights records and there is no point in highlighting it as an example.
Sources say the objecting representatives of Tunisian NGOs complained to the Tunisian government minister in attendance at the Prepcom, who in turn registered the objection to Ambassador, Janis Karklins, the president of the Prepcom.

At the resumption of the plenary, only three representatives of civil society organisations made interventions-with one slot virtually lost because of the disagreements around the statement addressing human rights issues.

The first civil society speaking slot was taken by George Christensen from AMARC-Africa. He acknowledged the WSIS Declaration of Principles as one of the key output documents from the Geneva phase of the Summit. He proposed that the Declaration should not be reopened. On the other hand, Christensen, stated that the Plan of Action, the other document that came out of the official WSIS process in Geneva, is unacceptable to civil society. According to him, it was hastily drafted in the final stages of the Geneva Summit with minimal input from civil society. He pointed out that in certain respects, it is even in contradiction with the Declaration of Principles. He put forward the civil society recommendation that it be "reviewed to establish a new and measurable basis for action."

The second civil society speaker was Mavic Cabrera-Balleza from Isis International-Manila. She highlighted that the Tunis Summit corresponds to the first five-year review of the Millenium Development Goals. Governments and multilateral institutions will measure the results of the WSIS process on the basis of its contribution to the achievement of universal primary education, promotion of gender equality and women's empowerment, reduction of child mortality, improvement of maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases and ensuring environmental sustainability and development of global partnerships for development." These are the key targets against which action and implementation must be measured, she added. Cabrera-Balleza emphasized that for policies and investment to be effective, people and communities need to be enabled to take action to improve their lives and conditions. "Civil society initiatives and community-driven development projects must be supported and encouraged through improvements to the policy and regulatory environment for access to information and to the means of communications and through investment in traditional as well as new communication technologies," she said further. (The complete statement is reproduced below.)

The third civil society statement was presented by Ralph Bendrath from the German Civil Society Forum. He drew attention to the need to realise a true multi-stakeholder process in the Tunis phase of the Summit. He gave emphasis to the fact that governments alone cannot address all issues and challenges of an Information Society. Bendrath pointed out the irony in the amount of speaking time given to civil society which according to him represents only 2.7 per cent of the total plenary time. He also underlined that in order to ensure meaningful civil society participation, mechanisms have to be put in place so that NGOs and other concerned groups and individuals who are not in Geneva or Tunis are able to participate. He cited the possibility of using Internet broadcast as in the case of the Geneva phase. Lastly, Bendrath acknowledged the suggestion of setting up the participation fund. However, he stressed that the funds must be used "in a transparent manner, according to the actual needs and with meaningful participation of already established civil society structures on this."

Meanwhile, the disagreements on the civil society statement and speaker on human rights issue are expected to be addressed in an emergency civil society plenary later today.

Onsite Report from the WSIS ­ Tunisia Phase PrepCom-1 in Hammamet, Tunisia last 25 June 2004 by Mavic Cabrera-Balleza of Isis International-Manila.


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CSOs Hold Emergency Plenary

Members of Civil Society held an emergency plenary last 25 June 2004 following the 45-minute suspension of the Plenary in the ongoing PrepCom 1 of the Tunisia Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society.

The NGO delegates present tried to solve the impasse over the speaker and text in the civil society statement on human rights issues. A number of Tunisian NGOs strongly objected to the selection of a representative of the Tunisian Human Rights League as speaker on behalf of the human rights caucus and the text in the civil society statement that calls for the "host country of the Summit to show exemplarity, especially in the realisation of freedom of expression, of information, of communication, as well as of freedom of association and the right to privacy, during the Tunis process and beyond."

Saida Agrebi of the Tunisian Mothers' Association asserted that the statement should say that all participating countries respect human rights rather than singling out Tunisia. She also emphasised the need for another African delegate (who is not from the host country) to speak during the plenary. Other Tunisians concurred, with many of them dominating the first half of the discussion.

Ambassador Janis Karklins, president of the Prepcom, came to the civil society emergency plenary and asked the group to resolve its differences. "We cannot intervene in the decision making process of NGOs, but we can give you time to sort out your internal questions," he said.

Some speakers noted that there clearly are differences in views and opinions amongst civil society members particularly around their positions regarding the Tunisian government and its human rights record. They noted that it may be necessary to present both views and give time for both to be aired in the plenary. In addition, other speakers suggested that the divide that exists within civil society should be acknowledged in the plenary for the sake of openness.

Rikke Frank Joergensen, co-chair of the Human Rights Caucus, defended the process observed by the Caucus and the Content and Themes Group. She stressed that procedures observed in the Geneva phase were the same procedures that they followed. She clarified that issues and the key principles were discussed in the Content and Themes meeting the previous day and people were invited to stay after the meeting to help draft the statement. The resulting statement, Joergensen said, is consistent with the statements that the Caucus had released in the past. There is a precedent to note any human rights issues in the host country, as had been the case in Geneva when there were problems with certain groups not being allowed to speak and protest, she added.

In the end, despite the absence of an actual vote or consensus, the Tunisian NGOs seemed to have succeeded in deciding on another speaker- a woman from Africa who would leave out any reference to Tunisia and the need for it to exhibit concrete efforts that will lead to the realisation of freedom of expression, of information, of communication, as well as of freedom of association and the right to privacy.

The Tunisian NGO delegates overwhelmed the room with shouting and clapping. Additionally, the attempt at a vote was conducted without English translation, which meant many other NGO delegates were unable to participate.

As delegates left the meeting room, a number of shouting matches broke out. The representative from the Tunisian Human Rights League called the apparent decision a scandal with others shouting their opinions back and forth.

Onsite Report from the WSIS ­ Tunisia Phase PrepCom-1 in Hammamet, Tunisia last 25 June 2004 by Mavic Cabrera-Balleza of Isis International-Manila with reports from Andy Carvin of the EDC Center for Media & Community.


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Statement to WSIS PrepCom Plenary
Read last 25 June 2004
By Ma. Victoria Cabrera-Balleza of Isis International Manila

At the conclusion of the first phase of this World Summit, the international community agreed a vision and objectives, in the Declaration of Principles, which are framed around the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed objectives for sustainable development. In doing so, the Geneva Summit committed to the challenge of creating an information and communications environment oriented towards the achievement of a world free of poverty and hunger.

In 2005 the Tunis Summit will coincide with the first five-year review of international progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. Governments and multilateral institutions will measure the results of the WSIS process on the basis of its contribution to the achievement of universal primary education, promotion of gender equality and women's empowerment, reduction of child mortality, improvement of maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases and ensuring environmental sustainability and development of global partnerships for development. These are key targets against which action and implementation must be measured.

We all acknowledge that ICTs can make a contribution to poverty alleviation and the realization of all human rights, including the right to development, health, education, and information thereby enabling developing countries to participate as equal partners in the global information and communication society. But our efforts are largely failing and the so-called 'digital-divide' is in fact expanding.

The model that relies primarily on international private investment to achieve those goals is not working. Markets only provide services for those who can afford them; governments are unable to correct market failures due to imposed constraints including external debt and IMF conditionalities that limit their investments in infrastructure; investment agreements constrain the delivery of public services and intellectual property regimes make technology transfers unaffordable.These contradictions have been most obviously exposed in the case of efforts to reduce mortality from HIV/AIDS where the basic right of patients to life has been restricted by international trade rules to protect the intellectual property of manufacturers of the medicines vital for effective treatment.

Despite these failures, the Action Plan agreed in Geneva, relies to a large extent on a false logic. It assumes that investment in information and communication technology products, services and applications, will by itself contribute to the achievement of development goals. It
assumes, that setting targets for rolling out the ICT infrastructure, will automatically lead to alleviation of poverty.Civil society has a different perspective on the priorities for action needed to achieve the development goals and objectives set out in the Declaration of Principles.

We believe policies and investment must be effective from the ground-up. People and communities must themselves be enabled to take action to improve their lives and conditions. Civil society initiatives and community-driven development projects must be supported and encouraged through improvements to the policy and regulatory environment for access to information and to the means of communications and through investment in traditional as well as new communication technologies.

WSIS II can be of enormous help in identifying the national and international obstacles and the action which is needed to address them.

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WEB RESOURCES
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Foto8

Foto8 was established almost three years ago as an online magazine featuring quality photojournalism. Over the years, Foto8 become known for its award-winning documentary photography presented in an exciting online format. From classical photo-stories to contemporary multimedia shows, Foto8 has aimed to stimulate and innovate.

Aside from archived back issues with over 80 digital story presentations produced by Foto8 since 1998, the site also contains subscription information, book reviews and a Diary; web links; comprehensive listings for UK and overseas exhibitions, photography festivals, courses and competitions and other news and events.

Language: English
Mailing address:
18 Great Portland Street
London W1W 8QP UK
Tel: (44-20) 7636-0399
Fax: (44-20) 7636-8888
E-mail: <info@foto8.com>
Website: <http://www.foto8.com/ >

MediaLens

The website was created to address mainstream newspapers' and broadcasters' profoundly distorted picture of our world. MediaLens aims to increase rational awareness, critical thought and compassion, and highlight significant examples of the systemic distortion in media.

Run by a small, dedicated but unpaid team always on the lookout for individuals and groups willing to assist the project in terms of media monitoring, analysis and compilation of alerts, MediaLens features free Media Alerts, where examples of bias or mis-reporting in the mainstream media are identified, along with articles and book reviews on a variety of issues from climate change to Iraq to globalisation. The site also contains Cogitations, which focuses on more philosophical, psychological and personal issues surrounding thought control in modern society; a chat forum and useful web links.

Language: English
Mailing address:
MediaLens
Southampton
SO14 6TT UK
E-mail: <editor@medialens.org>
Website: <http://www.mediaLens.org>

Global Reproductive Health Forum (GRHF)

Undertaken by the Harvard School of Public Health, the GRHF is an Internet networking project that aims to encourage the proliferation of critical discussions about reproductive health and gender on the net. Its goal is to reach out to, involve and meet the needs of under served groups globally, the reproductive health community world-wide, academics and people who are dedicated to women's rights and gender issues.

GRHF provides interactive electronic forums, global discussions, distributes reproductive health and rights materials from a variety of perspectives through our clearinghouse as well as maintains an extensive, up-to-date research library.

Language: English and Spanish
Mailing address:
Harvard School of Public Health
Department of Population and International Health
665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
Tel: (1-617) 432-4619
E-mail: <jzucker@hsph.harvard.edu>
Website: <http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/Organizations/healthnet/index.html>

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ABOUT "we!"
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we! is the newsletter of Isis International Manila, an international NGO servicing women's information and communication needs within and beyond Asia and the Pacific region.

we! provides the latest information on the issues, campaigns, conferences, training opportunities, funding possibilities and other goings-on in the women's movement. It also provides updates on national, regional and international events organised by NGOs, government bodies and multilateral agencies that impact women.

we! comes out in both electronic and print editions. The electronic edition is circulated weekly, and the print version, monthly. In consideration of the limitations of print space and time-bound nature of some of the materials, not all articles and postings in the electronic version will be included in the monthly version.

Isis International-Manila encourages feedback and looks forward to receiving information about your activities, issues and campaigns. Archives of we! may be viewed at the Website: <http://www.isiswomen.org/pub/we/archive/index.html> Send communications to we-admin@isiswomen.org