Global Campaign for Peace Education News Blog

by Armene Modi

 Paper presented at the Knowledge Globalization Conference: 2012

Pune, India January 2012

Armene Modi
Ashta No Kai
ashtanokaindia@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:

Women are increasingly making more of an impact than men in rural India. The paper will share the initiatives taken by Ashta No Kai, an NGO working in a rural setting to address gender issues and empower women. It will demonstrate how using pro-poor, pro-women strategies can lead to social transformation. Practical and simple poverty alleviation innovations that the NGO has used to overcome the challenges of gender inequity including the Self-Help Group initiative will be elaborated upon. The focus will be to show how these initiatives have impacted women and assisted them in making the transition from passive acceptance of their fate to becoming vocal and active partners in their own development. Finally, suggestions will be offered for a more effective role that industry can play in bringing about sustainable development that is oriented towards the needs of the population being served.

INTRODUCTION:

Women’s empowerment, although it still has miles to go, has certainly come a long way. Despite gender equality seeming a far from attainable goal, the winds of change are blowing, slowly but surely, in rural India. Millions of poor illiterate women are spearheading a silent revolution, the Self-Help Group movement, which has proven to be an effective poverty alleviation intervention in enabling marginalized women to become economically independent. Thanks to progressive laws such as the 73rd Amendment, more than one million women are participating in local governance and development in India’s 600,000 villages. Rural women are starting to assert themselves, challenging deep rooted patriarchal practices and beginning to negotiate new roles and opportunities for themselves. With a new-found confidence, marginalized rural women are gaining a voice and a visibility both at home, and in their communities. They are increasingly becoming aware of their rights and demanding not only basic needs but also a share in household and community resources.

Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister realized that “To awaken people it is the woman who must be awakened. Once she is on the move, the family moves, the village moves, the nation moves”. This was decades before national and international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank put women’s empowerment high on their agendas as the key to sustainable development and poverty alleviation. According to Gita Sen and Caren Grown, it is women “who constitute the majority of poor; the underemployed and the economically and socially disadvantaged in most societies” (Sen and Grown, 1987, p. 25). Amartya Sen’s apt definition of poverty as “capability deprivation” clearly indicates that poverty is not just leading a life of impoverishment, but a very real lack of access to economic and other resources and opportunities for people to improve the quality of their lives (Dreze and Sen 1999, p.11). Poor women also suffer from the additional burdens imposed by gender based hierarchy and subordination. Gender discrimination hence, coupled with illiteracy and a lack of opportunities only drags women deeper into a cycle of poverty and deprivation.

For several decades now, Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been playing a pivotal role in linking the needs and concerns of women to all critical issues on local, regional, national and global agendas. They have made significant inroads towards addressing issues of gender inequity while advancing women’s empowerment and human rights. Their efforts at the grassroots level towards poverty alleviation and social justice have provided poor women with effective economic and social empowerment strategies to overcome and combat the gender marginalization they face on a daily basis. Despite the many challenges they have had to face in their efforts to empower women, NGOs have helped bring about an environment of positive change for millions of poor women by enhancing their understanding of the patriarchal system that has exploited them and deprived them of their rights for centuries.

What is Empowerment?

It would be worthwhile here to consider what constitutes empowerment; a key factor in transforming the status and position of women in society to generate long-lasting social change. According to Kabeer, it is “The expansion in people’s ability to make strategic life choices in a context where this ability was previously denied to them” ( Kabeer 2001).  UNDP’s Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) focuses on political power or decision-making, education and health as the three variables of empowerment. Kishor feels that variables such as education and employment are “enabling factors” or “sources of empowerment” rather than empowerment itself  (Kishor 2000a). Stromquist emphasizes the psychological component to women’s empowerment which “includes the development of feelings that women can act at personal and societal levels to improve their condition as well as the formation of the belief that they can succeed in their change efforts”.  She stresses that the psychological component while important, needs to be strengthened with economic resources (Stromquist 1990 pp 14-15).  Stromquist also urges empowerment programs to take into consideration women’s needs and to go beyond “nutrition, health and family planning and move into consciousness raising and mobilization” (Stromquist 1990 p. 107). It is clear then that empowerment of women involves a host of factors including women’s understanding of their subordinate condition and its root causes; as well as economic opportunity, social equality, and personal rights.

Ashta No Kai (For a Better Tomorrow)  

The paper will now shed light on the initiatives taken by Ashta No Kai (ANK), a small community based grassroots organization working in 10 villages of Pune District to demonstrate how using pro-poor, pro-women strategies can lead to social transformation for rural women. ANK started more than a decade ago with the vision of empowering and improving the quality of life for marginalized women and girls in India’s underdeveloped rural areas. The project’s mission was to meet rural women’s multi-dimensional needs by increasing education, training and health investments for women in rural areas. ANK promoted women’s economic self-reliance by introducing women-friendly credit systems and gave poor rural women access to information, opportunities, and choices to help them make a better world for themselves. 

Project Area:

The project area is spread over 10 drought prone villages and hamlets located in the interior of Shirur Taluka (County) at a distance of 55 to 70 kilometers from Pune along the Pune-Ahmednagar highway, with an approximate population of 15,000 (male: 7663 and female: 7329). The villages, in sharp contrast to the developed industrialized cities on their fringes, are agrarian, economically marginalized, and lack basic infrastructure, such as adequate and clean water supply, electricity, basic health care facilities, and good roads. A low ground water table further affects crop cultivation. A typical village consists of a central cluster of houses, surrounded by many satellite hamlet settlements, which are two to five kilometers away. Accessibility to many hamlets is poor due to lack of transportation and bad roads. At the time that the NGO initiated its work in the villages of Shirur Taluka, the status of women was low. Gender bias, poverty, illiteracy, lack of job opportunities, as well as social traditions and superstitions continued to hamper women’s progress and affect the quality of their lives.

Literacy Program:

According to the World Bank, literacy education is one of the best investments a country can make for its future growth and welfare (United Nations, 1980). Literacy initiatives were therefore given the highest priority when ANK started its work in the villages in 1999. An initial survey conducted in the project area in 1998 indicated that there was a high level of illiteracy among women; 54% as compared with 23% for men. ANK began its literacy campaign by establishing 14 literacy centers in its target villages with approximately twenty-five students in each center. The literacy program had a grassroots approach involving women in the planning and implementation of the project, providing content that was relevant to their lives, and conducting the learning through an interactive and democratic process. By 2001, a study by ANK of 170 learners showed that 37% of women became functionally literate after one year of enrolling in literacy classes. After a few years though, the novelty of ANK’s approach to literacy wore off and fewer women participated in the classes. ANK then developed different approaches to keep the women engaged. Some of these modules included using state-of-the-art computer software to teach literacy, paying daily wages to encourage women to attend class, giving awards to Self Help Groups for 100% literacy among members and setting up “curtain libraries” in women’s homes. The “Each One Teach One” model was also availed of with younger children teaching their mothers. By 2004, 75% of women in the target villages could sign their names, no small achievement for women who had previously never held a pen in their hands.

The promotion and achievement of literacy among adult women in its target villages was the biggest challenge ANK faced since its inception. Despite the fact that the program used a bottom-up approach involving women in the entire process, it failed to reach its targets. ANK did manage to help some women make small strides towards functional, and for some emerging literacy, but it was a struggle. While many women realized the long term benefits of being able to read and write, their need for literacy paled in comparison to the immediate necessities of their daily life. ANK then launched an oral literacy campaign building on the oral tradition of storytelling in villages. The first initiative that provided legal literacy informing women about their rights and familiarizing them with laws concerning them proved to be very effective. The local ILS Law College volunteered the services of their staff and students. Boosted with the success of the program and the large numbers of women who attended, ANK continued to provide oral literacy on many critical issues related to women’s everyday life conducting workshops on gender equity, health, nutrition, and sanitation, among others. These workshops where women gathered away from their daily grind helped to not only provide information about vital issues for the women but also promoted unity and a sense of sharing and solidarity.

Bicycle Bank:

When the project could not make the inroads into literacy for adult women that it had hoped for, ANK decided to shift its focus to the education of the girl child. For the younger generation, education is a vital key to development as it is the educated girl of today who becomes the empowered woman of tomorrow. It has been said “When you educate a man, you educate just one individual, but when you educate a woman, you educate an entire family”. The ripple effect of one educated woman on her family and those around her is far reaching. Providing education and job skills to women can empower them to overcome their poverty and helplessness. An educated woman is more likely to ensure that all her children, including her daughters, receive an education. She will perhaps be not only more attentive to her own family’s health and hygiene, but also to the living conditions in her surrounding neighbourhood. More importantly, the acquiring of some skill will enable her to bring in an additional income to the family.

Many of the girls in ANK’s target villages lived over four to eight kilometers away from the nearest high school, preventing them from continuing their education beyond the 7^th standard.  In efforts to curb these drop-out rates, ANK initiated a Bicycle Bank project in 2001 providing girls with bicycles to attend high school. Thanks to the 900 bicycles donated to village girls, the enrollment rate for girls in ANK village high schools is at 100% today compared to the national dropout rate for girls of 41% according to the 2011 census. The Bicycle Bank program proved extremely effective as a revolutionary model in the field of development for the education of the rural girl child. Besides being replicated, it was featured on national and international television programs and in the media. The simple bicycle thus became the wheels of change for village girls, preventing early marriages, arresting dropout rates while encouraging them to stay in school and complete their education.

With the increased enrollment of young girls in high schools, ANK was further able to assist in the campaign for equal education by providing scholarships to 450 girls to date to continue their education beyond high school. Village girls are now venturing into fields like pharmacy, computer applications and electronics and automobile engineering. Moreover, recognizing that one of the other major hurdles for girls going to school was the lack of toilets, ANK quickly stepped in to provide toilets for all its village high schools. Furthermore, with increasing incidences of violence against women, ANK introduced Karate classes for adolescent girls to learn self-defense techniques.

ANK also initiated Kishori Mandals, weekly workshops for adolescent girls to build their self-confidence by giving them inputs in life skills and information on topics they would not readily receive at home or in their school curriculum. The workshops raised awareness about educational, social, health and legal issues and were conducted by empowered grassroots workers who became role models for the girls. Recognizing that women’s empowerment and equality cannot be achieved just through the efforts of women alone, and that it required male support and behavior change among both men and women, this year, the empowerment activities for adolescent girls were extended to include adolescent boys as well. These workshops focus on raising awareness of gender bias and involve boys in a better understanding of their capabilities and roles in promoting a more gender equitable and just society.

Thanks to the Kishori Mandals, more young girls have become aware of laws relating to them and have opposed customs like dowry and early marriages. What is most heartening is a visible increase in their self-confidence and the numbers of young girls opting for higher education in fields that their mothers could never have dreamed of. ANK’s initiatives for the girl child have helped to promote her education, improve her social status, prepare her for better motherhood, and ultimately develop a confident assertive rural girl who can contribute her share and become an active partner in village development.

Dairy Cooperatives:

Since its target villages lacked skill or vocational training facilities as well as job opportunities, ANK initiated many vocational training programs in tailoring, embroidery, candle-making, etc., for the women hoping it would encourage them to establish their own small businesses. The women were not able to sell their products however, mostly due to their poor quality and the lack of a ready market for them. ANK then set up Dairy Cooperatives in two villages to provide rural women with sustainable livelihood opportunities since they already possessed the skills required to make them a success. The Dairy Cooperatives transformed the lives of rural women by enabling them to become economically independent and self-reliant. Rural women took over the dairy management and running of the entire set up on their own, thereby furthering their ownership of the business. This was one more step towards their own empowerment – promoting a higher status for women as managers and income generators for the village economy. Members of the cooperative are proud that they can earn Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 7,000 to add to their monthly income just from the sale of milk.

Self-Help Groups

ANK made it its mission to create and strengthen pathways for women to ignite and sustain their own development within the village through financial empowerment and raising their awareness of gender inequity. It hoped its interventions would enable them to change the vicious cycle of poverty, debt, ill-health and dependency which characterized their lives. In the early stages of ANK’s work, village women felt that the main hindrance to development was access to capital and income-generating activities. With that in mind, ANK began to organize women into the micro-credit model of voluntary savings and loan collectives called Self-Help Groups (SHGs). ANK helped establish over 125 SHGs in its 10 villages. Poor women with no collateral on an individual level were now able to access credit by collectively pooling whatever little savings they had for emergencies or to undertake income-generating activities without having to pay high interest to money lenders. It is important to point out that ANK merely acted as a catalyst in setting up the SHGs which are now run entirely by village women and act as the backbone for the majority of ANK activities. All decisions regarding SHGs were made by the women themselves; from the selection of members and office bearers, the meeting date, monthly saving targets, and loan disbursement, to the amount of interest and the repayment schedule. This enabled poor and illiterate women to have opportunities to make decisions and gain individual strength as part of a group. 

Impact of SHGs:

It would be worthwhile here to mention the positive impact the SHG’s anti-poverty agenda had on women at a personal level. Besides an improvement in the financial status of households, individual members saved on average Rs 15,000-25,000 – a significant amount for rural women. Access to credit enabled women to undertake income generating activities which brought in additional family income ranging from Rs.1,000 to Rs. 3,000 monthly. The increase in income was spent on better nutrition and education of children and on the health care for the family.

One of the major issues women faced in ANK villages was alcoholism, which results in a drain on household finances, impaired health and often, domestic violence. With strength and persistence, village women mobilized to force the closure of illicit liquor dens within their villages. Women gained a new confidence by staging protest rallies, and lobbying the police and district officers to do their job. In January 2004, women of Karanjawane village threatened to go on a hunger strike unless a water project sanctioned years ago was implemented.  To address the dire water shortage in Sone Sanghvi, village women along with their men folk recharged 15 wells and helped build water tanks to promote water harvesting. In Parodi, women in 2006 demanded that a Rs. 3,600,000 road project that was sanctioned in 2000 by the District be built. In September 2006, ANK mobilized women in Khandale village to bring pressure on police officials to register a complaint – which the latter were reluctant to do at first – against two alleged perpetrators who had raped and murdered a young girl in the village.

SHGs clearly demonstrated women’s capacity to organize and bring about meaningful change. In addition to providing a platform for economic empowerment, the SHGs acted as a pivotal place for social justice to occur. Besides giving women easy access to credit and encouraging them to save, women began to participate in issues that affected them. They became active in village affairs, stood for local elections and took collective action to address social and community issues. Village women began to actively participate in Gram Sabhas (village assemblies) and demand their entitlements. They led campaigns against social maladies such as alcoholism, early marriages and infrastructure problems like water shortages, lack of toilets and bad roads.

Empowerment Survey:

An informal survey conducted to assess the level of empowerment the women had achieved based on the empowerment indicators suggested by Hashemi, Schuler and Riley (1996) were revealing. The women were queried on four of the empowerment indicators: mobility, ability to make small and large purchases, involvement in major household decisions and relative freedom from domination within the family. A majority of women reported that prior to the NGO’s presence they were not allowed to leave the four walls of their home except to fetch water, but now had relative freedom to move around in the village. They were still however, not permitted to travel outside its confines without their husband’s consent. They expressed great pride in having control over both their savings as well as the loans they took from their SHGs. Most women were able to make both small and large purchases on their own without needing to consult their husbands. The husbands often consulted their wives when making large purchases as they needed their help to secure loans from their SHGs for them. Women’s involvement in major household decisions was limited. For example, it was men who decided when and whom their daughters would marry. Most women believed that their ability to contribute to the family income and access loans had considerably improved their position in the family. The women also reported that their husbands in general supported their involvement and attendance at ANK programs largely because they felt they were also the beneficiaries.

As is evident from the initiatives described above, when women achieve economic freedom they gain a greater sense of dignity, a greater sense of self, and a vision of the future. Their self-awareness, knowledge, and self-confidence increases, enabling them to participate more fully in community life.  More importantly, there is a positive change in their social status and they command greater respect within their households and extended families. They can resist violence and maltreatment and negotiate a more equitable division of responsibilities in the home. Financial freedom for women also translates into an improved standard of living for families and better education for children, especially girl children. Ultimately, economic empowerment leads not just to the fulfillment of basic needs but also gives women more choices and greater control over their lives.

The initiatives of Ashta No Kai had made a positive difference to the lives of the many women it had touched. The combination of added financial autonomy and increased confidence levels gave rural women a significant voice in their communities. Voices of village women that were once silent and passive now become vocal. ANK assisted women in search of their own voices to overcome their “culture of silence” (Freire 1970), and make the transition from passive acceptance of their fate to becoming vocal and active partners in the development of their communities. These voices continue to grow and be heard as younger generations of women become active partners in their own development, realizing even more, the importance of education, literacy and financial independence as the means to empowerment.

Role of Corporates in Sustainable Development:

What role can Corporates play in promoting sustainable development? At the recent UN campaign for Rio+20 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon emphasized that “Sustainable development is not a luxury, it is an imperative”. He urged all sectors of society to engage in developing new ideas and approaches to promote a sustainable future of social and economic transformation that could provide basic needs for all. It is in the enlightened self-interest of all, the public as well as the private sector, to participate in nation building by focusing on inclusive growth and addressing in particular, the needs and concerns of people at the bottom of the pyramid. This is vital since despite India’s economic boom, the anticipated trickle-down effect has not come about, and, in fact, the gap between rich and poor keeps increasing.

Corporates can make a positive social impact to sustainable development by playing a lead role in providing innovative solutions to many social challenges. Effective long-term meaningful and sustainable partnerships between Corporates and NGOs can unleash powerful forces for good and fast track India’s social development. Companies can help NGOs develop a business based approach to the management of their projects, and address a variety of community needs by providing funding, resources, manpower, managerial skill and expertise. Corporates can hence create both business and social value; while making profit they can also help to transform lives and address a variety of community needs.

Corporate Social Responsibility:

Although corporate philanthropy is now popularly referred to as  ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ (CSR), it has been around for more than a hundred years in India with groups like the Tatas, Birlas etc., having contributed enormously towards social and national development. Gandhi endorsed the concept of “Trusteeship” to reduce economic inequality. He believed that, “no matter how much money we have earned, we should regard ourselves as trustees, holding this money for the welfare of all”. While many corporates and multinationals have contributed greatly to social change, most CSR initiatives still lack genuine corporate commitment and a clear focus. They are often nothing more than public relations exercises to enhance the reputation of the company or build its brand rather than genuine attempts at addressing social needs.

The experiences of ANK as documented in this paper can provide some learnings to Corporates implementing their own CSR programs. For programs to work effectively they should be need based and use a bottom up approach. Making people stakeholders and partners in their own development goes a long way in ensuring the success of any social intervention. Moreover, setting a time frame for all projects motivates beneficiaries to become self-reliant and independent and helps to sustain the activities. Programs initiated at the grassroots need ultimately to enable people to take their destiny in their own hands. 

Conclusion:

It is important to remind ourselves that issues of gender discrimination and poverty are not problems of one country or another, but global issues which need global solutions. Global resources must be fairly shared so that all people regardless of gender, age, disability, class, caste, religion, nationality or ethnic background can lead a decent life. Some 20% of the world’s 7 billion people cannot continue to consume most of the world’s resources, while millions continue to live in or near poverty – destitute, unemployed, homeless and malnourished.

People have a right to an equitable share in the world’s resources and to make decisions about their own development. The denial of such rights is at the heart of poverty and suffering. Civil society, including corporates and NGOs can, and must play a positive and creative role by partnering with poor people, particularly poor women, to empower them and provide them with opportunities to build lives of human dignity and self-reliance. Investing in poor and marginalized women by helping them to realize their full potential and partnering with them as full and equal participants on all levels is integral to successful economic and social development.

REFERENCES

Dreze, Jean and Amartya Sen. Economic Development and Social Opportunity. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. 1999.

Friere, P. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Translated by Myra Bergman Ramos, New York: The Continuum Publishing Corporation. 1970.

Hashemi Syed, Sydney Ruth Schuler and Ann Riley, “Rural Credit Programs and Women’s Empowerment in Bangladesh,” World Development 1996, Volume 24, No. 4: 635-653.

Kabeer, Naila. “Reflections on the Measurement of Women’s Empowerment.” In Discussing Women’s Empowerment-Theory and Practice, Ida Studies No. 3. Novum Grafiska AB: Stockholm. 2001.

Kishor, Sunita. “Empowerment of Women in Egypt and Links to the Survival and Health of Their Infants.” In Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Processes: Moving Beyond Cairo. Harriet Presser and Gita Sen, eds. New York: Oxford University Press. 2000a.

Sen, Gita and Caren Grown. Development, Crises, and Alternative Visions: Third WorldWomen’s Perspectives. New York: Monthly Review Press. 1987.

Stromquist, Nelly P. “The Theoretical and Practical Bases for Empowerment.” Women, Education and Empowerment: Pathways Towards Autonomy. Carolyn

Medel-Anonuevo, ed. Report of the International Seminar held at UIE, January 27-February 2, 1993, Hamburg, Germany. Paris: UNESCO. 1995.

United Nations Development Program. Rural Women’s Participation in Development. Evaluation Study No. 3. New York: United Nations. 1980.

Article by Ayman Qwaider on his experience as a participant at the Fletcher Summer Institute for the Study of Non-Violent Conflict (June 19-24, 2011)

FSI is a setting for radical transformative empowerment. It’s likely that one might say I am exaggerating to start off my article with such a strong sentence. I have these feelings because I experienced them being a member amongst real united nations, full of inspiration and dedication to bring about change needed to be seen in their realities. Human rights, justice, freedom, aggression, intimidation, equality are part of the discourses I recognized and learned about from very experienced activists for freedom, justice, self-determination and equality. I often think that there are several forms of injustice taking place cross our globe, but all these forms of injustice result pain and suffering are at the same level for any nation regardless of its identity.

Through an intense one week training program on nonviolent conflict at Fletcher School, I realized that the result of injustices and oppression are the same regardless of where conflict exists, in Palestine, Tibet, Colombia, Burma, and these are just a small number of conflict affected countries. When there is armed conflict, serious violations of human rights occur, and civilians are significantly the most to suffer its consequences. Probably, what helped the most to keep me faithful and hopeful after being subjected to an enormous number of human rights violations, is the good people I met in the training course and seeing their dedication and commitment to being at hand and of assistance for deprived voiceless people.

Attending the training course on nonviolent conflict at the Fletcher Summer Institute in Boston was a spark of inspiration which gives me energy to stay hopeful that justice will prevail. Ordinary people have absolute power is an overwhelming statement which always fascinates and empowers me. Having the chance to share real stories from different parts of world on issues of freedom, equality and justice and being introduced to various kinds of struggle, has assured me that people still have power to challenge state power, and people still have the ability to transform realities through nonviolent resistance. Attending the FSI training program has widened my perspective and allowed me to see issues from different angles. Further, it equipped me with the essential tool of self-empowerment. Nonviolent and civil resistance will prevail against radical injustices. Knowledge is power and self-empowerment. Being a part of the FSI has placed a great responsibility on my shoulders. International Civil society.

Throughout listening to people’s testimonies firsthand, I felt the suffering they were subjected to in their countries. I was moved by certain stories and highly motivated to end these injustices.

Bulletin of World Report on the Culture of Peace for December 2010 and January 2011

(link to original: http://decade-culture-of-peace.org/bulletin/2011ajanenglish.html)

Dear Friends,

As we mentioned in the previous bulletin, in the month of December we presented the World Report on the Culture of Peace 2010 at the World Education Forum (Dec. 10-13, 2010). This was part of the Forum 2010 on Education, Research and Culture of Peace that took place between December 3 and 30, 2010 in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain.

In the High-Level Meeting on the Culture of Peace on December 4, the World Report was first presented by David Adams and Oliver Rizzi Carlson, representing the Youth Team that prepared the Report. The United Nations documents that form the basis for the World Report were outlined, and the main features and findings of the Report were discussed.

On December 12, a session was dedicated to a detailed presentation of the World Report. Seven out of the ten members of the Youth Team were present and explained in detail the basis for the Report, the process, the findings as a whole as well as for each region. The Youth Team and the audience then had a productive discussion regarding the future of the World Report and the steps ahead in the promotion of the Culture of Peace. Copies of the report were distributed to participants in Spanish and English.

This was a great opportunity to have some members of the Youth Team meeting face-to-face for the first time. It also served to motivate other youth to support our work. Among other things, youth participants at the Forum expressed interest in supporting and translating the Report into other languages.

In a meeting with the Youth Team, Manuel Manonelles from the Culture of Peace Foundation expressed his appreciation for the work done by the Youth Team and reiterated his support for new Culture of Peace initiatives in the future.

Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury also expressed his gratitude for the Report elaborated by the Youth Team and discussed opportunities to capitalize on the World Report and use it to promote the implementation of the Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace in the future. The Youth Team also thanked Ambassador Chowdhury for his unwavering support of civil society initiatives for the Culture of Peace and expressed its eagerness to continue collaborating in the future.

The World Report on the Culture of Peace 2010 in Spanish is now available at http://www.decade-culture-of-peace.org/world_report_2010_cast.pdf. You can also access the UNESCO report on the Culture of Peace at http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N10/486/18/PDF/N1048618.pdf.

The Decade for a Culture of Peace has served as a foundation for a global movement. Our work is just beginning.

Peace,

Youth Team for the Culture of Peace

The First Peace Fellowship, organized by GlocalVolunteers, was held at Churachandpur Government College, Churacahndpur, Manipur, India with the theme: “Reconciliation, Conflict Resolution and Peace in Manipur with SpecialReference to Southern Manipur”. It was a Peace fellowship which aims to conduct ongoing peace education, dialogue and peace processes and campaigns. It was concluded successfully.

For the full report, click here: http://www.peace-ed-campaign.org/newsblog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/The-First-Peace-Fellowship-REPORT-FROM-THE-FIELD1.docx

Resolution adopted at the 2010 International Conference on Human Rights Education

The 360 participants attending the 2010 International Conference on Human Rights Education, who came from 27 countries, and comprised human rights experts from diverse professions and academic disciplines:

Recognise that human rights education is essential to the full realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms and contributes significantly to promoting equality, respect for human dignity, preventing discrimination and enhancing participation in democratic processes,

Recall the United Nations commitment to Human Rights Education as articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, various treaties and the current World Programme for Human Rights Education (2005 – ongoing),

Endorse the Australian Government’s commitment to Human Rights Education as the core objective of the National Human Rights Framework (April 2010),

Call on Australian Governments (Federal, State and Territory) to:

1. Include human rights education in the new National Action Plan on Human Rights being developed under Australia’s Human Rights Framework;
2. Ensure that education in human rights and indigenous issues is embedded in the new national curriculum for schools;
3. Adequately resource, and allocate responsibility for the implementation of human rights education, particularly for teachers and educators, civil servants, law enforcement officials, judicial officers, health practioners and military personnel;
4. Foster opportunities for learning and sharing information about human rights from indigenous peoples’ knowledge frameworks;
5. Take up a human rights based approach to Australia’s overseas development assistance, including by prioritizing the integration of human rights education into its programs, particularly in conflict and post-conflict situations like Afghanistan;
6. Recognise that human rights education and human rights legislation are complementary and mutually reinforcing and to consider the enactment of comprehensive federal, state and territory human rights laws, including a national Human Rights Act.

Call on the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights

To submit the report of this Conference to the open-ended intergovernmental working group, responsible for drafting the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training by March 2011.

Call on the Commonwealth Secretary-General

To give priority to preparing a Commonwealth Action Plan for Human Rights Education and Training, for consideration at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth, Western Australia in October 2011.

Remain committed

To working with Governments and international organizations, at global regional and national levels, to promote and protect universal human rights, notably by developing and implementing Action Plans for Human Rights Education and Training.

(*Reports prepared by graduate students of the American University’s International Peace and Conflict Studies Program.  Please see November 2010 issue of the Global Campaign for Peace Education newsletter for more information: www.peace-ed-campaign.org/newsletter)

UNESCO provides a good overview of what is happening around the world.

http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=1261&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Go to this website to see best practices on nonviolent conflict resolution in and and out of school.  Download lesson plans, units and story books .  http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=9062&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Check out this book on peace eduation: http://cgi.ebay.com/Three-Decades-Peace-Education-Around-World-Hardcover-1996-/341601447496.

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Evidence-Based Tools for a Culture of Nonviolence

PeacePower’s compendium of Evidence-Based Tools for a Culture of Nonviolence is a useful resource.
At first, it looks pretty simple, with just four main ideas:
(1) Recognize Contributions and Successes, (2) Act with Respect,
(3) Share Power to Build Community, and (4) Make Peace.

But click through on each of the buttons at the top of the site and you’ll find an array of
well-developed tools, explained in short PDFs with the teaching rationale, and underlying clinical or school-based research
at the end of each page.  The site is still under development, with the first two categories much further along.
Still, if you’re looking to develop a nonviolent culture of positive, constructive and creative
conflict resolution for your classroom and school, then I recommend this resource.

http://www.peacepower.info/Home.html

(*Reports prepared by graduate students of the American University’s International Peace and Conflict Studies Program.  Please see November 2010 issue of the Global Campaign for Peace Education newsletter for more information: www.peace-ed-campaign.org/newsletter)

Please click on the link below to view the slides.   Loreta Castro is the premier peace educator in the Philippines and has nicely captured and summarized what is unfolding in her country.  The government has mandated and instituted peace education in all teacher training programs in the Philippines.  But not all Colleges of Education are fully geared up yet in preparing their teachers.

http://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dgp5h53j_147235xch9fv

(*Reports prepared by graduate students of the American University’s International Peace and Conflict Studies Program.  Please see November 2010 issue of the Global Campaign for Peace Education newsletter for more information: www.peace-ed-campaign.org/newsletter)

Peace Education New Zealand by Kim Ketchoyian
http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum

I was really blown away by how detailed and informational this website is. It has a very concise list of principles and pedagogies that they hold to be very valuable within the educational system.

The New Zealand Curriculum: Design

The curriculum is designed and implemented through a three stage process:

national curriculum

school curriculum

classroom curriculum

These provide the framework and common direction for schools, gives schools flexibility and authority needed to design and shape their own curriculum so that teaching is meaningful to the particular communities. Teachers are allowed to make interpretations in response to the particular needs and interests of individuals and groups of students in their classes. The NZC is set up as a framework rather than a detailed plan. Schools have flexibility in determining the detail.

Effective Pedagogy:

create a supportive learning environment

encourage reflective thought and action

enhance the relevance of new learning

facilitate shared learning

make connections to prior learning and experience

provide sufficient opportunities to learn

inquire into the teaching–learning relationship.

Principles:
-Treaty of Waitangi – the treaty was made between the Maori chiefs and the British Crown in 1840. It was a political contract to found a nation state and build a government in New Zealand. This treaty was important because it meant that the British government officially recognized Maori ownership over lands and properties and gave them the same rights as British subjects. While the intentions of the treaty seemed to be amicable enough, it is still a subject of controversy because until the 1970s it was supposedly not honored in full by the New Zealand government at the misfortune of many Maori tribes whose land was unlawfully seized by Europeans.
-Cultural diversity

-High expectations
-Inclusion
-Learning to learn
-Community engagement
-Coherence
-Future Focus

http://www.unesco.org.nz/index.php/programmes/education This is the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO. The mission of UNESCOs Education program is to:

-Promote education as a fundamental right

-Improve the quality of education

-Stimulate experimentation, innovation and policy dialogue

http://www.peace.net.nz/ The Peace Foundation (Foundation for Peace Studies Aotearoa/NZ)

Helps to establish and maintain peaceful and non-violent relationships by teaching skills that encourage better communication, co-operation and non-violent conflict resolution.

The Wellington Office has been in operation since 2001. The Schools Outreach Programme is run there; an Outreach Educator visits schools in the Wellington region to lead classes in peace studies and assist teachers with peace education resources.

The Schools Outreach Programme: Helping youth to learn tolerance, reject violence and solve conflicts peacefully.  The aim of this program is to help develop values, attitudes and behaviors that respect freedom, democracy, human rights, tolerance, a rejection of violence and the resolution of conflicts through dialogue and negotiation.   For more information on the responsibilities of Outreach educators, lesson elements, and lessons offered go here (http://www.peace.net.nz/index.php?pageID=28)

Some lessons the Peace Foundation offers through the Outreach program:

Visualizing a peaceful world. Creative visualisation and art on creating a peaceful world. Ages 5-12

Conflict resolution (a). Role plays and discussions on solving conflicts in students’ lives. Ages 5-15

Conflict resolution (b). Simulated exercise on conflicts between groups. Introduces concepts of identity and conflict, negotiation strategies, what winning means, and equality v equity. Ages 14-18

Sadako and the thousand cranes. International children’s response to nuclear weapons. Includes making an origami crane, the Japanese peace bird. Ages 9-13

Nuclear weapons and the Pacific. Nuclear testing, nuclear weapons free zones, the World Court cases and the Abolition 2000 campaign. Ages 14-18

International approaches to peacemaking, peacebuilding and war prevention. The examples of the United Nations, International Court of Justice, Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and others. Ages 15-18

There are so many programs that are run out of the Wellington office! For further descriptions on these programs please go here (http://www.peace.net.nz/index.php?pageID=103)

Peace Cities

Ministry for Peace

Youth Diversity and Peace Programmes

Summer City Programme

Nuclear Abolition

Disarmament for Development

http://www.enact.org.nz/ ENACT is a youth website dedicated to peace issues, in Aotearoa and the in the world as a whole. Its vision is to support youth in the promotion of peace at home, in the community and around the world.  “Enact’s mission is to engage young people in peace issues and activities, promote youth initiatives on non-violence, conflict resolution and cross-cultural understanding, and provide a space for the perspectives of young people on peace issues.”

ENACT runs programs in: (http://www.enact.org.nz/programmes)

Peer Mediation

Team Building

BANG (Ban All-Nukes Generation) Aotearoa

Conflict Resolution

Disarmament

This is just a sampling of general framework of New Zealand’s education system and some interesting programs that are well funded and well received and supported in the country. If you are interested please explore some of the exhibitions provided online (http://www.enact.org.nz/resources/exhibitions Some of the exhibitions are also available for pdf download such as the Culture of Peace Exhibition run by Soka Gakki International

(http://ww.sgiusa.org/newsandevents/exhibitions/TransformingTheHumanSpirit-Web-Dec07.pdf)

(*Reports prepared by graduate students of the American University’s International Peace and Conflict Studies Program.  Please see November 2010 issue of the Global Campaign for Peace Education newsletter for more information: www.peace-ed-campaign.org/newsletter)

Peace education in the Norwegian National Curriculum, by Tarjei (TJ) Helland

Introduction

Rather than an evaluation of a Peace Education program per se, the following text presents an evaluation of elements of peace education as it can be identified in the Norwegian National Curriculum (NNC).  The NNC does not specify a “peace education curriculum”, nor does it use the term “peace education”. However, many of the core concepts of peace education are prominent parts of the curriculum. These concepts include skills in human interaction, non violent conflict resolution, shared responsibility for creating a safe learning environment, knowledge and attitudes discussion about democracy, rule of law, and human rights, building knowledge and understanding of environmental issues, sustainable development, and the national and international distribution of wealth.

In brief, the NNC has to a large extent incorporated peace education in the way compulsory education is carried out through guidelines related to teaching methodology, pedagogical approaches, student involvement in shaping their education, and in the subject specific curricula in for example Social Studies, Religious and Ethics Education, Science, and Norwegian. The weakest point is, in my opinion, the lack of mechanisms to hold teachers, schools and local school authorities accountable for reaching the various aims that may be categorized as related to peace education. The evaluation and testing systems that are in place are relatively narrowly focused on academic skills in reading, writing, arithmetic, and science. This may cause other important aspects of education to be neglected, as research has consistently shown that what is being emphasized in testing is also typically emphasized in teaching.

In analyzing the NNC to identify peace education, I have used Fran Schmidt’s definition to guide my search:

Peace Education is about empowering people with the skills, attitudes and knowledge to:

• · build, maintain and restore relationships at all levels of human interaction;
• · develop positive approaches towards dealing with conflicts – from the personal to the international;
• · create safe environments, both physical and emotional, that nurture each individual;
• · create a safe world based on justice and human rights;
• · build a sustainable environment and protect it from exploitation and war.Peace Education is based on a philosophy that teaches nonviolence, love, compassion, trust fairness, cooperation and reverence for the human family and all life on our planet.Skills include communication, listening, understanding different perspectives, cooperation, problem-solving, critical thinking, decision making, conflict resolution and social responsibility. Peace Education is about making a commitment to peaceful living.  It’s a way of life. (In: e-mail from Barbara Wien, June 10, 2010)

In the analysis, I have focused on the subject specific curriculum in Social Studies, although elements of peace education may be found in several other subjects, including, Norwegian, Science, Religious and Ethics Education, Arts, and Physical Education. Moreover, I have focused on Primary and Lower Secondary education (year stages 1 through 10) as this represents the compulsory schooling in Norway (although the vast majority attends 3 years of upper Secondary School too).

Outline of the Norwegian National Curriculum

The Norwegian National Curriculum (NNC) is formally known as “The National Curriculum for Knowledge Promotion in Primary and Secondary Education and Training” and comprises:

• · The Core Curriculum
• · The Quality Framework
• · Subject Specific Curricula

The Core Curriculum

The Core Curriculum is a 40 pages long document outlining the general ideas about education and its role in society. The Core Curriculum makes a number of statements about what constitutes good education. It consists of 7 parts, addressing the significance of the educational sector in educating:

1.      THE SPIRITUAL HUMAN BEING

2.      THE CREATIVE HUMAN BEING

3.      THE WORKING HUMAN BEING

4.      THE LIBERALLY-EDUCATED HUMAN BEING

5.      THE SOCIAL HUMAN BEING

6.      THE ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE HUMAN BEING

7.      THE INTEGRATED HUMAN BEING

The Core Curriculum is meant to outline overruling principles that shall give direction to the organization of all primary and secondary education in Norway. It should also be interpreted as a relatively thorough explanation of the values, norms, and political and pedagogical standards on which education should be founded. A version of the Core Curriculum in English can be found here: http://www.udir.no/upload/larerplaner/generell_del/Core_Curriculum_English.pdf

I find the Core Curriculum to excessively address all major aspect of peace education following every definition of the term I have seen, including Fran Schmidt’s definition. As the Core Curriculum is meant to lay the foundation for all teaching and learning activity, this establishes a solid ground work for all teachers to comply with the principles for peace education in their every day work.

The Quality Framework

The Quality Framework “summarizes and elaborates on the provisions in the Education Act and its regulations, including the National Curriculum for Knowledge Promotion in Primary and Secondary Education and Training, and must be considered in light of the legislation and regulations” (Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, 2010. See www.udir.no). In other words, the Quality Framework bridges the Core Curriculum and the Education Act (Law on education) with the various subject specific curricula. The quality framework should also be seen as a document specifying overruling principles for education that shall be included by all schools and all teachers. The quality framework is somewhat more specific than the Core Curriculum f. ex. with regards to teaching methods and organization of education.

“The quality framework helps to clarify the responsibilities the school owners (in Norwegian public schools the local and county administration authorities) have in providing education pursuant to the legislation and regulations and the principles of human rights, and adapted to local and individual aptitudes, expectations and needs” (The Quality Framework, p.1, first paragraph).

The quality framework addresses 7 main topics:

1.      Social and cultural competence

2.      Motivation for learning and learning strategies

3.      Pupil participation

4.      Adapted education and equal opportunities

5.      The competence and roles of teachers and instructors

6.      Cooperation with the home

7.      Cooperation with the local community

In addition, the quality framework presents a “learning poster” which provides 11 manifestations of what every school should do in order to provide quality education that is in line with the requirements and principles found in the Education Act and the Core Curriculum. The learning poster is provided below as I believe it balances well the need for general ideas of education that corresponds with the principles for peace education on one hand, and teachers’ need for a roadmap in planning learning activities that can help reach these goals on the other. A complete version of the quality framework in English can be found here: http://www.udir.no/upload/larerplaner/Fastsatte_lareplaner_for_Kunnskapsloeftet/prinsipper_lk06_Eng.pdf

The learning poster:

The school and the apprenticeship-training enterprise shall:

• · Give all pupils equal opportunities to develop their abilities and talents individually and in cooperation with others.
  (Refers to: Section 1-2 of the Education Act and Chapter 5 of the regulations, and the Core Curriculum)
• · Stimulate the stamina, curiosity and desire of pupils to learn.
  (Section 1-2 of the Education Act, and the Core Curriculum)
• · Stimulate pupils to develop their own learning strategies and critical-thinking abilities.
  (Section 1-2 of the Education Act, and the Core Curriculum)
• · Stimulate pupils in their personal development, in the development of identity and ethical, social and cultural competence, and in the ability to understand democracy and democratic participation.
  (Section 1-2 of the Education Act, and the Core Curriculum)
• · Facilitate for pupil participation and enable pupils to make informed value choices and choices relating to their education and future professions/occupations.
  (Section 1-2 of the Education Act, Chapter 22 of the Regulations and the Core Curriculum)
• · Promote adapted teaching and varied work methods.
  (Section 1-2 of the Education Act and Chapter 5, and the Core Curriculum)
• · Stimulate, use and further develop each teacher’s competence.
  (Chapter 10 of the Education Act)
• · Help teachers and instructors to be seen as positive leaders and as role models for children and young people.
  (The Core Curriculum)
• · Ensure that the physical and psychosocial working and learning environments promote health, well-being and learning.
  (Chapter 9a of the Education Act)
• · Facilitate for cooperation with the home and ensure the co-responsibilities of parents and guardians.
  (Section 1-2 of the Education Act and section 3-2 of the Regulations)
• · Ensure that the local community is involved in the education in a meaningful way.

The subject specific Curriculum in Social Studies

The subject specific curriculum consists of five parts, outlining the objectives of the subject; the main subject areas; number of teaching hours for the subject; basic skills; and competence aims at different year stages. In the very first sentence of the first paragraph of the Social Studies curriculum, where objectives are stated, the curriculum reads:

“The purpose of the social studies subject is to help create understanding and belief in fundamental human rights, democratic values and equality, and to encourage the idea of active citizenship and democratic participation” (Social Studies Curriculum p. 1).

In other words, central elements of peace education constitutes the very purpose of the subject, which is taught in year 1 through 13 averaging around 300 teaching hours per year (a “teaching hour” is 60 minutes). In general, the references to peace education in the Social Studies curriculum are many and short between, and include:

stimulate the development of knowledge on cultural diversity in the world;

understanding of the relation between nature and man-made environments;

give the individual insight into how society in general influences attitudes, knowledge and actions and how the individual can influence society and his or her own life situation;

stimulate discussions on the relation between production and consumption and evaluations of the consequences that resource use and living one’s life have on the environment and sustainable development;

knowledge on the situation for indigenous peoples, minority peoples in the world in general and the Sami people in particular;

give an insight into the political system in Norway and in the international community and make the individual aware that politics is a matter of conflict and collaboration;

provide deeper understanding of the relationship between social life and personal life, and stimulate recognition of the diversity in social forms and ways of living;

provide pupils with a greater ability to think freely, from many perspectives, in a critical and tolerant way; promote the ability to discuss, reason and solve social problems;

help [the pupils] understand themselves better, master their own world and motivate them to seek new insights and pursue lifelong learning

The competence aims are the most specific part of the curriculum, and specifies what the pupils shall be able to do (that is, how they shall be able to use the skills and knowledge they have gained from their studies) at different year stages. The competence aims are expressed as aims after completing grade 4, grade 7 and grade 10. Research shows that these competence aims represent the part of the curriculum most decisive for how schools and teachers carry out their teaching. The subject “Social Studies” includes History, Geography and Sociology. As an example, I have included below the competence aims for sociology, and I have highlighted in bold the aims that I find to correspond most directly with peace education. The argument could be made that all these aims, or none of them, are peace education, thus the highlighting reflects only my subjective opinion. It should be noted that important peace education topics are also found in Geography and History, such as distribution of wealth, refugees, population statistics, environmental issues, critical thinking on historical events, skills in contra-factual thinking (that is analyze how the world could have been if historical events had been dealt with differently) etc. A complete version of the Social Studies Curriculum can be found here: http://www.udir.no/Artikler/_Lareplaner/_english/Common-core-subjects-in-primary-and-secondary-education/

Competence aims for Social Studies (Sociology) after year 4

The aims for the education are that the pupil shall be able to

• carry out quantitative social studies surveys requiring counting and arithmetic operations, and present the result of the surveys
• look up facts in printed and digital media, sort the content into categories and produce publishable material
• comply with simple rules for privacy protection when using the internet
• talk about the tasks of family and variations in family forms, including single-provider families, extended families, families where the principal persons are of the same gender, and families with several sets of first-born
• provide examples of different expectations placed on boys and girls and discuss and elaborate how these expectations may be experienced
• describe how boys and girls spend money and discuss matters that influence consumption
• prepare an overview of norms that regulate the relationship between people and talk about the consequences of breaking with norms
• design and practice rules for interacting with others and participate in making democratic decisions in the school community
• talk about tolerance and how encounters between different cultures may be rewarding and may lead to conflicts
• discuss and elaborate on perceptions of justice and fairness

Competence aims for Social Studies (Sociology) after year 7

The aims for the education are that the pupil shall be able to

• choose a theme [to work on], formulate questions and illuminate these by using different sources
• explain how information from mass media and commercial influences can impact consumer habits
• talk about variations in sexual orientation in relation to love, cohabitation and family
• describe roles in his/her own day-to-day life and examine the expectations that come with these roles
• discuss and elaborate on issues relating to the use and abuse of alcohol and other substance abuse
• elaborate on what a society is, and reflect upon why people seek to come together in communities
• explain differences between living in a democracy and in a non-democratic society, and elaborate on the most important institutions of power in Norway
• talk about what we mean by identity and culture, recognise cultural symbols and prepare a visual presentation of them
• elaborate on the main characteristics of the Sami society today
• elaborate on a current conflict and discuss and elaborate on proposals for a solution
• provide examples of how Norway participates in international cooperation through the UN and other organisations, including international cooperation between indigenous peoples

Competence aims for Social Studies (Sociology) after year 10

The aims for the education are that the pupil shall be able to

• plan, carry out and present problem-oriented sociological surveys and assess the work process and the results
• find and present relevant social issues, distinguish between opinion and fact, formulate arguments and discuss and elaborate on the issues
• make a plan for starting and operating an enterprise based on a survey to determine the basis for such an enterprise
• analyse the development of substance abuse and smoking in Norway and reflect on the attitudes to substance abuse
• discuss and elaborate on the relationship between love and sexuality in light of cultural norms
• describe how consumer patterns have developed in Norway and elaborate on consumer rights
• explain what attitudes and prejudices are, and discuss and elaborate on opportunities and challenges in multicultural communities
• explore what a community needs to continue to exist, and compare two or more communities
• elaborate on political institutions in Norway and compare them with institutions in other countries
• provide examples of and discuss and elaborate on democracy as a form of government, elaborate on political influence and power distribution in Norway and use digital channels to exercise democracy
• discuss causes and consequences of crime, and explain how a state governed by law functions by looking into how a specified crime is dealt with
• explain why culture is not inherent, and explain and analyse cultural variations
• describe the main characteristics of the Norwegian economy and how our economy is connected to the global economy
• elaborate on fundamental human rights and discuss and elaborate on the value of respecting them

Conclusions

The excessive highlighting above, shows that the subject specific curriculum in Social Studies corresponds to a large degree with the principles for peace education. As this is the part of the curriculum that most directly shapes the actual teaching and learning activities that are carried out, this may counter some of the weakness identified in the introduction to this study; the fact that there are few tests and evaluation tools available to hold schools and teachers accountable for reaching the goals of peace education as stated in the Core Curriculum and the Quality Framework. The competence aims outlined above do form the basis for final examination in Social Studies, and as many of these aims relate to different aspects of peace education, there is reason to expect most teachers and schools to treat these topics thoroughly, thus providing peace education as an integrated part of the compulsory schooling of all children and teenagers in Norway.

(*Reports prepared by graduate students of the American University’s International Peace and Conflict Studies Program.  Please see November 2010 issue of the Global Campaign for Peace Education newsletter for more information: www.peace-ed-campaign.org/newsletter)

Peace Education in Colombia, South America: by Priscila Silva

http://www.ifa.de/en/foerderprogramme/zivik/good-practice/colombia-deutsche-welthungerhilfe-e-vgerman-agro-action/ (IFA (Institut fur Auslandsbeziehungen)   Gives a description of German Agro Action’s (Welt Hunger Hilfe) project from 2005-2007 that worked on conflict resolution and peace education in the Department of Antioquia, Colombia. Working with 40 communities, the organization targeted peace promoters, women, youth and children with the goal of infusing said participants into the process of ensuring a peaceful coexistence in a region that has been marred by violent conflict. They also focused on the protection of said youth and children, as they are often the victims of violence.

The Peace Education Programme works to educate the participants using various methods, such as training to care for victims of the civil war, training youth motivators and in general disseminating awareness on the need for peace though round tables and dialogue among varying communities and levels. One of the factors that has helped the efforts of German Agro Action was their partnering with the local organization of Corporación para la Participación Ciudadana (ConCiudadanía) in Antioquia’s capital of Medellin.

Training Projects:

Servas International http://joomla.servas.org/content/blogcategory/40/75/ Servas International is a non-governmental organization that works towards building peace through a network of volunteers worldwide. It is composed of nine regions ran by assigned coordinators who keep up to date a network of hosts who serve as home base to travelers from around the world interested in learning about another culture. The idea is to create a multicultural peace through the knowledge gained from experiencing other parts of the world.

A particular event held through Servas was the “Servas Peace Training Experience in Colombia 2010.” The event was held from March 21^st to the 28^th. Based out of University El Bosque in Bogota, Colombia, the event was intended to “help participants recognize and develop their personal goals for peace and develop the tools they need to implement regional and international peace projects.” The four key aspects of the event were: Being; Becoming; Belonging; and Building. The website below gives detailed information of the event, including a daily schedule demonstrating their methods to develop and foster peace while learning about other cultures, in this case the varied traditions and customs within Colombia.

http://www.usservas.org/pdfs/ServasPeaceTraining2010.pdf

International Institute on Peace Education (IIPE) By developing alliances with other organizations, universities, etc., IIPE is a breathing source of information for those that want to learn more, get involved or share their resources with the peace community, working from the foundation of participatory learning, where everyone can serve as both an educator and student.

The program in Colombia was entitled “Learning to Read the World from Multiple Perspectives: Peace Education toward Diversity and Inclusion.” IIPE hosted the event from July 11-17 in Cartagena, Colombia, a popular city on the Atlantic Coast of Colombia, once a major slave and trading port. It was co-coordinated by other organizations, such as the Fundación Escuelas de Paz that are also working towards furthering peace education in Colombia. An interesting component of the event was that it was completely bilingual. Below is a link to the brochure the event.

http://www.i-i-p-e.org/2010-flyer.pdf

The focus revolved around Colombia’s violent past and present and the need to coexist peacefully among many cultures, moving away, transforming, the violence that plagues day to day life. In order to do so the institute focused more specifically on the varied channels of violence, the need to involve all socio-ethnic groups in dialogue, the need to understand and listen to varying perspectives and the development of alternatives to violence and methods to approach peace education.

The Institute was founded by Betty Reardon and other faculty colleagues in 1982 at Teachers College in Columbia University, and they have since hosted the IIPE event in different parts of the world, as they stress their portrayal of being a “’learning community’ in which the organizers and participants work together to nurture and inclusive, highly interactive learning environment toward practicing a culture of peace. “

Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung gGmbH (INWENT) INWENT is a capacity building organization with projects worldwide. One particular project deals with creating peace educators in Central and South America. Their website speaks of the long civil wars of various countries, human rights violations and unequal distribution of income that keep countries such as Colombia in a cycle of violence. In order to try and change these repetitive cycles, INWENT trains participants to teach peace so that said participants can teach it themselves to others. You can visit http://www.inwent.org/special/fallback/index.php.en?pull=/contentpool/programme/frieden/070678/index.php.en to find additional information on their programs.

The programs are intensive, and last at least a year and are directed to those who are already involved in educating teachers, members of NGOs, etc. Specifically, the website gives the example of success in Colombia, with the opening of Escuelas Rurales (Rural Schools), founded by a former alum of the training programs, and INWENT’s goal continues, with the support of of other organizations, to build peace educators throughout.

Colombian Organizations working towards constructing a culture of peace:

Fundacion Mi Sangre Mi Sangre Foundation was founded by Juan Esteban Aristizabal, otherwise known as the popular singer/songwriter Juanes. From Medellin, Colombia, Juanes grew up in the heart of violence among warfare and the drug-trade that continue to take the lives of innocent people. From the beginning of his singing career, his songs spoke of the distress of his people, as he pleaded for peace and a time of compassion. This devotion to wanting to establish a culture of peace within Colombia led to Mi Sangre.

The organization itself now deals with many programs, but the biggest focus is on the children who have been involved in and affected by Colombia’s civil strife. The goal is to provide psychosocial support for said youth and create the future protagonists for peace. Juanes believes that one needs to invest in the children, as they will obviously become the future leaders. The non-profit organization, founded in 2006, also functions as a bridge between communities and international organizations, pushing for the safety and inclusion of children.

The foundation has various supporters, the most recent one being the World Bank. Aside from their financial support for projects, etc., the foundation also sells merchandise such as t-shirts and journals to raise money. Working in a country where children are not only involved in warfare, but also innocent bystanders at the hands of land mines, the work to be done in Colombia to progressively move towards peace is great, and the foundation understands the grand scope of what it is against, committed to creating a world of peace and equality, first and foremost for the children. The website provides much more information, albeit better understood in Spanish, but if you’re not fluent in Spanish, then the English version will do just fine. To find more information simply go to:

http://www.fundacionmisangre.org/site/index.html Aside from his organization, Juanes has been involved extensively in using his music as a tool for peace. Specifically, in 2008, he planned the concert entitled Paz Sin Fronteras (Peace without Borders) as a reaction to the political strife that arose between Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia. The concert was held on the Simon Bolivar Bridge, the border between the three countries, and proved to be a great success. Following in 2009, he successfully held the second concert of Paz Sin Fronteras in Havana, Cuba, drawing in the participation of many other artists, as well as putting him in the center of a heated debate and hate crimes from those that opposed his selection of Cuba. A resident of Miami, Juanes received many threats and hate mail condemning his concert, demonstrating the even greater need for peace, especially between Cuba and the Cubans of Miami.

Peace Brigades International PBI conducted a study in 1993 to evaluate the need for action in Colombia. It had started working in areas of armed conflicts only ten years prior, and after their study of Colombia, PBI recognized that there was not only a vast need for intervention to protect human rights and fight against violence, but that the work to be done would prove very challenging because the conflicts in Colombia are multifaceted and span across many different regions. In 1994 PBI fist laid foot in Colombia and with the help of other international organizations they have worked towards protecting human rights and finding a peaceful resolution to the conflicts in Colombia.

To commence their work, PBI endured a long arduous process that consisted of dialogue with various government agencies and general awareness, leading to their official establishment in Colombia after a few years. Their website aims to educate the global public on the conflict at hand, and stresses the importance of all of their support, especially from the many volunteers on the ground, extending the awareness of the multifaceted conflicts beyond the borders of Colombia.

Throughout the years that PBI has been on the ground, they have placed staff in various regions, particularly in areas where forced displacement has been a problem. To this day they have 32 volunteers in Colombia and support staff in Bogotà, Brussels and Washington. Their website has much more information including articles, bulletins and how to get involved with the organization. The most recent bulletin highlights their 15 year mark since starting their peace initiatives in Colombia, and continues to highlight the additional work to be done, and most importantly their success to this day because of the support from the citizens of Colombia who continue to fight for their rights and a peaceful resolution.

In addition to the organization’s website below, you can also view a documentary by PBI commerating 15 years of service alongside Human Rights Defenders in Colombia: http://vimeo.com/channels/pbi

To find out more just go to http://www.pbi-colombia.org/

Alianza Educacion para la Construcion de Culturas de Paz The Alliance of Education for the Construction of Peace Cultures has its roots in Colombia and was an initiative of a group of professionals working in the World Bank. In 1999 they held a meeting in Cartagena with the motive of joining the forces of 15 projects that had been developing around peace education in Colombia with much success. They recognized the need to establish a network for said projects so that they could continue to prosper, and invited other national and international organizations to join the initiative, which became reality in November of 2002 when the Convention of Cooperation and Technical Assistance for the Alliance was signed.

The first three year plan was put in place from 2004-2007 and helped extend the Alliance’s influence across 25 departments, incorporating 300 varying ideas and methodologies including peace cultures, human rights, conflict resolutions, inclusion, etc. The next three year plan spanned the years of 2007-2010, helping to reinforce the goals of the previous plan while adding reinforcement to knowledge management and the permanent construction of the Alliance and its allies as a network of strategic information helping to strengthen constructive experiences and peace cultures in Colombia. The plan then lead to the creation of four strategies and four lines of action to accomplish their goals.

The organization’s mission statement is to support the strengthening of Constructive Experiences for Cultures of Peace via cooperation and technical assistance, based on the systematic construction of the Alliance via the Development of Knowledge Management Projects, the Impact on Public Policy and Communication. The website provides much more information, but is only in Spanish, although a great resource. It continues with its vision and objectives and provides news and information on resources and materials as well as other websites of interest. Being relatively new, its website will hopefully be translated into other languages in order to share its extensive knowledge with non-Spanish speakers, but for now, if you’re fluent, please be sure to check out the website:

http://www.educacionparalapaz.org.co/