Publication

	Armenian NGO News in Brief
	NGOC Gazette
	Research

NGOC Gazette, Research and information 2004

January, 2004	July, 2004
Februay, 2004	August, 2004
March, 2004	September, 2004
April, 2004	October, 2004
May, 2004	November, 2004
June, 2004	December, 2004

---

 

January, 2004

Regional Advanced Program on Human Rights

Lund, Sweden,
26 April-14 May, 2004

The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law will organize a
training programme on Human Rights in Lund, Sweden. The training program will among other topics include an overview of the international system for the promotion and protection of human rights, implementation and monitoring of human rights, and the role of international and regional organizations in the promotion and protection of human rights. Special reference will be made to the situation in the Balkans and the CIS. The didactic approach in the training program is interdisciplinary and involves aspects of law and social
sciences. The program is designed for mid-career and senior civil servants (e.g. in government, the judiciary and central police and prison authorities) as well as lecturers at universities and institutes and representatives of non-governmental organizations.

The program is financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Individuals from the following countries are invited to apply for the program: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia and Montenegro, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

The programme includes the following topics, among others: Overview of the international system for the promotion and protection of human rights; Civil and political rights; Economic, social and cultural rights; Implementation and monitoring of human rights; The role of international and regional organizations in the promotion and protection of human rights; International humanitarian law; International refugee law; Minority rights and the rights of indigenous peoples; Human rights of women; Rights of the child; Good governance.

Information brochures and application forms for the program have been sent to different institutions, governmental as well as non-governmental, working with the pertinent issues in the mentioned countries. In addition, we would be very grateful for assistance from organizations working in close cooperation and supporting civil society in the concerned countries in promoting the program. We would in this respect appreciate if it would be possible for you to advertise the program in your country through the available channels. We would also appreciate recommendations and nominations of suitable candidates for the program from you. For this reason, please find attached information brochure and application form for the program. Information is also available on the homepage of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (www.rwi.lu.se  <http://www.rwi.lu.se/> ), where application forms can be downloaded as well.

The program is organized and conducted entirely in English and consequently a high proficiency of the English language is required of applicants. Costs for international travels, accommodation and training materials in connection with the program are borne by Sida. In addition, participants are given a subsistence allowance to cover daily expenses. The Raoul Wallenberg Institute administers the training itself and all practical matters in
connection with the program. Please note that the closing date for applications is 13 February 2004.

If have any questions concerning the program, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Mikael Ohlsson

Tel.: +46 46 222 12 28,
Fax: +46 46 222 12 23,
E-mail: mikael.ohlsson@rwi.lu.se of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute.
Homepage: www.rwi.lu.se


GRANTS FROM THE GLOBAL FUND FOR WOMEN
Deadline: Rolling
Overview
The Global Fund for Women supports women's groups that advance the human rights of women and girls. We strengthen women’s groups based outside the United States by providing small, flexible, and timely grants ranging from $500 to $20,000 for operating and project expenses. We value local expertise and believe that women themselves know best how to determine their needs and propose solutions for lasting change. The groups we fund address issues that include but are not limited to:

Building Peace & Ending Gender-Based Violence
Advancing Health and Sexual & Reproductive Rights
Expanding Civic & Political Participation
Ensuring Economic & Environmental Justice
Increasing Access to Education
Fostering Social Change Philanthropy

1. Application Requirements
   Please note that your group MUST meet all the following criteria to be eligible for a grant:
   It is based in a country outside the United States. We do not fund US based organizations.

It demonstrates a strong commitment to women's equality and human rights that is clearly reflected in its activities.
It is a group of women working together. We do not accept requests from individuals.
It is governed, directed, and led by women. Women must fill all or most of the leadership roles.

Priorities:

The Global Fund receives 3,000 proposals each year and awards just over 400 grants annually. Unfortunately we cannot offer funding to all the groups that meet the above criteria. We will give priority to groups that:

Are just beginning or need initial funding, and which do not have access to funds from larger donor agencies. Groups do not need to be registered non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to qualify for funding.
Are working on issues that are difficult or controversial for women to raise in their communities, yet are critical to the realization of women’s human rights.
Are organized and led by women from particularly marginalized populations, including but not limited to: refugees, rural women, lesbians, sex workers, women with disabilities, and women from ethnic, religious, and cultural minorities.
Are located in a region or country that has extremely limited funding resources.
Actively seek to include the perspectives of those served by or benefiting from its activities.

Review Process

You may submit a request in any language, by e-mail, fax, or post. After you submit a proposal, a notice of receipt will be sent within 3 weeks of its arrival at the Global Fund. There are no proposal deadlines. We accept proposals all year, and we award grants every 3 months. Due to the large volume of requests we receive, it can take up to 6 months to review and/or decline a request.

Urgent Requests

In addition to requests for general support, we accept urgent requests for support to organize or participate in local, regional, or international meetings and conferences. These requests will be considered outside of our normal grant cycle due to their time-sensitive nature. Please note that these types of requests must come from organizations, not individuals, and must be received at least 8 weeks before the event. Funds for these types of grants are limited.
If you would like to submit a proposal by e-mail and your organization is located in North Africa, the Middle East, Europe, or the former Soviet Union, e-mail meena@globalfundforwomen.orgmeena.

The Global Fund for Women
1375 Sutter Street, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94109
USA
phone: (415) 202-7640
fax: (415) 202-8604
Website: http://www.globalfundforwomen.org/3grant/meena/


NGOs NEEDED FOR GLOBAL CATALOG FOR PHILANTHROPY

ForeignAid.com's Global Catalog for Philanthropy is looking for high-impact grassroots NGOs worldwide to feature in the 2004 Global Catalog for Philanthropy for donors across the U.S., Europe, and abroad. If you run a grassroots NGO in Africa, India, Europe, Asia, Latin America, or elsewhere and you improve the lives of disadvantaged people, we would like to hear from you. Please click on this link to complete your NGO profile and apply to be featured in the 2004 Global Catalog for Philanthropy: www.foreignaid.com/ratings/index.php?page=add&hw_pay_plan=FEE_FREE&cid=30  If you have any questions, please email ratings@foreignaid.com


Conference on Governance of Not-for-Profit Organizations

Location: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, New York City, New York, USA
September 30, 2004-October 1, 2004
Organizer: Patrick Bolton, Princeton University
Last Day of Submission of Abstracts: July 15, 2004

Papers are invited on...
Incentives within the not-for-profit organization and their effect on organizational behavior, board of directors behavior, and managerial reward structures.
Performance measurement in not-for-profit organizations.
Board mandates and board structure in not-for-profit firms.
Service of not-for-profit executives on for-profit boards and service of for-profit executives on not-for-profit boards: incentive, agency, and governance issues.
The presence and role of large donors in the governance and conduct of not-for-profit firms.
Competitive and collaborative relationships between not-for-profit and governmental organizations and between not-for-profit and for-profit organizations.
Comparisons of the role of not-for-profits across countries and across the United States.
Valuation of not-for-profit organizational outputs and inputs, particularly their treatment in the national income and product accounts; treatment of volunteer labor.
Governance of open-source software organizations.
The effect of governance on the choice and quality of investment management.
Governance in entities such as bank clearing houses and securities clearing firms, as well as in limited-purpose trust companies that settle securities transactions.
The role of regulators and tax authorities in monitoring corporate governance of not-for-profit firms. For business corporations, we rely primarily on private enforcement in the form of shareholder suits for breach of fiduciary duties under judicially established standards formed at the state level. For not-for-profits, we rely on governmental enforcement of legislative or administrative rules. Why do we choose these different approaches, and are they appropriate?
Financial reporting and auditing of not-for-profit organizations; the relationship between these activities and governance.
Examination of distress, downsizing, and exit by not-for-profit firms, including the shutting down of not-for-profits in sectors where there is excess capacity and the conversion of not-for-profit organizations into for-profit corporations when the not-for-profit firm no longer has a comparative organizational advantage. One possible area of application is the health services industry.

The conference organizers encourage the submission of papers relating to all aspects of the governance of not-for-profit firms.

Specifications
There is no charge to submit papers to the conference. Authors submitting papers to the conference should indicate whether they would like the paper to be considered for publication in the JAE. For those who choose to also submit to the JAE, the journal’s submission fee will be waived. Acceptance to the conference does not guarantee publication in the JAE; all papers must pass the formal refereeing process at the journal. Please e-mail a PDF version of the paper.

Submission/Contact Address
Hamid Mehran (Conference Organizer)
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Research
33 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10045,
USA.
Email: Hamid.Mehran@ny.frb.org
Website:  http://www.ny.frb.org/research/conference/2004/governance_call_papers.html


Fourth World Congress On Vaccines And Immunisation

Location: Tsukuba Science City, Japan
September 30, 2004-October 3, 2004
Organizer: Infections Control World Organization (ICWO)
Last Day of Submission of Abstracts: February 15, 2004

Conference is organised to discuss all aspects concerning the development of new vaccines and immunisation strategies to prevent and control infections as well as other diseases of importance in human and veterinary medicine.
Papers are invited on...
·  Development of new vaccines, immunisation concepts and strategies
·  New trends in combination vaccines and immunisation
·  Paediatric vaccines and childhood immunisation
·  Practical issues, social aspects and safety of current vaccination
·  Future challenges in vaccines safety
·  Vaccines novel vectors, delivery systems and immunopotentiators
·  Progress in mucosal vaccines and immunisation
·  Advances in gene-bases vaccines
·  Progress in vaccine immunotherapy
·  Peptides and mimotopes vaccines strategies
·  Transcutaneous vaccines
·  Anti-cancer vaccines and disease therapeutic vaccination
·  Genomics for vaccines research
·  New technologies for vaccines development and quality control
·  Plant-based systems for vaccines and pharmaceuticals
·  Progress in immunisation programmes to eliminate infections: polio and measles
·  Viral hepatitis and AIDS prevention and global control
·  Advances in vaccines against meningitis
·  Progress in vaccines against pneumococcal infections
·  Progress in vaccines for enteric pathogen infections
·  Vaccines for parasitic and chlamydia diseases
·  Vaccines and immunisation against respiratory infections
·  Current status in human immunodeficiency virus vaccines research and clinical trials
·  Progress in research for improved vaccines against tuberculosis
·  Development of new bacterial and viral vaccines
·  Rabies vaccination and immunotherapy
·  Vaccine approach in tissue and organ transplantation
·  New horizon of cooperation with Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation


Submission/Contact Address
Edouard Kurstak (Congress and ICWO President,Faculty of Medicine)
University of Montreal,
Canada
Email: kurstak@sympatico.ca
Website: http://www3.sympatico.ca/kurstak/icwo/


WASTE MANAGEMENT 2004

Location: Aldemar Paradise Royal Mare Hotel, Rhodes, Spain
September 29, 2004-October 1, 2004
Organizer: Wessex Institute of Technology, UK

This meeting will address the need for the exchange of scientific information among experts in waste management research and its applications.

Topics
Papers are invited on...
·  Landfills, design, construction and monitoring
·  Waste pre-treatment
·  Hazardous waste, disposal and incineration
·  Waste separation and transformation
·  Waste reduction and recycling
·  Metal and ceramic recycling
·  Advanced waste treatment technology
·  Methodologies and practices
·  Waste degradation, high volume waste storage, and compactation
·  Clean technologies
·  Biosolids, composting and agricultural issues
·  Biological treatment of waste
·  Organic waste for soil improvement
·  Environmental health effects
·  Waste management, strategies and planning
·  Waste collection, transportation and logistics
·  Water and wastewater treatment
·  Community evolvement and education
Specifications
·  Abstracts of no more than 300 words should be submitted to the Conference Secretariat.
·  Abstracts should clearly state the purpose, results and conclusions of the work to be described in the final paper.
·  The organizers strongly encourage the submission of abstracts electronically either through the official website or via email.

Submission/Contact Address             
Rachel Green (Senior Conference Co-ordinator)
WASTE MANAGEMENT 2004,
WESSEX INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Ashurst Lodge, Ashurst
Southampton, SO40 7AA,
UK.
Tel: 44 (0) 238 029 3223
Fax: 44 (0) 238 029 2853
Email: rgreen@wessex.ac.uk
Website: http://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2004/waste04/


3rd World Conference on Promotion of Mental Health and Prevention of Mental and Behavioural Disorders

Location: Hyatt Regency Hotel, Auckland, New Zealand
September 15, 2004-September 17, 2004
Organizer: World Federation for Mental Health
Last Day of Submission of Abstracts: March 31, 2004
Notification of Acceptance of Abstracts: April 30, 2004


"From Research to Effective Practice"

The Conference provides the opportunity to address these issues by engaging with leaders and experts from a range of disciplines and cultures, discussing the dissemination and implementation of a range of effective promotion and prevention strategies, influencing policy makers and administrators and helping promotion and prevention strategies take their rightful place on the health and social care, economic, cultural and political agenda.
Topics
Papers are invited on...
·  Research on the promotion of mental health and the prevention of mental disorders worldwide
·  Evidence-based programmes, policies and principles of effective promotion and prevention
·  International exchange of research outcomes, programmes, policies and guidelines to stimulate implementation, recognising the need for cultural variations and adaptation
·  Advocacy, policy-making and organisational models which facilitate promotion and prevention programmes
·  Improved training to increase knowledge and expertise in the design and implementation of promotion and prevention programmes

Conference Administrators,
The Conference Company,
PO Box 90 040,
Auckland,
NewZealand.
Tel: +64 9 360 1240
Fax: +64 9 360 1242
E-mails: mhf@tcc.co.nz; abstracts@charity.demon.co.uk
Website: http://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/docs/AUCKLAND%20BROCHURE.pdf


1st International Workshop on Forest and Environmental Information and Decision Support Systems

Location: Zaragoza, Spain
August 30, 2004-September 3, 2004
Organizer: Keith Rennolls (University of Greenwich)
Last Date of Submission of Manuscripts: March 12, 2004
Notification of Acceptance of Manuscripts: April 22, 2004
Last Date for Submission of Final/Camera ready paper: May 15, 2004

This workshop focuses on modern technology for the design and construction of Information and Decision Support Systems for Forestry and the Environmental Sciences.

Topics
Papers are invited on...
Systems for Monitoring, Evaluation and Planning in Forestry and the Environment
·  Forestry and Environmental Information gathering and retrieval
·  Systems for sustainable management
·  Forest fire, pollution, infestation and other damage and disturbance
·  Biodiversity, with a view to its conservation
·  Weather and climate effects
·  Water resources; quantity, distribution and quality
·  Land-use Monitoring and Control
·  Archival Systems

Information, Web and Decision Technology
·  Thesauri and Catalogues
·  Distributed database interoperability middleware and architecture
·  Use of XML, RDF, and Ontological Metadata descriptions to improve functionality
·  Web Services, WS Federations and Grid technology
·  Tools for data-integration and fusion
·  Forecasting Tools
·  Decision support tools

Submission/Contact Address

Keith Rennolls (Workshop Chair)
University of Greenwich,
UK.
Email: k.rennolls@gre.ac.uk
Website: http://cms1.gre.ac.uk/conferences/iufro/DEXA04_FEIDSS/


Call for Resident Fellowship Applications

The Center for Inter-American Studies and Programs at ITAM (Centro de Estudios y Programas Interamericanos – CEPI)

Application deadline: March 15, 2004.

CEPI, with the support of the Ford Foundation, invites applications from professionals of diverse disciplines and sectors to participate in its Resident Fellowship program, based at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), located in Mexico City.
The CEPI mission is to provide a space for discussion and specialized research on inter-American issues in order to stimulate greater understanding and interest in this area.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND DURATION OF FELLOWSHIPS

CEPI is offering a limited number of Resident Fellowships annually to nationals of any country from the following sectors: academic; public sector, diplomatic, and intergovernmental organizations; and civil society organizations, including the media. The duration of the Resident Fellowships will range from three to nine months. Only in exceptional cases will CEPI offer residencies of less than three months or more than nine months.

AREAS OF INTEREST

Transnational networks (legal and illegal)
Migration
Security and terrorism
Economic and financial convergence
Remittances and their effects
Processes of integration and free trade
Foreign direct investment
Governability
Citizenship and democracy
Transparency and access to public information
Regional and international institutions and structures
United States influence in the region
Latin American and Caribbean influences in the United States and Canada
The environment and natural resources
Human rights
Rule of law

BENEFITS AND OBLIGATIONS

Resident Fellows will receive the following benefits:

A monthly stipend
Financial assistance with transportation and moving expenses
An optional medical insurance package
Office space with a computer
A research assistant
Formal affiliation with the host institution
Logistical assistance with housing in Mexico City

Resident Fellows will have the following obligations:

To complete their proposed research project
To offer a lecture or speech at the host institution
To publish a synopsis of their research in the CEPI bulletin
To dedicate themselves full-time to their research project

APPLICATION SCHEDULE

Applicants interested in commencing their residency in the second semester (August-December) of 2004 must submit the application found on the CEPI website: http://interamericanos.itam.mx no later than March 15, 2004.

For further information on the CEPI Resident Fellowships at ITAM,
consult the CEPI website at: http://interamericanos.itam.mx , or contact the Center’s coordinator: JENNIFER JEFFS via email: interamericanos@itam.mx; interamericanos@itam.mx

Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México
Río Hondo 1
Colonia Tizapán San Ángel
Delegación Alvaro Obregón,
México, D.F. 01000 México

The English version of the website is at http://interamericanos.itam.mx/englishversion/index_eng.html

---

The "NGOC Gazette" is produced by the AAA NGO Training and Resource Center. It provides information on conferences, seminars, training and grants opportunities worldwide.

 

---

© NGOC

<<<<<

 

 

February, 2004

18th IAVE WORLD VOLUNTEER CONFERENCE

Barcelona, Spain
August 17 –21, 2004

The 18th World Volunteer Conference is promoted by IAVE (International Association for Volunteer Effort) and on this occasion directed by FCVS, (Federació Catalana de Voluntariat Social). In this event the Conference wishes to make the world aware of what volunteer work represents. It will discuss in depth the ethical framework under which it will move forward, and the nature of volunteer commitments in the defense of values such as justice and human rights. It will likewise aim to formulate proposals to make this task easier, turning it into a real opportunity to make an impact, a true engine for change toward a better world. In short, this Conference aspires to give meaning to the words of Ken Allen: “The volunteer is the fundamental building block for constructing a civil society. Without people who wish to commit themselves to their community, neither NGO’s, nor philanthropy, nor responsible governments, nor democracy are possible.”
The overall theme is about Volunteering as an Engine for Change, and within that we will concentrate on three main topics: Volunteering in Support of Cultural Diversity and Equal Opportunities (Networks & exchanges; Globalization & The role of internet; Equal opportunities in volunteering; Sustaining vulnerable cultures); Volunteering – Creating the Conditions for Peace (Action against poverty; Action for human rights; Accion for peace; Accion for equality); Volunteering and Sustainability (Youth Volunteering; Volunteering & Sustainable community; Volunteering & Sustainable enviroment; Ensuring the Sustainability of Volunteering). Each of these will be explored through keynote papers, round tables and workshops. In addition we will for the first time introduce an on-going interactive element, which will begin through the website in advance of the conference and continue through the conference itself. More voices will be heard!
For more information visit: http://www.iave2004barcelona.org/index.php?idioma=uk


University of Pittsburgh, Center for International Studies
H. J. Heinz Company Foundation Fellowship Program 2004-2005

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Application deadline: March 15, 2004

The Fellowship provides for one year of practical, professional, and non-degree educational experiences through the University of Pittsburgh. The competition is open to men and women from developing countries whose record of accomplishment early in their career indicates strong potential for leadership and achievement in the non-profit, government, or private sector. The goal is to improve, early in a career, the Fellows' capacity to contribute to the development of their country and to enhance their understanding of the United States. This is accomplished through a year of auditing selected courses and participating in practical professional activities while based in Pittsburgh. Courses taken as part of the Heinz Fellowship do not earn credit
towards an academic degree.

More information:
Website: http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/main/heinzfellowship.html 


Universiteit van Amsterdam, International School for Humanities and Social Sciences
Summer Institute on Conflict Management and Resolution

June 7 - 18, 2004, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Application deadline: April 15, 2004

This Summer Institute is designed to enable current and future professionals to be more effective in dealing with the conflicts with which they are confronted every day- conflict with the external environment and conflict within their own organizations. The primary focus will be on the challenges of being part of an organization attempting to deliver services in high-conflict situations, e.g. humanitarian relief efforts and post-conflict economic development programmes. To accomplish this goal, the course will be a stimulating integration of theory and practice, bringing the highest level of academic breadth and depth together with practical, hands-on training and personal development.

Student Profile
- Graduate students from all over the world
- Professionals with academic training at the BA level from any field, including those working in government agencies, development organisations, non-governmental organisations, companies, and media
- University faculty, particularly from non-Western countries.

Fees are - 2400 (non-credit) and - 2900 (credit). The tuition does not include travel to and from Amsterdam or housing. The University of Amsterdam mediates for housing.

More information:
Website: http://www.ishss.uva.nl/SIC/ 
Email: sic-ishss@uva.nl 


Award Nomination
Delta Prize for Global Understanding

Nominations are currently being accepted for the Delta Prize for Global
Understanding. The prize is awarded to individuals who by their own initiative have provided opportunities for greater understanding among cultures and nations. The Prize recognizes contributions to peace and cooperation, such as grassroots projects that diminish hostilities in a particular region of the world, international programs that improve relations among different peoples, and leadership in the solution of global or regional conflict.

Organizations: Delta Airlines and The University of Georgia.

Nomination procedure: Print and submit the nomination form (available online) and a letter of nomination.
Deadline: Rolling
Website: www.uga.edu/news/deltaprize


Call For Applications
13th Annual Democracy & Diversity Institute

11-29.7.2004,
Krakow

This is to announce the thirteenth annual Democracy & Diversity Graduate Summer Institute in Krakow, Poland, organized by the Transregional Center for Democratic Studies (TCDS) of New School University, New York, in collaboration with the International Cultural Centre Krakow.

The Institute will again welcome up to fifty junior scholars from Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus, the United States, Sub-Saharan Africa, and other parts of the world for an intensive three-week program of study in democratic theory, politics, and culture. Offering the equivalent of a full semester's graduate study at an American university, the Institute brings together an international group of civic-minded young scholars and postgraduate students who work closely together with expert faculty addressing social, political, and cultural challenges to democracy and democratization in the host region and beyond. Widely known as an intimate international forum for lively but rigorous debate on key challenges of democracy today, the Institute emphasizes interdisciplinary, comparative, and interactive approaches in the seminar classes, evening sessions, and study tours comprising its threetier program.

Core faculty from New School University's Graduate Faculty will be joined by distinguished international scholars and by guest speakers from the region. Upon completion of the Institute requirements, U.S. graduate students receive full course credits and non-U.S. participants receive certificates. All alumni become members of TCDS's ongoing Transregional Learning Network, through which they continue interacting and developing contacts with their colleagues in academia and civil society worldwide, and through which they will gain access to opportunities for further study, research, and collaborative
projects.

Curriculum

*      GSOC6055 Democratic Culture: Societal Inclusion, Public Deliberation, and Difference - Professor Jeffrey Goldfarb, Department of Sociology, Graduate Faculty, New School University

*      GPHI6503 Memory, Trauma, Genocide, Evil - Professors Richard J. Bernstein, Department of Philosophy, Graduate Faculty, New School University, and Carol Bernstein, Departments of English and Comparative Literature, Bryn Mawr College

*      GPOL6213 Sustaining Democracy? Boundaries, Conflict, and Agreement in Democratic Politics - Professor David Plotke, Department of Political Science,
Graduate Faculty, New School University

*      GLIB5205/GANT6025/GSOC6061 Theories of Gender in Culture - Professor Ann Snitow, Committee on Gender Studies and Feminist Theory, Graduate Faculty, New School University

Application

All participating students must have completed their undergraduate studies and should currently be either enrolled in a doctoral program or working as junior university teachers or researchers. Preference will be given to those applicants who can demonstrate active involvement in civil society and civic life.

Candidates from Other Universities in the U.S. and Universities in Central & Eastern Europe, Central Asia & the Caucasus, and Southeast Asia: Interested junior faculty members and doctoral students should send an application package consisting of the following materials:

-Application letter including the applicant's full name, date of birth, gender, nationality, address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address, educational background, degrees received, and current institutional affiliation (CV/resume). Also include an indication of the two courses you would be taking in the program.

-Evidence of substantial English language skills (TOEFL test result or statement by an English-speaking faculty member or comparable).

-One- or two-page personal statement outlining your own analysis of the current societal, political, or cultural issues (conflicts, problems) in your home country which you deem most pressing or significant as challenges to democracy or democratization there, and a description of how your own ongoing work relates to these issues and to your decision to apply to the Democracy & Diversity Institute.

-One letter of recommendation.

Send complete application package to:

E-mail: tcds@newschool.edu  (important: include a note KRAKOW 04 APPLICATION in
the subject heading). 

Mailing address: Transregional Center for Democratic Studies, Attn.: Krakow 04, New School University, 65 Fifth Avenue, Room 405, New York, NY 10003, USA.   Fax: (+1-212) 229-5894.

For all inquiries and information on the program and application, please contact Timo Lyyra, TCDS Assistant Director, tel. (+1-212) 229-5580; fax: (+1-212) 229-5894; e-mail: lyyra@newschool.edu.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS FROM NEW SCHOOL UNIVERSITY AND ELSEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES  IS APRIL 2, 2004.

DEADLINE FOR ALL OTHER APPLICATIONS IS APRIL 23, 2004.


HREA Distance Learning Course 9E04
INTRODUCTION TO THE EUROPEAN SYSTEM OF HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION AND PROMOTION
13 September-5 December 2004

Instructor: Dr. Gerd Oberleitner

This distance learning course provides participants with practical guidance on how to protect human rights through the European human rights system, and specifically the institutions and treaties of the Council of Europe. Participants will be introduced to the main European human rights conventions and jurisprudence, primarily as developed through the European Court of Human Rights. The course addresses European human rights standards as they apply to civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, and the rights of minorities. Case studies on the freedom of expression, homosexuality, violence against women, protection of the mentally-ill, prisoner's rights, and the rights of refugees and internally displaced persons, will deepen participants' understanding of the European human rights standards and machinery.

The course is primarily intended for advanced (under)graduate students of (international) law or social and political sciences; civic education and history teachers; and NGO staff members. Participants should have a good written command of English (the course language), have high competence and comfort with computer and Internet use, and have regular access to e-mail and the Internet.

The course involves approximately 60 hours of reading, on-line working groups, interaction among students and instructors, and assignments, and is offered over a 12-week period beginning on 13 September. E-mail will be the main medium for the course, although participants will need to have periodic access to the Web. This course will integrate active and participatory learning approaches within activities and assignments, with an emphasis on reflective and collaborative learning. Participants will do the required reading, prepare interim and final project assignments and participate in group discussions.

The maximum number of course participants is 25. Students who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Participation. It is also possible to audit the course. The course was developed in partnership with the Council of Europe.

COURSE OUTLINE
Week 1. History and institutional structure of the Council of Europe
Week 2. The European Court of Human Rights
Week 3. Civil and political rights: The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Week 4. Civil and political rights: The European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Week 5. Economic, social and cultural rights: The European Social Charter
Week 6. Minority rights: The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
Week 7. Other European human rights mechanisms: OSCE and European Union
Week 8. Role of NGOs in the protection and promotion of human rights
Week 9. Role of the Council of Europe High Commissioner for Human Rights
Week 10. Case Studies: Freedom of expression; Homosexuality
Week 11. Case Studies: Violence against women; Protection of the mentally-ill
Week 12. Case Studies: The rights of asylum seekers; Rights of prisoners

WHO SHOULD APPLY
The course is intended for university students, teachers and NGO staff members of human rights/social justice organisations. Participants should have a good written command of English and have high competence and comfort with computer and Internet use. The number of participants is limited to 25 per course. HREA aims to ensure equal gender and geographical distribution across the selected participants.

APPLICATION
The deadline for applications is 15 June 2004. Applications received after that day unfortunately cannot be accepted. Successful applicants will be notified by 1 July 2004. Full tuition payment is due on 15 August 2004.

APPLICATION FORMS
Application form (in Word and PDF format) can be downloaded at:
http://www.hrea.org/courses/9E.html Inquiries about the course can be sent to applications@hrea.org

ABOUT HREA's DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMME
HREA's Distance Learning Programme (DLP) was initiated in 2000 in response to an unaddressed need for the continuing education of human rights professionals and practitioners. The programme builds on HREA's extensive experience in both the training of professionals (teachers, advocates, law schools) and the use of the new information technologies to provide resources and to network human rights advocates and educators. By offering short, practical yet specialised courses via distance learning barriers that prevent many practitioners from participating in continuing education, such as a lack of time and/or lack of funds to travel to regional or national workshops/trainings, can be overcome. HREA annually organises distance learning courses on human rights monitoring; research & evaluation in the NGO Sector; project development and management; use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for human rights work; rights-based programming; and human rights advocacy.

Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) is an international non-governmental organisation that supports human rights learning; the training of activists and professionals; the development of educational materials and programming; and community-building through on-line technologies. HREA works in partnership with education agencies, NGOs, governments and inter-governmental organisations to implement training programmes for teachers, NGO staff, jurists and other professionals involved in human rights work. Current and past partners include, interalia, Amnesty International, the Open Society Justice Initiative (formerly COLPI), Council of Europe, Croatian Ministry of Education, HURIDOCS, the Inter-American Institute for Human Rights, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, University of Minnesota Human Rights Center and UNESCO. HREA is registered as a non-profit organisation in the Netherlands and the USA. More information on HREA can be found at:
http://www.hrea.org

Deadline: June 15, 2004 (Sep 2004 course begins)
Website: www.hrea.org


The IV International Congress
"Peace in the North Caucasus through Languages, Education and Culture"

September 20-24, 2004
Pyatigorsk

The City of Pyatigorsk was founded in 1780 as a small settlement. Today it makes home for over 200,000 local community and is listed among the world famous hot springs resorts with a unique advantage of healing potential of mineral waters and curative mud. The city is only 50 miles from the Great Caucasian Range which offers the best downhill skiing venues in Russia.

The exciting history and rich cultural heritage of this multiethnic area in the North Caucasus adds to natural attractions of the city. Michael Lermontov and Leo Tolstoy lived and created here their famous poems and novels of Caucasus that made treasures of Russian literature.

Pyatigorsk has been also recognized in recent years as the center for peacemaking efforts in the conflicted areas of the North Caucasus hosting many nationwide and international forums.

Pyatigorsk State Linguistic University (PSLU) was founded in 1939, and will celebrate its 65th Anniversary in 2004. Today it is one of four major language instruction centers in the country, and rates among top 10 schools of Liberal Arts in Russian Federation. The study of European and world languages is a key element of most academic programs provided at PSLU. But there is a rapidly increasing choice of majors in Education, Psychology, Social Science, Government, Public and Business Administration as well as Public Relations and Journalism. Nine academic departments provide instruction to 3,500 full-time students, over 1,500 more enjoy the opportunities of part-time and distant learning. Since 1996 PSLU has initiated and hosted a number of international forums on working out effective approaches and instruments of peacemaking and development of tolerant society in the multiethnic North Caucasus.

The IV Congress will be focused on ideas to bring long-lasting peace and steady development in the multiethnic and geopolitically important segment of the world.

Over 600 delegates are expected to participate in the Congress, including scholars from major Russian and international Universities as well as Russian Federation Government officials, policymakers, clergy, journalists etc.

Scholars in many different disciplines are invited. The Congress is not limited to those who are authorities on the North Caucasus, but whose research could shed light on the issues of resolving conflict, particularly through language and culture, intercultural communication, are encouraged to attend and present papers.

The Congress Format will include scholarly reports as well as open round-table discussions. All papers presented at the Congress will be published as a special edition in scholars' native languages. The languages of the Congress will be Russian, English, German, French and Spanish.

The program of the Congress will also include a full-day field research trip to one of the North Caucasus multiethnic community to learn culture, traditions and customs as well as tours of Pyatigorsk as an oldest resort city of Russia  with rich history and cultural heritage,  and scenic Elbrus Mountain Valley area.

Major topics expected to be addressed
  - Tolerance as Social Phenomenon
  - Intercultural Communication in Multiethnic Environment
  - Conflict Resolution and Peacemaking Technologies
  - Multi-Language Community and the Problems of Ethno-Linguadidactics
  - Ethnic Policy and Geopolitics in the North Caucasus and Worldwide
  - Development in the North Caucasus: From Co-Existence to Multiethnic Community
  - History of the North Caucasus
  - Religious Aspects of Constructing Tolerant Society
  - Cultural and Economic Development and Relations of the North
Caucasus to
   the World and Transcaucasia
  - Literature and Arts in the North Caucasus and in Multiethnic Communities
   Worldwide
  - Intelligentsia in the North Caucasus as a Factor Affecting Peace in the Region
  - Education in Multiethnic and Multilanguage Communities

For further information and application contact PSLU's authorized partner:

Joel R. Stegall, President
The Stegall Group, LLC
2696 Belwick Drive
Winston-Salem, NC 27106
Phone/Fax: 336 768 6017
Email: joelstegall@thestegallgroup.net
Website: www.thestegallgroup.net


GRANT- Grants for NGOs, Central Eurasia Project, Open Society Institute

Call for Proposals

The Central Eurasia Project (CEP) strives to make available more and better information about human rights and the social and economic health of the South Caucasus and Central Asia both within the region and internationally in order to shape policies that contribute to building open societies.  The Central Eurasia Project uses grantmaking to international and indigenous NGOs to help build local capacity, bring international expertise to bear on the region, and promote cooperation between local activists and international civic movements in the fields of human rights, the environment, and transparent governance. The ultimate goal of such activity is to strengthen civic leaders in the region and construct support networks for them within international structures and movements.

The Central Eurasia Project requests proposals to provide program and general operating support grants to organizations focused on advancing open societies in the region.  Central Eurasia is understood to encompass the former Soviet republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus, Turkey and Mongolia.  Proposals to support projects in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and the Middle East should be directed to OSI's Middle East Initiatives
(http://www.soros.org/initiatives/cep/focus_areas/mena). 

Priorities for grantmaking in 2004 include the following areas:
Improving the effectiveness of human rights work in the region and developing innovative approaches to protecting human rights, particularly the rights of labor migrants from and in Central Asia, and in combating torture; Promoting transparency and public involvement in the dispensation of natural resource and other state revenues.

Eligibility requirements
All applications must be made on behalf of organizations or groups, which may include, but are not limited to, informal coalitions, non-governmental organizations, humanitarian aid or other charitable organizations, and educational institutes. United States applicants must be tax-exempt within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Central Eurasia Project usually does not accept applications for individual grants, such as fellowships, scholarships, or travel grants.  Scholars and activists interested in submitting individual research proposals should contact the address below for research proposal guidelines.

Organizations may be based in the region or outside. Single-country proposals from organizations based in Central Eurasia will be referred to the appropriate national Open Society Foundation or program. In reviewing requests, priority will be given to joint proposals from international and local organizations.

Procedures
The format for grant applications and detailed information about restrictions on grant funds are available at: http://www.soros.org/initiatives/cep/focus_areas/mena/guidelines.

Grants applications will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year and will be considered for funding three times during 2004 according to the following schedule. Applicants will be notified of a decision a week to ten days after the consideration date.

Proposals should be submitted by e-mail to Anu Kangaspunta-Garfield at the Central Eurasia Project at the address listed below.

Applications Due / Consideration Date
March 12 / April 12
June 14 / July 12
October 15 / November 15

Anu Kangaspunta-Garfield
Program Associate
Central Eurasia Project
Open Society Institute
400 West 59th Street
New York, NY 10019
E-mail: akangaspunta@sorosny.org


JOPEOI 5 (5TH EUROPE/INDIAN OCEAN MEETING OF MOTHER AND CHILD HEALTH)

October 21-24, 2004
La Réunion Island
French Polynesia
Contact: Kamel Bargaoui
Telephone: 33-607-686-118
Facsimile:  33-143-839-985
E-Mail: kamel.bargaoui@wanadoo.fr


132ND ANNUAL MEETING AND EXPOSITION  OF AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION

November 06 - 10  2004
Washington, DC, USA
Contact: Edward Shipley, APHA Meeting Coordinator
Telephone: (202)777-2478
Facsimile:  (202) 777-2530
E-Mail: edward.shipley@apha.org
Web Site: http://www.apha.org/meetings


INSTITUTE ON HIV/AIDS COUNSELLING AND PSYCHO-SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS

November 10 - 16,  2004
Mumbai, India
Contact: CARAT, Department of Medical & Psychiatric Social Work,
Tata Institute of Social Sciences,
Deonar, Sion - Trombay Road,  Opp. Deonar Bus Depot,
Mumbai - 400088, India;
Telephone: 91- 022- 2556 32 90-96 ext. 322
Facsimile:  91-022-25562912;
E-Mail: carat@tiss.edu


7TH  INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON DRUG THERAPY IN HIV INFECTION

November 14- 18, 2004
Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Contact: The Gardiner-Caldwell Group Ltd,
Peakside House, Alder Court, Tytherington Business Park,
Tytherington, Cheshire SK10 2XG, UK
Telephone:  44-0-1-625-511-953
Facsimile:   44-0-1-625-511-924
E-Mail: hiv6@gardiner-caldwell.com
Web Site: www.hiv7.com


HIV DART 2004

December 12 - 16,  2004
The Ritz Carlton
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Contact: Informed Horizons, LLC
860 Montreal Road, Suite 212
Tucker, GA  30084 USA
Telephone: +1 770-946 3480
Facsimile:   +1 770-897 9639
Web Site: www.informedhorizens.com/hivdart2004


GENDER STUDIES DATABASE
http://www.nisc.com/factsheets/qgsd.asp

The Gender Studies Database (GSD) combines NISC's popular Women's Studies International, Men's Studies and Sexual Diversity Studies databases with relevant contributions from the Child Development & Adolescent  Studies as well as Family & Society Studies Worldwide databases. GSD covers the spectrum of gender engaged scholarship inside and outside academia. Links to freely available and indexed full-text articles and documents on the web are available. Several hundred links provide access to carefully selected websites.

Men's Studies Database
With over 44,500 citations & abstracts, MSD covers 250 core and hundreds more important periodicals providing access to the full diversity of literature including journal articles, book reviews, books, book chapters, theses, dissertations, bulletins, newsletters, internet documents and numerous other sources on men's studies from 1990 to the present.
Sexual Diversity Studies
Sexual Diversity Studies (SDS) offers a balanced, objective, and thorough review of scholarly as well as popular print, electronic, and internet publications of the GLBT press. Most topics of interest to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities are covered in depth. Of paramount importance is the coverage of history, culture, social issues, interests, and concerns of the GLBT community.
Women Studies Abstracts
Formerly edited by Sara Stauffer Whaley and recently acquired by NISC, Women Studies Abstracts contributes more than 40,160 records. Approximately 3,000 abstracts of core literature are added per year.
Women's Studies Bibliography Database
Publications indexed cover a wide range of social science disciplines including anthropology, sociology, social work, psychology, health sciences, education, economics, law, history, and literary works. Source documents include related websites, internet documents, professional journals, conference papers, books, book chapters, selected popular literature, government reports, discussion & working papers and other sources. Enhanced sub-sets of records from U.S. Government databases and other files are included to make Women's Studies International as comprehensive as possible. This file of 168,466 records is produced by NISC with contributions by many individuals.
Women's Studies Database
Women's Studies Database (1972-present) is compiled by Jeanne Guillaume, Women's Studies Collection Librarian of New College, University of Toronto; WSD provides more than 88,700 records drawn from 125 journals worldwide. About 4,000 records are added per year.
MEDLINE Subset on Women (1964 - present) 46,847 abstracts. The MEDLINE Subset on Women, part of the MEDLINE database from the National Library of Medicine, adds to the diversity of materials included in Women's Studies International. With an emphasis on the well-being and social concerns of women in general and the developing countries in particular, this subset includes many journals, reports, books, and published and unpublished papers, previously not indexed in WSI. The MEDLINE Subset on Women brings an overall health perspective to Women's Studies International, with an applied, practical and empirical approach.
Women of Color and Southern Women: A Bibliography of Social Science Research
Women of Color (1975-1995) was produced by the Research Clearinghouse on Women of Color and Southern Women at the University of Memphis in Tennessee and provides over 7,600 citations on eighteen different ethnic groups.
Women's Health and Development: An Annotated Bibliography
Women's Health (1995) provides 200 records drawn mainly from English-language journals and other holdings of the World Health Organization library in Geneva. The bibliography was compiled by the Division of Publishing, Language and Library Services, Office of Library and Health Literature Services, and is dedicated to the memory of the late chief of the library, Dr. Deborah Avriel (1935-1995).

SUBJECT COVERAGE:

---

The "NGOC Gazette" is produced by the AAA NGO Training and Resource Center. It provides information on conferences, seminars, training and grants opportunities worldwide.

 

---

© NGOC

<<<<<

 

March, 2004

Relaunch of UNV's Online Volunteering Service

The Online Volunteering service, formerly at NetAid, is now up at its new URL: www.onlinevolunteering.org. The OV service, managed by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, connects online volunteers with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UN organizations ...

Website: www.onlinevolunteering.org


USAID, DCHA and LWVF

Annual Program Statement: Implementation and Extension of Wheelchair Services

DESCRIPTION:   The United States Government (USG), as represented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Democracy Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA), Leahy War Victims Fund (LWVF) is seeking applications from US and non-US non-profit or for-profit, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations (IOs), and other qualified non-USG organizations (or consortia) for the implementation and extension of wheelchair services for civilian victims of war and other people with disabilities. This program is authorized in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. Awards shall be made in accordance with 22 CFR 266, OMB Circulars A-21 (for universities) or A-122 (for non-profit organizations), ADS 303 and USAID Standard Provisions.

For more than a decade, the WVF has maintained a primary objective of expanding access to affordable and appropriate prosthetic and orthotic services. Although much work remains to improve the quality, expand the availability, and reduce the costs of prosthetic services, the Fund is increasing its involvement in response to other challenges. The overwhelming needs of persons requiring wheelchairs is one of those challenges.

Applicants under this APS should propose innovative ideas that address the physical, social, and/or economic needs of persons requiring wheelchairs. Prospective partners could include a wide range of U.S., international, and regional organizations such as: private voluntary organizations, foundations, colleges and universities, civic groups, faith-based institutions, private businesses and associations, philanthropic organizations, and advocacy groups. The Bureau strongly encourages U.S. organizations to collaborate with indigenous organizations in their proposals.

Organizations should already be registered with USAID. If not already registered, U.S. PVOs can register at http://www.usaid.gov/hum_response/pvc/regtoc.html,  though the process can be time consuming. Eligible Public International Organizations (PIOs) can be found at http://www.usaid.gov/pubs/ads/300/30851m.pdf. Host country-based NGOs should seek to register at the nearest USAID Mission.

USAID encourages qualified applicants to submit thoughtful and innovative approaches that have high potential for successful achievement of project objectives. Upon award, grants or cooperative agreements will be managed/ monitored by either the DCHA Bureau in Washington or field Missions, depending on the scope or nature of the proposed activities.

1. Introduction:  Conservative estimates put the number of people with disabilities in developing countries at close to half a billion. Of these, an estimated twenty million require wheelchairs to be mobile.  While there are many humanitarian and development agencies involved in prosthetics/orthotic programs, there are only a few who provide a comprehensive approach to services for those requiring wheelchairs and the associated training and education that must accompany their provision.

The statistics are startling:
- UNESCO estimates that 20 million people in the world need a wheelchair that don't have one;
- The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that by the year 2020 road traffic accidents will account for the third highest cause of the global burden of disease. This is a significant jump from its current ranking of ninth. Developing countries will be largely responsible for this sharp rise and many survivors may sustain mobility-related injuries;
- WHO data further suggest that between 20-40 people per million will sustain a spinal cord injury in any one year, many of whom will be confined to a wheelchair;
- The incidence of cerebral palsy in the United States is about 1 in 93,000. In the developing world, the incidence is near 1 in 400 and many with CP require wheelchairs for mobility;
- Consensus estimates indicate that 26,000 people are killed or maimed by land mines each year. Many of the injured will be wheelchair bound.

Despite this overwhelming need, only a small percentage of people in the developing world are able to obtain an appropriate wheelchair, the requisite training needed to assist them to obtain their maximum independence and functionality, and the opportunities to be contributing members of their families, communities, and society.

A wheelchair is more than just an aid to mobility. It can be a means to self-sufficiency and increased self-esteem. It can be a vehicle to meaningful employment and contributions to community and society. It reduces dependency and the associated burden placed on family and friends.

Since 1989, the LWVF has invested significant resources in the development and implementation of rehabilitation programs worldwide. Several of these programs have included relatively minor wheelchair provision and services activities. This APS represents a mechanism to expand the scope of the activities specifically addressing the comprehensive needs of persons requiring wheelchairs.

2. Background:  Established in 1989, the Leahy War Victims Fund (LWVF), administered by USAID, provides assistance to war victims in developing countries. The Fund provides a dedicated source of financial and technical assistance for civilian victims of war who suffer from mobility-related injuries, including people who suffer from polio as a result from interrupted immunization services.

In the past decade, the Fund has devoted the major part of its resources to the establishment and improvement of accessible and appropriate prosthetic services. This decision was based upon the realization that with its modest resources, the Fund would have the greatest impact on the greatest number of people through the provision of "unassisted mobility." The Fund also devotes substantial attention to ensure that service providers incorporate appropriate follow up and monitoring of beneficiaries of services.

More recently the Fund has extended its scope selectively in response to the needs of different populations of war victims. For instance, in some countries there is a great need for rapid treatment of victims who suffer general medical trauma from accidental detonation of unexploded ordinance and less of a need for treatment of mine amputee victims. Other LWVF responses include assistance to improve surgical preparation for prosthetic fitting, strengthening organizations that address the needs of PWDs, improved physical and occupational rehabilitation services, and support for innovative approaches to increase income-generating opportunities for war victims.

The Leahy War Victims Fund has now provided over $ 90 million in more than 22 countries in support of civilian victims of war. Detailed descriptions of current country initiatives can be found at http://www.leahywarvictimsfund.org/. Descriptions found at this web site outline the scope of activities currently being funded through the Leahy
War Victims Fund.

3. Program Components:  This Annual Program Statement may support multiple activities that will be responsive to critical needs. However, Leahy War Victims Fund philosophy must be foundational to the proposal:

The LWVF believes that a number of fundamental principles should be applied to the development and provision of wheelchairs and wheelchair programming.

First and foremost, like the provision of prostheses, providing wheelchairs is not just about the chair itself. Rather, it is about increasing the quality of a survivor's life through increased mobility, independence and integration into society. When the wheelchair itself is the focus, there is a great temptation for an organization to take a "one size fits all" approach and mass produce, or collect donated chairs and conduct mass deliveries. Not only are these wheelchairs generally ill-suited to the rough urban and rural environments of low-income countries, but they do not provide long-term solutions, and have in some cases, caused the collapse of local wheelchair manufacturing enterprises.

Second, while numerous non-governmental organizations endeavor to provide wheelchairs, few attempt to establish indigenous wheelchair production. While shipments of appropriate wheelchairs may provide a short-term benefit to a small group of people, supporting local and small-scale production of good quality, repairable, and affordable chairs in country is better development practice. Similarly, regional production coupled with local assembly and repair offers opportunities for sustainability.

Third, the usefulness of a wheelchair is directly related to the training and expertise of the technician fitting the chair, proper assessment and prescription, and basic training in safe and effective use.

Finally, the provision or use of a wheelchair is only a beginning step to enabling a wheelchair user to improve their quality of life and play a role within their community. Greater investments still need to be made in local disabled people's organizations and self-help groups, increased opportunities need to be provided to attend school and be active in the workplace, and increased advocacy on a local and national level needs to take place.

4. Funding Available, Number of Awards and Types of Assistance:  This is an open Annual Program Statement (APS) under which USAID solicits proposals from organizations that are interested in addressing the diverse needs of people requiring wheelchairs in the developing world. Proposals will be reviewed by USAID using the process described below.

Funding Available and Number of Awards: The actual number of awards under this APS is subject to the availability of funds and the viability of proposals received. Accordingly, USAID reserves the right to make multiple grants or no awards at all through this APS. LWVF is a worldwide program and may fund programs in any of the USAID regions: Africa, Latin American and Caribbean, Europe and Eurasia, and Asia and Near East. Preference will be given to applications for programs in countries that already receive USAID funding (disaster or development assistance). No award will be made without the concurrence of the USAID mission or Embassy in the country under consideration. Subject to the foregoing, USAID is planning for a program of up to $5 million over five years, beginning in FY 2003. The Bureau is open to working with both large and small organizations, organizations with both experience and no experience in working with the U.S. government or USAID. Grant requests should generally range from $50,000 to $500,000 per year. Proposals may be for as little as one year and up to a maximum of five years. Proposals for less than that amount may be acceptable, but must demonstrate a high priority, as well as targeted, rapid, and lasting impact.

USAID shall not be liable for any costs incurred by applicants in preparation and submission of concept papers or applications.

USAID reserves the right to award cooperative agreements instead of grants if deemed more desirable or appropriate. If USAID elects to award a cooperative agreement instead of a grant, a cooperative agreement will permit the "substantial involvement" of USAID in program activities. Specifically, USAID substantial involvement will involve the approval of: (a) annual work plans; (b) not more than five (5) key personnel appointments; (c) program monitoring and evaluation plans; (d) subcontracts and subagreements and subcontractors/subrecipients; and (e) agreement in the selection of advisory committee members, if applicable.

Financial reporting will depend on the payment provisions of the cooperative agreement(s), which cannot be determined until the successful applicant(s) is(are) selected. In no case, however, will financial reporting be required more frequently than progress reporting. Such reporting will be quarterly, with reports due 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter. Final progress reports will be due 90 days after the expiration of the cooperative agreement(s).

5. Application Process:  Applicants shall submit an original and two (2) copies of the Technical Application and an original and one (1) copy of the Cost Application. An electronic copy of both the technical and cost applications must also be provided on a 3.5" disk (MS Word or Excel format).

Applications must be submitted in English. Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or other presentations beyond those sufficient to present a complete and effective application are not desired and may be construed as an indication of the prospective recipient's lack of cost consciousness. Elaborate artwork, expensive paper and bindings and expensive visual and other presentation aids are neither necessary nor desired.

Applicants must be submitted in accordance with the requirements set forth below:

Application Instructions
a. All applications must be in size 12 font, New Times Roman.
b. The length of the application should not exceed the following page limits:
i. Cost Application (Standard Form SF-424 and supporting narrative; see
http://www.usaid.gov/pubs/ads/sfforms.html.  No page limit
ii. Technical Application Executive Summary: 2 pages
Body of Application: 20 page maximum
iii. All Attachments: 10 page maximum

Suggested Outline for Applications
The application should include the following information:

Table of Contents listing all page numbers and attachments
I. Executive Summary
II. Program Description
A. Goal and Objectives
B. Background
C. Identification of Specific Problem(s) to be addressed
D. Proposed Interventions/Technical Approach and Expected Impact.
Applications should provide illustrative impact indicators and discuss how results will be sustained or made permanent.
E. Duration of Activity and Implementation Schedule
F. Management, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
G. Sustainability Plan
H. Role of USAID, if any (e.g. facilities, equipment, material, or personnel resources)
I. Appendices
a. Relevant Organizational Experiences
b. Curricula Vitae for Key Personnel
Applications should also include the following attachments:

Financial Plan/Cost Application
Application Form SF-424
Summary Budget
Annual Budgets
Budget Notes

The attachments may also include relevant information about implementing partners, including documentation of their intent to participate.

Applications must be submitted to the following address:
Mr. Lloyd Feinberg
DCHA/DG/SPANS Rm. 3.07-10
U.S. Agency for International Development
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20523-3100

If applications are hand delivered to USAID/Washington, couriers must report to the building guard at the 14th Street entrance. The guard cannot accept applications, but will call DCHA/DG for someone to come to the reception desk and accept the application. The courier must wait until the DCHA/DG representative arrives to accept the application. It is recommend that the applicant contact USAID in advance of any courier delivery to ensure that someone will be available to receive the application, which cannot be left unattended at the guard station. Electronic transmittal of the final application (including budget and budget narrative) shall also constitute an official submission, but USAID does not accept any responsibility for delays in transmission or receipt.

From among the applications, USAID will select those that it intends to fund and will proceed to negotiate an award with each successful applicant subject to the availability of funding. The final decision for funding will be based on both a technical review and the availability of USAID funding. USAID reserves the right to fund one or more or none of the applications that may be submitted. All applications will be evaluated according to the criteria below.

Note that all applicants may be subject to a pre-award financial review. Further, organizations that believe they may not meet USAID's financial accountability requirements are encouraged to submit their proposal in partnership with eligible U.S. or international, or regional organizations that are experienced with these requirements in order to promote sustainability of programs after USAID support ends.

6. Review and Evaluation Process:  USAID will review all applications submitted prior to COB August 12, 2004 in an initial round of reviews. Applications submitted after August 12, 2004 will be reviewed approximately on a quarterly basis until January 31, 2005.

Program Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for funding under this APS, proposed programs must meet all of the following requirements:
- Proposals must have clearly-defined objectives that lead to empirically verifiable results through an effective methodology
- Proposals should reflect some combination of the following factors; expertise and/or experience, innovative and new ideas, effective use of technologies
- Proposals must address one or more of the priorities and concerns listed earlier in this APS
- Proposals must offer promise of significant development impact, as measured, for example, by the number of direct and indirect beneficiaries of the program, and/or by the potential for replication or scaling-up over time
- Proposals must be feasible from a technical, economic, financial, and social perspective

Points of Contact:  All questions related to this Annual Program Statement should be made in writing and addressed to:
Lloyd Feinberg
DCHA/DG/SPANS
Fax: 202-216-3702
Internet: lfeinberg@usaid.gov or
Cathy Savino
DCOF/LWVF Technical Contract
Fax: 202-789-1601
Email: csavino@usaid.gov 


GENDERED BORDERS: International Conference on Women and Immigration Law in Europe Amsterdam, the Netherlands

September 30th - October 2nd 2004
The purpose of this conference is to analyse and evaluate immigration law in Europe from a gender perspective. Women are involved in immigration in specific ways. Hence the rules regulating immigration have specific implications for women. May 1st 2004 marks the end of the first phase in the harmonisation of European migration policies regarding third country (i.e. non-EU) nationals. Which aspects of immigration law are currently of importance for women on the national level? What can they expect from the ongoing European harmonisation? What advances have women already made and what strategies can they deploy to ensure their interests will be addressed (more) effectively at both the national and the European levels?

Programme and workshops
The conference will consist of a number of plenary sessions, as well as parallel workshops and excursions. The plenary sessions will provide theoretical reflections on the specific implications, for women, of national and international immigration law. For more details on these sessions, see the provisional programme. The workshops will provide space to compare experiences and exchange ideas. Planned excursions to organisations will allow conference participants to meet with people who are directly involved with conference themes on the local level.

Call for papers
Papers are welcome on the following workshop themes:
A: Gendered violence and immigration law
B: Gender, transnational family bonds and immigration law
C: Gender, the transnational labour market and immigration law
D: Women, immigration law and public health.
If you would like to present a paper on one of these themes, please contact us. You can submit a 500 word abstract before May 1st 2004.

Participants
The conference is primarily intended for practising and academic lawyers (including civil servants and NGO's) engaged with issues related to gender and immigration law. However, social scientists as well as persons practically involved with these issues can also participate. The official symposium language will be English. Simultaneous translation will not be provided. Additional information for participants about practical matters is included in this website.

Registration
If you are interested in attending the conference, please fill in our registration form.

Contact
If you have any questions about the conference, please contact the conference organisers.

This conference is co-sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs (Ministerie van SoZaWe/DCE).
For more information visit: http://www.rechten.vu.nl/urlsearchresults.asp?itemnumber=2679


AGFUND PRIZE THE IDEA OF THE PRIZE : AGFUND International

Prize is an annual prize awarded by the Arab Gulf Programme for United Nations Development Organizations (AGFUND). It is a financial reward of US$ 300 000, in addition to trophies and certificates of recognition.

The idea of the Prize was emanated from the keenness and continued endeavors of AGFUND to contribute to developmental action in the developing countries with the aim of alleviating human suffering and pain.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PRIZE: Supporting distinguished efforts aimed at developing and promoting the concepts and dimensions of sustainable human development.
Promoting developmental action on scientific bases that could help it achieve its objectives. Highlighting and enhancing pioneering efforts in the developing countries, which aim at establishing distinguished non-governmental organizations that work towards a better future, in which social security, justice and equality prevail.
Contributing to the achievement of AGFUND strategic objectives.

PRIZE CATEGORIES: AGFUND Prize is classified into three branches, in accordance with the nature of the bodies implementing the nominated projects:

First prize: this prize is for pioneering development projects implemented by UN, international and regional organizations, amounting to US$ 150,000.00 (one hundred and fifty thousand dollars)

Second prize: this prize is for pioneering development projects implemented by NGOs, amounting to US$ 100,000.00 (one hundred thousand dollars)

Third prize: this prize is for pioneering development projects implemented by individuals, amounting to US$ 50,000.00 (fifty thousand dollars).

PERIODICITY: The Prize shall be awarded annually in a ceremony, to which representatives of the winning projects, experts and specialists in the field of development and prominent world personalities interested in development issues are invited.

NOMINATION: Bodies Eligible to Nominate: UN, international and regional organizations shall be eligible to nominate projects for the Prize, as well as universities, research centres, NGOs and country federations of NGOs.

Projects Eligible for Nomination: Pioneering projects implemented by UN, international or regional organizations. Pioneering projects implemented by non-governmental organizations. Pioneering projects founded, sponsored or implemented by individuals.

NOMINATION CONDITIONS: The project nominator should comply with the following conditions:

Nominations may be submitted in any language, provided that English versions of the Nomination Form and the basic study of the project must be submitted.
Nominations shall be submitted in two duplicates. All documents related to nomination, including the Nomination Form must be submitted in typed form; handwritten documents will be disregarded. The nominators shall not nominate for the Prize their own projects, or projects in the implementation of which they have participated. Projects implemented by governmental bodies are not eligible for consideration. Projects dealing with subjects other than the Prize subjects, as specified for the year, will not be considered. Nominations submitted without the required documents will not be considered. Original nomination documents should be sent to the postal address of AGFUND. However, the Nomination Form may be sent by fax or e-mail. Nomination may also be made by filling in the Electronic Form on AGFUND's website. Please attach the following documents: Summary of the basic study of the nominated project (5 - 10 pages). (For projects by individual the role undertaken by the individual in the implementation of the project should be clearly detailed). The organizational and functional structure of the project.
The audited financial statement of the project For NGOS, the audited financial statement of the implementing NGO.

Any documents pertaining the opinion of others on the nominated project.
Any documents that highlight the activities of the project (photograph, video, printed materials).

ARBITRATION: After screening the nominated projects, the nominations that satisfy the Prize conditions are sent to development experts specializing in each of the three subjects of the Prize in order to evaluate them in strict confidence. Results of the referees' reports are then submitted to the Prize Committee for study and selection of the winning projects. The winning projects are then announced in the media, and official notifications are sent to the concerned bodies.

PRIZE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA In order for a project to qualify, it should fulfill the following criteria:

It should contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.
It should an innate capability for innovation and development.
It should be characterized by modernity and innovation.
It should be suitable for implementation in various developing countries.
It should demonstrate a capability for utilizing financial resources efficiently and effectively in the course of its completion.
It should demonstrate application of modern techniques and methods.
It should have the appropriate administrative organization.
It should be capable of measuring the efficiency of its achieved services and output.
It should be capable of generating from within enough resources to guarantee continuity.
It should contribute to the achievement of AGFUND objectives, which aim at the realization of sustainable human development that is directed towards the neediest groups, especially women and children.

PRIZE SUBJECTS 2004 FIRST CATEGORY: " Strengthening women's participation in the labor market " Only projects implemented by UN, international or regional organizations are eligible for nomination for the first category prize.

SECOND CATEGORY: " Environmental protection through community based activities " Only projects implemented by non-governmental organizations are eligible for nomination for the second category prize.

THIRD CATEGORY: " Child accessibility to the new means of knowledge and comprehension of future technology " Only projects initiated, sponsored and/or implemented by individuals are eligible for nomination for the third category prize.

DeadlineNomination for AGFUND Prize shall be made by filling in the Nomination Form (Hardcopy or Electronic form on AGFUND's Website) and sending it together with the required documents to AGFUND, Department of Communication, no later than 31 May 2004.

Deadline: May 31,2004
Website: http://www.agfund.org/english/prize/index.htm


24TH INTERNATIONAL FUNDRAISING CONGRESS

REACH NEW HEIGHTS IN FUNDRAISING!

We are proud to call the IFC the world’s leading conference for fundraising professionals. Where else can you rub shoulders with the major international figures in fundraising , benchmark your skills and knowledge on an international scale and discover new ideas and solutions to your fundraising and marketing needs?
In today’s competitive market, charities need to think more radically about how they fundraise and how they communicate their cause to potential donors. At the International Fundraising Congress (IFC), we pride ourselves on our ability to create a truly unique learning environment which will challenge your thinking, sharpen your creativity and leave you energised with exciting new ideas.
This year’s programme boasts up to 60 world-class speakers and practitioners who will pass on a wealth of knowledge and experience from around the world.
If you want to reach new heights in fundraising, then come and join up to 800 fundraising professionals at the 24th IFC. You’ll learn, you’ll network, you'll be inspired and you’ll return to your office with a renewed sense of drive and passion for your work.

HOW YOU AND YOUR ORGANISATION CAN BENEFIT
Attending the IFC will enable you to:
Sharpen your skills, knowledge and creativity.
Keep up-to-date with the latest thinking, trends and technologies.
Broaden your perspective by finding out what is working in the rest of the world.
Network and exchange ideas with over 800 fundraising professionals from all over the world
Return to the office with a renewed sense of drive and passion for your work 
A WIDE RANGE OF SESSION CHOICES!
Our Sessions Database can be searched in a number of ways:
Session type - don't forget that Master Classes and the International NGO Forum are part of the Extended Programme and are for four-day delegates only!
Subject track - find out which sessions we have this year to suit your specific area of work or interest!
Session level -  whether experienced or new to fundraising , find out here which sessions are for you.
Speaker - you can even find out biographical details and which sessions your favourite speaker is presenting through our Speakers Database.

SESSION TYPES

Advanced Master Class
Case Study Workshop
Fundraising Gameshow
INGO Forum
Master Class
Master Class Faculty
Mini Course
Panel Session
Plenary Session
Presentation
The Debate
The Fundraising Trial
Workshop
Please return your completed booking form, along with payment, to the following address:
IFC Team
The Resource Alliance
295 Kennington road
London SE11 4QE
United Kingdom
Fax: +44 (0) 207 582 4335
E-mail: ifc@resource-alliance.org
http://www.resource-alliance.org/subsection.php?sectionid=5&subsectionid=75


DUBAI INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES AWARD

Website: http://www.sustainabledevelopment.org/blp/awards/

The Municipality of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) are inviting submissions for 'Best Practice' for the 2004 Dubai International Award. Previous submitters are also encouraged to submit updates of their best practices for eventual inclusion in the database. Contact  bestpractices@unhabitat.org for submission guidelines. Best Practices are initiatives which have made outstanding contributions to improving the quality of life in cities and communities around the world. The original call for Best Practices was launched in 1995 during preparations for the Second United Nations Conference on Human  Settlements (Habitat II) as a means of identifying what works in improving living conditions on a sustainable basis.

Deadline: ASAP
Website: http://www.sustainabledevelopment.org/blp/awards/


THE NGO SCIENTIFIC & EDUCATIONAL CENTER FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Announces competition for participation in Summer School for ecology and environment protection. The purpose of two-week academic program is raising young specialists` professional skills in the field of Ecology and Environment Protection.
 
Participation in the competition is offered to university graduate and post-graduate students, young specialists and junior faculty from Armenia and CIS countries. The training course for Environment Management will be held from 28 June to 10 July 2004. The program will be taught by professors from Central European University (Budapest) and Armenia in Yerevan State University. Working languages of Summer School will be Armenian-English and English-Armenian translation will be provided.
Transportation and living expenses of non-local participants will be covered. 
The deadline for applications is 1 May 2004.  The application form might be sent via e-mail: secnd@web.am,or faxed (3741) 22 70 44NGO SECND is Bagramyan 2-d side str., apt. 15,Yerevan 375019.


Youth Action Net Small Awards for Youth Social Projects

Win a US$500 award from YouthActionNet to help fund your social change project!

Are you the founding member of a youth organization that coordinates volunteer efforts in your local community? Do you lead a team of dedicated young people to protect and promote the rights of children in your country? Are you spearheading a web-based initiative aimed at connecting underprivileged youth in your region? Do you work with peers and local officials to raise AIDS awareness and promote public health initiatives in your area? If you're a young person working to bring positive social change in your community, YouthActionNet can help.

YouthActionNet is now giving awards to youth leaders and their emerging projects that promote social change and connect youth with local communities. These youth-led projects should have clearly defined goals and have potential for growth or further replication. Final selections are made following a peer review process in which previous award winners select the next round of awardees. Award recipients will receive US$500 and are eligible to participate in an international capacity-building workshop.

Partners

YouthActionNet is proud to bring you the 2004 YouthActionNet Awards with the support of the following organizations:

World Organization of the Scout Movement
World Young Women's Christian Association
World Association of Girl Guides and Girls Scouts
Global Youth Connect
International Award Association
Mandate the Future
Do Something
Global Kids
Idealist.org

Eligibility

Open to all young people aged 18 - 29
Individuals applying must have a leadership role in a youth-led initiative that works to create positive change in their community
Applications must be written in English

2004 Awards Schedule

First selection (10 winners)

Deadline: October 1, 2003
Winners announced: December 16, 2003
Second selection (10 winners)

Deadline: April 18, 2004
Winners announced: June 15, 2004

Location: Open
Deadline: April 18, 2004
Website: http://www.youthactionnet.org/yan_awards


Join us for the world's largest gathering of family doctors
Hosted by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
"Family Medicine - Caring for the World"
Plan now to attend the 17th World Conference of Family Doctors in Orlando, Florida, USA, October 13-17, 2004. Join family physicians/general practitioners from all over the world for the exciting conference being held in conjunction with the AAFP Scientific Assembly. Two meetings for the price of one!
The Wonca Committee on Scientific Program encourages wide participation from countries around the world in one or more of the educational modalities being planned for the world meeting in Orlando, Florida.  In addition to the plenaries, four types of presentations are open for submissions.  All abstracts must be sent electronically and the deadline has been extended to May 1, 2004.  Abstracts with a maximum of 250 words should be written in English and submitted by completing the electronic abstract.  Submission of hard copy is not allowed either mailed or faxed.
Your abstract(s) submission will be acknowledged by e-mail upon receipt, but the selection of successful abstracts will not occur until the spring and summer of 2004.  You will be notified by e-mail whether your abstract has been accepted and to what modality it has been assigned.  This designation is at the discretion of the Wonca Committee on Scientific Program and is considered final.
A wide array of topics and venues await you. Come and explore many avenues in family medicine, including critical patient care issues like AIDS and tobacco cessation, current diagnosis and therapy of family practice problems and the nuances of cross-cultural medicine. Venues include plenaries, oral presentations, posters, symposia and workshops.
Among the many areas to be covered are infectious diseases, ethical issues, health policy, refugee, rural and frontier medicine, the doctor as patient, and common clinical problems found in all populations like heart disease, diabetes, mental health and cancer.
Carried over from the 2001 World meeting in Durban, South Africa, will be a Call to Action for the prevention and cessation of tobacco use. There will be research presentations, a plenary and workshops and a World Forum on Tobacco Cessation with world-renowned authority, Dr. Steven A. Schroeder, Director, Smoking Cessation Leadership Center at the University of California, San Francisco, on this worldwide crisis.
Presentations will begin on Wednesday, October 13 and will conclude by 17:00 on Saturday, October 16.  All educational modalities are considered equally prestigious and will be highlighted throughout the conference.  Described below are the four types of programs for which submissions will be accepted.
Oral Presentation
An oral report on a single topic by a single speaker.  Oral presentations will be grouped with other oral presentations by topic.  Length of individual oral presentations will vary depending upon the size of those grouped together, but may last approximately 15 minutes each.  The grouped presentations will be 90 minutes.
Workshop
An interactive program (audience participation) on one topic, sometimes with multiple presenters.  Lead author submits all the abstracts together.  Length of workshops is 90 minutes.
Symposium
A group of oral presentations on related topics with all the abstracts submitted by the symposium leader.  Length of symposia is 90 minutes.
Posters
An excellent way to showcase research or a study.  Different posters will be displayed each day (Thursday - Saturday, 0900 - 1600) in Hall B4, with plenty of time for authors to discuss their work with participants during the hours of 1000 - 1030 and 1500 - 1530.
Abstract Submission Guidelines
1. The abstract will be reproduced in the Abstract Book exactly as submitted, but may be rejected for publication if it is not clearly readable.
2. Type the TITLE in CAPITAL LETTERS.
3. In a research-based abstract, arrange text in order of Objective - Methods - Results - Summary and Conclusion. It is unacceptable to state The results will be discussed
4. The abstract should not contain references or acknowledgments.
You must submit electronically. Mailed or faxed copies will not be accepted.
Learn more about the conference by clicking on the page http://www.wonca2004.org/x14654.xml 

---

The "NGOC Gazette" is produced by the AAA NGO Training and Resource Center. It provides information on conferences, seminars, training and grants opportunities worldwide.

 

---

© NGOC

<<<<<

 

 

April, 2004

Pilot Projects on Human Rights Education

Application deadline: September 15, 2004

Financial assistance in support of local pilot projects is important to the Youth Programme on Human Rights Education because it will allow for new initiatives to be set up and will motivate supporting local NGOs and groups to undertake action related to human rights education with young people. By funding pilot projects on human rights education through the European Youth Foundation, the Directorate of Youth and Sport seeks to actively contribute to the inclusion of human rights education in youth work practice and to encourage innovative practices and partnerships, both in formal and in non-formal education contexts.

The pilot projects will allow for a more visible and direct impact of the programme at local level. They are a necessary complement to the rest of the youth programme on human rights education and to the other activities of the Directorate of Youth and Sport of the Council of Europe.

Similarly, the inclusion of pilot projects in the European programme may serve to give them greater visibility and recognition, as well as facilitating the development of networks and of opportunities to share expertise and experiences. This will be done by means of the Directorate of Youth and Sport publications and web sites. This may be completed by an evaluation meeting and a publication with examples of good practice in 2005. This financial support to pilot projects should be seen as exceptional and limited to the duration of the programme. The European funding can not replace the necessary local and/or national co-funding (in money or in kind). In this context, the assessment of applications will consider also the feasibility of the projects.

Priority for funding will be given to projects which would otherwise be difficult to start up. Funding will not be given to projects that have already taken place.

In order to qualify for support, projects must:
- Be directly related to young people and to human rights education or to a specific theme addressed by the programme
- Be prepared, run and managed by a local association, institution or youth group acting directly with children, young people or a specific target group of the programme
- Have a clear educational or awareness-raising function
- Concern primarily participants under 30 years of age
- Have a participatory approach, from the conception to the evaluation
- Integrate intercultural learning in its educational approach
- Have an innovative character (in terms of methodology, target groups addressed, etc.)
- Be open to other partners of the youth programme on human rights education and foresee using the resources generated through the programme (e.g. the Manual on Human Rights Education)
- Have a clear potential local impact while being open to European networks
- Have a European dimension, either by involving more than one country, and/or by taking into consideration the European context
- Follow the basic educational principles of the Council of Europe's youth sector.

Selected projects can be funded up to a maximum of 7.600 Euro.

More information
Website: http://www.coe.int/hre 
http://eycb.coe.int 
Email: eycb.secretariat@coe.int 
Location: Council of Europe Countries


Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) invites applications to its Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program. Established in 2001 to enable democracy activists, scholars, and journalists from around the world to deepen their understanding of democracy and enhance their ability to promote democratic change, the fellowship program is based at NED’s International Forum for Democratic Studies, in Washington, D.C.

The program offers two tracks: a practitioner track (typically 3 to 5 months) to improve strategies and techniques for building democracy abroad and to exchange ideas and experiences with counterparts in the United States; and a scholarly track (typically 5 to 10 months) to conduct original research for publication.
 
Eligibility: The fellows program is intended primarily to support practitioners and scholars from new and aspiring democracies. Distinguished scholars from the United States and other established democracies are also eligible to apply. Practitioners are expected to have substantial experience working to promote democracy. Scholars are expected to have a doctorate, or academic equivalent, at the time of application. The program is not designed to support students working toward a degree. A working knowledge of English is an important prerequisite for participation in the program.

Support: The fellowship year begins October 1 and runs through July 31, with major entry dates in October and March. All fellows receive a monthly stipend, health insurance, travel assistance, and research support through the Forum’s Democracy Resource Center and Internship Program.

Application: For further details and instructions on how to apply, please download our "Information and Application Forms" booklet, available at www.ned.org/forum/R-FApplication.pdf or visit us online at www.ned.org and follow the link to "Fellowship
Programs." Please note that all application materials must be type-written and in English.

Deadline: Applications for fellowships in 2005-2006 must be received no later than November 1, 2004. Notification of the competition outcome is in April 2005.

Location: Washington, DC
Website: www.ned.org


THE CENTER ON PHILANTHROPY AND CIVIL SOCIETY'S EMERGING LEADERS INTERNATIONAL FELLOWS PROGRAM

The Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society's Emerging Leaders International Fellows Program provides leadership training through applied research and professional mentorships for young scholar-practitioners in the nonprofit sector. The program is open to scholars and practitioners interested in building Third-Sector capacity in the United States and overseas. This years Fellows will be selected from abroad and also from communities of color under-represented in the U.S. grantmaking sector. Fellows are based at The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, where they design and pursue an individualized research project and participate in a seminar with Third-Sector leaders. Specific topical areas are chosen each year.

NEW THIS YEAR: A U.S. Diversity Fellowship is also being offered!

The topics for the Emerging Leaders Program in 2005 will be community foundations and diaspora philanthropy.

Fellows will participate in a 3-month seminar on the U.S. and international voluntary sectors. Fellows are expected to produce a 25-40 page paper on their findings, which will be presented in the seminar. They will learn about the work of key agencies and meet with foundation and nonprofit representatives. They will also attend selected conferences.

Each fellowship covers the cost of tuition and includes a $1,300-per month stipend to cover living expenses. In addition, the Center will provide single-room dormitory accommodations with shared facilities at International House (adjacent to Columbia University) from February 27 through May 31, 2005, as well as economy round-trip air travel to and from the United States. Please note: travel dates conform to the beginning and end of the seminar.

A limited number of unsubsidized tuition-based appointments may also be made, pending approval by the selection committee. Tuition for such appointments is $10,000, plus housing, travel, and personal expenses. Tuition information is available upon request.
Special thanks to the following donors for their support of the 2004 Fellows: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Himalaya Foundation, The Winnipeg Foundation, and an anonymous donor.
 
Eligibility and Selection
The program is open to practitioners and researchers under the age of 36. Applicants must hold a college or university degree and speak and write English fluently. Preference will be given to candidates with strong ties to a Third-Sector institution and demonstrated research skills. Traditionally, selected fellows are citizens of countries other than the United States. In 2005, the program will also include one fellow from a community of color under-represented in the grantmaking sector in the U.S. 

There is no application form. To apply, prospective candidates should submit the following materials in English: a) a resume or c.v. identifying past and present employment, as well as educational experience, languages spoken and degree of fluency in each, and TOEFL scores (if English is not the first language); b) a 2-3 page research proposal that identifies a research topic on community foundations and/or diaspora philanthropy, questions to be addressed in the research, and the anticipated methodology; c) a statement of what they hope to accomplish during the program and how the fellowship would enhance their career plans; and d) a list of publications, if applicable. Any overseas experience should also be described.

A cover sheet must accompany the proposal and include the following information: name, country of origin, country of residence, date of birth, current organizational affiliation, topic (community foundations/diaspora philanthropy), title of research paper, current address, home/work/cell telephone numbers, home/work fax numbers, and e-mail address(es).

Two letters of recommendation are required from scholars and/or staff members of NGOs, nonprofits or donor agencies. The letters must be signed and printed on original letterhead and sent directly to the Center by the referee.

Send materials to: Professor Kathleen D. McCarthy, Director/Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society / The Graduate Center, CUNY / 365 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5401 / New York, NY 10016-4309/USA. Electronic submissions will be accepted if formatted for 8.5 x 11 inch paper (send to: cpcs@gc.cuny.edu). However, original
signed letters of recommendation on official letterhead are required and must be received via post.

Application materials must be received no later than September 30, 2004. The selection will be made by a committee of leaders from the voluntary sector. Awards will be announced by December 1, 2004.

Website: http://www.philanthropy.org/programs/intnl_fellows_program.html


Virtual activism
www.virtualactivism.org

Virtual activism is by no means an alternative to physical or real-life activism. Rather, it is a fairly recent method that is developing exponentially with the development of the Internet.

In recent years, nongovernmental organizations have become increasingly dependent on the Internet to promote their organizations' work NGOs depend on the Internet to enhance their ability at advocacy, especially through email alerts and listserves. A virtual culture has been created with its own ethics and standards, and methods of communication and interaction. In some countries, where governments have closed down or limited the activities of nongovernmental organizations and civil society:

The Internet became the only tool for maintaining the existence of those organizations. The web became a crucial tool for sharing information with likeminded organizations and informing the world of their precarious situations. Some organizations have taken their activities beyond the borders of their own countries and initiated a new - or maintained an old - Internet presence, hence keeping their activities and organizations alive.
Internet presence also has become an important fund-raising tool, and in some cases a necessity for securing grants. From a financial point of view, a web presence and the use of the Internet could cut down on costs in the long run. Many organizations have eliminated costly publications and the print media, and have chosen to stay in contact with their members and audiences through emails and listserves.

Why virtualactivism.org?

With the constant evolution of internet technology, the gap between organizations that can afford such technology, and those that cannot continues to increase. It is no more clear than in the disparities in technological advancement between the Global North and the Global South. Prices for simple internet presence through websites are prohibitive for large, financially stable NGOs, not to mention the smaller NGOs, whether located in the North or the South. More significantly, women's organizations from the Global South are least represented on the Internet because of the lack of women in technology in the first place, and also for lack of technological know-how and skills.

Nonprofit organizations in particular are least represented on the Internet. Virtualactivism was developed to contribute towards closing this ever-increasing digital divide.

Why work with us?

As members of the NGO world ourselves, we, at Virtual Activism, understand the needs of organizations working on 'rights' and/or development issues. This encompasses human rights, social, economic and political rights, women's rights, etc. In addition to this expertise, we have the technological know-how and have developed the best techniques to promote NGO activities on the internet. We have developed methods to maximize a nonprofit organization's use of Internet technology in such a way as to fully reflect its programs and culture. More importantly, Virtual Activism offers its services at no-charge for eligible NGOs. In addition, we offer training to enable organizations to become independent in their use of the web.

At Virtual Activism, we talk your language - the language of NGOs - rather than the sometimes incomprehensible jargon of computer technology. It is a language that will neither alienate nor intimidate people who are unfamiliar with the Internet, yet will bring you closer to understanding it and dealing with it. Virtual Activism offers the following services to eligible nonprofit organizations:

Please click here to read eligibility requirements. 
 
Web design, implementation, development and maintenance at no cost for eligible organizations.

Training in web development, and the use of new technologies, hence rendering NGO staff independent. We offer basic and intensive training.

Software for maintaining websites, as well as virus protection technologies [where available and where needed, pending funding].

Training on writing email action alerts / e-press releases / e-campaigns through our structured Training Manual and our online workshops.

Consulting services regarding NGO strategic plans.

CD creation.

Online PowerPoint presentations

Website: http://www.virtualactivism.org/about/why.htm


International Women's Conference on Gender and Nonviolence:
"Asking the Right Questions: Nonviolence Training and Gender"

3-8 October, 2004 
Chiang Mai, Thailand

For more information, please contact:
War Resisters International,
5 Caledonian Road,
London N1 9DX,
Britain.
Tel.+44 20 7278 4040. Fax +44 20 7278 0444.
Email: office@wri-irg.org 
Website: www.wri-irg.org


Call for Proposals
Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative (LGI) Policy Fellowship 2004/2005

I. Purpose
The LGI Fellowship program is about fostering positive governmental reform.  Each year LGI selects talented professionals to participate in its one-year multinational Fellowship program. Fellows work in small teams under the guidance of a well-respected mentor to produce analytical, policy oriented studies on a given topic. The mentors help build the capacity of the LGI policy analysts and experts.

LGI Fellows produce high quality studies presenting policy options and recommendations geared towards the policy-making community in their respective countries. LGI provides its Fellows training in how to write effective, concise, fact-based, practical policy reports.  Other training modules LGI offers its Fellows are public speaking and presentation skills and advocacy methods.  At the conclusion of the program LGI works with its Fellows to determine what steps it can take to support the proposed recommendations in the completed studies.

* To learn more about the Open Society Institute see: http://www.soros.org/
* To learn more about the Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative see: http://lgi.osi.hu/index.html

II. The project
The primary goal of the LGI Policy Fellowship program is to support policy research aimed at stimulating innovative and practical policy reform related to various areas of governance and the provision of public services. Each year broad topics are identified for candidates from different country groups. LGI is currently calling for Fellows for its 2004/2005 program, which will run from October 2004 to October 2005.  For more background information about the fellowship program see:
http://lgi.osi.hu/fellowship/

This year LGI is featuring two topics:
Topic 1: "Subnational Budget Watch"
Topic 2: "The EU's Wider European Neighbourhood Initiative: Ensuring the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital"

III. Fellowship topics for 2004/5
Topic 1: "Subnational Budget Watch"
Team Mentor: Katarina Ott, Institute of Public Finance, Croatia

As the principal document for the distribution of governmental resources, budget decisions should be subject to public scrutiny and influence.  Proper scrutiny coupled with functioning recourse mechanisms should ensure governments are more responsive to the needs of society.

Much work has been carried out in recent years to input into and monitor the budget cycle-meaning formulation, approval, implementation and audit-at the national level of government. Methodologies have been developed and tested and numerous civil society and governmental mechanisms are now in place throughout the world that monitor the budgeting process. 

There has been an insufficient focus, however, on models of participation and monitoring for local and regional government budgeting.  This LGI Fellowship topic seeks to engage talented policy researchers and advocates from South Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States to work under the guidance of an expert mentor.  Fellows will aim to create a usable sub-national budget watch template for their own countries by synthesizing the lessons of best practice that are now in place in many countries at the national level. Fellows will also be tasked with formulating an action plan for launching the effort and working to generate momentum for the initiative by connecting with the right institutions.  Medium to large sized cities/municipalities would be the target of this project.

Recognizing this topic is broad and multifaceted; Fellows would be expected to narrow down their research by focusing on specific areas of enquiry, such as low-income housing policy, health policy and primary and secondary education.  Once the sectoral focus has been identified, a selection of the issues highlighted in the following bullet points should be addressed:

1) Any budget watch program must begin with access to reliable and sufficient data, which often exists and is just as often overlooked or withheld.  The researcher should provide a detailed map of how to navigate the informational system, from the ministry of statistics or national bank to the data being collected by City Hall.

2) A key issue should be the "translation" of budget lines so that anyone who is interested can easily understand what allocated funds are precisely being spent on.  Meaning what activities fall under a certain line and who is responsible for implementing those activities and how. It is one thing to be transparent by laying out the numbers, but another thing to match those numbers to clearly defined activities.

3) Matching the rhetoric of public officials to the budget lines they formulate and approve is important for those monitoring the governance of budgets.  How do stated policies or goals fit into budgetary considerations?

4) Examining the role of Audit Chambers, the supreme auditing institution. In most jurisdictions they seem not to go beyond central agency budgets leaving a huge amount of money unwatched.  The question of treasury functions at sub-national levels is also important.  How can the heightened oversight that takes place at the national level be incorporated into lower levels of governance as well?

Although this Fellowship will cover counties on an individual basis and is geared only towards sub-national levels of government, it is anticipated that the findings of this program will point to approaches valid for all.

Target Fellows:
1. Policy researchers, especially those connected to prominent policy institutes
2. Members of advocacy-oriented professional associations
3. Governmental auditor-generals
4. Media members focused on budget oversight
Applications will be accepted from South Eastern Europe, the NIS States and Mongolia.

Topic 2: "The EU's Wider European Neighbourhood Initiative: Ensuring the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital"

Team Mentor: Michael Emerson, Senior Fellow, Center for European Policy Studies

In March 2003, the European Commission published the communication" Wider Europe - Neighbourhood: A new Framework for Relations with our Eastern and Southern Neighbours" as a step towards developing the relations of the enlarged European Union with Russia, the Western NIS (Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine) and the Southern Mediterranean countries.  In mid-May Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are also slated to join this list of countries included under the program.  The EU objective is to create a "zone of prosperity and a friendly neighbourhood". In return for the new neighbors demonstrating concrete progress in implementing political, economic and institutional reforms, the Wider Europe countries will be offered, in the long-term, the prospect of joining the EU internal market including participation in the four freedoms, i.e. free movement of people, goods, services, and capital.

This Fellowship topic will focus on the above-listed free movements of people, goods, services, and capital. On May 1, new border regimes will be introduced along the new EU boundaries, with critical implications for the affected states.  Recent research by the OSI-related policy centers network has found that for the new neighbors the single most disruptive aspect of the EU enlargement is the requirement to obtain a visa to travel to new EU member states.

The following text contains the stated objectives of the EU regarding the freedom of movement under the Wider Europe initiative: "The EU and the neighbours have a mutual interest in cooperating, both bilaterally and regionally, to ensure that their migration policies, customs procedures and frontier controls do not prevent or delay people or goods from crossing borders for legitimate purposes. Infrastructure, efficient border management and interconnected transport, energy and telecommunications networks will become more vital to expanding mutual trade and investment. Cross-border cultural links, not least between people of the same ethnic/cultural affinities, gain additional importance in the context of proximity. Equally, threats to mutual security, whether from the trans-border dimension of environmental and nuclear hazards, communicable diseases, illegal immigration, trafficking, organised crime or terrorist networks, will require joint approaches in order to be addressed comprehensively."

The new border regime will impact upon different people in different ways: i.e. border area residents who have strong social and economic ties to neighboring regions; millions of New Neighborhood citizens who will now for the first time be required to obtain a visa before travelling to the new EU member states (which often means traveling to the capital city or a neighboring country to obtain that visa) and; importers, exporters and investors who will face a new set of regulations and restrictions before moving their goods and/or capital in and out of the affected countries.
Fellows will research the threats and opportunities their respective countries are confronted with relative to the new border policies.  In formulating their analyses and policy recommendations, Fellows will be expected to determine what is being done to address these new concerns and, moreover, what can realistically be achieved and how.   Since the action plans currently being developed between the EU and the New Neighborhood states will not be legally binding, and will have highly flexible implementation terms, it is expected that there should be ample room to influence the policy-making process.

Sample Questions:
1. How can it best be ensured that the new border with the EU will not be a barrier to trade, social and cultural interchange or regional cooperation?
2. What mechanisms can be put in place to help offset some of the challenges imposed by the new regulations?  For instance, establishing multi-national consulate offices to facilitate the visa application process.

Target Fellows:
1. Policy researchers, especially those connected to prominent policy institutes
2. Members of advocacy-oriented professional associations
3. Select civil servants

Applications will be accepted from, Ukraine, Moldova, Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

IV. Methods and procedures

Grant
LGI will award successful applicants with a stipend for a period of 10 months between October 2004 and July 2005. The stipend will cover monthly expenses related to research and travel costs.  Additional funds will cover costs related to attending three international workshops, at least two of which will take place in Budapest, Hungary.

Eligibility
Descriptions of ideal applicants follow each topic being offered.  Fellows are normally civil servants, members of advocacy groups or professional associations, policy researchers and policy advisers. A graduate degree or equivalent is required. Applicants should be citizens of the countries noted under each topic. As a rule, Fellows will be based in their home countries and will be required to attend three international Fellowship workshops. Fellows are expected to continue with their current employment, spending only up to fifty percent of their time on the Fellowship program.

Methodology
LGI will group Fellows into teams of 4-5 members.  Teams will be led by an expert mentor. Mentors will guide Fellows in formulating their final research plans, draft reports, and implementation strategies.  Mentors will also facilitate professional cooperation and communication between members of the team.  Fellows are encouraged to support each other's work with their expertise and comments within their teams. LGI encourages teams of Fellows to develop joint or comparable
research agendas.

Expected outcomes/ products
Fellows are expected to conduct high quality research according to the mutually accepted research protocol. As a final product, Fellows will submit a research report that is a persuasive policy document.  Reports will be fact-based and will include policy recommendations. Teams are expected to submit a joint report concluding their comparative results. LGI may publish these studies in English and will now also begin to publish them in their native languages.  Finally, LGI will seek ways to work with Fellows in the future on implementing some of their proposed policy recommendations. 

Application procedure
Step 1. Submission of the Application:
* Applications should be emailed to LGI at the following address: lgprog@osi.hu
* The subject heading must identify which Fellowship Topic you are applying for.

Applications must include ALL of the following materials:
1. Statement of interest (1 page maximum)
2. Research proposal (1,500 words maximum) including a well-defined research problem, topic justification, research methodology, and expected outcomes of the research.
3. Professional CV (which includes: full name, email and telephone number of the applicant, country of residence)
4. English language writing sample (maximum 2,000 words. This can be an article published in a relevant periodical, a chapter of a book, etc)
5. The name and contact information of three people familiar with the professional capacities of the applicant.

The deadline for submitting applications is June 25, 2004 (17:00 GMT).  Late applications will not be considered.

Step 2. Review and selection:
Proposals must respond to domestic needs, be policy-oriented, focused and creative.  Each incoming application will be registered by LGI upon reception.  LGI will check each submission to ensure that it meets the formal criteria and quality. Submissions will be reviewed by LGI (see timetable below) and the team mentors. LGI may contact the applicants to verify or request further information relevant to the
Fellowship. Shortlisted candidates may be asked for a follow-up interview.

Step 3. Feedback
All applicants will be notified by LGI of their status by July 31, 2004.

Step 4. Fellowship program
June 25, 2004 Deadline for submitting applications
July 31, 2003 Selection process finalized and applicants notified of their status
Summer/Autumn 2004 Selected Fellows sign contracts with LGI
October 1, 2004 Fellowship program begins, Fellows initiate their research and submit their detailed research plans
Oct/Nov, 2004 Budapest Opening Trainings and Workshop
Fellows and Mentors will discuss the research they have thus far done, develop a terms of reference for standardizing the individual reports (structure, language, key terms, approach, etc), and discuss possible conferences or workshops to attend during the year that would strengthen the reports.
March 1, 2005 First Drafts and advocacy strategies due
March/April 2005 Interim Team workshop.  Groups meet to discuss and comment on each other's first drafts.
July 1, 2005 Deadline for full drafts - including executive summary, policy report, policy brief - of Fellowship projects
September 15, 2005 Mentors submit their review of full drafts. Submission of final team manuscript.
Oct/Nov  2005 Closing workshop in Budapest
August/December, 2005 Fellowship reports are reviewed and evaluated by external experts with regard to publishing. If deemed publishable, Fellows may be asked to revise certain aspects of their reports.
Step 5. Follow-up
Alumni-Fellows are often invited to participate in various LGI initiatives including curriculum development, technical assistance, consultancy work and LGI publications.

Applications should be submitted via email to:
The Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative: lgprog@osi.hu 
In the subject line please include: "LGI Policy Fellowship 2004/5" AND the name of the topic you are applying for.

Project Manager: Scott Abrams: ascott@osieurope.org
Project Coordinator: Angela Radosits: aradosits@osi.hu


GENE-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS INFLUENCING ALCOHOL-RELATED PHENOTYPES AND DISEASES

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
(http://www.niaaa.nih.gov)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
(http://www.niehs.nih.gov)
 
PURPOSE OF THIS PA

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is seeking research grant applications on the role of gene-environment interactions underlying susceptibility to alcohol-related phenotypes including alcohol dependence, relapse, withdrawal; alcohol-induced organ damage including neurodegeneration, cirrhosis and other liver diseases, pancreatitis, cardiomyopathy, immune disorders, cancers, and alcohol-induced birth defects. This solicitation specifically encourages multidisciplinary approaches to study how environmental conditions, such as chemical, infectious, physical, nutritional, and social behavioral factors, impact genetic predisposition to alcohol-related diseases. Identification and characterization of gene-environment interactions will offer better opportunities to effectively target prevention, intervention and treatment strategies. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is collaborating on this PA and is seeking research grant applications on interactions between alcohol effects and environmental agents.

RESARCH SCOPE

The purpose of this PA is to encourage multidisciplinary research that will investigate gene-environment interactions influencing susceptibility to alcohol abuse and dependence, alcohol-related behaviors, and alcohol-induced organ damage in both animals and humans.  NIAAA seeks research projects that include, but are not limited to:

studies of changes in gene or protein expression by investigating animal models such as knock-out and other genetically modified animals under a variety of environmental conditions to identify candidate genes, or their corresponding proteins, that may be associated with susceptibility to alcohol abuse and dependence, relapse, withdrawal, alcohol-induced organ damage including  neurodegeneration, cirrhosis and other liver diseases, pancreatitis, cardiomyopathy, immune disorders, cancers, and alcohol-induced birth defects;

studies to identify allelic variants (polymorphisms) and determine the functional relevance of an identified gene or protein for increasing or decreasing susceptibility to alcohol abuse and dependence, alcohol-related phenotypes, and other alcohol-induced diseases under different environmental conditions;

studies using genetic epidemiological, psychiatric and behavioral genetic and molecular genetic methods to determine the interaction of genetic, biological, and social factors in the development of risk to alcohol abuse and dependence;

studies to develop and/or utilize statistical modeling approaches to identify the contributions of genetic and environmental factors to the individual risk, their interrelationship and their developmental trajectories;

studies to determine the genetic and environmental risk and protective factors that influence individual drinking behaviors including children and adolescent underage drinking across populations, socio-cultural backgrounds, and environmental exposures; 

studies to determine the environmental factors that alter the epigenetic status of genes, thus increasing vulnerability to alcohol abuse and dependence, alcohol-associated behaviors, and alcohol-induced organ damage;

studies to determine the functional relevance of candidate genomic markers associated with an increased susceptibility to alcohol abuse and dependence, alcohol-related phenotypes, and alcohol-associated medical conditions;

studies to identify potential links between alcohol exposure and expression of functional polymorphisms of neurotransmitters and their receptors under various environmental conditions such as stress and cross-fostering, to understand the development of excessive drinking behaviors.

studies to determine how genetic variations between individuals and among various populations impact on how environmental influences may differentially alter alcohol metabolism.

NIEHS seeks research grant applications in which the goals are to determine gene-environment effects on disease susceptibility in response to specific exposures or which involve Environmentally Responsive Genes, for example, as defined in the Environmental Genome Project (http://egp.gs.washington.edu/).
NIEHS seeks applications that focus primarily on exposure to environmental agents and in which attention to alcohol abuse is secondary or minor.

MECHANISM(S) OF SUPPORT

This PA will use the NIH R01 and Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21) award mechanisms.  As an applicant, you will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.  Applications using the R21 mechanism may request a project period of up to two years with a combined budget for direct costs of up $275,000 for the two year period. For example, the applicant may request $100,000 in the first year and $175,000 in the second year.  The request should be tailored to the needs of the project. Normally, no more than $200,000 may be requested in any single year. 

This PA uses just-in-time concepts. It also uses the modular as well as the non-modular budgeting formats (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm).  Specifically, if you are submitting an application with direct costs in each year of $250,000 or less, use the modular format.  Otherwise follow the instructions for non-modular research grant applications.  This program does not require cost sharing as defined in the current NIH Grants Policy Statement at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2001/part_i_1.htm.

Exploratory/developmental grant support is for new projects only; competing continuation applications will not be accepted. Two revisions of a previously reviewed exploratory/developmental grant application may be submitted as defined in NIH Policy at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/amendedapps.htm.

ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS

You may submit (an) application(s) if your institution has any of the following characteristics:

For-profit or non-profit organizations
Public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and laboratories
Units of State and local governments
Eligible agencies of the Federal government 
Domestic or foreign

WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES

We encourage inquiries concerning this PA and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants. Inquiries may be sent to: 

Zhaoxia Ren, M.D., Ph.D., Program Director
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Division of Basic Research
Genetics and Proteomics Research Branch
6000 Executive Boulevard, Suite 402, MSC 7003
Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 USA
Tel: (301) 443-5733
Fax: (301) 594-0673
E-mail: zren@mail.nih.gov
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-141.html


Indicators for Sustainable Development

Oct 11-22 2004
Location: Norwich, UK

Event Details: According to the organisers, "The scope and content of Indicators for Sustainable Development (ISD) corresponds to the current global interest in indicators of all kinds. The UNDP Human Development Index (HDI) and the focus on sustainable livelihoods which lies behind it, has set a trend in making indicators in the areas of Poverty, Health and Education both central to the manner in which a project, region or nation represents itself on the global stage and is formative in its assessment in relation to other projects, regions or nations.

However it has been argued that the HDI in itself is a blunt and sometimes crude measure of value. The proliferation of indicators in related areas (e.g. impact and governance) have found a natural affinity with sustainability indicators. SIs are now used in almost all regions to determine the essential viability of development programmes and to determine future objectives." This course aims to explore the current use of indicators and to teach a practical, participatory and holistic approach to their development.

Course Content
In addition to expert inputs from practitioners, the course covers five key areas:

Describing the current use of indicators of all kinds in a wide range of different global contexts

Reflecting on the use of such indicators and developing a critique of good and poor practice

Reviewing alternative methods for developing indicators of all kinds

Learning a tried and tested holistic approach to the development of SIs - 'Systemic Sustainability Analysis' (SSA)* - in the development of new indicators and applying this to participants' own country contexts.
*As presented in 'Sustainability Indicators: Measuring the Immeasurable'. Simon Bell and Stephen Morse, Earthscan, 2000

Developing action plans for the use and testing of the indicators in the field.

Registration Details:
This course is open to 25 people and costs Ј2,700 (includes accommodation but no meals).

Contact Information:
Overseas Development Group (ODG)
University of East Anglia
Norwich NR4 7TJ - United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1603 592340
Fax: +44 (0)1603 591170
odg.train@uea.ac.uk
http://www.odg.uea.ac.uk/pages/course_indicators2004.html


Disability in Developing Countries

Sep 20-24 2004

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Event Details: This 5-day course is organised by the Australian International Health Institute in collaboration with the Centre for International Health of Burnet Institute, Charles Sturt University and the School of Physiotherapy of the University of Melbourne. It is suitable for health program planners, development workers, health practitioners, particularly those in the allied health professions, nursing, or involved in services for people living with disabilities.

Course Objectives:
On completion of this training course, it is hoped that participants will be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of different construct of disability, disease and wellness within different cultures;
Critique major approaches to disability service provision in resource-poor settings, including Community Based Rehabilitation and Inclusive Education;
Demonstrate knowledge of skills important for working with major impairment groups;
Design a basic disability program, demonstrating understanding of issues of sustainability;
Effectively communicate issues related to equity, access, advocacy and prevention;
Apply principles and strategies of health promotion to the issues of disability; and
Design training for disability programs, applying appropriate strategies and means of evaluating learning outcomes.

Course Content:
This course aims to introduce students to some of the major issues surrounding disability in resource-poor settings, including:

Current definitions of disability;
Causes and prevalence of common disabilities;
Skills important for working with the major impairment groups;
Issues related to equity, access, advocacy and prevention;
Design of disability programs;
Capacity building for disability programs;
Constraints and solutions for sustainability of disability programs; and
Project management issues related to disability programs.

Registration Details:
Fees: AUD1100; includes tuition fee, course materials, but not travel, visa fee, accommodation and other expenses.

Contact Information:
Joni Law
Program Officer—Education and Training
Australian International Health Institute (AIHI)
The University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010, Australia
Tel: +61 3 8344 9123
Fax: +61 3 8344 9130
jycl@unimelb.edu.au
 http://www.aihi.unimelb.edu.au/educationTraining/index.html
 

5th Global Conference
Cultures of Violence

Monday 20th September - Thursday 23rd September 2004
Mansfield College, Oxford, United Kingdom

Call for Papers

This multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary conference aims to identify the underlying factors which contribute to and understand the prevailing extent of violence in contemporary life. It likewise aims to probe the representation of violence in media, art and literature and assess the contextual implications of such representations. Violence remains a horrifying feature of today's world; the project actively seeks to explore whether there can be a culture counter to the culture of violence and how is it to be promoted.

The conference will be structured around 4 main thematic groupings; papers, presentations, reports and workshops are invited on the following themes;

Perspectives for Understanding Violence
Papers will explore the methodologies available for uncovering the underlying factors which contribute to violence, the perspectives provided by all disciplines for attempting to understand violence and the models available for developing interdisciplinary methods for approaching violence.

The Objects and Goals of Violence
Papers will explore those who are targeted by perpetrators of violence and seek to analyse the goals that such forms of violence seek to achieve. In particular, papers can focus on issues of domestic violence directed toward families, women and children issues of community violence directed toward ethnic and minority groups, racial groups, issues of nationalism, youth and gang violence, hooliganism issues of institutional violence - violence in the workplace, schools, hospitals, police and law enforcement agencies issues of state violence - as both an internal phenomenon (against citizenry - civil war, terrorism and the metropolis; repression; 'surveillance' culture post 9/11; legitimation of violence through the law, punishment and capital punishment) as well as an external phenomenon (cultures of war and militarism, 'intervention' and 'pre-emptive' policies, cultures of societies that develop into excessively warlike states, religion, religious institutions, and their role in curtailing or propelling violence; religious fundamentalism and violence understanding violence by understanding the impact it has on its victims

Representations of Violence
Papers will look at the explore the role of media in recording, portraying, disseminating, and reflecting on violence. All forms of media are included - radio, tv, cinema, theatre, graffiti, internet, music, art, sculpture, books, propaganda. The methods of portrayal and the intentions of portrayal will be assessed.

Counter Cultures to Violence
Papers will explore whether there are or can be counter cultures to the cultures of violence and how these might be developed. In particular, papers may look at the emerging trend of the use of violence to achieve peace (e.g., the human/animal rights agenda), anti-globalisation violence, anti-vivisection violence; the work and role of NGO's; the role of enforcement and prosecution; the promotion of education and educative strategies; prevention strategies.

Papers will be considered on any related theme. 300 word abstracts should be submitted by Friday 4th June 2004. If your paper is accepted for presentation at the conference, an 8 page draft paper should be submitted by Friday 13th August 2004.

All papers accepted for and presented at the conference will be published as an ISBN eBook. Selected papers accepted for and presented at this conference will be invited for development and inclusion in a hard copy themed publication. One themed volume from the project has already been published; one themed volume is in press.

300 word abstracts should be submitted to Dr Rob Fisher via email to
rf@inter-disciplinary.net. Abstracts may be in Word, WordPerfect, PDF or RTF formats.

The conference is part of a larger series of on-going conferences, run under the general banner 'At the Interface'. It aims to bring together people from different areas and interests to share ideas and explore various discussions which are innovative and exciting.

For further details about the project, please visit:
http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/ati/violence/cov.htm
Dr Rob Fisher
Inter-Disciplinary.Net
Priory House
149B Wroslyn Road
Freeland
Oxfordshire
OX29 8HR
Email: rf@inter-disciplinary.net
Website: http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/ati/violence/cov.htm

---

The "NGOC Gazette" is produced by the AAA NGO Training and Resource Center. It provides information on conferences, seminars, training and grants opportunities worldwide.

---

© NGOC

<<<<<

 

May, 2004

THE AUSTRALIA-BASED MALIAN FOUNDATION IS OFFERING NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS (NPOS) FREE COMPUTER SOFTWARES AND MANAGEMENT TOOLS

Thornleigh, New South Wales, 27 Apr 2004--The Australia-based Malian Foundation is offering non-profit organizations (NPOs) free computer softwares and management tools which can help organizations achieve their potentials.
The foundation, for example, offers "Transact", a specialized tool which helps charities to efficiently manage inventories, donor orders and point of sale activities. Other softwares include "Communicate" assisting NPOs establish closer relationships with donors and "Discover", allowing organizations to train volunteers.

Malian Foundation also provides business planning tools such as "Venture", "Publish" and "Govern". These tools allow the effective fiscal management of NPOs and are in accordance with international accounting standards.

To download the software and tool, users should register at:
https://malianfoundation.org.au/auth/signup.cgi 


(UN)FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT: MIGRATION ISSUES IN EUROPE -  NEW EUMAP CALL FOR PAPERS!

Freedom of movement is one of the fundamental principles upon which the European Union (Community) was once founded. The recent and unprecedented EU enlargement was, however, accompanied by a chain reaction of restrictions introduced by the EU15 to curb  prospective migration from the new member States.

These restrictions would appear to fit into a general tendency across the EU to limit immigration. Workers, particularly from third countries, often feel just as unwelcome as refugees, whose rights have been continuously reduced in many EU member States.

Restrictions take place despite a widespread recognition that Europe needs to import foreign labour in the face of gloomy demographic forecasts, in the face of ageing populations and low birth-rates, and prospects of a collapsing social security system. Europe appears caught up in its own dilemma: Europe needs migrants, Europe fears migration.

Eumap.org is seeking articles and opinion pieces on the most topical and important migration issues in Europe. We invite papers on the general topic of freedom of movement and migration in Europe, which touch on law and practice (at the international, EU or individual State levels) or on specific issues and problems in the EU and its member States. Comparative analyses and examples of concrete positive practices are particularly welcome. The papers could address one of the five following suggested topics:

Migration: pros and cons? What are the main arguments cited in favour and against restricting or liberalising migration - whether from other EU member States or from third countries - for the EU as a whole, or for any given EU country? Which of these arguments appear valid and which flawed? What are the concrete implications for migration, for migrants and for the "target countries"? What could be recommended?

Social Europe: "old" versus "new". On 1 May 2004 State borders, far from disappearing, have been reasserted. Most of the EU15 have adopted restrictions on freedom of movement from the new EU member States, some of which have imposed or are considering adopting reciprocal restrictions. Could the burden of so many new (and poorer) EU citizens strain the "European social model" to its limit? Or are the movement restrictions themselves capable of undermining this model? Is the Union betraying its own core principles in limiting freedom of movement for EU
citizens?

The EU and migration issues. What is the current status of migration rules across the EU and in member countries (principles, practices, prospects)? The focus here could be on any one specific migration area, such as EU citizenship rights; common EU asylum policy; or the rights of long-term residents from third countries.

What place for refugees in the EU? Protection of refugees was once named"civilisation's response to barbarism". To what extent is this principle at the heart of the current refugee policy of the EU and its member States? To what extent do member States tap into and explore the potential that refugees can provide in terms of labour force, social diversity and other benefits to the host society?

Civil society and migration issues. What is the role of civil society and the media, if any, in the development of national and supra-national rules and policies on migration and the subsequent integration of migrants and refugees in the EU and its member States?

Quality papers will be featured on the Program's website (www.eumap.org) with the intention of framing and encouraging debate on this issue. Papers in English should be between 1,500-2,000 words. Accepted authors will receive an honorarium of EUR 200.

Papers should be submitted by 20 June 2004. Please send papers to:
submissions@eumap.org. Contact person: Alphia Abdikeeva

Eumap.org editorial policy and an archive of featured articles are available online at: http://www.eumap.org/articles
Deadline: June 20, 2004
Website: http://www.eumap.org/articles


United States Institute of Peace Solicited Grants

Program Number: 00091
Title: Solicited Grants
Program Sponsor: United States Institute of Peace

SYNOPSIS:
Grants provide support for research, education and training, and the dissemination of information on international peace and conflict resolution.  Awards range between $25,000 and $45,000 for one to two years.  Eligible applicants are non-profit organizations, educational institutions, public institutions, and individuals from the U.S. or abroad.

Deadline(s):      10/01/2004
Established Date: 08/03/1988
Follow-Up Date:   12/01/2004
Review Date:      05/11/2004

Contact
Address:  Solicited Grants Program
                1200 17th Street, N.W.
                Suite 200
                Washington, DC 20036-3011
                U.S.A.                                
E-mail:     grants@usip.org

Program URL: http://www.usip.org/grants/solicited.html
Tel:              202-429-3842
Fax:              202-833-1018
Deadline Ind:
Receipt 
Deadline Open: No
                 
Award Type(s): Curriculum Development
                Conference--Host/Conduct
                Demonstration/Evaluation
                Information Dissemination
                Public Awareness/Education
                Research Grants/R & D
                Training/Professional Development

Citizenship/Country of Applying Institution:
                Any/No Restrictions

Locations Tenable: Any/No Restrictions

Appl Type(s): Individual, Non-Specific
                 Colleges/Universities
                Educational Organizations/Inst.
                Library
                Non-Profit
                Public Institution
                Precollegiate Institution
                Private Institution/Organization
                Research Institutions/Organizations

Target Group(s):  NONE
Funding Limit:    $45,000   SEEBELOW
Duration:         2 YEAR(s)
Indirect Costs:   No
Cost Sharing:     No
Sponsor Type:     Federal

Geo. Restricted:  NO
RESTRICTIONS

CFDA#:

OBJECTIVES:
The topics for the Fall 2004 solicitation are:

The Economics of War and Peace--While significant attention has been paid to the role of economic factors in conflict (such as the relationship between poverty and conflict, and between natural resources and conflict), less is understood about the influence of external actors and factors in building peace or generating international conflict. The Institute welcomes proposals on this subject. Proposals may describe research, training or educational projects, including curriculum development. Funds will not be available for projects to promote economic development for its own sake. Topics may include, but are not limited to, the following themes:

--The Economics of Peacebuilding: What tools and options are available to actors?ranging from states and international organizations to corporations and civil society organizations? to promote peacebuilding through economic incentives, sanctions and other policies? How can organized criminals, insurgents, paramilitary units and corrupt officials be prevented from controlling important economic assets and benefiting from the absence of strong law enforcement?

--Development and Reconstruction: What lessons can be learned about how practitioners engaged in development work, on the one hand, and those pursuing post-conflict reconstruction activities (including government and military organizations), on the other, work together most effectively?

--Dealing with Non-State Actors: What incentives drive non-state actors (notably, terrorist groups) to seek to acquire WMD? Is the history of non-proliferation efforts, which have been heavily weighted toward preventing states from proliferating WMD, relevant to keeping WMD out of the hands of non-state actors?

--Humanitarian Assistance and Foreign Aid: Under what conditions does the delivery of humanitarian assistance and foreign aid contribute to sustaining, transforming, or ending violent conflict?

--Non-State Actors: What roles do non-state actors? including private corporations, multilateral trade organizations, transnational economic institutions, NGOs, organized criminal groups, terrorist organizations, paramilitary organizations, and insurgent groups? play in the dynamics of peace and war? How effective are efforts to track and block the flow of funds to illegal organizations?

--The Role of Education and the Media: What impact have educational programs and the media had on public understanding of the relationship between economic issues and violent conflict, and how can education and the media play constructive roles in ending conflict?

Southeast Asia--Southeast Asia is characterized by ethnic, religious, and socio-economic diversity that forms the basis for tensions and conflicts throughout the region and poses challenges to governance and conflict management. The Institute is soliciting grant proposals for policy-oriented research, education programs, training projects, and Track Two initiatives that promote understanding about, and peaceful management and resolution of, conflicts in the region.
Topics may include, but are not limited to, the following themes:

--Democratization/Governance: Measures ranging from efforts to control political corruption to constitutional reforms, such as political decentralization and federalism, have either been tried or contemplated in various parts of the region. What impact have such measures had on efforts to prevent or resolve violent conflict and establish or solidify democratic forms of governance?

--Civil-Military Relations: What are the prospects for military reform and civilian control of the military in the region? How have Southeast Asian countries addressed past abuses by the military, and with what impact on the transition to civilian rule and the stabilization of democratizing states?

--Ethnic and Religious Conflict: Virtually every country in Southeast Asia has been plagued by ethno-religious conflicts, and yet most of the region remains peaceful. What local, regional, and international factors account for this variation? What approaches and initiatives have alleviated tensions among ethnic groups in these countries?

--Terrorism: What are the relationships between terrorist groups and ethno-religious separatist movements in the region? How successful have efforts been to strengthen legal mechanisms to combat terrorism in Southeast Asia? What impact has terrorism had on governance and the movement toward or away from democracy?
--Small Arms Trade: What strategies have governments, international organizations, and civil society groups used to reduce the trade in small arms, and to what effect?

--The Role of Education and the Media: What impact have educational programs and the media had on public understanding of the relationship between economic issues and violent conflict, and how can education and the media play constructive roles in ending conflict?

ELIGIBILITY
Eligible applicants are non-profit organizations, public institutions, and individuals, both U.S. and foreign, including the following:  institutions of post-secondary, community, and secondary education; public and private education; training or research institutions; libraries; and public departments and agencies.

FUNDING
Most solicited grants are one to two years in duration. Most awards fall in the range of $25,000 to $45,000, although somewhat larger or smaller grants are also awarded.  The amount of the grant is based on the proposed budget and on negotiations with successful applicants.  When applicants are employed by an eligible institution, such as a college or university, the sponsor favors grants to the
institution rather than to the individual. (cmb)

KEYWORDS:Southeast Asia
                Religious Studies
                Terrorism
                International Relations/Diplomacy
                Democracy
                International Education/Training
                Peace/Disarmament/Amnesty
                Weapons/Weapon Systems
                Globalization
                Governance

Location: Open
Deadline: October 1, 2004
Website: http://www.usip.org/grants/solicited.html


CALL FOR PROPOSALS: CENTRAL EURASIA PROJECT OF THE OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE

The Central Eurasia Project (CEP) of the Open Society Institute (OSI) is now accepting proposals for programme and general operating support grants to organisations working to advance open societies in the region.

The OSI is a private operating and grant-making foundation based in New York City, USA that serves as the hub of the Soros Foundations network, a group of autonomous foundations and organisations in more than 50 countries. OSI and the network implement a range of initiatives that aim to promote open societies by shaping government policy and supporting education, media, public health, and human and women's rights, as well as social, legal, and economic reform. The Central Eurasia Project aims to make available more and better information about human rights and the social and economic health of the South Caucasus and Central Asia both within the region and internationally. For CEP's purposes, Central Eurasia is understood to encompass the former Soviet republics of Central Asia (covers Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan except Turkmenistan) and the Caucasus as well as Turkey and Mongolia.

According to the CEP, the organisation uses grant-making to international and indigenous NGOs to strengthen civic leaders in the region and construct support networks for them within international structures and movements. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. The CEP specified that in no instances should the grants be used directly or indirectly to engage in partisan political activity like supporting opposition to political parties or individual candidates for elective office at any level of government.

For more information about this project, please contact:
Open Society Institute
400 West 59th Street
New York, NY 10019
USA
Website: http://www.soros.org/initiatives/cep/news/grants_20040218
Location: Central Eurasia
Deadline: Various


CALL FOR APPLICATIONS NETWORK OF EAST-WEST WOMEN AND THE
BULGARIAN GENDER RESEARCH FOUNDATION WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS
TRAINING INSTITUTE

OVERVIEW:

The Network of East-West Women (NEWW) and the Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation (BGRF) are pleased to announce a call for applications for the Women's Human Rights Training Institute.

To goal of the Institute is to strengthen the ability of lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States (CEE/NIS) to litigate women's human rights cases at the national, regional and international levels through the development of feminist legal analysis and litigation skills, cross-border cooperation, and networking.

The project is a two-year, four-part series of workshops bringing together the same group of fifteen participants over the course of the training. Through both technical workshop sessions on the European Court of Human Rights, European Court of Justice, and United Nations enforcement mechanisms, as well as substantive training sessions on violence against women, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and employment discrimination, the Institute will build the needed analysis, skills and networks among feminist lawyers in CEE/NIS required to successfully seek justice for women in various legal arenas.

The methodology is participatory and active, combining capacity building with technical assistance to prepare cases that participants will be expected to develop throughout the course of the Institute.

Successful applicants are required to commit to participate in the entire two-year, four-workshop Institute series.  NEWW encourages applications ONLY from CEE/NIS lawyers who are willing to make this two-year commitment. Selected participants will be required to actively participate in all required pre-session preparation, training sessions, and inter-session litigation and other Institute activities.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: June 15, 2004

SELECTION NOTIFICATION: July 15, 2004

Tentative topical focus- of the Institute:

1.  International and Regional Human Rights Law and Enforcement Mechanisms
2. Women's Reproductive Rights and Sexual Health
3. Violence against women:  Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence, Rape, and Trafficking
4. Employment Discrimination

DURATION:     Each session will last approximately 4-5 days every six months.

LOCATION:   Institute sessions will be held primarily in Bulgaria, and if possible in other European countries.

The first session on International and Regional Human Rights Law and Enforcement Mechanisms will be held in Sofia in early October 2004.

ELIGIBILITY:

Applications will be accepted from lawyers from any country in CEE/NIS. A total of 15 participants will be selected.

Successful applicants will have:

1. Law degree.

2. A demonstrated commitment to feminist jurisprudence and to using the law creatively to secure redress for women's rights violations.

3. A professional relationship with an institution or NGO for at least one year prior to applying for participation in the Institute, preferably with an NGO or institution that focuses on women's human rights and that has the capacity to litigate cases on women's rights issues or that has experience with litigation.

4. Theoretical knowledge about international and regional human rights legal systems and enforcement mechanisms.

5. Fluency in spoken and written English, and advanced English language comprehension.

DETAILED INSTITUTE DESCRIPTION:

The Institute is a two-year series of four workshops bringing together the same group of participants at each session.

The Institute will provide training to lawyers from CEE/NIS on how to effectively litigate women's rights cases at the regional and international levels and use international legal standards and mechanisms to promote women's human rights, and will allow participants to hone practical skills and develop feminist jurisprudence and analysis appropriate to CEE/NIS regional conditions in order to effectively seek legal redress for women's rights violations.

The Institute will be convened every six months and include the same group of participants throughout the two-year project period.  NEWW and BGRF believe that by bringing the same group of participants together on a regular basis we can encourage educational enhancement, continuity, and reflection, while also reinforcing the participants' professional commitments to women's human rights and creating a forum for exchange of ideas with committed peers.

The working language of the Institute is English.

Participants will be required to undertake specific women's human rights litigation activities.  Identification and development of cases on the issues covered by the Institute will be undertaken by participants between the Institute sessions, supported by NEWW, BGRF and Institute partner organizations, including:

    1. Interights, London, United Kingdom
    2. European Roma Rights Center, Budapest, Hungary
    3. Bulgarian Helsinki Federation, Sofia, Bulgaria
    4. Warsaw University Law Faculty, Warsaw, Poland
    5. The International Labor Organization
    6. Belgrade Center for Human Rights, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
    7. Center for Reproductive Rights, New York, New York
    8. Women's Link World Wide, Madrid, Spain Certificates of Completion will be issued to participants upon their successful completion of all Institute sessions and
responsibilities.

STIPEND:

Institute participants will receive small stipends during the project period to support their inter-session litigation activities.

Participant travel, accommodation and per diem costs for participation in each Institute workshop session will be covered.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:

There is no formal application form for this Program. Follow the directions below for submitting the required documents.

Application materials should be submitted electronically as ONE attachment.
Do not send each document as a separate attachment as we cannot guarantee
that all of your documents will be reviewed by the Selection Committee.

Completed applications should be sent by email to:

Teodora Tsanovska, Project Manager, Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation,
bgrf@fastbg.net, tsteodora@hotmail.com.

If email is not possible, please send the complete application packet by regular mail to the address below. Applications sent by mail must be RECEVIED in BGRF's office by the application deadline of June 15, 2004. Applications received after this date will not be considered.

Following review by the International Selection Committee, a maximum of 15 finalists will be selected for in-person and/or telephone interviews. Selected finalists will be notified of their interview by email.

Applicants should submit the following materials in English:

1.   Curriculum vitae.

2.   Personal statement that demonstrate the applicant's strength in the required eligibility areas listed above, as well as:

A) Summarizes the applicant's interest and involvement in the field of women's rights and women's rights litigation or advocacy activities or other human rights litigation or advocacy experience.

B) Describes the applicant's reasons for applying to participate in the Institute and the applicant's expectations about the Institute training.

C) Outlines the applicant's goals and future career plans and commitment to participating in the full two year long training.

3.  3 page country briefing paper on one of the topical focus areas listed above.  Applicants are free to choose which issue to address. The paper must demonstrate the applicant's ability to write and formulate arguments in English.

4.  A list of two recommenders, including name, affiliation, email and telephone number.  Applicant references will be verified once the applicant reaches the final selection process.

5. Letter of support from participant's NGO.

CONTACT PERSON:

Teodora Tsanovska, Project Manager, Bulgarian Gender Research
Foundation, bgrf@fastbg.net and tsteodora@hotmail.com.

The Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation is an independent public utility non- governmental organization which promotes women's human rights and social justice through research, education and advocacy programs, in co-operation with international networks and organizations. The main focus of its work is linking the human rights approach with the specific gender approach and combining pro-active research with pilot litigation and campaigning and lobbying for legislative changes.

The Network of East-West Women (NEWW) is an international membership and advocacy organization linking women in more than 30 countries in Central and Southeastern Europe, the New Independent States and the Russian Federation. Through the Legal Fellowship Program and other programs, NEWW supports independent women's movements that foster women's participation in all aspects of public decision-making. NEWW's primary objective is to increase the capacity of women and women's NGOs to shape policies that affect women's lives.

Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace (WLP) Launches New Global Directory of Women Leaders / Search Directory:
http://www.learningpartnership.org/profiles

WLP is pleased to announce the launch of a new online Directory of Women
Leaders from the Global South. Designed to be used as a resource and networking tool, the directory features biographical and professional profiles of women activists, policy-makers, scholars, and NGO leaders from the Global South who have devoted their lives to supporting the advancement and empowerment of women. The Directory is an ongoing project to increase the visibility of women leaders and to connect individuals, organizations, and networks working on issues of women's human rights, democracy and civil society, peace and conflict resolution, women and ICTs, and international development.

Cross-posted from: Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace (WLP) eNewsletter Issue 7 (April 2004)

Location: Online
Website: http://www.learningpartnership.org/profiles


New Tactics for Human Rights International Symposium, Turkey

Where: Ankara, Turkey
What: New Tactics International Symposium
When: September 29 v October 2, 2004
Who: Human rights practitioners from a wide range of fields and from around the globe
Enrollment is limited.

Apply now!

In the struggle for human rights, we rarely have time to reflect on the tactics we use, how they fit into our strategy or how they will help us achieve our goals. We rarely have the opportunity to meet people outside our own regions or fields v people who may be using tactics that we could apply to our own work.

Whether you deal with women-s rights, the environment, eliminating hunger and poverty, civil rights or any of the myriad other forms this work takes, you are doing human rights work. And in your work you can benefit from strategic and tactical thinking and from learning a wider range of tactics.

Symposium participants will:
Build networks for sharing tactics and collaborating after the Symposium.
Learn how well-structured strategies and well-chosen tactics make their work more efficient and effective.
Learn to use tactics they can apply to their work right away.
Become part of the New Tactics in Human Rights movement, ready to bring what they learned back to their organizations and regions.
The Symposium will include:
More than 30 training sessions on particular tactics and strategies.
Regional and issue-based caucuses, focused on adapting tools in various contexts and building strategies for particular issues.
A keynote address by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jody Williams of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.

Working languages for the Symposium are English, Spanish and Turkish. We are trying to secure funding to provide French interpretation.

Location: Turkey
Deadline: June 15, 2004 (Sep/October 2004 Event)
Website: http://www.newtactics.org/main.php/WorldSymposium


HUMAN STRATEGIES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (HSHR)

This free service allows activists and NGOs to seek advice on human rights issues and to obtain on-line mentoring. The service is also available to students, depending on the availability of HSHR-s resources. For more information visit;
www.hshr.org/introduction.html


Distance education course "HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING"
(27 September-19 December 2004)

Dear Colleagues,

HREA is calling for applications for the distance learning course "Human Rights Monitoring", which will be offered from September-December 2004.
Course instructor is Dr. Krassimir Kanev.

Please note that the registration deadline for this course is 1 September.

Best wishes,

Frank Elbers
Distance Learning Programme, HREA
http://www.hrea.org/courses


GLOBAL JUNIOR CHALLENGE 2004 FOCUS ON WOMEN AND DIGITAL DIVIDE

Applications for the Global Junior Challenge (GJC) 2004 are still accepted until 30 June 2004.

The GJC is a global award for the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in education and training. It is promoted by the Digital Youth Consortium, a non-profit organisation founded by the Municipality of Rome, Italy and six major ICT companies. Dedicated to young people and to schools, the award seeks to identify and reward best practices on the use of new technologies in education and training of youngsters.

For 2004, the GJC award will pay special attention to a new category of projects: "women and equal opportunities." Projects under this category must be working to realise equal opportunities between women and men in every sphere of their professional life, specifically through the innovative use of ICTs. The aim is to contribute to the achievement of the goal of gender balance in decision-making in the ICT sector. Another GJC 2004 theme will be the fight against the "Digital Divide" and the innovative use of ICTs to reduce poverty in the world.

An international jury selects the finalists and winners will be announced during the award ceremony that will take place at Campidoglio City Hall in Rome in the third quarter of 2004. The event will include a large seminar, an exhibition of finalist projects, a projects show where youngsters could perform their projects to other youngsters, and an important meeting on "Women and ICT" where international organisations, companies and public authorities will discuss strategies for supporting gender balance in the ICT industry.

The GJC is dedicated to all young people, from school children to teenagers and youth taking their first steps in the job market. It concerns cities, institutions, local authorities, businesses, NGOs, communities and individual citizens. It concerns those interested or involved in child and youth education and training, and in helping construct a more inclusive society.

The first competition took place in 2002. The categories of the projects in this year's this edition include the following:
- Projects for users up to 10 years old
- Projects for users up to 15 years old
- Projects for users up to 18 years old
- Projects for users up to 29 years old
- Projects using ICT to help youths find a job
- Women and equal opportunities

All finalists from developing countries are eligible to compete for cash prizes, or all-cost-paid participation in an activity aimed at helping the development and sustainability of their projects. The overall winning project will receive 30,000 Euro (US$36,672).

For more information, please contact:
Global Junior Challenge
Consorzio Gioventu Digitale
Via Umbria 7
00187 Rome, Italy
Tel: (39-06) 420-14109
Fax: (39-06) 420-00442
E-mail: info@gjc.it
Website: http://www.gjc.it/2004/index.asp

Location: Open
Deadline: June 30, 2004
Website: http://www.gjc.it/2004/index.asp
Democracy in Russia and the CIS v Concepts, Challenges and
Visions¦ Democracy in Russia and the CIS v Concepts, Challenges
and Visions¦ Democracy in Russia and the CIS v Concepts,
Challenges and Visions¦
Location: Finland
Call for Papers Date: 2004-08-20 
Date Submitted: 2004-06-02
 

DEMOCRACY IN RUSSIA AND THE CIS V CONCEPTS, CHALLENGES AND VISIONS

11-12 November, 2004
University of Helsinki, Main Building (Fabianinkatu 33)
The conference addresses a wide array of questions related to democracy in Russia and other CIS countries. Examples of topics include, but are not limited to, characteristic features of political participation and representation; challenges and prospects of democratic development; political culture and historical contexts of democratic rule; the role of the civil society and the media. Papers presenting conceptual analyses and comparative contributions are also warmly welcome.
All those interested in analysing various aspects of democracy in the CIS are invited to take part in the conference by presenting their papers in the panels. We invite contributions from a wide disciplinary background, for example, from political science, sociology, history, law, economics and cultural studies.

Abstracts of proposed papers should be approximately 300 words in length and sent by 20 August 2004 to: fcree-aleksconf@helsinki.fi. Please include your name, affiliation and contact information as you wish them to appear in the conference
programme. Notification of acceptance will be sent by 10 September 2004.

This is the fourth in a series of annual multidisciplinary, international Aleksanteri conferences organised by the Aleksanteri Institute. The Aleksanteri Institute (Finnish Centre for Russian and East European Studies) is affiliated with the University of Helsinki and operates as a national centre of research, study and expertise pertaining to Russia and countries of the former Soviet bloc, particularly in the social sciences and humanities.

Keynote Speakers: Oleg Kharkhordin (Associate Professor, European University at St. Petersburg)
Elena Korosteleva-Polglase (Lecturer, University of Wales, Aberystwyth)
Robert Legvold (Professor, Columbia University, New York)
Marina Malysheva (Senior Researcher, Moscow Center for Gender
Studies and Institute on Socio-Economic Studies of Population, Russian Academy of Science)
Andrey Ryabov (Scholar-in-Residence, Program Co-chair, Carnegie Moscow Center)
Andrew Wilson (Senior Lecturer, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London)
Conference programme and registration information can be found at the conference site http://www.helsinki.fi/aleksanteri/conference2004.htm.  
 
Anna Korhonen
Aleksanteri Institute
PO Box 42
FIN-00014 University of Helsinki
Phone: +358 9 191 28619
Fax: +358 9 191 28616
Email: anna.korhonen@helsinki.fi

---

The "NGOC Gazette" is produced by the AAA NGO Training and Resource Center. It provides information on conferences, seminars, training and grants opportunities worldwide.

---

© NGOC

 

<<<<<

 

June, 2004

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: MARTIN ENNALS AWARD FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

The Martin Ennals Award (MEA) calls for nominations for its 2005 Award.
Nominees must currently be involved in work for the promotion and protection of human rights. Special account is taken of those who have demonstrated an active record of combating human rights violations by courageous and innovative means. The Award aims to encourage individuals and organizations, in particular those who are working in conditions hostile to fundamental human rights and are in need of protection. The Award ceremony is normally held in Geneva, at the North-South Media Festival.  The deadline for nominations is October 1, 2004.

Go to: www.martinennalsaward.org/en/nomination/index.html


Call for Applications: Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellowships

The Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program at the Washington, DC-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED) welcomes fellowship applications for 2005-2006. The Fellows Program was established in 2001 to enable democracy activists, practitioners, scholars, and journalists from around the world to deepen their understanding of democracy and enhance their ability to promote democratic change. While the program is intended primarily to support activists, practitioners, and scholars from new and aspiring democracies, distinguished scholars from the United States and other established democracies are also eligible to apply. Projects may focus on the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural aspects of democratic development and include a range of methodologies and approaches. Please note that a working knowledge of English is an important prerequisite for participation in the program. The application deadline for fellowships in 2005-2006 is Monday, November 1, 2004.
 
For more information, visit: www.ned.org/forum/R-FApplication.pdf


CALL FOR PAPERS
International seminar
"Social Work History in XX century Russia"
Saratov, Russia, 5-6 March 2005

Network for Historical Studies of Gender and Social Work, University of Siegen, Germany, University of Utrecht, the Netherlands, Center for Social Policy and Gender Studies in Saratov, Russia invite proposals for papers for the interdisciplinary International Seminar on "Social Work History in XX century Russia" to be held at the Saratov State Technical University in Saratov, Russia on 5-6 March 2005.

The event will be jointly hosted by the Social Work in Eastern Europe Project (SWEEP) of the Network for Historical Studies of Gender and Social Work supported by Volkswagen Foundation, Journal for Social Policy Studies, Center for Social Policy and Gender Studies and Saratov State Technical University.

Proposals topics relating to all and interdisciplinary aspects of scholarship in the history of social work in Russia XX century will be welcome.  The seminar languages will be Russian and English.

The topics are presented but not limited by the list below:

Construction of social work history

Methods of social historical studies of social work: archival studies and personal narratives

Public and private in social history of welfare state, local and micro histories of social help

Changes in ideology of social policy and public structures of welfare state in Russia through the XX century

The activities of non-government organizations in Russian history (Red Cross, Rockefeller fund, etc.)

Social networks, community help and self-help practices in XX century Russia

Changing theories, social work education and training priorities, target groups and methods of social work

Gendered history of social work

Symbols and meaning of social work (social care, social upbringing) in Soviet history

Professional structures and identities of social work

Hidden histories of social work, social work under totalitarian regimes

The papers accepted for the conference will be published in a proceedings book, which will appear by the start of the seminar. The best papers will be distinguished with a prize.

Submission of Proposals: 1) Name, 2) Current Institutional Affiliation, 3) Title/Position, 4) E-mail address, 5) Postal address, 6) Telephone number, 7) Fax no., 8) Title of paper, 9) Abstract of paper (200-300-word summary), 10) Full paper (5 000 words), 11) Any audio-visual equipment required (specify: overhead projector, slide projector, video player, multi-media projector)
Deadline: 31 December 2004

Conference-Related Correspondence should be addressed to:

Elena Iarskaia-Smirnova and Pavel Romanov
Department of Social Anthropology and Social Work
Saratov State Technical University
Polytechnicheskaia 77
Saratov 410054 Russia
Tel. +7 8452 526638
Fax + 7 8452 506837
E-mail: socwork@online.ru

Note: The Seminar organizers DO NOT have funds to support the costs of conference participation. Participants should obtain their own funding.


THIRD GLOBAL LINKING & LEARNING PROGRAMME ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL
AND CULTURAL RIGHTS

1-10 December 2004
Alcochete, Portugal

PROJECT PARTNERS
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum Asia), International Human Rights Internship Program, International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net), Dignity International

WITH SUPPORT FROM
NOVIB, Oxfam Netherlands & the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland

INTRODUCTION
Eradicating poverty is one of the biggest human development challenges of today. However global poverty cannot be eradicated by isolated projects alone. It can only be achieved through the adoption and implementation of consistent policies rooted in human rights, at the national, regional and international levels.

Human rights provide a framework to tackle the root causes of poverty. Increasing awareness of human rights can strengthen and invigorate efforts for social change, as people learn what obligations and commitments their governments have made to ensure the realization of human dignity for all.

The Linking & Learning Programme, organised for the third year, aims to equip selected participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to integrate human rights in their daily work. The programme is aimed at activists from social and economic justice movements and at those working directly with persons living in poverty.

The programme is implemented by Dignity International, in partnership with the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia), the International Human Rights Internship Program,) and the International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net).

AIM OF THE PROGRAMME
The overall goal of this programme is to strengthen the knowledge and skills of those working to empower people living in extreme poverty through the adoption of a human rights framework and thereby contribute to build the capacity of grassroots movements to better promote and defend basic ESC rights.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

Provide organisations and grassroots activists from social and economic justice movements with knowledge and a better understanding of ESC rights and equip them with the skills necessary to become active in promoting and defending ESC rights;
Engage in a process of enriching the meaning and content of ESC rights as the grassroots participants collectively bring their on the ground realities to the human rights dialogue;
Provide a space for the exchange of experiences and ideas in the area of ESC rights and facilitate, where necessary, collaborative action across regions through appropriate follow-up after the learning programme.

PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS
The programme will bring together twenty "catalysts" from the different world regions. These persons will be in a position to spread knowledge and skills they have acquired from the programme and to introduce/implement what they have acquired within their own organisations or community. These participants will be drawn from development organisations, and groups fighting for social and economic justice. Priority will be given to women and those coming directly from the grassroots organisations.

Concerning the participants and their profile - they should:

play an active role within an organisation, movement or community, and plan to continue this work in the near future;
be in a position to act as multipliers or trainers within their organisation of service;
work directly with or be from the communities experiencing poverty and social exclusion;
have already some qualification or experience in terms of training and project work;
be committed to attend the full duration of the course;
have their application supported by their organisation/community or group and only one application per organisation will be considered;
be able to present the context of their work, their way of tackling problems, the challenges they meet and identify;
be able to work and communicate in English.

Applicants from previous years who were not able to participate may resubmit their applications.

FINANCIAL & PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Participation Fee - The organisers will charge a subsidized participation fee of 200 Euros. This participation fee will cover course materials, lunch and coffee breaks.

Travel Expenses - All selected participants are requested to cover their own travel, board, lodging and other incidental expenses. A limited number of scholarships will be available for selected candidates with no alternative financial means to participate.

Scholarships - Please note that no one will be excluded for financial reasons and that limited scholarships will be available for those with no alternative financial means to participate.

Types of scholarships:
Category A: Fee waiver (to waive the participation fee of 200 Euros)
Category B: Partial Scholarship - Fee waiver + board & lodging
Category C: Full scholarship - Fee waiver + board & lodging & 80% of the cheapest available economy class ticket

HOW TO APPLY?
Please complete the attached application form. The application form can also be accessed at http://dignity.3pontos.net/doc/2004applicationform.doc
Applications should be sent to Dignity International with a valid signature and stamp from the sending organisation, community or group.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
Application forms should be sent to Dignity International no later than 15 AUGUST 2004, by email to: applications@dignityinternational.org by Fax: + 351 21 08 78 400 or by ordinary mail Dignity International, Vivenda Metta, Avenida do Canto do Pinheiro, P-2890-154 Alcochete, PORTUGAL


COURCES ON CONFLICT TRANSFIRMATION

Two award-winning, interactive courses on conflict transformation will run ONLINE this summer, as part of a unique web-based programme: The Network University Summer School on Conflict Transformation. The courses are taught and supervised entirely on the Internet in English. We are currently accepting final registrations, so register as soon as possible.

The two courses will cover:
-Transforming Civil Conflicts (August 9 - September 3, 2004)
-Gender and Conflict Transformation (September 20 - October 15, 2004)
Participants can choose to register for one or two courses. Prices are listed on our website.

For further information visit our website:
http://www.netuni.nl/summer 

Location: Online
Deadline: ASAP


Partnerships for Tomorrow Program

The Partnerships for Tomorrow Program Phase II, funded by the Canadian International Development Agency and administered by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, is a small travel grant mechanism designed to contribute to the democratic and economic reform process in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

The program supports small projects, up to a maximum of $10,000, which aim to build and strengthen partnerships and linkages between Canadians and citizens of Central and European countries. These long term relationships will facilitate the capacity development of individuals and institutions in the Central and Eastern European region while developing Canadian expertise in working with Central and Eastern European countries.

The program will cover the cost of international travel for Canadian and Central and Eastern European travellers. All travellers are eligible for the cost of international economy airfare, a per diem that covers a portion of the cost of accommodations and meals, and local travel (inter-city travel only), to a maximum of $10,000 per project.

The program is open to participants from all sectors including Canadian and Central and Eastern European institutions, educational institutions, non governmental organizations, professionals, businesses, individuals, youth and government (excluding the Canadian federal government). All activities must have a capacity building component and must be compatible with CIDA's programming priorities.

Due to the high demand and limited funds available, not all applications submitted will be approved. Funds will be awarded based on a set of criteria that will enable recipients to actively participate in the following types of activities:
* institutional linkages
* workshops and conferences
* sector specific training
* professional exchanges
* study tours and
* short-term consultancies.

There must be 60 days between the end of the month in which the application is submitted to AUCC, and the start date of the project. For example, for a project planned to take place in June, the application must be submitted to AUCC by March 28th.

More information in Website: http://www.aucc.ca/ptp-ppa/index_e.html 


INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S TRAINING CONSULTATION ON NONVIOLENCE AND GENDER 

October 2004 / Thailand / Organized by War Resisters International and International Fellowship of Reconciliation / For more information and an application form, please contact:

War Resisters International, 5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DX, Britain.
Tel.  +44 20 7278 4040. Fax +44 20 7278 0444. Email: office@wri-irg.org
Website: www.wri-irg.org

International Fellowship of Reconciliation, Women Peacemakers Program,
Spoorstraat 38, 1815 BK, Alkmaar, the Netherlands.
Tel. +31 72 512 3014.
Fax  +31 72 515 1102.
Email:  s.anderson@ifor.org
Website: www.ifor.org/WPP

The consultation will bring together a diverse group of grassroots nonviolence, community, trade union, anti-globalization, and other social movement trainers to explore and develop the integration of nonviolence and gender in training.

This international consultation is open to women trainers seeking to integrate nonviolence and gender issues in a wide variety of social change movements. While gender has been increasingly recognized as a critical factor in peace and development during the past decade, gender continues to raise as many questions as it answers.  What do we mean by gender, and why does it matter? How can trainers recognize and deal with gender issues among groups of men and women? How can we use nonviolence training to address gender issues in our groups and movements? What would gender-sensitive nonviolence training look like?

These questions and more will be explored in this international consultation. The goals of the consultation include: 

Breaking the isolation of women nonviolence trainers.
Bridging the gaps between different cultures and social change movements (for example, global justice, youth, trade unions, development, etc.) and in particular between generations of women trainers.
Supporting women trainers in developing methodologies, materials, modules, to integrate gender into their trainings.
Exploring new ways of organizing and activism.

Asking the Right Questions will bring 50-60 women trainers together for five days of exchanging experience and ideas, training methodologies and exercises, enthusiasm and questions.  The program will involve plenary sessions, hands-on learning, peer coaching, small group exercises and discussion. The consultation will deal with the following issues:

*  Identifying local, national and international training needs
*  Integration of gender into nonviolence trainings
*  Training for empowerment
*  Working with fear, trauma, and victimization
*  Interfaith and intercultural methodologies
*  Linking domestic and state violence
*  Gender issues in reconciliation and conflict resolution
*  Gender issues in direct action
*  Working with men as allies and as antagonists
*  Increasing gender awareness in our organizations
*  Creating new resources on gender and nonviolence

Space will also be available for self-organized workshops.


MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF RA
YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF GEOGRAPHY
ARMENIAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY
INSTITUTE OF WATER PROBLEMS AND HYDROTECHNICS
           
Dear colleagues!
We are glad to invite you to the Basic (main) problems of Geography of South Caucasus and conjoint regions in New Century international conference, to be held in Yerevan (Republic of Armenia) on November 1-4, 2004. The conference is dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Faculty of Geography.

Topics of conference:

Theoretical and methodological problems of modern Geography
Main problems of Geography of Armenia
Applied issues of Geography
Water problems of South Caucasus
Main problems of physical geography
Problems of recreation and tourism
Political- geographical and geopolitical problems
Economical development and regional partnership
Cartography, GIS, remote sensing
Geographical education

Languages of conference are Russian, English. The particular synchron translation is available. The completed registration form and title of papers must be sent by 25 July, 2004. Registration form and requests for papers are attached. The full electronic version of papers must be sent on the following address: vboynagryan@ysu.am, ashxarh@ysu.am by 10 September, 2004.
The papers will be published before the conference. Publication of papers will be covered by organizers.
           
Registration Fee is 100$.
           
You are responsible to cover own travel, accommodation, visa and other related expenses.

Call for Papers
Participants who would like to submit papers to be included in the conference must send the Registration form before 25 July 2004 to the Organizing Committee.
           
Authors should send their papers, to the following address: vboynagryan@ysu.am,  ashxarh@ysu.am before 10 September, 2004.  

The papers should meet the following requirements:

A paper in English or Russian including the title of the report (all caps), the author(s) full name(s), the full name of the organization, city, country and e-mail.
A paper text max 3 pages.
Font is Times New Roman 12pt, single interval, on A4 210x297 mm paper format, with all margins 25mm.
Papers should be sent as attached file by e-mail (MS WORD-97/98/2000), diagrams and pictures Б-? in jpg. format.
For report in Russian the short summary in English must be attached. 

Only papers designed according to formats and received before deadline will be accepted.

REGISTRATION  FORM

Deadline for registration 25 July, 2004

Name, Surname (Mr., Mrs.)

Name of organization

Occupation

Address:

City

Country

Postal code:

Phone: (with country and area codes):

Fax: (with country and area codes):

E-mail:

Title of paper

Topic(s) of conference

If there are co-authors, please mark the reporter.

How you planned to participate

only participate
participate and make presentation
only report (publication)

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


TRANSCEND PEACE UNIVERSITY (TPU)
September Semester 2004

TPU is the worlds first truly global, on-line Peace University designed for government and NGO practitioners, policy makers and students at any level working in the fields of peace, conflict transformation, development and global issues. Since 1996 300+
on-site skills institutes have been offered for 6,000+ participants around the world, using the TRANSCEND manual "Conflict Transformation By Peaceful Means," published by the United Nations. There will be certificates; for single courses, diplomas for clusters of courses and eventually BA, MA; and PhD degrees.
Participants may combine online and onsite courses.
In the 2004 September Semester TPU will offer the following 13 courses:

1.Peaceful Conflict Transformation, Johan Galtung
2.Nonviolence as Political Tool and Philosophy, Jorgen Johansen
3.Peace Journalism, Jake Lynch and Annabel McGoldrick
4. Peace, Music, Literature and the Arts, Olivier Urbain
5. Deep Culture in Conflict, Johan Galtung and Wilfried Graf
6. Democratization and Development, Paul D. Scott
7. Conflict Prevention, Intervention, Reconciliation and Reconstruction, S.P. Udayakumar
8. Dialogue, Peace and Development, Katrin Kaeufer and Claus Otto Scharmer
9. Peace and Tourism, Lynda-Ann Blanchard and Freya Higgins-Desbiolles
10.Peace Business, Jack Santa Barbara and Sara Horowitz
11 Peace and Macro-history, Sohail Inayatullah
12. Peace Museums, Christophe Bouillet
13. Peace Zones, Christophe Barbey

Starting Date: September 27, 2004
Ending Date: December 17, 2004
Deadline for Registration: September 17, 2004
Cost per one Course: For EU, North American and South-East Asian/Australian participants 300 Euros. For all others 150 Euros.

For more information or to register, please contact the TRANSCEND Peace University Global Center in Cluj, Romania with a staff to handle information, applications, payments, course related questions, and computer problems: tpu@transcend.org
Fax +40-264-420298, Tel +40-724-380551;
web-site: www.transcend.org/tpu


Maxwell School On-line Results-Based Management Course

Fall 2004
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/ngo/rc/ItemDetail.do~1005790~intcmp=00001
Executive Education Programs of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs of Syracuse University announces its first on-line course in Results-Based Management.  Designed for managers of public and non-governmental organizations that deal with the international ...


Second Global Summit YES Mexico 2004
October 4 - 7, 2004

Join YES Mexico 2004, the Youth Employment Summit Campaign's first Milestone Event, bringing together diverse stakeholders which include youth organizations, governments and NGO's as well as leaders in academia. It will be a space for participants to learn from the best practices in the world!  In addition, you will have the opportunity to network, share cultures, and have fun in beautiful and joyful Veracruz, Mexico from October 4-7, 2004.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE:  
There are 300 partial scholarships available for individuals from developing countries and countries in transition, who are characterized by their leadership and commitment to the YES Campaign. These scholarships cover basic shared accommodation, local transportation, meals, and registration waiver. Please note that airfare in not included. You can register for the conference at:
http://www.yesweb.org/mexico/register.html

The deadline for the scholarship is July 15, 2004, so after registering for the event, APPLY ON-LINE: http://www.yesweb.org/mexico/scholarship.html


INTERCONNECTION VOLUNTEER WEBSITE ASSISTANCE FOR NONPROFITS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Virtual Volunteer Website Design Program

Your Organization Can Have Its Own Website

Through InterConnection, nonprofit organizations in developing countries can get websites for little or no cost. How? By using our network of skilled web design volunteers from the world over.

With InterConnection-s Virtual Volunteer Website Design Program you get:
A custom designed website created by one of our talented Virtual Volunteers that suits your organization's needs, design preferences and language. View Examples of Donated Sites | Additional Web Site Services

Website Hosting and Email: Web Site recipients can choose between Shared Hosting and Domain Name Hosting for their website hosting and email needs.

A Virtual Volunteer assigned specifically to your project The volunteer will work with you via e-mail to create your website and respond to your design questions and needs. Visit the Virtual Volunteer Forum to learn more about our volunteers.

A Subscription to IConnect: IConnect is InterConnection's electronic newsletter

The Numerous benefits that come with having a website for your organization.

What You Need To Get Your Website Online

Email Access:
You will need regular access to e-mail during the design process so you can communicate effectively with the Virtual Volunteer assigned to your website.

Web Site Materials:
You must provide materials to your volunteer so he/she can create your website. These materials are primarily text and photos in a digital format.

Use the website planning form to learn what you will need to provide and the appropriate format.

InterConnection Subscription:
All recipients of InterConnection's support and services must be subscribers.
To become a subscriber and receive a website for your non-profit, complete our Subscription Application Form.
Location: Developing countries
Website: www.interconnection.org


2005 International Activist Award

The Gleitsman Foundation is currently accepting nominations for the 2005 International Activist award.  The award is granted to those working to correct social injustice worldwide.  A nomination form with complete information, including the Board of Judges, Board of Advisors and past Honorees, is available on the Gleitsman Foundation Web site. The deadline for nominations is November 5, 2004
Go to: www.gleitsman.org/intForm.html


SYNERGOS INSTITUTE TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR SENIOR FELLOW PROGRAMMES

The Synergos Institute is now taking applications for its Senior Fellows Programme, Class of 2005. The programme brings together some of the top minds in organised philanthropy from around the world. The three-year fellowship is open to individuals with extensive experience in philanthropy and the operation of poverty or development-oriented foundations. Application deadline: 1 October 2004. For more information visit www.synergos.org/02/sfcall.htm. For questions about the programme email seniorfellows@synergos.org
Location: Open to individuals with experience in foundations


Moscow School of human rights Summer Course

Please find information and application from (in Russian) at:
http://www.mshr.ru/ss2004/inf-appl.shtml

Location: Moscow
Deadline: ASAP Aug 2004 cours

---

The "NGOC Gazette" is produced by the AAA NGO Training and Resource Center. It provides information on conferences, seminars, training and grants opportunities worldwide.

---

© NGOC

<<<<<

 

July, 2004

SYNERGOS INSTITUTE TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR SENIOR FELLOW PROGRAMMES

The Synergos Institute is now taking applications for its Senior Fellows Programme, Class of 2005. The programme brings together some of the top minds in organised philanthropy from around the world. The three-year fellowship is open to individuals with extensive experience in philanthropy and the operation of poverty or development-oriented foundations. Application deadline: 1 October 2004. For more information visit www.synergos.org/02/sfcall.htm. For questions about the programme email seniorfellows@synergos.org


Soros Reproductive Health and Rights Fellowships

Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
Closing date: September 20,2004

BACKGROUND:

The Soros Reproductive Health, and Rights Fellowship Program at the Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, invites fellows and activists to engage in collective discussion, research, analysis and publication to advance progressive reproductive and sexual health and women-s rights policies around the world.

The Soros Reproductive Health and Rights Fellowship seeks to:
Bring together U.S. and international scholars and scholar-activists from a broad variety of disciplines to stimulate and enrich each others- thinking and work;
Support research and writing that advances gender equality and the recognition of reproductive rights and women-s rights as fundamental to the advancement of human rights and central to global social and economic progress;
Produce an edited volume and other materials that will serve as intellectual resources for policy makers, activists, academics, and students.

The award will consist of payments not to exceed 50% of the salary of each candidate during the award period (12 months), as well as travel expenses for fellows- meetings in New York City. Awards will be capped at $35,000 per fellow. Fellows will be required to devote sufficient time to the project to enable them to meet all fellowship responsibilities and expectations. We regret that we are unable to provide any additional funds to cover fringe benefits. Any taxes on the award are the sole responsibility of the awardee.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF FELLOWS:

By the end of the award period each fellow will complete and submit an essay (approx. 13,000 words) addressing the current theme that is suitable for inclusion in a book of essays. After the period of funding has ended fellows whose essays are selected must be committed to working through the editorial process as the book production phase of the program proceeds.

Fellows must attend two meetings per year (to be held in New York City) and will present a working paper at the first and an initial draft at the second of these meetings.

Fellows will participate in a virtual seminar designed to broaden their knowledge of the current theme beyond the boundaries of their own disciplines. Each scholar will lead one forum session on the topic of her/his choice, assign readings and stimulate discussion via an online forum. Fellows are required to participate actively in discussion during each virtual seminar.

USE OF AWARD FUNDS:

Fellowship awards are to be used for salary support for the fellow.
Fellows will be required to submit periodic progress reports.

ELIGIBILITY:

We encourage individuals from academia, advocacy groups, policy organizations, government, and research firms to apply for these awards. Applicants from outside of the United States are especially urged to apply as we anticipate that several of the fellowships will be awarded to international applicants. We seek applicants from diverse fields including reproductive health, public health, demography, epidemiology, economics, social sciences, political science, history, medicine, law, human rights, ethics, and philosophy. A strong publishing record is essential.

For more information, please refer to:
www.soros.org/initiatives/repro/focus_areas/reproductive_fellowships.

TO APPLY:

Please see detailed Application Guidelines at:
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/repro/focus_areas/reproductive_fellowships/application

Applications and all supporting documents must be received at Columbia University no later than SEPTEMBER 20, 2004.

All applicants must be available to attend the initial fellows meeting in New York City on March 1-3, 2005 and the second fellows meeting on September 14-16, 2005.

All applications and supporting documents should be sent to:

Soros Reproductive Health and Rights Fellowship
Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health
60 Haven Avenue, B-2
New York, NY 10032

Inquiries: For more information about the program please contact the fellowship office (email preferred) sorospgm@columbia.edu, or call 212/304-6415.


GLOBAL HEALTH COUNCIL ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR GATES AWARD FOR GLOBAL HEALTH

Deadline: October 31, 2004

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation established the $1million Gates Award for Global Health to recognize an organization that has made a major and lasting contribution to the field of global health. The annual  award is administered by the Global Health Council ( http://globalhealth.org/).

Any organization from any country in the world that has substantively improved the health and the lives of people in need may be nominated for the Gates Award; the organization may be a charitable institution, a private company, or a public entity.

Nominations will be considered by a jury consisting of health professionals from developing countries as well as the Global Health Council's Board of Directors.

Organizations cannot nominate themselves. Preference will be given to organizations as a whole, but long standing and organizationally discrete programs within organizations will not be excluded.

Nominees must be organizations that have been in operation for a minimum of ten years. Nongovernmental, charitable, or nonprofit entities; private companies; government agencies; universities; and multilateral organizations are all eligible for consideration. Preference will be given to nongovernmental organizations and nonprofit organizations.

Complete nomination information and selection criteria are available at the Global Health Council Web site.

RFP Link: http://globalhealth.org/view_top.php3?id=237


PARTICIPATORY ORGANISATIONAL EVALUATION TOOL (POET) 

POET is two concepts rolled into one: a tool, and a process. As an organisational capacity assessment tool, civil society organisations (CSO) and their partners use POET to measure and profile organisational capacities and consensus levels in seven critical areas, and assess, over time, the impact of these activities on organisational capacity (benchmarking). As an organisational development process, CSOs and their partners use POET to build capacity by bringing staff together in cross-functional, cross-hierarchical groups for open exchange; to identify divergent viewpoints to foster growth; to create consensus around future organisational capacity development activities; and, to select, implement and track organisational change and development strategies. Based on a methodology called PROSE (Participatory, Results-Oriented Self-Evaluation), POET focuses on the needs of a very specific user population, Southern CSOs and their partners. To download the tool, go to: www.undp.org/csopp/poet.htm


Project Development and Management in the NGO Sector

7 March 2005 - 29 May 2005

This distance learning course will introduce the basic elements of project development and management. Step-by-step processes and techniques will be introduced for the various phases of a project life cycle. The course is intended for staff of non-governmental organizations who have responsibility for designing and carrying out a project, but with relatively little experience. Participants will be assisted in the development of a project plan that could be submitted to senior management or a funding agency.

The course involves approximately 60 hours of reading, on-line working groups, interaction with students and instructor/facilitator and assignments, and is offered over a 12-week period, beginning on 7 March 2005. E-mail will be the main medium for the course, although participants will need to have periodic access to the Web. The course is based on a participatory, active learning approach, with an emphasis on peer-to-peer learning. Participants will do the required readings, prepare interim and final assignments and participate in group discussions.

The main course text is Marion E. Haynes- Project Management: Practical Tools for Success (Crisp Learning, 2002, $13.95) and a resource to be announced. These will need to be obtained by participants prior to the commencement of the course, and are available in on-line bookstores.

The maximum number of course participants is 25. Students who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Participation. It is also possible to audit the course.

Course outline

Weeks 1-2: Introduction

Week 1. Introduction to Projects and Project Management
Week 2. Role of the Project Managert

Weeks 3-6: Project Development

Week3. Defining Project Objectives and Strategies
Week 4. Overview of Planning and Estimating
Week 5. Preparing a Detailed Project Plan
Week 6. Dealing with Risk and Uncertainty

Weeks 7-12: Project Management

Week 7. Identifying and Supporting Team Members
Week 8. Monitoring the Project
Week 9. Communication and Documentation
Week 10. Relations with Stakeholders
Week 11. Project Evaluation
Week 12. Concluding a Project

Course instructor is Felisa Tibbitts, Executive Director of HREA, who has successfully developed and managed projects in the NGO sector for over 20 years.

Level: professional

Location: Internet

Participants: staff members of non-governmental organisations, particularly those working in the human rights and development sector. Candidates should have a good written command of English and have high competence and comfort with computers and Internet use. HREA aims to ensure equal gender and geographical distribution across the selected participants.

Tuition, fee, lodging: The course tuition fee is Euro 575 (tuition for auditors is Euro 200). A limited number of scholarships is available for applications from Africa/Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe/Newly Independent States, Latin America/Caribbean. Deadline of application is 15 December 2004. Additional information and application forms can be obtained at: http://www.hrea.org/courses/6E.html.

Contact Information:
Distance Learning Programme
Human Rights Education Associates (HREA)
P.O. Box 382396
Cambridge, MA
USA
Fax: +1 617 249-0278
E-mail: applications@hrea.org
Web: http://www.hrea.org


CALL FOR PAPERS/PROPOSALS/PARTICIPATION

*Women's World 2005* The Organizing Committee for Women's World 2005 has announced a call for papers for its 9th International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women to be held in Seoul, Korea from 19 to 24 June 2005. The 9th International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women (WW05) is being organized by the Organizing Committee for WW05 in Seoul, Korea. In December 2002, the Korean Association of Women’s Studies (KAWS) reached an agreement with Ewha Womans University to co-host the congress by setting up the Organizing Committee and secretariat at the Asian Center for Women's Studies, Ewha Womans University in Seoul. The goal of the Committee, which aims at ‘addressing gender and development/globalization issues from an Asian perspective’ as the foremost of its initiatives, is to realize gender mainstreaming and peace-building in Korea.
Korea, the first Asian country to host the 9th International Congress, offers a unique environment for exploring the ways in which fast-paced industrialization during the past decades has changed the lives of women and the manner in which women have mobilized development and globalization for their own national feminist causes. The distinct advancement of women’s social and economic status and their quality of life, achieved in the midst of struggling with entrenched patriarchal and paternalistic values and the continuing tragedy of Korea as a divided people, inspired the theme for the WW05 Congress -- “Embracing the Earth: East-West/North-South.” We would like to draw the attention of the international community, especially to the differences in the historical manifestation of patriarchal rule, given the evolution and cultural diversity of the Asian region.

Among the many sub-themes are: globalization, gender identity, gender & ICTs, politics & good governance, and law & human rights. Deadline for submitting proposals is 31 August 2004.

We invite proposals on a broad range of subjects related to Women’s Studies. In keeping with the theme of the Congress, we welcome proposals that address coalition building, collaboration, and connectivity, particularly across borders of race, ethnicity, nationality, class, age, sexual identity, and religion. We also welcome cross-cultural and interdisciplinary proposals from all the fields of the humanities, the natural and social sciences, the creative and performing arts, health, law, social work, education, community development; works of NGOs and activists, and so on.
Proposals may be submitted for individual papers, panels, workshops, round tables, short lectures, posters and presentations of creative works of art, film and writings.
A Panel would comprise three or four individual papers presenting theoretical issues or research data organized around a common theme pertaining to any field in Women’s Studies. The time for each panel will be limited 90 min.
A Workshop is an in-depth presentation designed to share skills, knowledge, and/or expertise in some areas of Women’s Studies or feminist politics.
In a Roundtable, presenters offer ideas and facilitate group discussion on problems of mutual concern, focusing on new ideas and problem solving.
Posters, offering an alternative to presenting a full research paper, will be displayed during the entire conference. A special time will be scheduled to meet and talk to the presenters about their work.
The Artists’ Film and Writers’ Series will offer opportunities to present and receive feedback on an array of creative endeavors, including visual art, films, videos, prose, poetry, and/or non-fiction.
Extras: Congress organizers will provide space for different organizations and interest groups to plan meetings and events that are relevant to the Congress. Those intending to do so should inform the Congress Secretariat before 31 December 2004.

Guideline for Contributors:
Language: The Congress official language will be English. All proposals must be in English.
Proposals: An abstract of individual presentation should be no more than 300 words or less than 500 words depending on the session type.
All proposal descriptions should be attached to the cover sheet. If you are submitting more than one proposal, please make a photocopy of the proposal cover sheet for each proposal.
Pre-arranged panels, workshops, and roundtables are encouraged to include presenters from different countries. Check our Panel Locator to find presenters interested in your topic.
Authors whose abstract are selected will be notified in two months.
Those who submit papers must register to attend the Congress.
Proposals should be submitted online (www.ww05.org), by mail, by fax, or by e-mail (proposal@ww05.org) attaching files with proposal cover sheet. We would appreciate if you use the way of e-mail or online.

Where to Submit:

Proposals may be submitted online, by mail, by fax, or by e-mail.
Online: www.ww05.org
By mail:
The Organizing Committee for WW05
Asian Center for Women's Studies, Ewha Womans University
#11-1, Daehyun-dong, Seodaemun-gu
Seoul, Korea
By e-mail: proposal@ww05.org
By fax: (82) 2-3277-2577


Children and Peace building - Experiences and Perspectives

This World Vision International publication includes several case studies of experiences of peace education in Montenegro, children and adults in Africa,
the role of children in peace building in the Philippines and Indonesia, and youth involvement in indigenous communities in Australia. Download a PDF
version at: www.wvi.org/wvi/publications/publications.htm


$100,000 International Activist Award

Deadline for submission of Nominees:  November 5, 2004

Nomination Form and Additional Information: http://www.gleitsman.org/intForm.html

Background information is as follows:

The Gleitsman Foundation was established in 1989 with the goal of inspiring greater grass-roots activism by recognizing the exceptional achievements of people who have initiated social change. We are seeking those individuals whose energy and courage have inspired others to join with them in confronting and challenging the injustices that face us in our daily lives.

The Nomination Form with complete information including the type of nominees we are seeking, the Board of Judges, the Board of Advisors and past Honorees is attached as an html file (activistaward.html) to this message.

Additional information about The Gleitsman Foundation can be found at http://www.gleitsman.org.


Call for nominations: 2005 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize 

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation invites nominations for the 2005 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize.  It is seeking an organisation that has made extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering anywhere in the world. The $1 million (U.S.) prize, the world-s largest humanitarian award, is presented annually to an established nonprofit, charitable or non-governmental organisation.  The prize is not a grant, based on future goals, but an award for recent and historic accomplishments.  An independent international panel of jurors makes the final selection.  The 2005 prize will be announced in the fall of 2005. Nomination packets are available now on the Hilton Foundation website, www.hiltonfoundation.org. The nomination period starts on 1 August, 2004 and nominations must be received or postmarked by 1 November, 2004


WSIS Gender Caucus Research Program: Engendering ICT Policy

To be considered for the first round of research grants, interested parties should submit their proposal to research@genderwsis.org by August 15, 2004. It is anticipated that the first grants will be made by the end of September 2004.

The WSIS Gender Caucus is launching a program of small grants to support innovative research on gender and information communications technologies, during 2004-05. It is anticipated that there will be two rounds of calls for proposals and that the supported research will be completed in time to be presented on Gender Caucus panels at the second World Summit on the Information Society, slated for Tunis, Tunisia in November 2005.

The overall objective of the research program is to enlarge the knowledge base for gender-sensitive policy on information communications technologies. Projects, which can be related to activities anywhere in the world, are expected to fall into one of the following three general areas:

1.  Documentation, analysis and evaluation of efforts to mainstream gender into ICT policy. This could include a critique of existing initiatives or the documentation of best practices, including the implementation of gender-sensitive ICT policy.

2.  Applications and content. This could include case studies of cultural, social and technical perspectives on ICT policy or political economy-based studies of applications in education, health, e-governance, e-commerce, etc.

3.  Theories and methodologies. This could include the development of conceptual frameworks and methodologies for better understanding and analyzing the relationship between ICTs and gender.

In each of the two rounds, 20 research grants will be made, each to a maximum of US$1000. This total is expected to cover all associated research costs and recipients would be expected to plan their projects accordingly. One half of the grants will be used to support young scholars (female or male) who are currently registered in a higher degree program (master's or doctoral level). The remaining grants are intended to support university and research center based scholars. Projects that involve collaboration beyond national borders will be considered for slightly higher grants (to a maximum of US$2500).

Successful applicants will receive one half of their grant at the beginning of the project and the remainder when the final report has been received. There will be no exceptions.

Proposals must be submitted by e-mail and must meet the following requirements:

clear statement of the problem
objectives of the research
methodology
method of data analysis
time line
preliminary bibliography

Proposals should be a maximum of five pages. Proposals longer than five pages will automatically be rejected.

An international panel of experts will select the winning proposals and their decisions will be final. In addition to the criteria listed above, the panel will give consideration to regional balance.


Sex Worker Harm Reduction Initiative
Policy and Advocacy Funding Application

Dear Colleague:

Beginning in late 2000, the International Harm Reduction Development (IHRD) program began funding sex worker harm reduction projects in eleven countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.  This IHRD funding initiative was established in recognition of the vulnerability of sex workers to the potential harms related to drug use and HIV.  From 2000 to 2004, IHRD succeeded in supporting many organizations to initiate and pilot new service projects that linked, for the first time, harm reduction services to the needs of sex workers.  Many of the funded projects have succeeded in delivering excellent services, engaging local stakeholders, integrating sex worker targeted services into broader organizational activities, attracting new funding from other sources and involving sex workers in the development and implementation of services.

However, during the following four years, projects funded by IHRD reported that many sex workers, particularly those injecting drugs, working on the street, and working alone, continue to face significant risks related to:
health, including risk of HIV and sexually-transmitted infections, violence from clients, other sexual partners, pimps, police and militia, discrimination, including refusal of services from health and social care institutions and public services, and poverty and homelessness.

Furthermore, projects have recommended that IHRD support policy and advocacy efforts, such as:
documentation of sex work population risks in terms of health, violence, discrimination and poverty, and development of policy analyses and recommendations to reduce these risks,
education and training of sex workers, health providers, police and militia, government officials, media, and community members about current and potential policy changes to reduce stigma and discrimination and to create a more welcoming environment for sex worker policy initiatives,
changes in policy and practice through legislation, litigation, and other legal means, to ensure that the civil and human rights of sex workers are respected and upheld,
mobilizing alliances of communities and organizations, especially those alliances involving vulnerable populations of sex workers, drug users, and people living with HIV/AIDS, so that these populations will be empowered to advocate for their needs as a cohesive group.  

Based on these recommendations, IHRD is now inviting applications for funding for policy and advocacy activities to advance harm reduction efforts for sex workers.  The goal of this new funding initiative will be to change environments affecting the health and rights of sex workers. 

All organizations are invited to apply to IHRD for funding, including sex worker advocacy groups, human rights organizations, legal service providers, harm reduction providers and others.  Funding can be used for a 12-month project or for a one-time activity or outcome.  IHRD welcomes proposals for innovative projects and activities.  From this application process, IHRD hopes to fund approximately ten projects in late 2004.  All funded projects will be eligible for on-going training and technical assistance.  Applications are due by Friday, September 10, 2004.  Please contact us at efinnerty@sorosny.org if you have any questions.


International ReSource Award for Sustainable Watershed Management

For the thoughtful implementation of water-related projects...

This award aims to support the planning, evaluation and implementation of water-related projects with the aim of promoting sustainability and "encouraging the efficient use of this precious resource".

The ReSource Award is conferred annually and is worth USD 100,000 in total and is granted to one or several projects selected by an international jury. The prize money is to be used exclusively for project implementation. The deadline for submission is August 31, 2004.

NGOs, private, scientific or public institutions and similar bodies are invited to participate in the tender for the International ReSource Award for Sustainable Watershed Management. Projects submitted by more than one institution (eg public-private partnerships) are also eligible for the award. Bodies with strong links to local communities in regions where water sources are located are particularly encouraged to take part. However, participants may not submit more than one project each year. In order to qualify, they are asked to provide a proven track record in sustainability and project planning and/or management in the specific field of water and source management.

The main prize in the 2003 award was given to a land-reform project in Vietnam; the 2002 award went to a project proposing a financing mechanism to preserve fragile water resources in Guatemala.

Contact Information:
ReSource Award
Corporate Sponsoring
Swiss Reinsurance Company
Mythenquai 50/60
CH-8022 Zurich, Switzerland
Tel: +41 43 285 2121
Fax: +41 43 285 2999
E-mail: resource_award@swissre.com
Website: http://www.swissre.com/resource


Participatory Learning and Action for Community Development (PLA-CD) for Agricultural Systems Development (ASD)

April/May 2005: date to be determined

Start Date: April 01, 2005

Location: Laguna, Philippines

Event Details: Organised by the Agricultural Systems Cluster, the focus of this 10-day training can be modified to suit specific needs of the requesting organisation. The primary topics of discussion will include: 1) Development Concepts (Agricultural Systems, Community Development, Participatory Learning, Community Action and Changing Role of Development Facilitators); 2) PLA-PRA (Participatory Learning and Action-Participatory Rural/Rapid Appraisal) Concepts: Participation, Effective Participatory Communication, Evolution and Key Principles and Advantages and Limitations; 3) PLA-PRA Method: Tools, Techniques and Ethics; 4) Organising PLA-PRA; 5) Formulation of Community-based Action Plans.

The course will be organised in the following way:
Four days theoretical course
Three days field work and community validation
Three days information processing and report writing
This course is designed for development workers at the regional, provincial and municipal levels, extension and research staff from government units, non-government organisations and people’s organisations. It is suggested that a multi-disciplinary team from a unit should participate.

For more information, contact Dr. Edna Luisa A. Matienzo or Ms. Myrna A. Tenorio (see below).

Registration Details:
Training fee: USD $1,300/participant including accommodation, food, training materials and local travel costs.

The specific dates of the course have yet to be determined. Contact the organisers for more information (see below).

Contact Information:
Dr. Edna Luisa A. Matienzo
Agricultural Systems Cluster
College of Agriculture
University of the Philippines
College, Laguna 4031, Philippines
eam101_1@hotmail.com

Ms. Myrna A. Tenorio
Agricultural Systems Cluster
College of Agriculture
University of the Philippines
College, Laguna 4031, Philippines
almira13_13@hotmail.com


Lessons Learned from Rights Based Approaches to Health (Apr 14-16 2005)

Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Event Details: Organised by the Institute of Human Rights of Emory University, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), CARE USA, the Carter Center human rights office, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Doctors for Global Health, this conference intends to explore evidence-based relationships between health and human rights. Featured speakers include former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health Paul Hunt, along with other leaders in the fields of health and human rights.

The conference will aim to focus on examples of successful and promising rights-based health programming, research, and advocacy. The conference plenary, panel and roundtable sessions will emphasise linkages between human rights theory and health practice.

Specific conference goals include:
Sharing evidence-based models of rights based approaches to health, with a special emphasis on case studies and field examples;
Building awareness on and capacity for rights based approaches to health programming;
Facilitating networking and collaborating opportunities among professionals;
Advancing rights based health agendas from basic awareness to evidence-based practice.
The primary audience for the conference will include public health and development professionals who have, at minimum, a basic understanding of relationships between health and human rights. The conference proceedings are designed for middle- and senior- level programme managers, as well as community level practitioners, from the public, non-governmental and private sectors.

Contact Information:
Dabney Evans, MPH, CHES
Rollins School of Public Health
1525 Clifton Road, Office 108
Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
Tel: 404.727.3061
Fax: 404.727.8768
E-mail: Dabney.Evans@emory.edu
Website: http://humanrights.emory.edu/

---

The "NGOC Gazette" is produced by the AAA NGO Training and Resource Center. It provides information on conferences, seminars, training and grants opportunities worldwide.

---

© NGOC

<<<<<

 

August, 2004

First International Conference Community, Work and Family: Change and Transformation 16-18th March 2005 The Weston Building, Manchester Conference Centre, Sackville Street, Manchester The links between community, work and family have generated widespread interdisciplinary and global interest and now constitute an important area of study in the social sciences, with major implications for a range of professionals and policy makers. This international conference is organised by the editorial team of the journal Community, Work and Family at Manchester Metropolitan University together with the international editorial board. The conference will provide a forum for social scientists and practitioners to share research, experiences and ideas and to stimulate debate on current issues and controversies relating to community, work and family and their interface. Given the pervasiveness and speed of change and experiences of shifting boundaries in communities, workplaces and families, there will be a particular focus on ongoing and future change and transformations, from multiple perspectives. Conference Themes Submissions are encouraged on change and transformation taking place in the interlinked domains of: community and work; work and family; and family and community. Themes have been selected to reflect the diverse debates and perspectives emerging in the journal Community, Work and Family, including but not limited to the following; Care: The relationship between care and the rest of life in the context of globalisation and social change; Gender, care and well-being; Care, home and place; Care in diverse contexts; Perspectives of careers and the cared for; Social policy and care; Care and professional practice; The integration of paid work and personal life: Globalisation and the integration of paid work and family / personal life in diverse populations; Shifting boundaries between paid work, family and other areas of life; Work-personal life integration, gender equity and well being; Integration of paid work and family and life course transitions; Work-personal life integration and social policy; Organisational change: Organisational well being, effectiveness and sustainability in times of change and transition; Work personal life integration, innovation and learning organisations; Organisational change and gender equity; The impact of changing working conditions on communities and families; Strategy and processes of workplace transformation; "Work-life balance" initiatives; Work and organisational values in relation to families and/or communities; Flexibility; Community participation: Community and neighbourhood initiatives on work and/or families; Community participation, gender and well being; Community strategies for reducing inequities and social exclusion; Participation in rural, urban and virtual communities; Diversity, inclusion and marginalisation: Diverse communities; Diverse workplaces; Diversity in families; Perspectives of people marginalized by or excluded from communities, workplaces and/or families; Strategy and processes for social inclusion; Professional practice, and policy: Implications of transformations in communities, workplaces and families for policy and practice to improve people's lives; Social policy and organisational and family practices; Supporting diverse families and communities through times of social change; Well-being: Positive well being in communities, workplaces and families; Well being in the context of social changes at global, national, institutional and local levels; Strategies for empowerment and positive well being Important dates: Abstract submissions - 30th September 2004 Notification of acceptance- 12th October 2004 Early registration by 1st December 2004 Last day of registration for abstracts to be included in the Book of Abstracts - 30th January 2005 Submission of full papers for publication in the Proceedings, by the first day of the conference. SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS All abstracts other than those for symposia (see below) should be submitted in the following format: Title of paper or poster Full name of author(s) with and * besides the presenting author(s) Affiliation of authors Address of authors including phone, fax and email address Main theme or themes addressed Preferred type of presentation (oral, poster, roundtable or other forms of presentation, other than symposia, see below)) Abstract. 250- 500 words single spaced with one inch (2.5cm) margins on all sides Symposium presentations Cover page: Title of symposium (centred and bold) Name of symposium chair(s) or organiser(s) Affiliation of symposium chair(s) or organiser(s) Full contact details of symposium chair(s) or organiser(s) Main theme or themes addressed Abstract: 150 words on the objectives of the symposium . This should be single spaced with one inch (2.5cm) margins Papers in the symposium (normally up to 4, each on a separate page) Abstracts should be sent by email to J.acott@mmu.ac.uk by 30th September 2004. These will be peer reviewed. Conference website: http://www.did.stu.mmu.ac.uk/cwf/index.shtml Social Edge Social Edge is the provocative online community for social entrepreneurs, philanthropists, nonprofit professionals, and other members of the social sector to network, learn, debate, inspire, and share expertise and resources. The site is an open platform for virtual discussion and debate, owned and shaped by its members. We want to foster frank dialogue, mutual respect and a sense of community among all in the sector. With your participation, we can share issues, points of view, information, practices and ideas. It is our hope that these discussions will educate and inspire us to advance and empower the social sector. Please join us to share your talent, knowledge and views by visiting, registering and posting your thoughts on Social Edge. Website: http://skoll.socialedge.org/ Global Health Watch Call for case studies and testimonies URL: http://www.ghwatch.org/english/casestudies/call.html   Description: Participate in the first Global Health Watch, by submitting case studies. We are calling activists, health workers and academics from around the world to submit case studies and testimonies to supplement the first edition of the report. See link for how. The Global Health Watch is a non-government initiative aimed at supporting civil society to more effectively campaign and lobby for -health for all- and equitable access to health care. This is not a matter of finding a technical or economic prescription, but is one that requires political mobilisation to shift resources and attention towards the needs of the poor, and to reform the very political and social institutions that have generated the state of ill health today. But Watch aims to do more than just produce another document - it also aims to provide a voice for health workers and the academic and non-government community from as many countries as possible. For more information on the Global Health Watch see www.ghwatch.org  YOUTHACTIONNET TO HELP FUND YOUTH-LED SOCIAL CHANGE PROJECTS   Deadline: October 1, 2004 YouthActionNet ( http://www.youthactionnet.org/ ) is  offering awards to youth leaders and their emerging projects that promote social change and connect youth with local communities. These youth-led projects should have clearly defined goals and have potential for growth or further replication. Final selections are made following a peer review process in which previous award winners select the next round of awardees. Award recipients will receive $500 and are eligible to participate in an international capacity- building workshop. The grant program is open to all young people aged 18 to 29. Individuals applying must have a leadership role in a youth-led initiative that works to create positive change in their community. Applications must be written in English.   Ten winners will be selected in this round of funding.   See the YouthActionNet Web site for complete program information, the application, and details on past winners and their projects.   RFP Link: http://www.youthactionnet.org/yan_awards DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE FOR THE XXI CENTURY: CHALLENGES AND RESPONSES IN CEE COUNTRIES NISPAcee - 13th Annual Conference May 19-21, 2005. Moscow, Russia Application deadline: October 15, 2004 NISPAcee is pleased to invite all member institutions, associate and individual members, as well as others interested in the topics of public administration and public policy in Central and Eastern Europe to participate and take part in discussions of the issues of democratic governance at the 13th annual NISPAcee conference. Papers are invited on the following themes: National, regional and local governments are struggling to secure the necessary revenues to meet the growing demands for public services. It is increasingly more difficult for governments to meet the expectations for traditional public services and also be a player in a market economy. The development of national, regional and local systems of public administration has to accommodate the appropriate roles for politicians and public servants. What type of relationship do we have? What type of relationship do we want here? Public administrators and researchers need to address such ethics topics as corruption, public servant integrity, personal political beliefs and discharge of public functions. With different diverse social and ethnic groups voicing their concerns and claiming their rights, what should the appropriate governmental response be? Will bureaucratic representation help to alleviate some of the tensions? Ethnic tensions and conflicts are still a reality in some parts of the region. What are the best ways to address these issues? Are public managers well equipped to deal with them? The demands to, requirements for and expectations of a public servant have changed. What should a model public employee look like? What skills and knowledge should he/she possess? How much civil service protection do we want to provide? What is the role of training institutions in civil service reforms? Globalization brings the opportunity to introduce modern management, change the way in which government works through the use of modern technology, and the utilization of more effective and efficient governing models. It also brings new problems. With so much discretion in a public manager s hands, how would he/she handle the dilemma of national, public and local interests? The discussion of these topics will help the academic community and practitioners alike to advance public administration theory and practice, and take one more step towards a more democratic and prosperous society through the sharing of ideas and evaluating reforms. Panel Sessions and Forums: Several panel sessions and forums are planned to be included in the conference programme. The overall objective is the presentation of different projects and relevant activities as well as to enable and facilitate the exchange of views, experiences and good practices among the countries. The proposals with the identified topic and the presentations are welcome and will be considered by the Conference Steering Committee. More information Website: www.nispa.sk WORLD SOCIAL FORUM 2005 (WSF 2005) The WSF is an open meeting place where social movements, networks, NGOs and other civil society organisations opposed to neo-liberalism and a world dominated by capital or by any form of imperialism come together to pursue their thinking, to debate ideas democratically, to formulate proposals, share their experiences freely and network for effective action. This site contains detailed information, including the organisational thematic consultation database, on how to take part in the forthcoming WSF 2005 to be held in Porto Alegre, Brazil in January 2005. It also has an agenda of global and regional events and mobilisation section, which links to the Forum and social movement's world-wide struggles. A new addition to the site is the Library of Alternatives which features articles, speeches, documents and other papers about the World Social Forum written by internationally-known social justice activists and thinkers. A WSF Memorial section from past fora houses all documents, photographs, proposals, synthesis and final declarations from activities proposed by organisations which have participated at the WSF from 2001 to 2003. Language: English, Portuguese, French and Spanish Mailing address: Rua General Jardim, 660 8¦ andar, sala 81 Cep 01223-010 SЦo Paulo, Brazil Tel: (55-11) 3258-8914 Fax: (55-11) 3258-8469 E-mail: fsminfo@forumsocialmundial.org.br Website: http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/home.asp Regional Programme on Human Rights 2005 Part 1, February 21 - March 18, Lund, Sweden Part 2, September 19 - 23, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law will organise a two part training programme on Human Rights in Lund, Sweden and Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro. The training programme will among other topics include an overview of the international system for the promotion and protection of human rights, implementation and monitoring of human rights, and the role of international and regional organisations in the promotion and protection of human rights. Special reference will be made to the situation in the Balkans and the CIS. The didactic approach in the training programme is interdisciplinary and involves aspects of law and social sciences. The programme is designed for mid-career and senior civil servants (e.g. in government, the judiciary and central police and prison authorities) as well as lecturers at universities and institutes and representatives of non-governmental organisations. Please note that the programme is conducted in two separate phases. Applicants accepted for the programme undertakes to complete both phases. For more detailed information please see the information brochure attached to this message. The programme is financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Individuals from the following countries are invited to apply for the programme: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia and Montenegro, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Information brochures and application forms for the programme have been sent to different institutions, governmental as well as non-governmental, working with the pertinent issues in the mentioned countries. In addition, we would be very grateful for assistance from organisations working in close cooperation and supporting civil society in the concerned countries in promoting the programme. We would in this respect appreciate if it would be possible for you to advertise the programme in your country through the available channels. We would also appreciate recommendations and nominations of suitable candidates for the programme from you. For this reason, please find attached information brochure and application form for the programme. Information is also available on the homepage of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (www.rwi.lu.se), where application forms can be downloaded as well. The programme is organised and conducted entirely in English and consequently a high proficiency of the English language is required of applicants. Costs for international travels, accommodation and training materials in connection with the programme are borne by Sida. In addition, participants are given a subsistence allowance to cover daily expenses. The Raoul Wallenberg Institute administers the training itself and all practical matters in connection with the programme. Please note that the closing date for applications is 1 November 2004. Location: Sweden, SEE Europe (Open to Applicants from Select Countries) Deadline: Nov 1, 2004 Website: www.rwi.lu.se Call for Applications Program through Partnership Pilot Mobility Program For Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia Arts and Culture Network Program Open Society Institute Budapest Aims The arts and culture network program aims to promote collaborative artistic and/or cultural efforts/initiatives, involving at least three of the above-mentioned target countries. The ‘program through partnership’ offers support to individuals and organisations in order to foster cross-border partnership and cooperation and to contribute to intercultural dialogue and understanding. The program seeks innovative ideas, projects and partnerships, which further free expression, exchanges, and dialogues. The arts and culture network program has devised its ‘program through partnership’ because productive and fruitful collaborations across borders generally limit problems in communication. Guidelines The Arts and Culture Network Program welcomes applications for artistically and/or culturally oriented initiatives, which involve the mobility of artists and cultural operators in between at least three of the target countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia. However, partners from Iran and Afghanistan are also welcome to be involved in the proposed initiatives, and they will receive the same consideration as the above-mentioned target countries. Within the framework of the ‘Program through Partnership’ the Arts and Culture Network Program intends to cover the mobility features of the proposed initiatives, including travel and accommodation expenses and a modest per diem. The Program does not support travel within a single country. The Arts and Culture Program encourages applications primarily from individuals or grassroots organisations, but also from the public sector if they are innovative and interdisciplinary. The initiatives should be creative and complex, pointing beyond simple presentations, gatherings and exchanges. The Program centres on projects, which contribute to development of civil society, creation of open societies, and promotion of peaceful coexistence, and not necessarily on proposals, which emphasise art for art’s sake or culture for culture’s sake. The ‘Program through Partnership’ encourages applications from any artistic medium or cultural sector, as its focus is not on the particular artistic form but on the underlying message, the means of transmission, and the target audience. The Arts and Culture Network Program favours projects, which contribute to long-term partnership, and which are not centred exclusively on one specific event. Projects should carry the potential for continued development, and the applications should specify the ramifications of their proposals. The Arts and Culture Network Program gives priority to long-term initiatives with clear goals and a realistic potential to contribute to development. The ‘Program through Partnership’ shall support initiatives aimed at empowering disadvantaged and marginalized social groups; promoting the values of multiculturalism and cultural diversity; making information and resources more accessible and available both to professionals and the public; and implementing educational approaches to increase public awareness and participation in order to strengthen the foundations of cooperative action. Eligibility The competition is open to individuals as well as organisations from the target countries. Former grantees of the Arts and Culture Network Program may also apply. Projects should be implemented in 2004 and/or 2005. The maximum amount of requested funding is limited to 10.000 USD. Applications should be written preferably in English but Russian applications will also be accepted if sent along with a one page English summary. Please send the applications via e-mail to the national Arts and Culture Coordinator, where available. In the absence of a national Arts and Culture Coordinator, such as in the case of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, applications should be sent directly to the Arts and Culture Network Program Office in Budapest to Andrea Csanadi at acsanadi@osi.hu. Please use our application template in describing your project. The deadline for application is the 22nd of October 2004 (Friday). NOTE: The applications will be reviewed and evaluated on the national level as well as by the Arts and Culture Sub-Board. The results of the competition will be announced between the 15th and the 19th of November 2004. All applicants will be notified individually. ATTENTION: In case an initiative is planned to begin earlier than the results are announced, we are ready to consider them for funding earlier. However, in such a case please submit your application along with a message requesting the emergency consideration of your proposal. The deadline for application is the 22nd of October 2004 (Friday). Applications should be sent by e-mail to Aram Mkrtchyan, Arts and Culture Coordinator of the OSI Assistance Foundation Armenia Office: aram@osi.am. The application form and more detailed information are available at: http://www.osi.am. Address: 1 Pushkin St., #2; Yerevan Tel.: 54 17 19; 54 21 19; 54 39 01 The "NGOC Gazette" is produced by the AAA NGO Training and Resource Center. It provides information on conferences, seminars, training and grants opportunities worldwide. Your feedback about this publication is appreciated. We would greatly appreciate if you informed us about your making use of the opportunities provided in the "NGOC Gazette". Thank you.

 

---

© NGOC

<<<<<

 

 

September, 2004

ARTSLINK RESIDENCIES - ARTISTS & ARTS MANAGERS FROM CENTRAL EUROPE, RUSSIA & EURASIA

Application deadline: November 5, 2004

Program description
The ArtsLink Residencies program offers artists and arts managers a five-week residency at an established, non-profit arts organization in the U.S. For the 2005 Residencies Program, ArtsLink will accept applications from artists and arts managers working in dance, music, theater and literature.

ArtsLink Residencies provide opportunities to:
- Pursue artistic and/or professional collaborations that will enrich and enhance your work
- Establish mutually beneficial exchange of ideas and expertise with U.S. artists and organizations and with colleagues from Central Europe, Russia and Eurasia during ArtsLink Fellow meetings
- Deepen your understanding of a particular artistic expression that is related to your own work
- Create new work that draws inspiration from interaction with artists and arts professionals in the U.S.
- Expand professional arts management skills through work with U.S. organizations.

Eligibility
ArtsLink Residencies will accept applications from contemporary and traditional creative artists working in dance, music, theater and literature and from arts managers at independent, non-profit, and government organizations working in these artistic disciplines. Applicants must be citizens of, and reside in, an eligible country (see below). There are no age limitations.

Applicants must have sufficient knowledge of English to function independently while in the U.S.

Eligible countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, acedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

More information
Website: www.cecip.org 


INVITATION AND CALL FOR PAPERS The 9th International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women (WW05)

Women's Worlds 2005:

Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea

The 9th International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women (WW05) will be held in Seoul, Korea, June 19 to 24, 2005 at Ewha Womans University. The Congress theme is: "Embracing the Earth: East-West/North-South." Under this theme we hope to provoke discussion on how women's lives are interwoven, as well as kept separate, by the increasing economic disparity between the North and the South and the contesting values of the East and the West.

There are 20 sub-themes including:

Media

Conflict

Welfare

Human Right

Good Governance

Women's Studies

Sports

New Paradigms for Alternative World

East-West/North-South

Global Agenda in Asia

We welcome cross-cultural and interdisciplinary proposals from all fields, for it is our intention to have a combination of scholarly texts, as well as popular synopses of diverse works, by activists, advocates, and development practitioners in the field of women and gender. NGOs and activists, UN agencies, the media and foundations are invited to join in a dialogue with women's studies scholars in the humanities, the natural and social sciences, the creative and performing arts, health, law, social work, education, community development and other interdisciplinary studies.

Submitting your proposal:

Online: Submission form is available at www.ww05.org

By Mail: ConvEx Korea, B-201, Champs-иlysИes Center, 889-5,
Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-712, Korea

By E-mail: proposal@ww05.org

By Fax: 82-2-557-7708

Deadline: December 31, 2004.

Guideline for Contributors
  - English is the Congress official language. All proposals must be in English.
  - Accepted abstract/description will be published both in the hard-copied and electric (CD) proceedings.
  - How to write
  - The authors should download the proposal submission form on the Congress
website: www.ww05.org
  - How to submit
  - Proposals should be submitted online, by e-mail mail or fax. We recommend e-mail or online.
  - Pre-arranged Panel, Workshop, and Roundtable are encouraged to include presenters from different countries. Check our Panel Locator to find presenters interested in your topic.
Submission Deadline: December 31,2004


Regional Programme on Human Rights 2005

Part 1, February 21 - March 18, Lund, Sweden
Part 2, September 19 - 23, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law will organise a two part training programme on Human Rights in Lund, Sweden and Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro. The training programme will among other topics include an overview of the international system for the promotion and protection of human rights, implementation and monitoring of human rights, and the role of international and regional organisations in the promotion and protection of human rights. Special reference will be made to the situation in the Balkans and the CIS. The didactic approach in the training programme is interdisciplinary and involves aspects of law and social sciences. The programme is designed for mid-career and senior civil servants (e.g. in government, the judiciary and central police and prison authorities) as well as lecturers at universities and institutes and representatives of non-governmental organisations. Please note that the programme is conducted in two separate phases. Applicants accepted for the programme undertakes to complete both phases. For more detailed information please see the information brochure attached to this message. The programme is financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Individuals from the following countries are invited to apply for the programme: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia and Montenegro, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

Information brochures and application forms for the programme have been sent to different institutions, governmental as well as non-governmental, working with the pertinent issues in the mentioned countries. In addition, we would be very grateful for assistance from organisations working in close cooperation and supporting civil society in the concerned countries in promoting the programme. We would in this respect appreciate if it would be possible for you to advertise the programme in your country through the available channels. We would also appreciate recommendations and nominations of suitable candidates for the programme from you. For this reason, please find attached information brochure and application form for the programme.
Information is also available on the homepage of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (www.rwi.lu.se), where application forms can be downloaded as well.

The programme is organised and conducted entirely in English and consequently a high proficiency of the English language is required of applicants. Costs for international travels, accommodation and training materials in connection with the programme are borne by Sida. In addition, participants are given a subsistence allowance to cover daily expenses. The Raoul Wallenberg Institute administers the training itself and all practical matters in connection with the programme. Please note
that the closing date for applications is 1 November 2004.

Location: Sweden, SEE Europe (Open to Applicants from Select Countries)
Deadline: Nov 1, 2004
Website: www.rwi.lu.se


International Conference on Environment

Venue:
The Hope 2005 International Conference on Environment will be convened on the 3rd to 5th November 2005, at The Taj President Hotel, Mumbai, India.
Phone : 0091-22-23453253
Fax : 0091-22-23421416
Mobile : (0091-98218 84813)
Email : Hope 2005 Secretariat

The International Conference on Environment will have Scientific Sessions on the following topics :
- Effects of Globalization on Natural Resources
- International and Domestic Financing Strategies for the Environment
- Green competitiveness as a business strategy
- Role of the Corporate Sector
- Role of Environment NGOs
- Management and Treatment of Solid, Liquid and Gaseous Wastes
- Environmental Legislation and Policy / Policies for Hazardous Chemicals
- Ecological Engineering - Ecosystem Management, Protection and Restoration
- Practical tools to monitor environmental performance
- Deposit Free Industry
- Environmental Management in the supply chain
- Flow-Cost Accounting: Environmental and Economical Analyzing of Material Recycling Loops in Industry
- Environmental Quality Control
- Industrial/Occupational Hygiene
- Environmental Geo-technology
- Waste Recovery/Minimization Processes
- Energy Conservation/Overexploitation of Natural Resources/ Over-dependence on non-renewable sources of energy
- Nuclear Energy Options/ Alternative Fuels
- Development of Sustainability Indicators
- ISO 14000/14001 Management
- Atmospheric Pollution and Control / Public Transport
- Commercial Environmental Research
- Field Techniques, Bacteriological Tracking, and Site Investigation
- Environmental Impact Assessment and Risk Analysis
- Organics Analysis
- Whole Effluent Toxicity and Microbiological Methods
- Water Resources Engineering and Management
- Global warming and pollution/ Global Environmental/Climatic Changes
- Threats to biodiversity
- Natural Conservation projects
- Natural Treatment Systems
- Targeted Environment Protection and Restoration
- Environmental Awareness Education.

Registration:
Kindly submit the completed Registration form to:
The Hope 2005 Secretariat,
at DAIRRC Headquarters,
H-1, Sitaram Building, Palton Road,
Mumbai 400001, India.

Payments and Cancellations:
Payments should be made in United States Dollars.

Registration Fees:
- Registration fees paid till 31 Jan 2005 = US$ 380.00
- Registration fees paid from 1 Feb 2005 till 30 June 2005 = US$ 480.00
- Registration fees paid after after 1 July 2005 = US$ 600.00

The registration fee includes:
- free access to all sessions of the Conference.
- the Conference material (programme of the conference, book of abstracts, and other material/documents)
- two daily coffee breaks
- lunch will be provided to all delegates at the conference

Abstracts:
PERSONS INTENDING TO MAKE A PRESENTATION AT THE CONFERENCE, MAY KINDLY PROVIDE THE NECESSARY INFORMATION IN THE ABSTRACT FORM
The last date for the submission of abstracts is 31st July 2005.

You are requested to kindly study the rules for submission of abstracts, before completing the form. Please note that acceptance of abstracts will be done only after receipt of registration fees. The acceptance of papers will be communicated to the authors within a month of submission.

Exhibition:
Exhibition space will be available on a rental basis. Interested organizations and enterprises should contact the Hope 2005 Secretariat for further details.

Conference Language:
The official language of the Hope 2005 International conference is English.

Visa requirements:
Entry visas to India are required for all foreign nationals. Nationality, Passport number and expiry date must be communicated in the appropriate section of the registration form, for submission to the Reserve Bank of India. Visa details may emailed to us at a later date.

Disclaimer:
The Hope 2005 Managing Committee reserves the right to make any changes in the programme as published.

Important Dates:
Deadline for early registration: 31st January 2005
Deadline for normal registration: 30th June 2005
Deadline for submission of abstracts: 31st July 2005.
Conference website: http://internationalconference2005.com/hope2005/india/environment/environment.html


OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICE
REFORM INITIATIVE

Nador utca 11, 1051 Budapest, Hungary
Tel: (+44 7947) 058875, Fax: (36 1) 327-3105,
http://lgi.osi.hu/experts

This is a free service of OSI-Budapest, Local Government Initiative (LGI). LGI's mission is to support public policy development in countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. We have built an online database of English and Russian speaking experts in public administration, public sector and public policy reform in
transition countries.

The database is designed to promote the participation of Central and Eastern European experts in internationally funded technical assistance projects and to support organizations both within and outside the region in finding the best possible regional experts for their projects. Our service is free of charge. We provide direct contact information of experts and services for companies searching for partners. By using LGI's expert database you can save time and resources in finding experts for your projects.

What can you find in the Database? It contains a very broad range of highly qualified experts, classified in the following fields:
- Administrative and legal reform
- Democracy and governance
- Economic and finance policy
- Environmental management and conservation
- Ethnic conflicts, minorities
- Health care and social services
- Infrastructure, public utilities
- Privatisation, SME development
- Public education, public finances, financial management
- Public sector management and organizational development
- Urban, regional and rural development

The database is very easy to use - you search directly or we search for you. You can visit us on http://lgi.osi.hu/experts and email your requirements to database@osi.hu. We will provide you with full CVs of the best experts from the region.

Experts who want to be entered in our register must have a minimum of five years experience in their profession and should complete the Curriculum Vitae electronically through our website: http://lgi.osi.hu/experts

We would also be grateful if you could forward this letter to your partners who might be interested in the LGI expert database. It is not necessary to respond to this letter. We are looking forward to seeing you in the LGI expert database or to helping you with consultants' CVs.


TRANSCEND Training Programme: Peacebuilding, Conflict Transformation & Post-War Rebuilding, Reconciliation and Resolution (PCTR)

Cluj-Napoca, Romania, November 21 v 26, 2004
(for more information or to apply please visit www.transcend.org) 

A Five-Days International Training Programme for Practitioners, Policy Makers, International and National Agency Staff and NGOs working in peacebuilding, conflict transformation and post-war recovery organised by TRANSCEND and the Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR). Peacebuilding, Conflict Transformation and Post-War Reconstruction, Reconciliation and Resolution (PCTR 2004) is designed for practitioners, political leaders and policy makers, and organisations working in areas affected by conflict, violent conflict, and war, as well as countries and regions in post-war situations.  Building upon experiences in peacebuilding, conflict transformation, and post-war reconstruction, rehabilitation, reconciliation and healing, and people-centred, participatory development, from former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Colombia, Nepal, Somalia, Nicaragua, South Africa, and the Middle East, as well as from the countries of the participants themselves , the programme is highly intensive and practice-oriented. The training is needs-based and both skills and knowledge intensive, allowing participants to draw upon and address concrete issues and challenges facing them in their work and country/community.  PCTR is designed for advanced participants and practitioners to develop skills and tools for implementation in practice, addressing both the needs of the individuals taking part, as well as the needs and challenges confronting the communities, organisations and institutions they work within, both in the field and in their organisation, programme and project design.

The PCTR is the only five-days intensive training programme of its kind, exploring all three phases of violence and war -- pre-violence, violence, post-violence -- and what can be done: to transform unresolved conflicts, for war to peace transitions, to empower communities, organisations, and individuals for conflict transformation and peacebuilding, to design and implement effective cease-fire and peace processes, and to develop effective policy responses and programmes for conflict transformation and post-war reconstruction, rehabilitation, reconciliation, and healing.  TRANSCEND has held more than 400 training programmes world-wide for over 8000 participants. The PCTR is based upon the TRANSCEND Method for Conflict Transformation by Peaceful Means v adopted as a training manual by the United Nations v and draws upon approaches to conflict transformation and peacebuilding from more than 100 countries and cultures around the world.

The PCTR is particularly relevant for senior to middle-range staff and executive officers in national and international aid and development organisations, field staff working in areas affected by violent conflict and war or in post-war/violence situations, international diplomats, national and local level politicians in countries affected by war and conflict or with portfolios responsible for issues dealing with peacebuilding, conflict transformation, and development policies, policy makers, UN staff, people involved in grass-roots and community-based peacebuilding, and practitioners of conflict transformation and mediation.

For more information or to apply please visit: www.transcend.org 

Location: Romania
Deadline: Nov 21-24, 2004
Website: www.transcend.org


Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights
For the advancement of global human rights...

Deadline: November 1 2004

The Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights aims to honour an individual or a group who has made a significant effort to advance the cause of international justice and global human rights.

Named after the former Connecticut Senator and legal counsel at the Nuremberg Trials, the bi-annual award carries a cash prize of USD $75,000 and a commemorative bronze bust of Thomas J. Dodd.

Nomination Process
Individuals and groups shall be nominated for the Dodd Prize by members of the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center's Advisory Board, by previous winners of the Dodd Prize and by human rights organisations and judges and staff of the International Human Rights Tribunals, and members of the public. The Dodd Prize Selection Committee will not accept self-nominations.

The winner of the award will be invited to attend an awards ceremony at the University of Connecticut in fall 2005 and make a public presentation to the university community.

The deadline for nominations is November 1 2004.

Click here for more information and to download the nomination form in PDF format.

Click here to read about previous prize recipients.

Contact:
Thomas Wilsted, Director
Thomas J. Dodd Research Center
University of Connecticut
405 Babbidge Road, Unit 1205
Storrs, CT 06269-1205, USA
Tel: +860 486 4501
Fax: +860 486 4521
E-mail: tom.wilsted@uconn.edu
Website: http://doddprize.uconn.edu/about.htm

---

The "NGOC Gazette" is produced by the AAA NGO Training and Resource Center. It provides information on conferences, seminars, training and grants opportunities worldwide.

Your feedback about this publication is appreciated. We would greatly appreciate if you informed us about your making use of the opportunities provided in the "NGOC Gazette". Thank you.

---

© NGOC

<<<<<

 

 

October, 2004

CONFERENCE: GLOBAL DEMOCRACY: CIVIL SOCIETY VISIONS AND STRATEGIES

The Montreal International Forum, an international NGO think tank, will host the Global Democracy 2005 (G05) Conference on May 29-June 1, 2005, at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. 

The conference, Global Democracy: Civil Society Visions and Strategies, will explore civil society-s role in building a democratic and participatory form of global governance.  The conference will include close to 700 civil society practitioners, multilateral representatives, government officials, parliamentarians, scholars, and other interested participants. Registration information is available online.

Website: www.G05.org


THE MCCALL-PIERPAOLI FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM-REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL

The McCall-Pierpaoli Fellowships was created to enable former refugees who are currently attending or recent graduates of colleges and universities to learn to become effective advocates or humanitarian issues.  The Fellowships will provide an opportunity for a student to absorb first-hand how refugees international makes a difference on humanitarian issues. Fellows will work closely with our professional staff to research humanitarian issues, analyze humanitarian situations and advocate for solutions.

For additiona information, please, visit the Refugees International website

Location: Washington, DC
Deadline: Ongoing
Website: http://www.refugeesinternational.org/section/aboutus/fellowships


LINKING & LEARNING PROGRAMME ON BUDGET ANALYSIS AND ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS

The Programme will take place from 11 to 19 March 2005 in Portugal. This programme is organised by International Human Rights Internship Programme (IHRIP); the International Budget Programme (IBP); the International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net); Fundar v the Centre for Research and Analysis; and Dignity International. 

The programme aims to equip activists coming from human rights, development, social and economic justice movements and NGOs, with the initial knowledge and skills to begin to apply budget analysis techniques to their ESC rights work, with the expectation that they will apply these to a specific project and/or initiate a programme within their organization upon completion of the course.  The programme will be conducted in English.

For further programme details, see
http://dignity.3pontos.net/doc/callforapplications_final.doc 
http://www.escr-net.org/GeneralDocs/Budget_Call_4_apps.pdf


CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Development Gateway Foundation On-Line Database

Online database on Governance in developing and transitional countries (http://topics.developmentgateway.org/governance)

The Development Gateway Foundation, initially conceived by the World Bank, maintains and interactive online database of resources and an e-community of experts on the issues of governance in developing and transitional countries.  The Development Gateway Governance interactive database already contains more than 2,000 resources (articles, reports, programs, books, background information, news, events, etc) on different key issues of governance.  Many of these resources are related to Central Asia, Central and Eastern Europe regional issues.

The World Bank Institute and other dgGovernance partnering organizations
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/governance/organizations/showOrgs.do~orgTyes=coop invite you to use the database, join the online community of experts and students, enlarge the resource database and take part in commenting on existing resources.

The online database of dgGovernance will enable you to access existing resources and contribute additional resources on Governance issues, as well as get automatic e-mail alerts on the new content added to the database. This is an interactive site, which means you will be able to post materials here and share your knowledge with others. You will be able to perform searches and locate information resources pertaining to Governance on this site. You will also be able to remain up to-date with the most important current developments taking place in the governance area. For example, the current special feature on dgGovernance, which was prepared in cooperation with International IDEA, is on Electoral rocesses.

You can join the dgGovernance community by going to the http://topics.developmentgateway.org/governance. You do not need to be a registered member to access resources, news, event calendar and other information resources on the portal. In order to contribute or place a link to your own article/report or other resources that, in your opinion, can be useful for students, academics and practitioners working in this area, please, click on Become a Member button and follow the instructions.


CFA: NATIONAL AND REGIONAL TRAINING COURSES ON HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION

The Directorate of Youth and Sport of the Council of Europe runs a European youth programme on human rights education since the year 2000, aiming to bring human rights issues in the mainstream of youth work practice. This programme, coordinated by the European Youth Centre Budapest, is designed to achieve wide synergies in the Council of Europe member states and beyond.

In 2002, the Council of Europe published "COMPASS – a manual on human rights education young people." Presently, the manual is available in English, French and Russian language. Some twenty other language versions are in the process of being published . In order to make COMPASS available and accessible to users across Europe, the Directorate of Youth and Sports encourages the organisation of National and Regional Training Courses in Human Rights Education. These courses are a means to introduce trainers, facilitators, youth workers and youth leaders as well as teachers to work with "COMPASS" and, consequently, mainstream human rights education in non-formal and formal education. In 2002 and 2003, twenty such courses were organised in 18 member states of the Council of Europe.

The organisation and running of such courses is possible only with the active support of national and regional institutions, organisations and public services interested in introducing and developing human rights education in non-formal and formal educational settings. The Council of Europe welcomes expressions of interest for further training courses in 2004 and 2005 following the criteria and procedures outlined below.

Criteria for National and Regional Training Courses in Human Rights Education within the Human Rights

1. Education Youth Programme
Organisers of the courses
Youth non-governmental organisations, other non-governmental and governmental organisations and institutions involved in human rights education with young people can be organisers of these courses;

Co-operation projects amongst different partners are encouraged and given priority;

Co-operation between non-formal and formal educational fields is encouraged

2. Objectives of the courses
The training courses aim at training multipliers (trainers, youth workers, teachers) in developing human rights education activities with and for young people;

The courses should present an opportunity to introduce the participants to "COMPASS" and how to work with it;

The courses should bring together "key multipliers" of the country or region concerned, committed to carry out further activities and projects in human rights education with young people;

Participants should come from the diversity of associations and organisations dealing with human rights education and youth work and should strive to involve different religious, sexual, ethnic and cultural, minorities and other frequently discriminated groups in society;

The organisers should strive to achieve gender and geographical balance;

The duration of the course, the number and profile of the participants should be consistent with programme and the specific objectives of the course. The courses should be held for a maximum of 40 participants, and have a minimum of 4 days duration. National organisers are expected to:

define the objectives for the course in the specific context of the country/countries of the participants;
prepare, run and evaluate the course with a competent team of trainers and organisers;
provide the necessary infrastructure for a residential training course using interactive educational methodology;
include when appropriate in the preparatory group one or more trainers who have participated in one of the "Training of Trainers in human rights education" course, organised by the Directorate of Youth and Sports. The Directorate of Youth and Sports may support the courses by providing: Competent educational support and advice to adapt the training course to the specific situation of the organising country/countries;
recommend or nominate trainer(s) with specialised experience in the field to support the national preparatory group in the programme development.

Financial assistance to:

cover interpretation costs;
contribute to costs for board and lodging;
cover the travel costs of possible international participants;
to cover the fees and expenses of trainers nominated by the Directorate of Youth and Sport.

Institutional support

Recommendation letters to potential funders
Official Council of Europe representation at official parts of the training course programme;
Publicity to the training course in the Council of Europe website;
Authorisation for the organisers to use the Council of Europe and the Human Rights Education Youth Programme logos for the activity.

Applicants should specify their needs and expectations for assistance from the Council of Europe in the application form.

DEADLINES:
by 15th December 2004 for activities planned from February - April 2005
by 31 January 2005 for activities planned from May - December 2005.
Expressions of interest should be sent to:
European Youth Centre Budapest at
H- 1024 Budapest - Zivatar utca 1-3
Tel + 36 1 4381030; Fax + 36 1 212 4076;
e-mail: natalia.miklash@coe.int
website: http://eycb.coe.int/EYCBwwwroot/HRE/index.asp?url=LTTC%20DC%20.asp


CALL FOR PAPERS: NEW PUBLICATION, ENTITLED THE JOURNAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND CIVIL SOCIETY

Please find below a Call for Papers for a new journal, entitled the Journal of Human Rights and Civil Society, to be published by The Protection Project, a human rights research institute of the Foreign Policy Institute at the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC, USA.

The journal encourages submissions from scholars, government representatives, and especially from non-governmental practitioners and civil society representatives.

To encourage submissions, please kindly forward this Call for Papers to your colleagues and to your NGO and civil society contacts working in human rights.

Anna Koppel
Managing Editor
The Protection Project of the Foreign Policy Institute
The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)
Johns Hopkins University
1717 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington DC 20036
Tel: 202-663-5895
Fax: 202-663-5899
Email: akoppel@sais-jhu.edu
http://www.protectionproject.org/main1.htm 


World Development Report 2005
288 Pages
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWDR2005/Resources/complete_report.pdf

This annual report released by the World Bank draws on surveys of over 30,000 firms in 53 developing countries, along with various country case studies sponsored by the World Bank.

Released in September 2004, the 288-page report highlights opportunities to improve its investment climates by expanding the opportunities and incentives for firms of all types.

Throughout its rather broad scope, the report suggests that governments remove barriers to competition, along with placing a premium on delivering the basic foundations for increased investment, such as creating a stable infrastructure and securing property rights.

The report also details what the international community can do to assist in this long-term process and also provides some helpful indicators of world development, along with technical and methodological notes. It is worth noting that the report is available in a number of different languages.


WILLIAM DAVIDSON INSTITUTE CALL FOR POLICY BRIEFS
“RETHINKING THE WAY IN WHICH NGOS DO BUSINESS”

The William Davidson Institute invites you to submit a policy brief for inclusion in the conference “Rethinking the Way in which NGOs do Business.” The conference will be held in Bratislava, Slovakia, March 4-6, 2005. The Pontis Foundation in Bratislava, Slovakia is co-organizer of this conference. Submitted briefs should focus on the following topics:

Strategies for developing corporate – NGO partnerships
Methods through which NGOs can achieve long-term sustainability
Innovative, commercially-sustainable and business sound approaches to addressing social problems  (i.e., microfinance, the NGO’s role in organizing production and distribution networks, and the third sector’s role in providing access to information and technology)
Creative fundraising techniques including the creation of “for fee” services

Authors should be employees of, or advisors to, NGOs located in Central and Eastern Europe or Eurasia.  Policy briefs should focus on innovative methods through which NGOs (or other groups with whom NGOs collaborate) have adopted strategies to become less donor-dependent and more able to influence their financial future.  Briefs can also be based on theories or strategies NGOs plan to adopt in the future.

The submitted brief should be a non-technical, country- and/or topic-specific summary, between 5-10 pages in length.  If a brief is selected for the conference, WDI will provide editing support and will include the accepted brief in the WDI Policy Brief series.   Examples of current WDI briefs and submission guidelines are available at http://www.wdi.bus.umich.edu/publications/policy_papers_briefs.htm. In addition, we ask that the submission include a summary of the organization and a short personal biography of the author.

The conference aims to bring together leaders in the nonprofit sector who are developing and/or utilizing innovative approaches to achieve financial sustainability.  The last day of the conference will include special sessions on leadership, communication, strategic management, and marketing presented by top business school professors.  The remaining portion of the agenda will include the presentation of selected briefs with the aim of sharing best practices and networking with NGO colleagues.

Funding is provided for all travel and accommodation expenses.  All meals will be provided at the conference.  Please complete the reply form and send to Kristen Roy by e-mail at royk@umich.edu or by fax at 734-763-5850.  Questions can be directed to Kelly Janiga, Manager of Research Programs at the William Davidson Institute, at janigak@umich.edu. All applications must be received by Friday, December 10, 2004. Your participation will be confirmed by Friday, January 7, 2005.


WILLIAM DAVIDSON INSTITUTE NGO ALLIANCE

The William Davidson Institute NGO Alliance, a coalition of public interest groups based in Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the NIS, is focused on issues central to creating a foundation for a successful transition from a controlled to a market-based economy.

To expand the NGO Alliance, we are seeking the participation of NGOs with interest or experience in the following fields:

Innovative and commercially-sustainable approaches to alleviating poverty
(e.g., microfinance, assistance with organizing production and distribution
networks, access to information and technology, etc.)
Corporate governance, business ethics and anti-corruption
Institution-building
Economic development
Trade and open markets

The goal of the NGO Alliance is to promote information sharing and dissemination of best practices, with the aim of promoting the development of effective and efficient markets which work for all people.  WDI believes that NGOs play an instrumental role in the transition process and can provide valuable insights into the transition process that may be overlooked by academics.  Additional information, including membership benefits, is available at http://www.wdi.bus.umich.edu/research/ngo/

Those NGOs who fit the above profile and are interested in joining the network should send a statement of interest and a brief description of your organization to Kelly Janiga, Manager of Research Programs at the William Davidson Institute, at janigak@umich.edu/.


NOMINATIONS WANTED FOR REFUGEE AWARD

In 2004, UNHCR and its partners have been providing protection and assistance to some 17.1 million refugees, internally displaced persons and others of concern to the Office around the world. Each year, numerous dedicated individuals make enormous personal sacrifices while working to assist these vulnerable people.

The Nansen Refugee Award recognises and honours this spirit and dedication. The Award was instituted in 1954 and named after Fridtjof Nansen, the first League of Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the 1922 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. It is given annually to individuals or organisations that have distinguished themselves in work on behalf of refugees. The Award consists of a commemorative medal and a monetary prize of US$ 100,000. The prize money is intended to enable the recipient to pursue refugee protection or assistance projects drawn up in consultation with UNHCR.

Previous recipients include Eleanor Roosevelt, King Juan Carlos I of Spain, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, MИdecins Sans FrontiХres, the people of Canada, GraГa Machel, Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti and Dr. Annalena Tonelli. The winner of this year's Nansen Refugee Award was the Memorial Human Rights Centre, a Russian non-governmental organisation that has helped tens of thousands of refugees and internally displaced people in the Russian Federation.

The selection process for the 2005 Award is now starting and UNHCR would like to encourage people to send in nominations for individuals or organisations deserving of such recognition.

Nominations and requests for information should be addressed to the Secretary of the Nansen Refugee Award Committee, UNHCR, PO Box 2500, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland (Tel: +41 22 739 7799, Fax: +41 22 739 7367,e-mail: nansen@unhcr.ch) 

Location: Geneva 2, Switzerland
Deadline: November 30, 2004


AWARD NOMINATIONS: GINETTA SAGAN FUND CALL FOR NOMINATIONS WOMEN WORKING ON CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

Please see www.amnestyusa.org/about/ginettasagan.html  for more information about Ginetta Sagan, the GSF Committee, and past Award winners. The Award will be presented at the AIUSA Annual General Meeting in April 2005 in Austin, Texas.

The Ginetta Sagan Fund of AIUSA is now accepting nominations for its 2005 Annual Award for the Human Rights of Women and Children. Here is your opportunity to honor women who have made a difference in the lives of women and / or children. Previous winners include women originally from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Pakistan, Peru, Rwanda, Turkey, and Uganda.

The Ginetta Sagan Fund is named after the late Ginetta Sagan, Honorary Chairperson of the Board of AIUSA.  She worked on Amnesty's behalf for more than 34 years.  Among her numerous awards was the 1996 Presidential Medal of Freedom.  In perpetuating her human rights legacy, the Ginetta Sagan Fund is one of AIUSA's permanently endowed funds. It recognizes and assists women who work to protect the lives and liberties of women and of children in regions of crises. The selection of our past winners is a poignant reminder of Ginetta Sagan's own courage in her native Italy during World War II when she was imprisoned for her role in the resistance movement.

The Award is given annually in recognition of individual accomplishment, but also in the belief that it will serve as a beacon of hope to women everywhere who are fighting for human rights. It is given to women who have demonstrated outstanding achievement, often in the face of personal danger, to help women and children who are victims of violence. The purpose of each award is to bring increased international scrutiny to a crisis region/issue for which the recipient works, to enhance the recipient's ability to live and work freely, and to continue, expand and improve her work. To this end, a $10,000 grant is given to each award recipient.

The 2005 Award will be given to a woman who works on behalf of the human rights of children who meets the following criteria:

Demonstrates courage, integrity and commitment to human rights principles, and
Resides in, or is indigenous to, the crisis region.

Your nomination must include:
1) The nominee's name, organization, title, and contact information
2) Your name, relationship to the nominee, and contact information
3) Information highlighting the individual's qualifications, including any significant obstacles which she has overcome, and the circumstances under which she does the work for which she is being nominated.

Nominations must be received by December 10, 2004.  Please send them to the GSF Award Committee, c/o AIUSA Western Regional Office, 350 Sansome Street, #630, San Francisco, CA 94104, tel. (415) 291-9233, fax (415) 291-8722, or e-mail jtraylor@igc.org.
Website: http://www.amnestyusa.org/sagan/nominations.html


The 3rd World Youth Congress

Scotland
from July 30th to August 8th, 2005.

The event is open to young people aged between 18 - 25 (you must be at least 18 on 30th July 2005) and the congress theme is Young People working together for a sustainable world community.

The main goals of the WYC series are to promote volunteering and global citizenship as well as sustainable lifestyles. Delegates will draw to the attention of government and aid agencies worldwide how much young people do and are doing to support the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals. This congress will bring together young development activists and government and UN development professionals to review best practice in youth led development and devise strategies to mobilise more young people to take part in them.

Who can apply?
All applicants must be 18v25 years old on 30th July 2005 and will fall under four categories:

1) Activists - This conference is chiefly for young leaders in the youth-led development field. In order to qualify in this category you have to show your commitment to action by working on a pre-congress action project, that you can report on at the Congress. If you plan and implement a youth-led community improvement project between now and August 2005, we will welcome you to this Congress! All you have to do is pay your travel expenses v a limited number of scholarships may be available. It is, however, best to seek your own sponsorship. This is a conference where you will do more than sit around and draw up fine-sounding declarations: for at least 3 of the 10 days you will be out across Scotland working on projects.

2) Performers/Artists - If you have a performance group of dancers, singers, actors, comedians with material that relates to the Congress themes, send us a video with some reviews and photographs, and we will consider you for the cultural programme that will take place every evening of the Congress.

3) Young Journalists - If you work for a newspaper, radio or TV station, ask your employer/line manager to send you to report on this important world event.

4) Participants - If the above goals interest you and you would like to learn about these issues from your peers around the world, send in an application form.

For further details and an application form visit www.scotland2005.org and register for our newsletter.
Date/Time
July 30, 2005 - August 08, 2005

Location
Stirling University
Stirling
Scotland

Event Cost
Free to most applicants, see website for details.

RSVP Information
Name: Ray Bugg

---

The "NGOC Gazette" is produced by the AAA NGO Training and Resource Center. It provides information on conferences, seminars, training and grants opportunities worldwide.

 

---

© NGOC

<<<<<

 

November-December, 2004

---

© NGOC

<<<<<