IFOR Submits Report on Eritrea to Human Rights Committee

IFOR's Main Representative to the UN in Geneva, Derek Brett, submitted a report on Eritrea to the 119th Session of the Human Rights Committee. The report specifically focused on matters of military service, conscientious objection and related human rights concerns in Eritrea. 

From the Report: 

Of all the world's states, Eritrea is the only one in which military service issues are widely considered to be one of the major human rights concerns.   Both men and women are subject to conscription; since 2002, under a situation of general mobilization, the period of service has been prolonged indefinitely.   Forced recruitment and abusive treatment within the military are widespread.  The right of conscientious objection is not recognized; the only way to escape enlistment is to leave the country.  Travel restrictions however mean that few citizens are able to do this legally, and it is believed that a “shoot to kill” policy is in place to prevent persons crossing the border clandestinely.  Nevertheless, almost throughout its independent existence Eritrea has, proportionate to population, suffered one of the largest refugee outflows in the world. 

To read the full report click here.

IFOR Endorses Statement of Feminist Caucus Meeting at UN

IFOR representatives in New York attended the Sixtieth Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. During the session, a diverse group of young feminist advocates, gathered working for gender, reproductive, economic, ecological and social justice and political transformation. IFOR's representative to the United Nations, Patricia Ackerman was among those present for this feminist caucus.

The caucus produced a statement addressing several areas of concern: youth participation, climate change and justice, sexual and reproductive rights and legal barriers, sexual and reproductive health services, education, comprehensive sexuality education, and gender based violence.

The full text of the statement can be found here.

Philippines Branch AKKAPKA CANV Updates

Base Group Assembly & Core Group Seminar

February 28^th and March 1^st, 2015

AKKAPKA CANV held its base group assembly and core group seminar. During the assembly, AKKAPKA launched a new program using solar panels and bulbs to assist the poorer members of its base in the Philippines on Alabat Island, Quezon Province, southern part of Luzon. Five families of our base groups received a donation of solar panel package (each package contains a solar panel, two light bulbs with charge controller, charger and battery) as part of our partnership with a group of electrical and electronics engineers in our promotion of renewable source of energy.

Now, these families will have lights in their homes and they will no longer have to pay for the high cost of electricity. Their package also includes a charger for their mobile phones which is also sourced from the solar panel. They intend to propagate this hopefully throughout the island at the same time making the project a source of income for the base groups. This and other projects demonstrate that one cannot work for peace while ignoring poverty.

Photos from the Base Group Assembly

Base Group Assemblies are held every two months, this one being held at Bgy. Guinhawa, Alabat Island, Quezon Province.

Photos from March 1st's Core Group Seminar

The seminar was held at the Training Center of Quezon Municipality, Alabat Island, Quezon Province, where AKKAPKA CANV awarded two of the poorest women members with the solar packages.

FOR India's Nonviolence Education & Training Programs

Gender sensitization, mediation & youth empowerment

Dr. Suseela Mathew from the FOR India facilitated the trainings and provided the following summary:

“This training-meeting of women activists and leaders held during January and February 2015, was a part of a series of five conversations and analyses which led to a re-evaluation of bigotries and prejudices and all the demons within standing in the way of women empowering themselves. The issue of gender in the context of relationships, understanding and viewpoints articulated by participants drawing from their own life and experiences gave an insight into reality visited as a group in a safe, free, learning environment. In order to change the reality, women need to be aware of their capacity and potential. Central to the discussions was the pointed reference to violence and lawlessness which diminishes and endangers the lives. Nil tolerance to domestic violence and abuse of women is essential. Women need to discover the sadness of their silence in this age of rapid growth of literacy and digital access. This silence must be decoded and the message and the nuances of this silence has to be interpreted to make known that women can contribute to their own well-being and growth and to their family well-being and growth. Women can contribute to every field where visible and invisible barriers exclude their inclusion. ”

The following are a few photos from the trainings. The first was a program conducted for adolescent children in life skills and nonviolent peer mediation. About fifty girls and boys participated.

The second program was for physically challenged  adolescent children to empower them to use the possibilities and opportunities  available to them. Gender sensitization was another component of the training.