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TITLE Voices Rising: A Bulletin about Women and Popular . Volumes 1-4. 1987-1990. INSTITUTION International Council for , Toronto (). PUB DATE 90 NOTE 269p. PUB TYPE Collected Works - Serials (022) JOURNAL CIT Voices Rising: A Bulletin about Women and Popular Education; v1-4 1987-1990

EDRS PRICE MF01/PC11 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adult Education; Adult Literacy; Battered Women; Consciousness Raising; Developing Nations; Economic Development; *Employed Women; Females; *; Financial Support; Foreign Countries; Illiteracy; Leadership Training; *Literacy Education; *Sex Discrimination; Sex Fairness; *Womens Education IDENTIFIERS *Popular Education

ABSTRACT This document consists of the six issues of the serial "Voices Rising" issued during the four-year period 1987-1990. "Voices Rising" is the primary networking tool of the Women's Program of the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE). Articles in these issues include: "Tribute to a Couragrus Woman--Nabila Breir"; "Centre for Women's Resources: Building the Filipino Women's Movement"; "Micro-Chip Technology: Its Impact on Women WorkersH; "ICEA: Popular Education in "; "The Feminist Challenge to Adult Education: Highlights of a Seminar"; "Feminism and Popular Education"; "Jamaica: Building Democratic Organizations"; "Lebanon: Supporting Women's Daily Struggles"; "Reaching Women: An Informal Workshop on 'Media'"; "Strengthening Grassroots Solidarity: An Informal Workshop"; "Update on the Women's Program"; "Issues in Literacy in the Urban U.S."; "Building a Women's Centre: Gregoria Apaza Centre for the Promotion of Women"; "Consolidating Voices of Mindanao Women"; "Building Leadership, Building the Movement"; "Our Identity: Feminism Rnd Popular Education"; "Leadership and Women in International Adult Education"; "Strategic Contradictions: Organizational Democracy and Dependence on International Aid"; "Growing Pains: Reflections cn the History of Flora Tristan, Peru"; "Summing Up: Common Threads"; "Moving On: ICAE Harare Meetings"; "Zimbabwe: Producing a Popular Text"; "Mali: The Fight Is Ours"; "South Africa: Making Our Voices Heard"; "Refugee Women in Canada"; "Leadership Training and Consciousness Raising among Chicana Workers in the U.S."; "Literacy--A Tool for Empowerment of Women?"; "Khulumani Makhosikazi: Women and Literacy"; "Tomorrow Will Be Different: A Literacy Course for Women"; "Keeping the Circle Strong: Native Women's Resource Centre, Toronto, Canada"; "On the Training of Tutors for Women's Literacy"; "Expanding the 'Generative Worli' Process: Women's Iron Will, Haiti"; "Publishing Women's Stories"; "Developing Reading and Writing Skills"; "A Literacy Kit for Peasant Women in Mexico"; "1990 International Literacy Year: Agenda, Comments, Challenges"; "Five Challenges to Women's Literacy"; "Deepening the Issues and Objectives of ILY"; "Sobering Thoughts: Literacy for What?"; "Activating the Network"; "Gender and Popular Education"; "Developing a Balance between Introspection and Action"; "Women, Literacy, and Educatiun in Africa"; "A Critical Moment for Women Edudators"; "Fighting Repression, Building Democracy"; "After the Decade: Trends in Funding to Women's Organiza'cionV; "Playing the Funding Game"; "Exploring the Alternatives to State Pandingin Canada"; "Questioning Official Development Assistance In the Philippines"; "Literacy: The Critique from Below"; "Batteved Women: Breaking the Cycle"; "Self-Help Groups: Working towards an End to Domestic Violence"; "Knowing Our Rights, Defending Our Integrity"; "Norma Virginia Guirola de Herrera: Her Example Lives On"; "The Mian Women's Human Rights Commission"; "The International Sex Trade"; and "Oka Is All of Us." (YLB)

*********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best thatcan be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** VOICPS RISING: A BULLETIN ABOUT WOMEN AND POPULAR EDUCATION

VOLUMES 1-4

1987-1990

U.S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS On.ce o and Improvement MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) iXis document hes been reproduCed as received from Ihe person or organization onating .1 CI Minor changes have been made to Improve reproduction qualify

Po.o110t vIeW of opinions staled In thiSdOCu- TO THE EDU&TIONAL ReSOURCES ment do nOt necessarily represent official OEN! position or policy INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."

BEST COPYAVAILABLE VOLUME 1, 1987 o/ces

A Bulletin about Women and Popular Edu on

Special Report On: Micro-Chip Technology:Its Impact on Women Workers Philippines ConsultationOctober 1986

Women's Program of the international Councilfor Adult Education maydwie1987 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Voices Rising isthe primary networking tool of the Women's Programof Nay/June 1987 the ICAE.It links women working inthe Voices Rising,: broad field of adult education--teachers, program coord- A Bulletin about Women and Popular learners, researchers, Education inators, development workers, grassroots organizers and activists In women'sand The Women's Program works with individuals popular struggle. It speaks to womenwho and groups in different regions of the are working withpopular fr,rms of education world who are exploring and developing as tools forsocial change and the popular forms of education which reflect empowerment of women. hnd address women's issues. Our aim is to contribute to the development of a feminist Voices Rising aims to: popular education that makes connections between broad social struggles, and the personal issues and oppression women face Promote the sharing of exper- daily. iences;

The Program is presently coordinated from a Provide a forum fordiscussion the office of the Participatory Research and debate of key issues for Group (PRG),in consultation with women; representatives from various regions. PRG is a Canadian popular education and Disseminate updated information research collective. We undertake project on useful resources,educational work with Canadian Native peoples, within materials and important meetings; the local literacy community, and on the issue of microtechnology and women workers, Foster the development of a in Canada and internationally. PRG is also active in an international participatory feminist practice in popular and research and popular education network, and adult education. publishes a bi-annual newsletter. The usefulness ofthe Bulletin ICAE President depends on the input of the readership.We Nita Barrow welcome letters,short articles, questions and reflective notes on your programsand Women's Program Coordinator experiences. Through your contributionsand Lynda Yanz involvement we can share and build upon our knowledge, deepen our understanding of the Bulletin Coordination issues, and develop our strategiesfor Jane Gurr action. Desiga and Production Amy Gottlieb

Working Group We gratefully acknowledgethe financial Rachel Epstein, Linzi Nanicom, contributions of: The Canadian Jenny Horsaan, Carol-Anne O'Brien International Development Agency and the Swedish International Development The Women's Program of the International Authority. Council for Adult Education C/O Participator.? Research Group 229 Street, Suite 309 Toronto, Ontario CanadaM5T 1R4 InternationalCounclIforAdultEducation Conseil International d'Education des Adultes (416) 977-8118 Consejo internacional de Educackin de Adultos

reratt-L-11 601-1-14-14

4 9111/ .1,1M0111, ffi5-,14 We thought it was time for a change. So, Interviews. Our experience as activists our newsletter (now promoted to the rank of and publishers,is that many of us simply "bulletin") has a new look, a new name, and never find the time and space to write most importantly (we hope you'll agree), a articles which capture our insights and stronger and more focussed content. analyses of our work. Yet we constantly The two years during which we tell and re-tell those "stories" in published Voices Rising's predecessor, "The different forms to our colleagues, friends, Women's Program Newsletter", were in many and families. Our work lives are not ways a testing ground for analyzing what organized to provide the kind of reflective type of networking and discussion tool space that writing takes. We think would be most useful to the growing numbers interviews are one effective method of of women we are in contact with. Our sharing our experiences and dilemmas readers, mostly in different parts of the without adding the pressure of another task Third World, but in and to our already overbooked agendas. Two Europe as well, are using education as a other sections that willbe regular tIonscious and integral component of their features of the Bulletin are Linking and strategies to empower and organize women. the Noticeboard,and we look forward to What we found was that women wanted to your contributions. share their experiences, and perhaps Another important change,Is that we discuss some of the problems they were are now producing the Bulletinin both facing; they wanted to learn from what Spanish and English. It has become clear others were doing; and they wanted to have that is important for us to widen access to contact with women and groups In other the Bulletin and other Women's Program parts of the world. Women wanted a publications by making them avhilablein publication that provided information about languages other than English. We are resources and meetings, but at the same already In contact with a wide network of time offered a space for serious analysis Spanish-speaking women,so we felt that and reflection that could be shared in a production in Spanish was a logical first straightforward and accessible way. step. We have also begun to strengthen our Voices RislnglA Bulletin About Women rather fledgling links withwomen in and Popular Education is our response to Francophone regions of the world,andto that rather tall order. The articles in explore how we should facilitate a this issue speak of women's aducatiou and Francophone presence and 4nvolvement in the organizing in a wide range of cultural and Women's Program. In thisissue ofthe political contexts. The special section on Bulletin we include an articleonthe "Women and Microchip Technology", which was Institut Canadien d'Education des prepared as part of the follow-up to a adultes(ICAE) in , Quebec. We hope consultation that took place in the that this marks the beginning ofa useful Philippines, offers a more in-depth look at exchange with women in Francophone regions an issue that is having a tremendous ±mpact of the world. on women's lives,particularly in South- Of course the usefulnessof the east Asia, North America, and Europe. Bulletin to us as activists, educators, and We've attempted to highlight some of the learners dependsin large parton your different approaches groups are taking in contributions. We welcome your ideas and their organizing efforts, and to raise comments. questions about the best ways to build international solidarity links thatare more effective in tackling the microchip companies. We hope that the section will also be of interest to those of you woeking in regions where women are not yet confronting the realities of "free trade zones" or "microchip technology". You'll notice that muchof the materialin the Bulletinis based on llibute to a Courageous Woman - NabilaBreir

Anger, outrage and a deep sense ofloss alone who was attacked. Nablla's murder was were the feelings shared by many of us when an assault on the emergence of a progres- we heard of the murder of our dear friend sive force for socialchange around the and comrade,Nabila. We continue to feel world. In this spirit we must receive sorrow at losing a courageous Palestinian strength from each other and rededicate freedom fighter a woman who while ourselves tothe struggle of the working with UNICEF played a key role in Palestinian people and for peace and setting up daycare centres, health care juslice throughout the world. clinics and literacy classes in the To Nabila we can say with sureness Palestinian relief camps of South Lebanon. that 7our voice has not been lost, for our Nabila was an activist, an educator, voices will be that much louder in memory a musician,a dancer and a strong and of you and the many others who have died in courageous woman. While in the front lines the cause of freedom. of different aspects of the Palestinian struggle she was a strong supporter of the The Nabila Breir Fund has been set up by women's movement and was active in the the International Council for Adult Educa- International Council for Adult Education, tionin memory of Nabila.Funds will be where she helped to create links between used to forge links between womPn adult women adult educators around the world. educators in Arabic-speaking countries and Nabila's contribution to the struggle other parts of the world. Send contri- for peace and justice has been immense. We butions to: strongly condemn the forces that have taken this woman from us.To her family,her The Nabila Breir Fund daughter and the people of the refugee international Council for Adult Education camps in Beirut for whom she gave her life, 29 Prince Arthur Ave. we offer our deepest sympathy. Toronto, Ontario For usit was not just the person Canada M5R 182.

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Centre for Women's Resources: Building the Filipino Women's Movement

The Center for Women's Resources (CWR) was a co-sponsor of the consultation on the Impact of Micro-chip Technology on Women's Work which took place in the Philippines in Ottober 1986. CWR is one of the oldest women's centers in Manila. It has been operating since1982 and currently has a staff of six. Like many small women's organizations, the center is squeezed into a smallspace, bursting with papers, posters, people, and books,all of which areincredibly well-organized. One afternoon, while others from the con- sultation were off on various "exposure tours" outside Manila, I had a chance to slt down with two of the Center's staff--

' Cherry Padilla and Tess Vistro--and talk with them about their work. The work the CWR is doing Is the women's question. thoughtful and exciting. The following is And it helped us in an edited excerpt from our conversation analyzing the situation of women to be which will give you an idea of the issues politically aware. they're working on, their approach, and the You usually start with the issue nearest to your heart, don't you? organization of their work. For many women here it's issues like food and houuing. Those are the issues very near WhatIsthe relation between the the heart of many women. And often they women's movement inthe Philippines and work going on Will women within other don't mind yet whether their husbandsare organized sectors, like peasant, worker or mistreating them or not, as long as the urban poor women? family has something to eat for the next day. Lynda Yanz (Women's Program) For example, among peasant women, the statistics now show that peasantwomen CWR: Many women in those sectors are part contribute a great dealin the different of the women's movement,for example, in phases of planting and production in the the organizations of women or fields. And then when they go hone they nrban poor women. It depends on how you perform most of the tasks there. That's define the women's movement. For us, the their problem as women. But they are also women's movement is the organized action of affected by the problems which confront women from various sectors of society peasant men,like the fertilizers. These carrying forward women's demands and the are problems which can be linked tothe demands ofthe national liberation capitalist system of the economy where struggle. So that when you are a peasant fertilizers are being imposedon our woman, you not only advance the issue of peasant men and women. women, or the cause of your sector,but So their problems as women andas also the cause of the whole people. These peasants are very related,and those are inextricably linked;they are not problems are part of the struggle of the isolated from one another. whole Filipino people for national But of course there is a reality that liberation. a lot of women who ere organized in their own sector are not yet involved in I haven't heard you usethe word advancing the women's cause. I think most feminism or describe yourselfas feminists. of us here started by becoming politically Is thata conscious choice on your part? aware first rather than by being aware of Is "feminism" not an effective concept to

3 describe women who are politicallyaware of urban poor women, because wesee a trend the women's question andare fighting for where men are also trying to enter women's women's liberation in the context of the fields of work, like washing, and selling Philippines? goods and foods along the sidewalk andin the marketplace. But we don't know if this CWR: In one of our stories, we did talk is going to help women. It seems that this about feminism. But we find that you trend is due to poverty, so thatnow males really have to explain a lot whenyou use are forced to enter traditional female the word feminism. It's just like jobs. explaining the word imperialism. And of Our second issue was about the course feminism has several different commodification of women. We discuss strands which need to be explainedas well. advertisements, and how women are usedaa Whereas we find If you say "thewomen the selling point for so many products. We question" or "women's iesues" it is easier. have an advertisement here fora local But then in one way or anotherwe deal with brand of wine using a girlin a bikini, it because our society alwaysterms us just to attract men to buy this product. feminists because we are dealingwith We also exposed the practice ofso many women's questions. bars and nightclubs that use womenas part There is no Filipino version ofthe of their come-ons. And we discussed word "feminism". We say feminists. magazines, like VOGUE, and comics whichare Because in Filipino feminism is nabayismo becoming the most popular form ofwritten and that doesn't sound very good. literature among grassroots people. They function as a very effective control.We To date the Center has published four call them smut literature. And then we issues of its dewsletter Piglas-Diwa (Minds have mall order brides. . . Thot Would Like To Be Free). The news- letter is published in Filipinoand is Q: Are there still mail order brides? distributed primarily to activists working in different organized sectors throughout CWR: Yes, in fact just last July therewas the Philippines, so tnat theycan in turn a picket denouncing this practice whensome use the information and analysis in their Norwegian men came to the Philippinesto work with women. claim their brides. So people from Could you could i!ellus more about GABRIELA (largest broad-basednational the newsletter? women's coalition in the Philippines)and the Network on Sexual ViolenceAgainst CWR: Our first issue was on women's Women picketed the hotel where theywere production. We discussed the place of staying. women in production, and also the plight of But what is important aboutour

4 newsletter is that we analyze how women are being viewed by society, how we are always meant to give pleasure. Readers don't just get a description, but also an analysis of what is happening to them. And to do that we relate these problems to the economic and political situation. 41.4 What were the lasttwo issues of your newsletter about?

CWR: They are about women and the law. We selected four important codes in our laws: labour, welfare of children and youth, the civil code and the penal code. Our idea was to find out if the much-vaunted idea that men and women enjoy equal status in the face of Philippine law, is really true. And so we analyzed the different important laws. We tackled the labour code and the standard of morality. It proves that code on the welfare of children and youth discrimination against women really exists in the first issue, and the civil and. the in our laws. For example,in the civil penal code in the second. code it explicitly states that women should We found out that we have a lot of manage the home and men should be the bread protective labour laws on paper, but that winners. And to enforce that view, there the formulation of the laws was such that are a lot of restrictions imposed on women they can easily be circumvented by the when they get married. The husband can say owners of the factories. For example, the that his wife must not engage in any paid labour code states that women shouldn't be work,or in any endeavour against his allowed to work at night during a certain wishes. That means if the wife is a time span but the exceptions are so long professional when she gets married but her that they boil down to the fact that women husband tells her not to work anymore, the can work at night. law is going to support him. And there is And of course there is a hidden even a very weird provision in the civil agenda there also. You can just see that code--that wh-n the husband dies the woman society's view is that women should not be cannot marry unless it is stated in the allowed to work at night. The view is that husband's will that she can marry. women should be at home before the sun sets, and that they are weak and have to Can a husband marry after his wift dies? get plenty of sleep and rest. And it is amazing but we also found CWR: Yes,of course. Thereisno out that the labour code statea explicitly restriction on him. And also the wife that no discrimination shall be made cannot accept gifts or any donations from against women in terms of hiring or anybody except relatives Othin the promotion. But in reality, the practice of extended family. So the title of our discrimination against women is widespread. article is"Getting Married isthe For example,the prioritizations of Institutionalization of Male Domination." industry in terms of hiring and skills Because once a girl gets married there ere training is still to give priority to male a lot of restrictions imposed on her. 6he employees and to male applicants. So,it has to use the surname of her husband, she is a double-edged law. It is supposed to has to stay at home and manage the home and be protecting women, but at the same time care for the children, and she cannot buy it is exploiting women. any valuable property without the consent

As for the civil and penal code. . . of her husband. Laws are one of the best gauges of The Penal Code is similar. In the society's attitudes to ;Innen and our civil Philippines a woman can go to prison if she code is an excellent specimen of a double is caught committing adultery,but a man 5 A man can only be chargedwith to the women's question andto organizing can't. The training cencubinage, which is harder to provethan and waging campaigns. is very important adultery. And for concubinage you have to trainers' component prove that your husband isliving with because it's geared to preparingorganizers in their work and another woman under one roof and thathe is to reproduce the module actually supporting her. with their communities. The whole module takes threedays; it's a live-in workshop with aminimum of 30 participants. We also have short orientation courses of three to fourhours.

Have you done any of the workshopsyet?

CWR: The module is not finiehed,but so far we have carried outfive pilot trainerstraining sessions with urban poor women, workers,peasants, and profes- sionals. We are using those experiences to improve the module and thetraining trainers kit. The module itself is seen as afirst step in women becoming consciousof their oppression as women. This is also the starting point for the trainingworkshops. The idea is that women organizers arebeing trained to be able to give themodule to the grassroots women they work with. Because some of them don't have a clear grasp of the women's question, wefirstly How do you decide on themesfor the give them a basic orientation "he module newsletter? itself) before going into th L.trainers' training. CWR: We decided on "women and thelaw" The trainers' trainingsession can because of the Constitutional Commission. change quite a bit depending onwhere the We saw it as our contribution tomaking the participants are coming from. For example laws more responsive to women. We started if our audience is purelypeasant women, work on this during the timewhen the then we will want tospend more time Constitutional Commission was just understanding that sector. beginning to talk about laws and women,and they were focusing on the pro-lifeissue, Is it best to do atrainers' training instead of the discrimination thatalready session with one sector, like working women exists in our laws. We also choose issues or peasant women, or do you mix womenfrom that mill act as a further substantiation different sectors? of topics we have in our trainingmodules for women. So for example we have a CWR: From our experience,it is very section on women and the law. enriching to have a mixed session with women workers, students, peasants,and The training module on Women'sIssues. professionals, but you have to be careful Demands and Directions is oneof your of their different levels of political current priorities isn't it? Could you awareness. You really have to pinpoint describe it a bit? both their level of political awareness and their women's consciousness, because these CWR: The module is first and foremost a are two very different things. There are basic orientation to the women'squestion women who are politically aware and yet are in the Philippines. Through the module, not at all aware or the issues that affect and in the trainers' trainingfor the them as women, and they may claim that they module, we want to provide anorientation are not oppressed.

6 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Let's talk more aboutthe module? How is bodies?. Because it PI co.inected with the it organized? What does it cover? issue of reproduction and the reality that we don't have control over reproduction. CWR: There are two main sections to the We start our discussions with activities module. The first consists ofthe that help women know and reflect on their awareness of the self,awareness of the bodies and then synthesize their body,the socialization process of women, experiences--what they have felt and man/woman relations, conditions of women in thought during the exercises. We start from different sectors, and women and the law. the premise that itis important to know The second part consists of the historical your body and then we gointo why women roots of women's oppression, women's don't have controlover their own organized action,the demands of women, reproductive system. After that we go to different venues for organized action, and their environment and to the level of the role of the women's movement in the society,like multinational corporations, movement for national emancipation and and big hospitals. women's emancipation. That last part is We also look at traditional views of where we give our vision ofa women's society that say that women should only movement. bear and take care of children, even if the We felt we had to start first with women don't want to have children yet. women's own experiences and move from there Often they've had the experience of the men to begin to synthesize the issues. For forcing them to have sex; even if the women example, inthe awareness of the self we doa't want to. But the reality is that discuss women's role in their families, how women often just give in to the wishes of they are seen, and how theywere brought their husbands because they fear that their up. And here you find commonalities in the husbands would leave them, and because of experiences oi women, even though theycome their conditioning that teaches them that from different class backgrounds. they really should give into their We always start there becausewe feel husband's wishes or else it's their fault it doesn't make sense to start from the for breaking up the family. abstract,telling women "these areyour And of course, we also look at the issues" without them really feeling it. We importance of women being economically have all experienced that approach, where independent of men. So in discussing the you're told "do not tell us whatyou feel". body we already have gone into various You can't start educating people by saying aspects of the women's question and women's "you are oppressed",this would end the issues. discussion. After a discussion like that we often Another example is theawareness of go into a historical review--what were the the body. Why is it important to knowour conditions of women in the past? did they enjoy the same privilegesas men, or not? Is women's oprressionan isolated phenomenon, or it is rootedin the conditions of women in the past? How did women's problems develop?At what point in time in Philippines history did the institutionalhation of the oppression of women begin?

What kind of a change doyou expect from participants after going throughthetwo days?

CWR: We always start the workshop with participants giving theirown expectations. "-4 which usually are something like,"Iwould -4 liketo learn more about whyweare .0 oppressed." And, "we would liketotell o what we have learned to other women." So there isa continuum. That's why the trainers'training Islmportaat,so that they themselves can be the ones tGgive this to women in their organizations. We end with "venues for organizedaction"-- how to fight for your demands. We teach them that there are different venue.3 through which to push forward the women question. In your family you can have a heart-to-heart talk with your husband, or you can talk with yourneighbours and your friends. We always emphasize that you don't have to go out and attendmeetings and leave your family. No, in their own small way they can contribute tothe advancement of the women's movement. We had wanted to include a discussion on the women's movementin the different countries of the world but don'thave the proper resource materials. But it would be interesting: how do women advance their liberation in developed countriesfor example as compared to the ThirdWorld countries?

Let s talk about CWR and howit's organized. How are priorities set? How is work organized among the staff? module. We collectively discuss each topic and how to present it, and then we divide CWR: The Center has a board that consists the topics. But as the education and of I'1 members, and then we have an training coordinator, Tess is responsible executive staff of four,and the junior for making sure that the project finishes staff: the messenger, the secretaryand the on time. If it doesn't then we assess why. librarian. The senior staff decide on the priorities and programs for the year, and Do the four of you do all the research and present them to the Board. writing yourselves? In terns of the division of labour each one ofus has major areas or CWR: No, it's just too hard to maintain a committees of responsibility. These are large staff. There are a number of divided into research, education and researchers and writers who work with us on training, publications, administration and a project basis. The senior staff provide international concerns. Carol, one of the the framework and overall analysis and also senior staff, is the executive director. do the final editing. So for our radio We feel it is important to p.Inpoint programs, we hired an anchor-person and the responsibilities of each one of us, program manager to manage the technical rather than functioning on a voluntarist aepects, do the script writing, and make basis by assuming responsibilities as they sure the program is running smoothly. But come along. We felt itimportant to the planning, the setting of objectives and delineate responsibilities in order to topics to be discussed, deciding on guests ensure that our programs andactivities and making Interview plans,we do that within programs are done on time and with together with the program person. results. Of course, the division is not that Has the Center grown and changed a lotin rigid. We help each other alot. For the last few years? example, our education modules come under education and training, and each of us is CWR: Yes, when it was first established we responsible for writing a section in the carried out a lot of different activities. We were organizing, and leading campaigns. CWR: Yes,rather than doing organizing That was before many of the other women's work ourselves we provide research, groups had formed and it precipitated a education and skills training. kind of identity crisis. But right now we are narrowing the tasks of the Center to For moreinformation on CWR and its work education, training, and research. By please contact: delineating these taskswe have been able to concentrate more on what theCenter Center for Women's Resources should be doing, on beinga resource center 2nd floor Mar Santos Building for women. 43 Roces Avenue, Quezon City Philippines It sounds like you area support to organizations working with and organizing women,rather than doing organizingwork yourselves?

Th Short Circuit: Women inthe Automated Office (49pages, 1985)

Word processors,electronic mail,and work stations ure no longer the domain of large corporations, as small and medium-size firms increasingly discover the new technology. What dothese changes mean for women?How will they affectthe quality of our working lives? Written in a clear,straight- forward style, Women inthe Automated Office takes a look at some of the key Short Circuit: Women on the Global issues thatface any woman caught in Assei_jtillye(39pages, 1985) the middle of workplace changes. It outlines the size and scope of the The booklettakes a hard look atthe changes and breaks down the areas in stepsinvolved in the assembly of which women office workers can make micro-electronics products. From the informed and organized contributions to manufacturing of tiny silicon wafers to the changes planned by management. The the fully assembled word processor, booklet ends by exploring thesteps women alloverthe world play a that women workers can take to protect critical role in the assembly and use our Jobs and our health. of microelectronic equipment. Direct quotes and personal stories document Each publication costs $4.00 andcan be the harsh working conditions, obtained by writing to: isolation, low wages and chronic job insecurity of women working in the Participatory Research Group silicon chip assembly plants of Hong 229 College Street, Suite 309 Kong,Taiwan, Indonesia,Central Toronto, Ontario America and Africa. Canada M5T 1R2

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African Association forLiteracy and AdultAgNmAkcja Education (AALAE) The African Associationfor Literacy and Adult activities has established fournetworks through which program literacy, will be implemented acrossthe continent:training, and womenadult educators. Thelma Awori has beennamed Convenor of the women's AALAE's first GeneralAssembly in network. At the time of the regions July 1987, Thelma will meetwith key women from different priorities for in the network fordiscussion of programs and the women's network or women in Africa. Further information on the AALAE is availablefrom:

Thelma Awori AALAE P.O. Box 50768 Nairobi, Kenya

A Seminar on Literacyin the IndustrializedCountries October 3-16 1987

4, is holding an The InternationalCouncil for Adult Education International Seminar on"Literacy in the Industrialized Countries: A Focus onPractice". The Seminar will be held in Toronto, Canada, October13-16, 1987. forum for The main objective of theSeminar is to provide a discussion of literacystrategies, methods and practicesfor practitioners, advocates,researchers and policy makers. Participation in the Seminaris limited to 150international participants from industrializedcountries and 150 Canadian registration and program participants. For more information on details, please contact theICAE before June 15th:

The 1CAE Seminar PlanningCommittee 29 Prince Arthur Ave. Toronto, Ontario Canada N5R 1B2

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.s :jvp.i.,4 , f. 4"' , rx:-i'ts.:. . ,.,.. y .it,it, r 1 / -,e .8$ 1kt 11111MONIIIIIIION Micro-Chip Technology: It's Impacton Women Workers

This special section was compiled by aachel Epstein who is a member of the Participatory Research Group. In October,forty women from twelve countries, particularly Southeast Asia, countries gathered in the Philippines fora where women factory workers, working for ten-day meeting called Micro:chip poverty wugesin dangerous working Technolo : ItsIm act onthe Lives of conditions,cut, bond, and test the chips Women Workers. The meeting was organized for re-exportto industrialized countries Jointly by the Women's Ptogram of the MAE; where they are assembled,again often by three women's groups inthe Philippines: immigrant women,into a multitude of the Center for Women's Resources, the products,including computerized office Women's Center, and the KMK (women workers' equipment. movement); andthe Participatory Research The introduction ofthistechnolog) Group in Canada. into offices in industrialized countries is PGrticipants were workers, educators, creating new and serious health hazaids for and organizers who work directly with women women workers,as well asincreasingly affected by the new international division routinized work, new forms of management of labour or "global assembly line"that control, and the prospectof massive has developed aspart of the unemployment. microelectronics industry. They came from A new twist has stretched the global Malaysia,Indonesia, Thailand, the assembly line back to!he Third World as Philippines, Hong Kong,Japan, the corporations have begun to "export" data Netherlands, Trinidad, Jamaica, Mexico, processing to regions where they can reap Canada, and the United States. the benefits of women's high literacy The global assembly line begins in skills and low wage levels. North America, Europe, and Japan where the The meeting in the Phiiippines was an research and design for micro-chips is opportunity for women workers,educators, carried out and where assembly workers, and organizersto shareinformation and often immigrant women,fabricate "wafers" organizing strategies, and to put in place orlarge sheets of micro-chips. These an international network and strategy to wafers are sent to factories in Third World continuethe struggle againstthe global

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BEST COPY AVAILABLE impact of the microelectronic industry. organizers from different regions; to The information and experiences we organize solidarity and financial suppori shared with each other atthe meeting for campaigns in different regions; and to resulted in a deeper understanding of the translate relevant materials and learn new global assembly line and its impact in each languages- -an essential partof region. international solidarity. We were ableto putthe micro- The connections that were made in the electronics industry L. the context of the Philippines need to grow and consolidate. worldwide operations of multinational The meeting raised many questions about the corporations and their movement frem most effective wuys to support each other's country tocountry, depending on the work in different regions. These questions availability of cheap labour and other will only be answered asthe network financial incentives. We heard accounts becomes concrete over the coming months and from women workinj in "Export Processing'. years. or "Free Trade" Zones, which arebeing established in more and more countries as the governments of many Third World countries compete for foreign investment. We al5o learned ofthe current decline in the microelectronics industry, and the massive retrenchment (lay-offs) taking place in many countries, due in part to the overall decline in the industry, but also to the impactof automation. Computerization in micro-chip factories is eliminating thousands of jobs. In the following articles and We were reminded of theincreasing interviews we have tried to highlight sone trend towards the"export"of data of the ways that women at different points processing, particularly to the Caribbeqn, along theglobal assemblyline are and of the necessity to begin research and upproaching educational and organizing education on this issue so as to initiate work, depending on the situation in their an effective and coordinated response. country. The following articLes are based The picture ofthe micro-chip on presentations, interviews, and written industry that emerged from our exchange was materials exchanged at the meeting in the not an encouraging one, butit was Philippines. countered with information about the ways that womens' and workers' movements are A Summaryof Proceedings from the meeting developing and taking action in different in the Philippines, including a listing of regions. We were inspired bythe resources,is available for 84.00 from: innovative ways that women are reaching one another, whether itbe through day care Participatory Research Group centers, grocery stores, or by talking to #309-229 College Street other workers in the factories. In every Toronto, Ontario region women are finding ways of educating M5T 1R4 and organizing themselves and each other, often inthe face of political repression We will also be producing apopular and intimidation. education booklet which willinclude: an At the group strategy session which illustrated, description and analysis of closed the meeting the participants agreed the international division of labour, which toa number of actions:to establish an we callthe micro-chip global assembly on-going exchange of research, information, line: examples of women organizing in and publications; to strengthen our different regions, based on information workers' education programs and efforts to from the consultation: and a section which organize women workers;toinclude an encouragesthe development ofar international perspective in al/ our work; international solidarity network. It will to plan further exchanges of workers and be available in September 1987.

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KMK: Women Worker's Movement in the Philippines

During the five-day exposuretour that level of political participation czmg began the microtech meeting, many of us women in the Philippines,and were exposed to the work of the Kilusan Ng relationship between the women's povonent Manggagawang Kababaihan (KMK),the women and other political organizing. workers' movementin the Philippines. We Following are edited excerpts from were Impressed and inspired by Ihe work of Cleofe's presentation,and some comments the KMK, by the high level of organizing from Jing Porte of the Women's Centre, an and commitment we saw within the educational center for women workers that organization, and by the integration of the workt closely with the KMK. women workers' movement with the women's movement as a whole and with other Kilusan Ng Manggagawang Kababaihan (KMK) is political struggles in the country. a mass organization of women workers in the Cleofe Zapanta, the Secretary-General Philippines. It was founded in 1985, of the KMK, gave a presentation onthe although disr-3sion about the need foran objectives, structure, and activities of organization to take up the needs of women the KMK. Her presentationledto a workers began in 1979. In 1983 we formed discussion about the reasons for the high an organization for women workers in the

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Cleofe, Seeretaii-General O-f the KMK. 13 industrial sector--the Women Worker's Industrial Alliancebut we soon realized that there are large numbers of women 7e1.. workers in other sectors, and that many are still unorganized. We formed the KMK to unite the largest number of women workers, organized and unorganized, in the Philippines. We now have members in the industrial,service,and agricultural \,,<3111111 sectors and we have formulated a list of eleven major demands for women workers. When we had our first congress in 1985 the membership was 5,000 women workers. Now, after ten months of organizing work,we have 135 chapters nationwide and a membership of 13,000. Ninety-three chapters of the KMK are made up of agricultural workers in the haciendas in Negros (the heart of the sugar industry with the activities of other sectors of in the Philippines). women, especially for traditional cele- We have a national structure which brationslike May 1 and June .12 includes a General Assembly;a National (Philippines National Day). The day after Council; an Executive Committee and our National Congress in 1985 we picketed committees responsible for Education, the Ministry of Labour and Employment to Finances, Organizing, and Campaigns; present women workers demands and issues. Regional Councils;and Municipal Recently we invited Sister Mary John from Coordinating Committees. GABRIELA (the coalition of women's groups The KMK is not a bargaining unit, we in the Philippines) to attend one of our are not entitled to bargain with the forums where we discussed the management. Most ofour members are Constitutional Commission and the role of members ofunions under the KMU(the workers in formulating the new constitution militant trade union movementin the of the Philippines. Philippines). We have close coordination The position of women in trade unions with the KMU in terms of women's issues. is changing. Before, among union officers, We try to have our demands included in the the women were in the traditional positions general union's demands. When we are of secretary and treasurer. But now there organizing aKMIC chapter in a factory we are lots of unions whose presidents are see toit thatthe union officers women. That's why we are training more understand our purpose. Because if you women workers to be leaders. can't convince the union officer it is very The education we give is not the same hard to have the demands of women workers as the KMU. The KMU gives more general included. So we try to be sure that all education about the situation of the the unions are aware of the issues of the workers in the Philippines. KMK education women workers. The KMU now has a Women's focusses on the specific conditions of Commission for coordinating with us. women workers. In our orientation we One of the KMK's objectives isto include the condition of women in the organize those women who have no unions. Philippines in general,the situation of One ofthe secrets of our success as an women workers, and how to form KMK chapters organizationis that a lotof our orga- in different unions or factories. The nizers are workers themselves. I used to Education Committee is responsible for work in a department store, but after we giving the KMK orientation to our members, formed a union there I decided to resign and also for coordinating other kinds of and organize other workers. trainingleadership training, speakers' Besides our direct organizing work, training, organizers'training, and we also plan rallies and protests related instructors'training. We also give to women workers' issues, and we coordinate maternal health care education. t".

regularize women workers who have rendered six months work. KMK Demands 5. Women should have equal access to ;1111 skilled work or to protected jobs. 6. All women workers should have four months maternity leave benefits. Employers should also grantone week paternity leave. Women workers should be 1. Guarantee women's fullparticipation ingiven menstruation leave benefits basedon gainful employment. Morejobsto ourthe total wage. Filipino women. 7. Workers with families have the right to 2. Women should not be discriminated parentdl leave in order to respondto against because ofsex,age, or civilianfamily or their children's needs without status. Pregnancy should not be madeaprejudice to their job security. basis for her termination. 8. In her period ofpregnancy,the 3. Equal pay for equal work done and woman worker has the right to object toany implement just wages for all Filipinohazardous or heavy jobs which couldaffect workers--both men andwomen. her health or her baby'shealth (without 4. Abolish the "piece-ratesystem" and any penalty). I.

It is not only women workers in underground. After that there was no factories whoare organizing under the KMK. conscious effort to organizewomen or In Baguio, for example,the miners' wives create women's organizations untilrecently are now organizing andwe are planning to when we felt we should really have a housewives' organization have a affiliated women's movement here in the with the KMK. Philippines There are alsosome demands and we started organizing on our organization to organize again. women In Europe, women ask "Howcome in the domestic helpers. We are still planning Philippines the ecologists don'tdisagree how we can do this, becausethese workers with the feminists?" I think it's because are scattered in individual households. the women's movement isnot alien to the total struggle of the Filipinopeople. Why Several participants raisedquestions should a peasant woman jointhe women's about the high level ofwomen's political movement? It has to advance her interests, activity in the Philippines,in contrast which island reform. So GABRIELA's with other countries that have experienced interest is also for landreform. The equally repressive regimes. Jing Porte, of demands of the women'smovement are always the Women's Centre, commented. linked with the problemsof the Filipino women and the Filipino people in the It doesn't follow that ifyou have a very different sectors and repressive regime that classes. So when we women will say we are from the women'smovement, we automatically join organizations, that you are not only ecologists,we are not only have a militant workers' organization or a micro-chip technologyactivists, we speak militant women's movement. We have seen for Filipino womenin general. this in so many countries Our where wages are aspirations are the aspirationsof the low, working conditionsare very poor, and women peasants,the women workers, the management has sophisticatedmeans of women in the offices, the professionals. controlling the workers. The cons- We have a perspective ciousness is not automatic. of winning, of victory. I think this shouldn't It takes a focussed organizing leave us, because ifit does,we won't be going effort. The women's movement didn'thappen anywhere. overnight. That's why we talkabout There was an organization commitment. Among called MAKIBAKA way back in the Filipino the seventies. organizations we alwaystalk about But when martial lawwas declared MAKIBAKA commitment. We don't really bragabout it, and many otherorganizations went but it's there. Linking Philip's Workers

The microelectronics industry is dominated by multinational corporations which shift their operations from country to country. A frequently-discussed strategy among women working in ihe industry is that or linking workers from different countries who are employed by the same corporation. Adopting this strategy means that concrete and detailed research can be carried out on the corporation in question and thatinternationally coordinated campaigns are more likely to be effective by targetting the same corporation, from different regions. The Foundation for Research on the Electrotechnical industry (SOBE) inthe Netherlandsis one group that has adopted this strategy. Members of SOBE attended the micro-chip technology consultation in the Philippines,and told us about their work. SUBE is a small,independent, voluntary organization that works with workers and trade unions inside Philips plantsin the Netherlands,and tries to link Philips workers in different countries. With investments in sixty countries, 1982 this number had dropped to 78,000 and Philips is one of the three largest it is expected that by 2990 another 20,000 multinationals in the world. Next to the jobs will have disappeared. government, it is the largest employer in This massive reduction of employment the Netherlands. There is a Philips plant in the Netherlands is due to the large in every town,and the corporation often scale international reorganization Philips influences local town councils. Philips is has been carrying out, and to the impact of also known as "the most social of automation in its factories. In a search employers". As one enters Eindhoven, the for cheap labour and other financial town which is the Philips headquarters in incentives, Philips has opened factories in the Netherlands,one sees gigantic many Third World countries, including factories and then the Philips parks, the Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, and the Philips library,the Philips Cultural Philippines. It is also increasing its activities in the United States and Canada Centre, the Philips football stadium , the Philips medical service, the Philips travel by taking over other corporations. agency,the Philips pension fund,Philips Automation is resulting in job loss in all schools, and the Philips village (Philips of these places. Sometimes this is carried owns a whole city district). There is also out by simply not rehiring when workers the Philips postage stanp club, the Philips leave, in other cases workers are actually brass band, and the Phi ips pigeon club! given dismissal letters, and in some cases But as well as being the largest workers are encouraged to resign employer in the Netherlands, Philips is "voluntarily". alsothe greatest contributor to The initiative to form SOBE began ten unemployment. In 1970,106,000 people years ago as mere and more production was worked for Philips In the Netherlands. By moving out of the Netherlands, and workers,

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particularlywomen workers,were experiencinga lot of insecurity. formed in SOBE. an attemp::to keep workers The following informed ofdevelopments in groups collaboratedin Philips the conception andorganizing of the operations around theworld, to support the Micro-chip Technology meeting: actions of Philipsworkers, and to build solidarity betweenPhilips workers in Women's Center &Kilusan n different parts ofthe world, Sothat they will not be played Manggagawang Kababaihan (KMK) off againstone another. Room 406 SOBE carries out detailedresearch on R+G Tirol Building Philips operations,which is made available 831 Edsa Corner in a variety ofpublications and through Scout Albano Street Connecta, a quarterlyinformation bulletin QuezonCity distributed internationally. Connecta was Metro Manila initiated by Philipsworkers who attended Philippines the InternationalPhilips Conference in the Netherlands,in 1982. Connecta pub:ishes Center for Women's Resources information and analysesof interest to 2nd floor Philips workers, andsupports international Mar Santos Building solidarity efforts. The newsletter 43 Roces Ave., includes articlesabout new technologyand Quezon City other developmentsin production,trade Philippines union struggles indifferent parts of the world, and focussesparticularly on the Women's Program situation and struggles of women workers. international Council A recent issue of Connectaincludes for Adult Education articles on Philips operations inIndia, 29 Prince Arthur Ave. Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Belgium, Toronto, Ontario SpaiL, and Portugal, as well as articleson Canada M5R 182 the situation ofwomen workers in Japan, the issue of night-work for women, recent Participatory ResearchGroup developments in automation, and information 229 College St., Suite about Philips 309 investments in different Toronto, Ontario regions. Canada M5T 1R4 As well as itspublications and newsletter, SOBE contiruesto plan ways of bringing Philipsworkers togetherto exchange informationand strategies. Plans are currently underway foran international meeting of Philips bulbproduction workers. SOBE's effortsare a working example of ways toprovide workers withthe information they needto take some control of their workinglives, in the faceof the massive expansionof the worldwide operations of multinational corporations. /Mr--

Forinformation aboutSOBE's work, publications or newsletter,contact: --- SOBE millimppr Demer 38 a 5611 AS Eindhoven 1 Nederland Tel. (040) 447021

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Organizing Malaysian WomenWorkers

Our first interview was with a womanwho is When I first started at the active in a Malaysian women'sorganization. kindergarden I had about seventy students. At her request we have notidentified Now with retrenchment increasingall the individuals, organizations orlocations by time,the numbers of children are decreasing because they stay with their name. parents who are unemployed. Our organization came togethereight years Quite afew members of our ago to addressthe special problems that organization are nurses. Sone of them want women have. We hold education classes for to get together and start a medical program women workers in theurban and the rural in the communities we are working in. In sectors and we have aPeople's Popular fact we've already started using the': Program aimed at teaching women their klndergarden on the weekends as a clinic basic rights. We've also started a for children and mothers. General hygiene kindergarden program for thechildren of is one of the main health care problems, workers in a squatter area. the whole environment is so horrible. This squatter area is on theedges of As part of our education program for the railway track, and people coneand women workers, we aretrying to do build their houses there. Many of the organizing in the electronics factories. people who work in the FreeTrade Zone go Sometimes after my own shift I go to other there to live. The houses are considered factories and wait outside for the girls to illegal and the government candemolish come out. But many of them don't want to them any time they want. talk to me, they are suspicious about what The houses are very poor, one room, I am trying to do. So we have to depend on sometimes two rooms. People go to the friends. I say, "Since you are not bathroom in the bushes at the back,they interested in the union,introduce me to wait until night comes and thenthey go. somebody who you think is interested." So There is no electricity,just oillamps, she might take me to meet her friend who is and water is another problem. more outspoken and who wouldlike to join. So we started a kindergarden program It is very Cifficult to organize the for the children. Otherwise they would electronics sector in Malaysia. Each just be hanging around becausetheir industry is required to have a national parentr can't afford to sendthem to a union, so, for example, we tried to join pre-school. We charge a small fee because the Electrical Union but the Registrar of we want people tovalue education. At the Unions said our jobs are not similar enough end of every month the parents cometo pay and would not let us join, and the the fees, and I talk to themand ask then Electrical Union is not allowed to organize about their work. Sometimes after work I electronics workers. go to theil housesand talk to them about In 1972 the government introduced an their children and about theirjobs. In Industrialization Plan and started the Free this way we are reaching theparents Trade Zones. For five years after that it through the children. was illegal to form unions in theZones, so

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18 ° it was not until 1978that we could legally form a union. In 1978 the Malaysian Trade Union Congress appliedfor registration of a union for electronicsworkers. By 1984 they had still heardnothing from the Registrar of Trade Unionsso they took the Registrar to court. The judge told the Trade Union Congressthat it was not their affair, that if theworkers want a union they shouldcone forward themselves and apply. How on earth will thatbe possible?

Right now I'm puttingtogether a primer for electronicsworkers. I need corporate information aboutthe companies operating in the industry,especially Motorola, because that willprobably be my case study. I went to the Industrial Office here and gotsome information. Motorola says they havebeen running at a loss for a couple ofyears. It's unbelievable. I need to have that kindof information to calculate the rate of Our group doesn't have exploitation. any full-time It'll very important forthe organizers. workers to know this. Everybody isa voluntary worker. The organizing that Another way we try and we do cannot reach morkers expand very fast becausewe have family is through drama. We put on skits which lives and jobs. To do all that and still present different aspectsof the problems have time for organizing workers face. is very, very We performed for the difficult. Malayaian Trade Union We need funds for full-time Congress, at the organizers and for therent and the International Women's Dayrally, and for operations of an office. Right now we the electronics workerswho got together to borrow typewriters, support the Mostek workers. we borrow offset machines, everything is We also use dramaon the rubber borrowed. We're also trying to buildup our library and we plantations, particularlyaround the issue need documentation ofall kinds. of paraquat. Paraquat is the cheapest pesticide in the worldtoday and it's very Political repression dangerous. Workers go blind if itsplashes in their eyes and theydie if it gets into their bloodstream. Many women on the In Malaysiawc have the Internal Security Act which plantations have died frombeing sprayed by prohibits any organizing paraquat. among peasants, workers,students. A The workers in the political critic ofthe government who plantations don't agitates or organizes have time to readpapers, nor the money to can be detained buy them. Because of the falling prices without warrant andwithout trial. This of Act actually originated rubber their take-homepay $35/month. in Britain during So the Second World we send them cuttings of War and was usedagainst news from the German spies. papers to share among themselves. Now they've amendedit and adopted it We also organizeseminars at the for use in Malaysia. It's a terrible threat hanging local level, and sometimesat the national over our heads. We don't know what level to consolidateour work. We have the number of education programs for political prisonersis now, we don'thave organizers that any power to get include informationabout the situation of information. There have been people who women in Malaysia, thecomposition of the have gone intoprison and some of them havecome out having changed workforce, number ofwomen workers,the their viewscompletely. women's groups that existin Malaysia. They appearon TV apologizing for beinga threat to the

19 lot of ON 27 OCTO6ER 1385, ErACTLy 32 DAYS AcTER ovA r-eRsT. /WET; NE government. At times there is a PEcroE To SusPEN tea v06 8Eo4u:EmeNAP suemilT136 (*ROW ree miqd pressure from the government. Every time The SoL1P4RIT9 WYNN IS A IT ALTo SyNONYIES ONR cUmAs To sue 31 DAVPLD CoMmIrmEnT MINE LARGER we have a meeting at our office there is a PICFEFIsgr Acs100 crfluS6LE. AGAINST RETRENCHMENT; NAT Pay OF NocrEK LOORKER4 car parked outside with someone inside it. 8441- 4ls0 FOR ORR 1:El1Ika WORKERS 'N PENA,* AND IA ME* PACT OF He doesn't do anything,just sits there. MAtA%1A. Every time we have a meeting,the whole next night we can't sleep. :* One time when the organizing in the electronics sector was getting strong, one iC Ma ON Au cuR FF-Luml Yafts-ERS - of the officers from the Special Branch WIENER They ARE FAargy kssAKERS, LASSOUREAS, yilogAmEg OR FARMERS- called me up and tried to threaten me. P sANFrE. MD CorPoICT us A TIAS MOW/ lo AssEAT niE WV DF It's lonely and it's frightening and at Au_ suatgets io .11,6 SEGORI73 !! times we're not sure whether it's worth it. leOCKEes WA SU.IPARITy MAWR LIKE We don't want to be nipped in the bud. Our 4on-C. AU. cult OMER AWNS Is OF A PEACERI. MD REMO" organization is so new, but we are starting MAANEt f NE Aft LOYAL 501-IDAMry CiTiLENS of MALAYSIA!! . .._ to see the solidarity and the strength. WAA! INFO WORK ugamsjev.m.403pamie putt 6610. loas!

Our second interview was with a worker in a large electronics factory in Malaysia. 4MW

I've been at this factory for three years. When I first started they asked me if I knew anything about unions. I didn't really know what a union was,so I said "no". Now Iunderstand why they asked me that. I do wire bonding work, which is manual scope work. A wire comes down, you look through the scope and thread it using tweezers and then you make a small knot, not too light or too thick. It took about Mostek strike flyer two months to learn,but once I learned I was fast, provided I was given a good and said "It's all right, let's talkit machine. I used to work very hard. At over." Later he called me to aroom, this company when you do a good job your offered me a coffee and asked me about my nameis put up in lights as the "best problems. I said I didn't have any bonder". They were very hard on me, problems, I just didn't like the way he pressing me to do so much work, but then my shouted at me. He apologized and after name would be up there and I would feel so that he was nice to me. Then Irealized proud. And you are given a Parker pen with that if you do whatever he says, he pushes your name engraved on it. you too hard, butif you fight for your I usually have very bad backaches and rights, then he is less hard.

headaches every day. Sometimes it becomes I live with some friends in a hostel. so severe that when somebody says "hi",it The company pays half, and we pay half.

hurts my head. I keep my hair short and There are four of us in a room. If any of pour water on my head every day, because I our friends come they can't stay with us in don't want to take too many tablets. And I the hostel,we have to talk to them can't read long without my eyes watering. outside. The guard comes to our rooms and One day I was not feeling well, and I tells us that we can't watch TV after 10 was given a bad machine, soI couldn't do because we have to go to work tomorrow. my work well. The supervisor shouted at The guard is the only man who can come into me. It really irritated me so I told him the hostel, even if our fathers come to see not to shout at me. Suddenly he changed us we have to go out.

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We work eight hours a day and our She didn't want the promotion but she had wage is $1.65 an hour Malaysian, which is to take it or lose her job. less than $1 U.S. We work six days a week, They kept me there doing bonding work and we change shifts every two weeks. but they told me not to talk to groups of Sometimes we are forced to do girls and not to go into other lines. If I overtime every day. One time all of us did did,they would ask the girls what Ihad overtime for a month. At the end of the said. When they separated the three of us month the supervisor told us that he had like that it frightened the other girls, lost our overtime slips so he couldn't pay they didn't want it to happen to them. But us. We told him we could remember how many I said, somebody has to start it. hours of overtime we had done, but he said At that time I didn't know who to he couldn't trust us. approach for help, I didn't know anything There were three of us who were quite about organizing, I didn't know how to talk strong at that time, we would fight for our to the girls,I was alone. I thought to rights on an individual basis. So me sa:i myself, "I'm going to give up on this, I'm °Why don't we all work together on this going to leave.". Then one day I met a matter?" We were mostly Malays and Indians women at the bus stop. She spoke to me and on that line and the Malay girls had been asked me questions about where I worked. I budgetting for the coming festival, so they was so fed up I just told her my whole were angry. We talked and we all agreed to story, and then she told me she belonged to stop working the next day at lpm. Some a womens' organization and would I like to girls were a bit frightened,but finally come. they said "Ok,if somebody starts it off then we will follow." Some of the girls lf you are interested in knowingmore about were worried that we would all get fired these organizations, please write to them but we said "There are forty of us, people C/O: will notice, we'll go to the press." At lpm the next day we all stopped Women's Program working and just sat. The supervisor cane International Council for Adult Education around and said "What's wrong, why have all 229 College Street, Suite 309 of you stopped working." We told him we Toronto, Ontario wanted our overtime pay. He said "I'll go CanadaM5T 1R4 talk to the management, please continue your work", and we maid "No, you find out from the management first, we'll wait for you." He was so panicky, you could see it on his face. He ran to the office to speak to the management, then he came back and said "OK send one representative to talk for all of you". We said "No,we all want to speak." Then he said "OK, tomorrow by lunch I'll pay you." WE told him if we weren't paid we would do thesame thing the " next day. So the next day lunch time we were all paid our overtime. After that the three us were being watched. He could see that wewere provoking the other girls and he gotvery angry with us. One of us was putinto another line to work with chemicals. She was pregnant at the time and she knew the chemicals were very bad for her,so she ILL left. The other girl was given a promotion. She was put on office hours which means she goes for lunchat a different time and can't meet thegirls.

21 2 5 BEST COPY AVAILABLE =1M111 North America Organizing for Control of our Jobs and our Health

North American participants at the meeting represented groups doing educational and Common Office Health Problems: organizing work with clerical workers about Worse for VDT Users Common office health problems.. Joh as eyestrain. headache, back end neck pin, stress. the impact of micro-chip technology on sheustion, tingling and pain in and fingersere euperienced even mole often by VOT users. In fact, with the introduction of VDTs there has been a dramatic increase in daily health their jobs andlives,as well as groups proldems reported by office workers, with merry of the longterm effects still unknown. Many of the these heatth problems co n b plownleti by improving the design of your work area Where you working with production workers in workl end the lob itself twhat you do and howl. Use the following checklist, along with the dia- electronics industry who are being gram on the other side of this sheet, to evaluate your VDT work wee. ITo evaluate your lob, me OTEP Fact Sheet "More Than Meets the Eye."l confronted with serious chemical hazards at their workplaces ind in their communities. A Checklist for Tour VDT Workstation The Office Project in Dow your VOT hew o Wee the overhead Oka liptiOng *rowel *fon LIdetached saybowel VDTs were introducee W Nee terve prowled? Massachusetts, U.S.A. and the groups that o nowspere glees kw en ellestrwe Wer sholdl 0 Can Ito Widows be shetbil web Wird. et obnaninees end confront controls curtains? 0 swimmable WI 0 Az. rwey pnrwts Inotwarde awe II MI. We have formedin "Silicon Valley", o adymetable hoglil 0 dwectere which we Iwo and ahem 111W coyote. wilb nobs dosses? California, U.S.A. are examples of the enough So NW away CI le your VOT ode,, thel is. ne *moons or hien 0 ne Wide hicker prima kinvnins? ways women are informing themselves and U Do you tel you have aletwele Wray? NMI yew rues Awe: 0 le ths office wronged es Owl you we able le each other, in order to take action. O lower. edlustable surface lor the VOT hew wall cantact with ampleyess who work keyboard encl higher Palace /or the now you WWI the worse ot the day/ U le your VOT repulethe chime and eeryleetli De gnspewsaatehen lar Tre nwartiele sou wollt with you Mow Ih. tel Iwo Wis wee Moro? 0 enough spew se the VOT saw Is at a CI Da you hew Ow MOW le S Mender Purim rowel wawa, 112 11.1 prewrancy if you doom not I. work en She LInonglere Noah VOT? 0 Mae the onenuleciune prowled Inhowatiart about The Office Technology Education 0 Are copy holden evadable estbehon krwie meowed Purina knew WOW CI le yew dish ivory sniustetno for nsiont end 0 Does management pay for tow* eye awns mai Project (OTEP) was formed in recognition of weCion, sone vseevie owes if needed 1er VDT we/ the serious and far-reaching effects that pew answered "Me- ib wow Maw 'mations. yaw sombre, hes Mid ra owths pow WM propw work tornmkonment Yes awl row wweriAora wit kolp 4 411140, ch41,819 nortir nmod kr hs the introduction of new technology is wash 1y, mhos, S05 wriwiwilwis. sod Width wd whir commlltow *Moo weilws Maw having on office work, and out of the need whoa haw haw NM I. wit herons,. Wwwwwints. for office workers to have the information necessary to take some control of this process. OTEP's work has several components. They offer a four-part educational series OTEP fact sheet to workers working on video display terminals (VDTs)in both unionized and vulnerable and least able to stand their unorganized workplaces. The educationals ground in the face of changes in the work cover identifying and preventing office place. Because of this OTEP is organizing hazards, as well as discussion of the a public education program particularly broader impact of automation on office aimed at unorganized office workers. work. One result of the series is the Activities have included distributing formation of "technplogy committees" which leaflets outside companies which employ work towards actually implementing changes large numbers of office workers and at mass in the workplace, sometimes by urging the transit stops; writing newspaper articles union to take a stronger stand on and appearances on TV and radio talk shows; automation issues, or, where no union and a widely-distributed "survey" and exists,by collectively making publicity campaign about the impact of recommendations for change to management. computer monitoring on women's office work. OTEP also offers a single-session In 1986 OTP: :,.ganized a state-wide workshop for secretarial students in conference on edice automation which was community and job training attended by LA people. The participants programs. This workshop introduces women at the conference were individuals and to the health and safety issues related to organizations committed to guaranteeing the jobs they will be seeking, and arms workers some control and benefit from the them witn reference material for when they introduction of new technology. They begin work. launched the Massachusetts Coalition on New Unorganized women workers are often Office Technology in an attempt to unite the hardest hit by the Introduction of new office workers, unions, women's and health technology, and are also often the most organizations, and researchers. The

22 26 3

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Coalition plans tomount public education and action campaigns malignant melanoma,a form of cancer, which aimed at influencing she attributes to union, company, and her repeatedexposure to public policy regarding solvents and other the use of VDTs. toxins at work. She is one of ninety-six workers OTEP also operates at the same plant as a resource and who are sueing the referral centre for company with claims of VDT workers, and hasa disease or illness "hotline" that workers caused by exposureto can call with dangerous chemicals. questions. They publisha regular Caemicals used in theindustry are newsletter called AutomatedTimes and have also showing produced aset of easy-to-read up in drinking water in and surrounding informative fact sheets areas, and are being linked on the health and with high rates of safety hazards of miscarriages and birth new technology. The fact defects in these sheets include: Common communities. Office Hazards...and In response to the How to Avoid Them;Job Content: More deadly hazards than posed by thechemicals used in the Meets the Eye; A ModelVDT Workstation; and industry, a number ofgroups have formed in Clerical Work isStressful. A scl-, of four the Silicon Valleyto provide information, fact sheets is availablefor U.S.$2.00. education, and advocacyto workers in the area. The Santa Clara For further informationcontact: Center for Occupational Safetyand Health (SCCOSH)is a resource center Lisa Gallatin on health issues related Office TechnologyEducation Project 6 Newsome Park Jamaica Plain,

MA 02130 ro.

U.S.A. S.

1/4

The Santa Claracenter for Occupational Safety and Health (SCCOSH) VOWEARE INDEED PRivow4E0 (0104;2!" - TO olAvE *HE In Silicon Valley, delP CPPeetOstty to California, the DEVEltIP electronics industry DMUTAVNy is the largest ILLNESS& /306 employer. The Valley, whichlies just vpo A LES <:4853Y south of San HAIWIEMZItt. Fransisco,is home tomore VS 01'6) WouLD than 500 llectronics Dowft_52., DE PRIyeD companies which employ 1A-11-Witm. U s Or. over 200,000 people. More than 75percent of the production workers are women,and at least 40 percentof theseare women of colour. These femalesemiconductor production workers are among the most to "high tech" poorly paid industrialworkers in the industries. They operatea United States. confidential "hotline" for electronics Starting wagesare barely workers, and over minimum wage. are handling requests forhelp There are no unionsin from all electronic plants, across the country, They also job-security is offer workshops non-existent, andworkers are constantly and produceeducational faced with the threat booklets and factsheets (see list below). of plant closuresdue to the availability Injured WorkersUnited, a projectof of cheaper labourin SCCOSH,is a self-help other statesor countries. and supportgroup for workers injured Workers in microprocessor on the job, usually due production to chemical are exposed to exposure in SiliconValley a huge array of toxic plants. chemicals, including The group evolvedafter workers substances linkedto started to claim birth defects,cancer, and other chronic compensation for chemical health effects. exposure and were metwith resistance Recently a woman whohad and worked for six discouragement. Local state and years in a OTE-Lenkurtplant federal in New Mexico regulatory bodieshave done verylittle to was diagnosedas having inform or to protect productionworkers 23 2 7 BEST COPYAVAILABLE from most workplace hazards. Injured Workers United hascampaigned effectively for quality medical care,retraining services, and a moreresponsive system of workers compensation. The Silicon Valley ToxicsCoalition came about withthe discovery of widespread groundwater contaminationby the electronics companies in the area. The Coalition has been workingfor over four years on ways toprevent and remove this contamination and have compiledextensive data on chemical storage andtoxic waste handling practices andproblems and associated health effects. All of the above groups aremembers of Integrated Circuit,a nationwide organization of activistsand environmentalists concernedwith labour conditions, health andsafety problems, and impact of "high tech" the environmental Women's Skills industries. They have recently launched a rid the workplace of major new campaign to Women's SkillsDevelopment Society, a chemical hazards tothe reproductive Vancouver-based group,has two new capacity of both womenand men. publications: pluiag WithOur Health: Hazardsin the Automated Office, a For information contact: solution-oriented bookletwhich provides accurate and up-to-dateinformation on the SSCOSH/Injured Workers United health hazards of VDTs;and Taking Control 277 West Bedding St. of Our Future: ClericalWorkers and New San Jose, California,95110 Technology, which identifieskey issues for U.S.A. clerical workers andoffers some concrete strategies for change. Write to: Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition 277 West Bedding St., Suite 208 Women's Skills DevelopmentSociety, 4340 San Ase, California, 95110 Carson Street, Burnaby,B.C., V5J 2X9, U.S.A. Canada.

Resources represented at the women industrial,agricultural and service A number of groups the newsletters related workers. The newsletter reports on meeting publish regular conditions of Asian micro-chip technology on living and working to the impact of their struggles for workers and/or to buildinginternational women workers and equality and liberation. links between women workers. Following is list of some ofthese newsletters and a Automated Times., A MassachusettsNewsletter where to write in order toreceive them: on Office Automation,published by Office Technology EducationProject, 6 Newsome Park, JamaicaPlain, MA, 02130, Asian Won n Workers Newsletter,published four times a year by theCommittee for U.S.A. 57 Peking Road, 5/F, .Asian Women (CAW) Connecta: QuarterlyInternational Kowloon, Hong Kong. Inrormation Bulletin forPhilips Worker, Published by SOBE, Demer 38,5811 A! CAW is an Asian regionalorganization that Eindhoven, Nederland facilitates education andorganizing among 2420 Mexico:

"Our struggle will continue as longas our hearts beat"

The two woen from Mexico who attended the meeting in the Philippines were there representing the September 19 Garment Workers' Union. They told us about the founding of their union out of the devastaticn resulting from the earthquake on September 19, 1985. Many of the garment factories were in gutted tenement buildings which were among the first to collapsewith the force of the earthquake. An estimated 5,000 women were killed and thouaands injured. Women arrived at work to find their workmates and friends crushed under Adaitsrvii'\"- 11 rubble. The owners came only to rescue the sewing machines. Women who had worked for 15-20 years were left with no compensation and without jobs. On October 18,10,000 workers participated in a march demanding low the registration of an independentunion for garment workers;on October 20,the union, which now has 4,500 members,was registered. The new union aims to develop consciousness among garment workers and to build a democratic union to defend their rights. An important aspect of their work is the education they provide to their September 19 Garment Workers' Union, based members, ranging from education on union on their presentation to the meeting in the issues (how to negotiate, the legal system, Philippines and an interviewwe did with collective bargaining, health and safety), them there. to literacy classes, and culturalclasses where workers can do aerobics or learn to For more information, please write: play the guitar. Childcareis provided free at all their meetings and is Evangelina Corona or Conceptcion Guerrero considered a priority wherever they are Sept.19th Garment Workers' Union organizing. Apartado Postal 12-709 In the next issue of Voices Risingwe Colonia Narvarte will include a longer articleon the 03020 Mexico D.F

Resources continued

Global Electronics, published monthly by women's groups, humRn rightsand religious the Pacific Studies Center, 222B organizations, journalists, andresearchers View Street, Mountain View, CA,94041, who are concerned about global U.S.A. production in the semiconductor andother related The Global Electronics newslotter ispart industries. Requests can be made for of the Global Electronics Information specific research. File searches are free Project which dims to establish an for groupsin the Third World,and on a international network of labour organizrs, flexible scale for others.

25 0,) 1111111111MMINN

OMMIt. Resources continued Cuando trabajar es un infierno, Lasmuleres As well as providing newsabout women's y_lariustractitision internationaldel struggles worldwide,this newsletter trabajo (When work is hell, Womenand the regularly features a section on"Women and new internationaldivision of labour), Global Corporations". This special section published by the Centro deInvestigacion reports on the expandinginternational para la AccionFeminine (CIPEF), Benigno network of individuals and groupsinvolved Filomeno Rojas No.307,Santo Domingo, in research, education, support, anddirect Dominican Republic (D.N.). organizing related to globalindustries. These include industries where women are This new popular education bookletis about concentrated as workers or as targetsof the development of freetrade zones as a consumer culture:electronics, agri- new form inthe oppression and business, textiles, and the garmenttrades, subordination of women. A second volume tourism, media, and pharmaceuticals. will focus on the specificsituation in the conditions of Dominican Republic and the Sistren,published by the Sistren Theatre women workers. Collective, 20 Kensington Crescent, Quehaceres, CIPAF's monthly Kingenon 5, Jamaica. publication (also in Spanish) isan excellent resource, and often hasanalyses Provides information aboutSistren's information of the situation of womenworkers. activities, as well as general about women's issues and organizingin the Labour Communications,available from 48 Caribbean. The Dec.1986-Jan.1987 issue Princess Margaret Road, Kowloon,Hong Kong. includes articles on women workers inFrec Trade Zones, and the MexicanGarment Reports on the conditions andstruggles of Workers Union. workers in Asia, including womenworkers in the electronics industry,domestic workers, by ISIS role of Women In Action, published migrant workers, and the International, Via Santa Maria multinationals. Dell'Anima 30, 00186 Rome, Italy. Listen Real Loud.News of Women's Women in Action is publishedtwice a year, Liberation Worldwide, published by the and contains information on events, groups, Nationwide Women's Program of theAmerican new resources, andcampaigns that women in Friends Service Committee, 1501Cherry St., different regions of the world areworking Philadelphia, PA, 19102, U.S.A. on.

Upon reflection, after the consultation, it need to reflect on how these lessons can be What can we isclear that as we work to develop an applied in our own contexts. international network overthe coming learn from the KMK's efforts in the months and years,there are important Philippines to mobilize women workers, and their integration of feminist and trade issues we need to address. The consultation was an important moment in the union issues? Should we follow the example the Netherlands, linking struggle of women workers to educate of SOBE, in the ourselves and think about how we might take workers from different regions of collective and international action to world who are employed bythe same lessons can we draw improve our working lives,and to resist corporation? What living under the multinational micro-chip industry. We from the women who are in Southeast need to take the opportunities provided by repressive political regimes the consultation to re-evaluate our work, Asia and are still managing to reach and What can the andto deepenthe debate aboutthe best organize women workers? ways to contribute to the growth of a Massachusetts Office and Technology strong and effective movement of Education Projects' model offer us in terms international solidarity. of reaching unorganized clerical workers in During the consultation we learned a North America and the growing number of great deal about education and organizing women clerical workers in other countries? effortsin different countries. We now

26 3 t) ICEA: Popular Education in Quebec Jane Ourr

The Institut canadien d'lducationdes adultes(ICEA) hosteda group of five women popular educators from Brazil,for atwo CEA week exchange,in January, 1987. hoil, till 01411.41.olli olt, I in,1111.11 This Iê,1IUIIIrwhic..11111, 4111.,4.1.11.016 initiative reflects the10EA's growing KIM I N. 4 committment to developinglinks between 0 educatorsin Quebec and adulteducation movements internationallr. I participated in the final two day 0 evaluation of the exchangeproject. The following articlesare based on notes taken during the evaluation,an interview with tott Esther Desilets, the ExecutiveDirector of arb.6. the ICEA, and the March 1987issue of the ICEA Bulletin.

The ICEA is one of threenational Canadian adult educationorganizations which are members ofthe International Council for Adult Education(ICAE). The goals of the ICEAare to promote adult non- formal education thatis accessible and reflects the educational needsof adults, and to strengthen thedevelopment of adult education generally. Their work is carried out through research anddissemination of information on key adult education issues, .1 and through linkingdifferent adult education networks in Quebec,and recently, Internationally. Much of the Institute's work has organizations suchas the ICAE and the focussed onissues surrounding the Canadian Commission forUNESCO; secondly, participation of women inadult education. receiving delegations ofadult educators They have conducteda number of studies from around the world,and recently, they examining the barriersto women's have begun organizingexchanges with adult participation in adulteducation, and the educators in Central Americaand franc- role of women in populargroups. "We focus ophone West Africancountries. on this clientele becausethey are most At one level the affected in terms of aim ofthe accessibility to Institute's international education," explained Esther involvement is to Desilets. strengthen thepresence of francophone "Popular education isa term which has experience and expertisewithin the adult been used for long timeboth in Quebec and education movement. within the Institute. "In international By this we mean agencies, suchas the Canadian Commission education which adultsreceive in popular for UNESCO, I have observed thatfranc- groups--in women'sgroups for example. We ophone countries, whichare quite strongly are talking about educationwhich is represented, do not havemuch influence on directly associatedwith changes in the development ofadult educationon a people's conditions oflife, to the world scale. amelioration of those conditions." Anglopohone expertise dominates at theseinternational meetings, Internationally,the work of the be it American, English, Institute has three or from anglophone components: the first develeping countries. For this reason involves participating in we international decided to beginan international network. 27 a

AMME.111=1.

"The Institutecurrently has a project looking at theeducational needs of women in francophoneAfrica, and in March we sent a groupof women went to meet women from the FrancophoneAfrican network formed after Nairobi in 1985. The main objective of this project was tostrengthen the participation of the francophoneworld in the development of adulteducation." Secondly, the Institute isinterested in exploring similaritiesand differences in approaches to adulteducation in other is countries. "The Brazil/Quebec exchange very important forthe Institute. Its aim iato give women fromQueber and Brazil exposure toeducational practices in another country, and to assess dif- ferences and similarities. As such, the project will contribute tosolidarity links between these groups and theInstitute, as well as increase ourrespective capacities to influence internationalagencies. In addition,it may contribute tothe development of adult educationin the Third World, another of our overallgoals."

The Exchange

The ICEA's first exchangeproject was organized in collaborationwith Rede Dalva Weinert Nogueira,Vice-Mayor of the Mulher,a nationalnetwork of Brazilian Relais-Femmes, city of Toledo. women's organizations, and organized on In the first stage Visits in Montreal were its Quebec counterpart. of women's educators from the basis of different areas of the project, five popular lives and struggles. These included different sectors of Braziliansociety came domestic life,paid work,politics and to Montreal and spent two weeks visiting popular movements. Under paid work for and consulting withwomen's groups. The example, an exchange tookplace with women experience was organized aroundtwo major representatives of two major unions and a "What is the place androle of themes: women's employment centre. Similarily, in women in community,union and political the context of domesticwork, an exchange organizations? and, how can womeninfluence was arranged with awomen's shelter in their surroundings usingpopular education Montreal. In each case women fromboth as a basic tool?" who went to countries were given an opportunityto talk The Brazilian women facing women, and in the struggle about the major issues Montreal are all involved attempting to for social changethrough popular the ways in which they are of deal with them. education, in their nmmctive areas Esther They were: MoemmaViezzer, In summing up the experience, work. I found most Sao Paolo; Desilets commented:"What Coordinator of Rede Mulher, similarity sugar worker and interesting was that there is a Isabel Conceigao Silva, speak of Sao Paolo;Judite between the two countries when we union organizer, popular education--granted, wearen't a Gongalves de Albuquerque,trainer of rural country which has knowndictatorship, nor educators,Para State;Maria Cristina feminist activist and are we a countrywhich knows torture or Ribeiro Co, However it and television poverty to the same degree. coordinator of women's radio the level of our programming, Esperito SantoState,and, seems clear that at

28 3 approach to. education, we do have the need For more information please contact: for politicizing our work". Indeed,the backdrop against which Esther Desilets popular groups are working in each country Institut canadien d'hducation des adultes are very different. Brazil just emerged in 506 est, Ste-Catherine, suite 800 1980 from a twenty-year military dictat- Montrhal, Québec orship. During that time it was virtually Canada H2L 2C7 impossible for people to organize. Between 1980-1983 groups began to have some Marie Letellier "democratic space"in which to mount Relais-Femmes struggles against the difficult conditions 1265, rue Berri, Bureau 810 they face. For instance, while Brazil is Montréal, Québec rated as the world's eighth strongest Canada H2L 4C6 economic power,the vast majority of the population are poor, malnourished and Moema Viezzer lacking adequate housing, healthcare and Rede Mulher employment. During the period mentioned, Caiza postai 1803 groups formed by and for women, the Cep 01051, Sao Paulo unemployed, squatters,the homeless,the Brazil poor,Blacks,Indians, and the landless, which together formed a "popular movement." One of the implications of social Resources: conditions in Brazil has hence been the development of a strong grassroots The following are research reports produced movement. Within that, popular education by the Institute. They are available in is situated clearly within the overall Fmnch and can be obtained by writing political project of structural social directly to the Institute. change. The women's movement is part of that broader movement. La lace des femmes dans les rou es By comparison, Quebec has lived under populaires (Women's Role in Popular Groups) democracy, and women have had the freedom 1985, $5.00. to organize themselves around issues for a This study questions the role that women long time. One major difference is that have played in popular groups in Quebec and like the rest of Canada,there are many suggests that a sexual division of labour institutionalized social services. What exists and is reflected in the way that this meant in terms of the exchange was organizations are structured, and the kind that while there are many common issues of of activism they engage in. concern to women in Brazil and Quebec (domestic violence, unemployment, housing, Reconnaissance des acquis du point de vue and healthcare for example), the focus of des femmes (Recognition of Knowledge and their organizing efforts is different. Experience from Women's Point of View) In Quebec, popular education is still 1985, $7.00. seen as an important process. Esther The issue addressed in this study is the commented that "in recent years the difficulty women facein gaining recog- situation in Quebec has deteriorated. We nition for the experience they haveas find more and more young people and womcn domestic workers, educators of children and on welfare, on unemployment insurance, and in community work, when they enter the job who need to have decent living conditions. market. From the employers perspective There are many who live precarious lives. women may lack "relevant" or "legitimate" In Quebec we defend the right to decent educational training or job experience. conditions of life. In 8razil, this is the The study examines the barriers against key issue in their struggle." women's return to school and to the job market and makes recommendations for an alternative system of evaluation of women's knowledge and experience.

29 33 Iiii=1111,11 ri -111 zr,

The question was, how to put those of usworking in the field of education for womenin touch with one another so we can share our knowledge and experience? We decided to start a new sectionin which the work of individuals and groups we are in touch with isdescribed briefly and a contact address is provided. This new section is called "Linking"

[..._

Muvman Liberayson Fam in Mauritius. "We are working inclose colla- boration with another group "Ledikasyon Pu Muvman Librasyon Fun (MLF) is a women-only Travayer", whose main aimis to do adult organization which works with all women In literacy and to print materialsin kreol Mauritius, without distinction; women from and Bhojpun languages,the two national rural and urban areas, home-based and languages. Kreol is spoken by almost 95% of employed, young and old. Vina Dholah of the population and Bhojpun is spoken in MLF wrote to tell us about theLiteracy rural areas. program with which the organization is About 50% of the population in involved: Mauritius cannot read and write, and the

30 0

.1111MMIIM.

percentage is higher among women. "Last year Ledikayson Pu Travayer (LPT) did an advertisement on radio to do a national literacy course after which about 150 women and 100 men were enrolled. We agreed to do one course in our centre and one of our members who followed a one week teacher training course with LPT, does the literacy course here. "All of the literacy course work is done on a voluntary basis withthe exception that the teacher getsa travel- ling allowance. The participantspay a symbolic fee of three rupees and thismoney is used to buy markers andnewspaper which we use in the course. All the literacy work is self-financed. "The literacy course is basedon the method of "Paulo Freire"--literacyand consciousness raising in the language spoken by the participants. There is a Momen's Research and DocumentationProject, great demand from workers to learn toread Tanzania. and write but the onlydifficulty we encounter is that we don't easilyget The Women's Research and Documentation volunteers to teach. In this literacy Project (WRDP) is an important exampleof a course participants not only learn to read national women's research project which and write but they also get theopportunity encourages and coordinates the production to discuss and to give their views on all of information and analysis of thesit- aspects in their everyday life. Primary uation of women in Tanzania. The Women's health care, nutrition, working conditions, Program recently receivedan update on the social problems like transport facilities, work If the WRDP which isnow in its sixth water, inequality in living conditions,sex year of existence. inequality, evolution andso on". Muvman Liberayson Pan openeda The group has approximately 25 Momen's Centre in August,1985 in a members involved in the differentaspects building purchased jointly by MLFand the of its work.It has been working to Domestic Employees Union. Activities held establish links with women and with at Lakes Roe, the Centre, groups include self- doing similar research in the defense classes, health workshops, different Marxist regions of Tanzania. MRDP has also extended economics, and music workshops. its links internationally with other MLF publishes a newsletter and is research organizations, with its involved in campaigning around various members attending seminars and conferences. women's issues. One of these is "The Right A number of research proposals to Choose" campaign launched by the were submitted for sponsorshipover the past Mauritian Momen's Liberation Movement in opposition to the 's year, and during 1987 it I. anticipated that the reports of a number campaign against the legalization of of research projects will be completed. sterilization and abortion. MLF is also Internal seminars are held to hear reportsof work fighting for the repeal of a law, passed by in progress and the WORP the government and the opposition, which cont nues to allows parents to "marry off" their publish occasional papers anda nonsletter in Kiswahili. A workshop daughters before they have the legal right on research to say no. methodology was planned forearly in the year. Muvman Liberayson Fam, The MRDP is increasingly being called Celicourt Antelme Street (Lakaz Ros), upon by different institutions and Forest Side, Mauritius government ministries within Tanzaniato

31 35 BEST COPY AYAILABLE 4

apartheid' collaborate, advise and conduct research on repressive measures which the women's issues. Together with the Bureau of regime directs at any oppositional organization. Statistics, the group organized a workshop A recent development amongst on population censusdata in preparation for the 1988 census. The group is also progressive literacy organizations in South working with the National Women's Africa has been the development of regional Organisation, and will be working with the and nctional cooperation between groups. the first national Ministry of Culture and Sports. in April of 1986, literacy conference was held in Cape Town "Many people are looking to uswith and amongst the resolutions adopted were a hope and expectations" writesMagdalene Ngaiza of NRDP."Yet these are small set that recognized the specific oppression achievements. We want to aim high,to move experienced by women in South Africa and committed literacy groups to addressing the from a project into a permanentfeature but with caution. We want tobe able to issue of women's oppressifon - for "there Af.-ica champion issues and influencepolicy, and will be no true liberatioA in South much more". without women's liberation". The inallah Litecgcm Prollgt, based The Women's Research and Documentation in Johannesburg, is one such progressIve Project, literacy organization. They wrote to us of Dor es Salaam, P.O. Box some months ago abouttheir organisation 35108, and its approach to literacy work inthe Dar es Salsas, Tanzania context of apartheid South Africa.They also told us of some of the difficulties encountered in organizing literacy training for women domestic workers and cleaners. 'AC The target group of the Bnglish Literacy Project's work is Bled; adults who are either illiterate orsemi-literate. "These people suffer daily humiliation exacerbated by the complexity of controls peculiar to the SA apartheid system. Recently SA has witnessed the re-emergence The English LiteracyProject of black assertion through trade unions, community organisations and national political organizations. ELP sees such English Literary Project in South Africa. organisation as a crucial area where powerless individuals can come together to The problem of illiteracy in South work for change. It is for this reason that Africais huge and existing literacy BLP offers a literacy service to training reaches a very small percentage of organizations rather than to unconnected illiterates. Clearly the problem of individuals with no common political illiteracy is a reflection of the system of direction." education apartheid which denies adequate ELP is a non-racial and independent to the black majority of the SouthAfrican with a current membership of to combat collective population. The struggle nine full-time members and four part-time. progressive illiteracy is thus perceived by While there is some specialization of tasks and oppositional organizations as a according to skills and experience, political struggle. Alternative orpopular internal workshops ensure the sharing of literacy organizations practice a literacy skills and special areas of knowledge, and reflection training that promotes critical a democratic structure ensuresthe sharing on the oppressivesocial relations and of responsibility for coordination of the South conditions experienced by B4sck group. Learners represent their interests Africans. Such groups tend to werk closely !irectly in the organization through a women's with community organizations, learners committee. The organization was struggling for groups and trade anions founded by five women and has always been work is social change. Consequently their women-centred, but after much discussion it often hampered and disruptedby the 32 36 IMII!

was decided to take inmen with a new p.m. until 3 a.m.--and theextra load of intake of staff whilecontinuing to pursue rork women are expected policies favourable to to perform on women. arriving at their homes. ELP is involved in Many or them sleep a number of between 9 and 5a.m. and then go home to activities; the production ofEnglish as a perform household tasksbefore their next Second Language andvernacular literacy shift (1.e.2-3 hours sleep).The townships (segregated residenceareas for Blacks) are noisy during the dayso uninterrupted sleep only occurs early in themorning. Atten- tion in class is obviously affecteddue to general exhaustion. (Management,it should be mentioned, does not give time off for classes). The problem ofwhen to hold classes is further complicatedby their being unable to leave forthe townships after 6 p.m. because of publictransport being dangerous forwomen after dark." ELP has also been trainingshop stewards from the BlackDomestic Workers Association (BLADNA)as literacy teachers and is involved inorganizing literacy classes for domestic workers."Because of materials; the trainingof Black literacy the disparities inwork conditions and teachers; and teachingadults who are members of organizations hours, and their dispersalin different working for work places, change."ELP aims to provide it is extremely difficultto a thorough find a common time and teacher trainingservice in literacy place for domestic techniques and workers to gather forliteracy training. non-authoritarian adult Although Thursdays tend education methods.Back up service is to be a "day off" for "maids", thosewomen who "live in" must provided to teachersthrough lesson notes, guidelines for adapting return to visit theirfamilies in the materials to suit townships or do bureaucratic students needs anda supportive monitoring chores. This service. leaves Saturday afternoonsonly--subject to the dictates of theiremployers". Domestic "Material is taught insuch a way as workers thus tend to visitthe BLADWA to develop the self-confidenceof students in a learning offices only if they feelassured that environment where theycan their time there will discuss problems and bring immediate define possible action benefits--concrete help with toward changing their a problem, and situation. a literacy training that Lessons are eometimis relates very organized in specifically to improving direct response tolearners their work requests. conditions and improving Learners have maderequests for lessons their chances of a pertaining to particular better income. Domesticwork is the most problems they have insecure, but often the experienced suchas reading salary slips; only available form of employment--interms of hours of work, the use ofcontraception; uses ofskin lightening creams; conditions, wages, unemploymentinsurance cancer of the cervix; and pension. reference books (theidentification and ELP writes:"The greatest labour registrationdocuments which all progress amongst the women hasbeen their growing Black people in SouthAfrica are required confidence. They have learnedto identify to carry). Thesetopics have been takenup in discussion". common problems and not reactas isolated individuals. Theyno longer blame Among the learners withwhich ELP themselvw4 for not beingeducated and take works are women officecleaners organized by the Transport pride in skillsthey have apart from and General WorkersUnion. reading end writing". "Particular problemshave been experienced around the organizing of classes for these E.L.P., 314 Durwell House,35 Jorissen women workers because of the difficult Street, Braamfonteln 2017,Johannesburg, hours involved in officecleaning--fros 8 South Africa

333 7 BEST COPY AVAILABLE t i. nViehe Creating Alternatives Education: A special issue of Connexions: articles in this issue reveal.Women's An International Women'sQuarterly, Summer studies programs within colleges and 1986, No. 21. have had to struggle to maintain their integrity withoutbecoming Linzi Wanicom marginalised. And women who have been the object of many programs designed, The recent issue of Connexions on thetheme implemented and evaluated by outsiders, of Education contains awealth of have often had to contend with the interesting articles from different parts misdirected and oppressive nature of the of the world: the challenges oforganizing programs. The editors ofConnexIons sum up schooling for children in the war-torn their position: "We feel that education as liberated zones of El Salvador; sex- a tool for empowermentis most effective segregated education in Saudi Arabia; when it is controlled by womenthemselves consciousness-raising in Colombia; who seek to learn - when they have the questioning the relevance of library power to determine whatand how they need systems to women peasants in Kenya; a to learn". debate about the significance ofliteracy for Zimbabwean women; populareducation This special issue is available for83.75US in linked to women's productive activity from: Bolivia; women learning non-traditional occupations in Morocco and Sweden, basic Connexions of health care as the starting point 4228 Telegraph Avenue women's . The range and Oakland, California creativity of the education activities in 94609 USA which women are involved is tremendous. And this isthe point which the editorial of this issue takes up. Cultural, political and sexual biases, it is pointed out, have tended to limit the definition of "education" to its formal, Institutional forms. As a result, many of the ways IA which womenteach and learn are not recognized or credited. An lyanational Women's. Quarterly Formal education is often inaccessible or Summer 1986 No.21 inappropriate to women's needs,serving "to reinforce the status quo bytraining women to fit into apatriarchal society", and constantly acting "to discourage and divert efforts toward social change". In response, women have created newstructures and facilities, and this issue of Connexions focusses on these alternative 141Pow means of education "bothbecause they are a --46mommmui central aspect of women-centrededucation -.01111N around the globe and because we feel that these alternatives contain more pos- sibilities for growth and empowerment". Through these alternative formsof L education "women can begin to identify the -0 factors that limit their lives and begin to investigate ways to overcome obstacles and problems". Establishing education programs that serve women both withinand outside of EDUCATION formal education institutions hasbeen neither simple nor unchallenged as the

343E Rural Development and Women: Lessons from and Participation" (nine cases), and "Women the Field in Movements and Ideological Conflicts" (five cases). Margaret Gayfer, Editor of Convergence, Important features in the success of describes two useful documents on the many of the rural projects were women's 'lessonslearned'from a project of the access to and control over the productive International Labour Office (11J0) and the resources: land, labour,capital, Danish International Development Agency technology, marketing;control by women (DAN1DA) to identify and analyze the over the product of theirlabour; the reasons for the success of projects in Asia development or strengthening ofan and Africa that have improved the economic organizational base among disadvantaged and social conditions of poor rural women. women; and sympathetic attitudes by the community, including husbands, and/or other Since 1982,the Program on Rural Women of external forces such as the government and the ILO has been engaged in a multi- aid agencies, or at least some individuals bilateral project on Identification of within them. Successful Projectsfor Improving the These publications are available in Etiplamtmt_gmmUOALE0Lal_Rural Women funded English only and are distributed free of by DANIDA,to better understand the charge while the supply lasts. They can he dynamics of rural poverty and how some obtained through ILO officesin many women are working toimprove their countries, or directly from: situation. The projecthelped researchers and 1L0 Publications activists to identify and document nearly International Labour Office 50 "successful" cases In Africa and Asia. CH-1211 They range from small-scale andlocally Geneva, Switzerland initiated projects,sponsored and joint projects, and popular movements, which became more involved in women's economics as a result of women's participation. A significant featureis that the study arose from the common concernamong women researchers in Africa and Asiato move away from pure research on why rural development has not helped women. instead, efforts are directed at documenting initiatives whidt are working toimprove the economic and social conditions ofpoor rural Womeri. These enrich our understanding of the mechanisms of rural poverty, and draw some lessons about the forces which promote and support such initiatives and the kinds of follow-up action needed.

Rural_Developmept,_and. Women)_Less.pns fro! thefield

The two-volume report of the project contains 16 case studies. Volume 1(elevon cases) deals with "Women in Production and Marketing and Their Accessto Credit". Volume 11 has two sections: "Organizations

35 3, Women's Kit

The Women's Kit is a series of nine of=o0r booklets for women in literacy or English as Second Language programs. It is made up PrAPIT .CENTROSittelt4 of material from women's groupsin South ..rir711 Africa,Zimbabwe, Jamaica, Dominica, 0Lti° I. r Bolivia,Peru, Mexico and England. The booklets focus on a number of women's issues including, childcare, housework, , seeking paid work, conditions of paid work, ! health,violence, and organizing. A if 1 variety of aspects of the issues are [1( addresseA in each booklet through thJ use of excerpts from several countries. The kit is intended as a tool for women to make links between their own situation and that of womenin other UNA (MIA DC CENTRO8 DE MUSEUM EN AMERICA LATINA countries. We wanted as far as possible to PlPdtds ddd Gum. do Is Twibuma Comes do Id Now use material direct from women's groups, so Idietoac4.6.1 do la NOM POOININ 1191* Melia sone of the material is quite complicated UU. PLIIU and may need to be adapted for use with learners in literacy programs. We encourage people to use the Centros de Mujeres, Espacios de Mujers material as a basis.for discussion and (Women's Centers, Women's Spaces) writing about women's own experience. The (230pages, Spanish only). kit can be used as a whole, or individual booklets can be integrated into many Centros is a recent joint publication of different kinds of work, in schools, the International Women's Tribune Center discussion groups and adult programs. (New York) and Centro de la Mujer, Peruana The booklets cost $2.50 each or $20 Flora Tristan (Lima,Peru). for the whole kit ($35 for institutions). It isa For more information and ordering please directory of over 125 women's centers in Latin America which in addition to the name contact: and direction of each center,includes a Participatory Research Group brief description of the history, 229 College Street, Suite 309 activities, programs and publications. The Toronto, Ontario introductory article by Roxanna Carrillo of Canada M5T 1R4 Flora Tristan provides aninteresting analysis of the significance of4omen's Lessening the Burden for African Women centers in the development of the women's movement in Latin America. This is a series of eleven case studies which examine lo^aIly sponsnred, community To order write: based development projects in eight African countries. The projects are run by and for International Women's Tribune Center women, and operate in four sectors, 777 Plaza including food, water, health and energy. New York, NY Produced and distributed by the 10017USA United Nations,single copies of the case or studies are available free of charge from: Centro de la Mujer Peruana Flora Tristan United Nations Non-Governmental Liason Parque Hernan Velarde 42 Service Lima 1. Peru DC 2-RM.1103 New York, N.Y. 10017 USA 4(1

36 BEST COPY AVAILABLE p

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Editorial 1 Tribute to a Courageous Woman--Nabila Breir 2 CWR: Building the Filipino Women's Movement 3 Noticeboard 10 Si.Jcial Section: Micro-Chip Technology and Women Workers 11 KM: Women Worker's Movement in the Philippines 13 Linking Philip's Workers 16 Crganizing Malaysian Women Workers 18 Organizing for Control of our Jobs and our Health 22 Resources 24 Mexico: "Our struggle will continue as long as our hearts beat" 25 ICEA: Popular Education in Quebec 27 Linking 30 Review 34 Resources 35

SUBSCRIPTION REQUEST

Voices Rising is distributed to over 1000 organizations and individuals around the world. Until now we have sent it free of charge. We simply cannot afford to continue to do this. With this issue we are requesting that institutions, organizations and individuals who can afford it, pay an annual subscription fee. We hope that those of you who can will corAtribute,to enable others to receive the Bulletin free of charge. riank you.

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Send To: Women's Program International Council for Adult Education 229 College Street, Suite 309 loronto, Ontario CanadaM5T 1R4 BEST COPY AVAILABLE April/May 1988 VOLUME 2, 1988 iCeS A Bulletin About Women and Popular Education

Special Report: "The Feminist Challenge to Adult Education" Montreal, November 1987

Women's Program of the International Council for Adult Education ices A Bulletin About Women and PopularEducation

tool of the , Voices Rising is the central networking ICAE Women's Program, whichaims to: promote the sharing of experiences; provide aforum for discussion April/May 1988 and debate of key issues for women;share information on useful resources;and foster the development of a feminist practice in popular educationwhich makes Toronto Program Office struggles and the Jane Gurr, Linzi Manicom, connections between broad social face daily. Carol-Anne O'Brien, personal issues and oppression women Lynda Yanz (Co-ordinator) We welcome letters or short articles on yourwork and experiences. Through yourcontributions and Design and Production and Sigrid Blohm involvement we can deepen our understanding develop more effective strategies foraction. Translation in English, Marc Claessens (French) Voices Rising is published twice yearly Anibal Viton (Spanish) Spanish and French.

_ Also helped with this issue: Marie Lorenzo, Patricia Runanira The Women's Program linkseducators and organizers in The ICAE Women's Program different regions of the world who areworking to Oo Participatory Research Group develop education as a tool for socialchange and the 309 - 229 College Street empowerment of women. Toronto, Ontario CANADA M5T 1R4 The International Council for AdultEducation (ICAE) is an internationalnon-governmental organization with (416) 977-8118 national member associations in over90 countries, as Telex: 986766T0RW0NM well as networks in a variety of program areas including: peace, literacy, communityhealth and popular education, workers' educafion,and participatory The following agencies have research. All programs are decentralizedand provided ongoing financial coordinated by individuals and groupsin different support to the Women'sProgram: regions of the world. CIDA; SIDA; NOVIB; and FINNEDA. The Women's Program is coordinatedfrom Canada by the Participatory Research Group(PRG) working in The following agencies supported collaboration with key contacts from variousregions. "The Feminist Challenge to Adult PRG is a popular education and researchcollective. At Education" and this issue of present we are workingprimarily on Native Canadian Voices Rising: and women's issues. PRG is also activein an international participatory research andpopular CIDA; Secretary of State Canada; education network. United Church of Canada; National Council of Churches, USA; ICAE; CCODP; CUSO; Oxfam Canada; UNICEF; Kellogg Foundation; ACCT., SIDA; Norwegian Agency for Development. 11111111111 TABLE OF CONTENTS MINIM

Sharing our Spirit 2

Introduction: The Feminist Challenge to Adult Education: Highlights of a Seminar 3

Feminism and Popular Education:

Developments in Latin America 9

Our Practice In the Philippines 13

Jamaica: Building Democratic Organizations 16

Lebanon: Supporting Women's Daily Struggles 21 I.

Workshop Reports:

Reaching WomenAn informal Workshop on "Media" :28 Strengthening Grassroots Solidarity: An informal Workshop 32

Looking Back on the Seminar 34

Resources 35

cover photos and photos this page: Rachel Epstein

1. rimming.

.41 L. BEST COPY AVAILABLE Sharing Our Spirit

I'm going to tell you a bit about mywork,place where I work.I've often nearly lost how I got involved in theWomen's Program, my job. and what isthe relevance of the Women's So thisisveryrealevidenceof the Program located here in Canada for me. struggle to survive, and for us, and for mein particular, it's important to participatein this A lotof FreeTrade Zones have beenmeeting. I hope to find friends, to find re- establishedsincethelate1960sinmy consolidation from meeting them, to assess my country. The Free Trade Zones hire mainlywork, and to relate with the people herewho young women workers,who come from theare also engaged inthis kind of work.The ruralareasto find work. My educational storiesIhear from others are very signifi- work is with those women workers. cant,because they arelikemirrorsto my Many people here ask me what organiza-own situation.This will become a basis for tion I come from.It seems odd, but we don'tme to reflect and learnhow people approach come from an organizationof workers because the work. the women workers are not themselvesyet Formethegreateststrengthof a being organized.What we have been able to do inseminar like this is the feeling of not thelastfew yearsistoset up a centerisolated, the feeling that you are with people which is run and managed by the workers.who are doing the same work, who are trying But just before I left, we actually closed ourto be strong, who are trying tosurvive, who center.One of the major reasons is security,arestill trying to fight.And I will really because the center is not officially registeredwant to bring back your spirit, notjust for and it is very hard to get registration. myself, but for the people I work with back I feel that in this kind of a context, the in home. ICAE Women's Program has a lot of rele- vance.My very presence here, to be able toFrom an opening presentation at the Montreal participateandrelatetootherswhoare seminar by a participant who cannot be engaged in similar work, has a lot of impor- named. tance for our region.Yesterday a few of us- - fromLatin Ai aica and Asia--sharedthe stories of our oronizations.And it hit me thateverywhereitisastoryof women stniggling to survive.Women workers are in constantstruggletosurvive,notjustfor economic livelihood, but against the political situation, and against the employers. And secondly, me--I myself am a strug- gling woman, constantly struggling to survive in the context of the kinds of things that I tryto do. In my country, there are few people who are actively engaged in grassroots organizing work. So there is a great sense of loneliness, and that loneliness is very, very difficult to fight in the context of the kind of political repression that we encounter. e In particular, we have to face repressive laws. When we were heavily involved in organizing the non-unionized Free Trade Zone workers, we were continually harassed by the policethey would follow us.Because I earn my livelihoodbydoinganother job,they often have put pressure on me through the

2 The Feminist Challengeto Adult Education: Highlights ofaSeminar

The focus of this Voices Rising is 'The Feminist Challengeto Adult Education," a seminar which we co- sponsored with the Institut canadien d' education des adultes last Novemberin Montreal, Quebec. Through this collection of articles, presentations, interviews and workshopreports from the seminar we hope to share some of the "highlights" and to extend the discussionsto those of you who were not there. We' re especially excited to be publishing Voices Rising in Frenchfor the first time. The important contribution and active involvement of Francophonewomen in the seminar made us all the more aware of the necessity of ensuring that our network extends to and incorporates the experience of Francophone women.

First, why another inter- movements. We're working as Several themes emerged national meeting? We grassroots educators, as feminist during the seminar: the need to wanted to bring together activists, as coordinators of pro- strengthen both the notion and women educators and organizers grams and networks, as research- practice of feminist popular edu- from around the world: to share ers and writers, and in different cation, the importance of inter- our different experiences doing fields of adult education--in national solidarity and network- education work with women, to literacy, popular theatre, worker ing, the contradictions we face advance the analysis and debate education, feminist consciousness as women education workers, and on central issues, to extend the raising, and political organizing. the difficulties that result from international network of educa- The diverse axperiences and the lack of sufficient funding and tors and to strengthen the perspectives enriched (and yes, other support for our work. perspective and position of sometimes made more difficult) Soire of these are explored in women within the adult education the sharing andscussions that this Voices Rising; others will be movement internationally. We took place through the days and taken up in future issues. In the also wanted to increase the nights in workshops, over meals, next issue of Voices Rising we active involvement of women and on walks, and in hotel rooms. will also concentrate on material groups from our network in The seminar reconfirmed the which emerged from the seminar, determining future directions and importance of pushing ourselves namely, literacy work--in the priorities for the Women's to learn about the different United States and in Southern Program and in our ongoing work contexts and educational work Africa. and activities. being done in other regions. The meaning and signifi- About 100 women took part cance of "feminism" was a in the five days of meetings, recuning debate at the seminar. workshops, and study-visits: 11 Although all of us are committed women from Africa, 14 from to fighting for women's equality, Latin America and the Caribbean, there clearly are profound differ- 10 from Asia, 1 from Australia, ences between us, deriving large- 13 from Europe, 6 from the U.S., ly from the different social, and 21 each from Quebec and economic and political contexts in Canada--including seminar organ- which we work. Some ofus are izers. Participants came from working under conditions ofa popular education groups, daily struggle for survival, fight- women's organizations, adult ing wars of occupation,or are education institutions, trade involved in national liberation unions, and national liberation J tide SWer struggles. Others are combatting 3 BEST COPY AVAILABLE racial and cultural oppression, Crossing Mental Barriers claiming rights such as reproduc- tive control, literacy and shelter, Days beforeIleftthe Philippines,I was actually or working to createalternate preparing myself forthegruelling trip--meaning the forms of culture and communica- plane changes, the 18 hour flightand the many time tion. Speaking from their own zones I had to cross.In the last days, I found that political realities and struggles, such preparation was inadequate. Itis relatively easy participants discussed ways "fem- to crossphysicalbarriers compared tothe mindsets inism" has been taken up in the that Third World women have toconfront, understand Third and First World, and its and critique as we meet women fromthe First World. relationship to other struggles. When we Third World women cometoFirst Our different points of view World countries, there are so manyexpectations of us. were reflezted indiscussions We are expected to appreciate andfit into the highly about how and where women technological societies we come into contactwith.We should focus their work. Many are shuttled to andfrom First World women's groups Third World women argued that to learn from them. Wehave to listen to First World women should workwithin popu- women as they articulatetheir anxieties, their problems lar social and national liberation and their issues.In many instances, we are expected movemmts. Taking the point to adopt First World women'sconception of feminism. further, some argued that gender Third World women havetostopfittinginto and class oppression are inte- such stereotypes. We Third World women have to grally interwoven and to focus collectively structure our realities and moveforward so only on working class or national that this time First World womenwill listen to our oppression without addressing the problems, will be sensitive to our work andhopefully social divisions of gender narrows in the end, will supportThird World movements. the full meaning and objective of Mediahasnothelpedustounderstandthe social liberation. Another view differentrealitiesin which we live. In fact, more was that women arebest able to often than not it is the media which isresponsible for develop their positions within distorting our images of one another.While we have autonomous women-only groups. begun to communicate through alternativemedia, itis All agreed however that in venues like this that we are able todiscuss and important work could be done at exchange views on the existing socio-politicalrealities both levelswithin mixed organ- which are not touched on or are glossed overby the izations, as well as in women- media. only groups where there may be more possibilities fordeveloping From a presentation at the seminar by CarolAnoneuvo, a feminist analysis.And, we Center for Women' s Resources, Philippines. agreed that whatever the context of our work we need to fmd ways of supporting eachother and of maintaining the space to Feminism :womon't struggle for %polity' formulate a clear political project women innonal tiberalion,s4ruggles; as women. ggle a cons+ sexism find racism; Participants talked about righ+ D hieracy onci the challenge of building soli- 0shelter; reprbauczwe darity between working-class and conirots ykoricing class poor women fromdifferent coun- 1.492npn firting alpressio tries, who share many common tigmmg wars experiehees. One workshop ad- +Ion s Strumer dressed the question of how to work with our differences in class and in race. Participants felt feminist adult education must be defined in ways that take account of the overwhelming impact of imperialism on women's lives. Only on this basis will we find new ways of creating a more

4 4 7 genuine basis of unity and col- Alt:lough popular education has intimidate and silence them. laboration. always defined itself as a process Many women talked about trying It was agreed that popular of liberation, it too has tended to weave their educational prac- education is an essential tool in to reinforce oppressive gender tice into women's daily activities, our work. Central to its concep- stereotypes. This needs to such as preparing food, washing tion is taking the stand9oint of change. clothes, caring for children. the oppressed, of linking immedi- Social movements and Traditional forms of women's ate issues with broader social popular educationsgroups have to culture were also suggested as struggles, and of moving from be pushed to see the importance valuable sites for doing education personal and lived experience to of integrating gender issues into work. political understanding. all questions. Feminism and popular As educators, we must find education is the focus of two ways to break through the-- articles. Rocio Rosero writes almost universalhistorical and about developments in Latin cultural silencing of women, and America; Carol Anoneuvo talks to once again raise women's about the practice in the Philipp- voices. As part of this, it is ines. The reality is that women's crucial that we find forms of experience within popular educa- education which neither add to tion has not been problem-free. the burden of women's lives nor

A Critique

Popular educationismeaningless ifitisn't Itis a fact that in the U.S. there isa rooted in a popular movement and that entiremajor division between movements andorgan- political space in the U.S. went unrepresentedizations addressing "international" and domes- at the seminar.None of the U.S. participantsticissues. This divisionis in large part a were women of colour.This contributed toclassdivision--sothatveryoftenininter- anatmosphereinwhichdiscussionswerenational forums only views based in relatively repeatedly framed in terms of the differencesaffluent white sectors are included.Obvious- between theprivileged Northand thely,the divisionisa deeply destructive one struggling Third World. for our movements, andsome of the most The 'factis, though, that every one ofexcitingand creativepoliticalworkI am the divisions/tensions/debatesthat emerged ataware of has to do with grassroots groups the conference--from whether or notwe callclaiming the space to takeup international ourselvesfeminist,to whether the women'sconcerns,drawingthelinksbetweenthe struggleisovershadowedbythenationalconditionstheyfaceinsidetheU.S.and struggle, to how women can attend education-conditions outside. al programs given their daily survival I think that it is crucial forgroups like struggleexistwithintheU.S.aswellasthe Women's Program to start thinking about between the U.S. and Third World countries.ways tobuildstrongertiesthat go outside Theyexistascontradictionsofclassandtheofficialinternationalfeministcircuitsin race, as well of nations.Poor women andthe U.S. and reach into grassrootsmovements, women of colour within the U.S. have posedespecially movements based in communitiesof many of the same criticisms and challenges tocolour.These are the constituencies thatare thevisionof feminism,of organizing,ofauthenticallyparalleltothetypesof Third education as have Third World women. In World goups among whomyou seemto thiscontext,tocreateanenvironmentinconcentrateyournetworkingefforts, and which the U.S. is represented only bytypeswhere there are, therefore the most promising of organizationsthatarebasedinaffluentpossibilities for building solidarity. white communities poses serious limitationson the debate and interchange that canoccur. From aletterby Rachel kamel, Women's Program, American Friends Service Committee,

1.1aZifiakifiiisiftwoiii4m*Atct L 47.>

ri 5 Participants shared different non-verbal forms of expression I think all women who are struggling forequality must that are effective in helping sr. ,"thisispartandparcelofthestrugglefor women analyze their lives. equality and rights of all people."But I'd like to add, Women's drawings, for example, "don't ask us to support or identify with those women can reveal a very clearunder- who believe in apartheid. Don't ask us toidentify with standing of imperialism and its women who believe in theIsraeli-Gxupied territories. effect on their everyday lives. Don't ask us to identify with the women who support Or photographs and videos can be the contras in Nicaragua." used to reflect back real and powerful images. The develop- From a speechgivenby LeilaZakhareya, Najdeh ment of alternative communica- Association, Lebanon, as part of the panel on "Women's tion is explored in the report on Movements around the World." the media workshop, called "Reaching Women."

We Ask You to Join in OurStruggle

Internationalsolidarity, globalsisterhood--theseare what we need today. We say thatto be a true feminist one must also be an internationalist.Although women are separated geographically, culturally, ss4 Hilary Nicholson began the economically and politically, we experience the same discussion of how we organize exploitation and oppression because of our gender.At ourselves as education workers. the same time, the forces that subjugate women have Many of us are attempting to beensointernationalizedthatunityandactionof build organizations that support women worldwide is necessary. democracy and equality among Inthisregard, we ask youfirst,among other members. We're working to thing, to be one with us in the stniggle against U.S. promote women's decision-making intervention in our country so that our women, along capacity at the same time as with the rest of the Filipino people can chart their grappling with differences in own destiny. We ask for your support sothat the U.S. class, race, culture, skills, and willstopsendingmilitaryaidtothePhilippines, age. We are fighting to combat removeitsmilitarybases,desist from directing and traditional divisions of labour and masterminding counter-insurgency programs, and leave to promote women's role and the affairs of the Philippines to the Filipinos alone. perspectives. We ask you to join in our protest to the Aquino Hilary explored how class government tostopmilitarizationin our country,to manifests itself as a political disbandright-wingvigilantegroups,to prosecute issue within groups. Many popu- human rights violators, and to stop the sexual abuse, lar educators are middle class in trafficking and prostitution of our women. background and culture, while the From our end, we commit ourselves to expanding women they work with are of the and enriching our relations with our sisters in common popular classes. Participants smuggle and unity.For it is only in common struggle talked about smuggling with their that we will witness our liberation as a people,as guilt and also about searching for women. ways of constructively coming to terms with relations of class, From aspeechgivenbyaparticipant fromthe gender and, often, race. Some Philippinesaspartofthepanelon"Women' s groups actively orient their work Movements around the World." toward ensuring that working- class women develop skills in , 4 augiiiiiiikt44,464406444ftimoak.sits education and assume control of foitkititri,,Arstiatiskt 6 inadequate funding. Funders are Her_Feminismwas Rich, usually more interested in sup- porting specific projects than in Mine Lacking offering the core or institutional My introductiontoadultliteracywasinTanzania funding needed to maintain our where we launcheda big campaign on adult literacy.I groups. Funding agencies have participated in "teaching" inone of the villages, and I first to be persuaded that educa- happily went to "teach" thepeasants how to read and tional work is a process and thus write. cannot easily be broken into Oneday,outofteachinghours,Isaw my separate projects with defined "."She was walking home witha hoe in one objectives. Secondly, funders hand, a child on her back,a load on her head, and must be made to see that the another child holding her other hand,while her partner central res:mrce for the educa- walked totally free fromany load. tional process are popular educa- On seeing this my "feminist"anger rose. Next tors themselves, who must be day in the class,I asked her why her husband does directly supported in the form of not help. She allowed me tolet out all my anger funding for salaries. about how this equalitywe want has to be shared by Another problem was how men. Having been exposed to notions ofequality as funders' criteria and requirements conceivedbytheinternationalcommunityatthe shape the possibilities and (prior- University of Dar es Salaam, Iwas quite influenced. ities) of educational work with She listened patiently and toldme that even if women. In fact, this problem he had offered, she would refuse.She said that the had an impact on the seminar child on her back is hers, the loadis hers as itcomes itself: although the Women's from her land, and the hoe is alsohers, and the child Program was able to findmoney holding her hand is hers."I have a plot of land in to bring participants from the this village given tome by my father.If I let my Third World, the funderswe husband put anounce of labour intoit,he has the approached were not preparedto rightto claim thefruit of his labour accordingto assist grassroots women'sgroups communal laws of the village.Slowly the land would from the U.S., for example. As become his." Rachel Kamel from the U.S. That was my first lesson inadult literacy. By points out, this structured the imposing a conceptwithout any knowledge ofthe nature of U.S. participation at situation,I was going to undermine whateverrights the seminar. she had.She was the literateone, not only teaching me my first lesson in feminism, but alsocommunal concepts of democracy wherebyone reaps the fruit of his or her labour.

An intervention by Fatma Alloo,Tanzania,atthe opening session.

.. .

projects. Women inone work- pressed to balance work-time shop emphasized the importance with the (too often contra- of developingwomen leaders from dictory) needs of children, house- the popular classes who remain work, and partners and friends. accountable and committedto The stress involved in tryingto their base. It was agreedwe meet these responsibilities need to continually challenge detracts from our effectiveness. ourselves withinour organizations How can we avoid feeling that and in our practice. we need to be "superwomen" who Time (or more accurately, can do and balance everything? the lack of time)was another Funding was a major issue. common concert. Like the Participants shared frustrations women we work with, we tooare regarding chronic and ongoing

Fiji 7 The profile of participants from industrialized countries The StartingPoint of Solidarity . . . probably reinforced the stereo- typic notion of "FirstWorld" Our center wasestablished in 1983 toaddress the same women as middleclass. It also issue thatCarol Anonuevo raisedin her presentation-- reinforced a stereotypic viewof the fundamental roleplayed by foreignpolitical and "feminism." But lumping together economic intervention incausing poverty inthe Third all women from industrialand World. other imperialistcountries in this way SincemanyJapanesecompaniesgoto only increases the invisibilityof Asian countriestoexploit womenworkers,we--the tothem. oppression, and denies the strug- Japanesepeople--havesomeresponsibility gles that working-classand poor The Japanese governmentalso has very strongand people are waging inindustrial- influential relationships withAsian governments which ized countries and the different areverydictatorial,anti-communist andmilitarist. political approaches to feminism OurtaskistolettheJapanesepeopleespecially that have developed inrelation workers--know the reality of womenworkers in women between to these struggles. Asiancountries,andtobuildsolidarity The seminar was a turning Japanese and Asian workers.And of course, we have point for the Women'sProgram. to work to changeJapanese society itself.So we have It was our first opportunity to to understand our ownreality also. bring together women from our At the same time wewould like people inAsia network, some of whom we'dhad to know thereal situation of peoplein Japan. Many contact with for years;others Asian people think thatJapanese people are veryrich, who we hoped to get toknow butthat'snottrue. Thisisthestarting point of through the seminar. Despite our solidarityto know andunderstand each other. busy timetable in Montreal, we managed to squeeze indiscussions From comments by MichikoHiroki, Center for Asian about future directions forthe Women Workers'Fellowship,Japan,as part of a Women's Program and to get a discussion about solidarity in oneof the workshops. sense of theresponsibilities other groups were willing totake on, as well aswhat they needed and expected from the programoffice. Meetings like this are vital us renewedstrength opportunities for women educa- "Feminist Challenge to Adult Education." It affirmed the to keep pushing. tors who oftenwork in isolation We hope the issues ad- share and necessity of sharing and to come together, exchange. Participants left dressed in Voices Rising will network. Participants agreed provoke you. We look forward to facilitating Montreal with a stronger com- that extending and mitment to building links betweensharing your views in future those links should continue as And, being issues. si priorities for the the Women's women educators. among so many strongand crea- Programthrough meetings, tive women inspired us, and gave information exchange, andVoices Rising. But in additionpartici- pants wantedopportunities for "deeper" learning experiencesfor education activists, perhapsin the form of longer-termexchange visits between women indifferent countries, particularly from one Third World region toanother. We learned a tremendous amount from theexperience of Montreal. Despite some problems, Montreal alsoshowed all of us how far we have come in defining and stnigglingaround the issues arising from the 8 51 MaistWANORmoca Feminism and Popular Education Wffi MicbtliktMA

Popular education, for its part, has not acknowledged gender Developments in differences. There is indeed a contradic- tion in this process: on the one Latin America hand, the popular education movement generates space for organization, reflection, recover- ing of popular culture and thus for those day-to-day issues that are so important for women; on the other hand, the , starting from the central issue of feminine identity,, projects this framework onto Rocio Rosero collective issues of culture, criti- cal reflection and social organiz- Rocio Rosero is the Coordinator justice within a genuinely demo- ation. Yet there is no automatic of the Women' s Popular Education cratic system. encounter. In the case of Network of the Consejo de The strength and growing popular education, women's issues Educacion de Adultos de America advancement of popular move- are seldom aimed to confront Latina (CEAAL), the regional ments in Latin America during central problems, if faced at all. affiliate of the ICAE in Latin the last fifte n years resulted in The feminist movement works America. This article is basedon the incorporation of new groups with great intensity on these a presentation that Rocio gave at and in the search for new issues, though experiencing diffi- the opening session of the methodologies to express the culties in joining with other Montreal seminar. A complete practice and perspectives of kinds of social issues and move- version has been published in the broad sectors that have until now ments. new Isis booklet on feminism and been marginalized in the analysis -7ular education (see p.12 ) of social reality as well as in projects of political transforma- tion. Given the current economic, The history of women's social and political context in our participation in Latin countries, many women have America illustrates that begun to participate in a more there were many different direct fashion in social move- motivations and stimuli in their ments. However this participa- mobilization and organization: tion has had many difficulties economic and social demands, the and limitations as a result of the smiggle for democracy, resistance contradictions present both in to dictatorships. Most of these the home and in the popular responded to women's immediate organizations, where traditional interests and situations. External mechanisms of subordination of factors, like churches, political women to men are being repro- parties, trade unions, and duced. Unfortunately, women cooperatives also prompted parti- from popular sectors andmany of cipation and organization. In all us working to support their of these, the experience gathered struggle, have not found spaceor by women's groups and organiza- adequate means to work on these tions has not only served to contradictions, either in the legitimize women's issues, but popular or feminist movements. more fundamentally, has articu- In the popular movements it lated an original and challenging is still accepted that women's proposal for change in the on- organization and struggle impairs going search for a common path and disorients the people'sstrug- to economic growth and social gle from its fundamental issue.o 9 WNWSMCMARMdt Feminism andPopular Education MattaardM~

One of the main challenges ,c---0---. P'-----Z' -G1-0:7- / --..:-'z.--a. of popular education amongst t, At, % women, from a feminist perspec- . ri : tive, is the formulation of a pedagogical proposal which would g include reflection and analysis of women's lives, prioritizing the I _fi.,.. analysis of experiences and attitudes. This new pedago*ical proposal implies an ideological A View From the Caribbean change in women's perception of themselves and of their role in society. It is a new concept of The encounter between feminism andpopular education liberation, one that assumes all could not be more frustrating. Populareducation in dimensions of the human project. Latin America does not escape, in itsconceptual The feminist perspective in framework, from the lack of a genderperspective. popular education raises the need Asexual popular education is presented as apedagogy for starting from women's own for the action of the "people", for raising"conscious- reality, "giving value to the ness", amalgamating in the category"people" not only domestic space, to women's men and women, but alsodiverse realities and ways of reproductive role, their sexuality, approaching practice and daily life ...This ambiguity their right to pleasure, as often hides paternalistic and populist visions andthe integral human beings who should absence of many things, including a clearcommitment not be kept as instruments of to socialism and . .. aclear commitment to the radical oppression but transformed into elimination of sexual hierarchies. agents of struggle and liberation. Given that popular education has arisen tied to the (Women's Network - CEAAL, Left and the church--even though this isoften thought 1986) to be a negative dialectic--ithas been strongly ( continued p. 11) prejudiced against the focus on gender, feeding gender prejudices with its populism and its taboos and almost always considering feminism as petty bourgeois,if not totally bourgeois and deviationist. For many educators and popular educators, work "with" women means mobilizing them for actionsolely in regard to demands for water, light, health and other problems of their neighborhoods and communities. More, even when much of the neighborhood or community work is nothing else than work with the women of these areas, thisreality is made to disappear by sleight of hand in order to deny studying,working, discussing and bringing up issues which derive from their particular situation as women and not only from their role as mothers. Sexuality, abandonment, physical mistreatment, rape and authoritarianism in the family are almost always outside the scop of discussion in popular education or are appror-hed with a timiditythat comes from considering '':.ese problems as belonging to the private 4v: world, or as strictly personal. Magaly Pineda, Centro de Investigación Participativa para la Acción Feminina(CIPAF), Dominican Republic, from "Feminism and Popular Education," Quehaceres, July 1986. s, ..,4416144.161064,40,40:4w4:14, t) 10 tkcA AM WPM IMINAk Feminism and Popular Education MAPONSINXMA

The Challenges ofa Feminist Popular Education

Our objective was to go further, 'To go further" means enhancing "To go further" means, in the to discover ourselves as women, the autonomy in women's words of Carmen Tornarfa, to to become conscious of our development and organization; our define a group practice where we reality as women, because, within consciousness must develop the could recognize "the woman self, the poor, we are much more ability to undertake greater where personal aspects are marginalized, we have never been decisions in our own organiza- enlightened." taught, nor have we been tions as well as in broader social considered as persons. (Unión and political tasks. Our con- The "women selves," where we Popular de Mujeres de Loja, sciousness must empower us at make our experience a collective 1985). all levels to articulate ourselves one, where we find our common in egalitarian conditions in social ground. We find ourselves as an life. oppressed group and we learn about other known ways of 'To go further" means the domination. 'To go further" means to enormous responsibility of recognize our values and to The moment for answers, working within a new perspective where werealize that domestic discover the oppression in our of democratizing daily life and of daily lives. This is only possible life is also political and it is a adopting alternative working link to social transformation. through education, learning to mechanisms that would allow us The moment for action, act towards change in an to give political character to towards and outside ourselves. To organized way, and in solidarity. daily experience. change the family environment, So popular education amongst to plan an education consistent women is a complete process with our questioning, to become whooc basic characteristics are a agents of a new project for continuous, coherent and perma- change, to reach the nent action, working with groups neighbourhood, the community, organized for social change. the workplace, the union, the Party. To coordinate actions "To go further" means then to with other autonomous social work on our identity as social groups and influence the whole subjects starting from our own social structure. experiences as women.

In the dimension of our "To go further" means to accept that feminism is a political affections: sexuality, personal project which has been histori- inter-communication, and couple's cally absent and which articulates relationships. with other political projects from As workers: in domestic a gender viewpoint. Feminism . work, in earning an income, in isn't the only project. Feminism our professioeial lives. articulates with class and 'ethnic As citizens: in relation to our civil and political rights, to issues and reflects on the reality and the practice of the social our participation in organizing, and to our militancy. movements. (Women's Network-- CEAAL 1986) As mothers: our reproductive capacity, the functioning of our "To go further" means also that body, our health, and our work as educators. we are struggling to achieve not only popular education amongst As daughters: our own educa- women, but changing the, whole tion, our development, our hopes. of popular education intoa As carriers of life, in the practice that questions all defense of our own dignity and oppressive power relations. in the struggle against violence. Popular education must emphasize CZ 1 J 11 WAYMMINRIMFeminism and PopularEducation MteftattitcAMV demands coming from women's global social change. It is daily oppressive condition. historical because it confronts a traditionally discriminatory order "To go further" means to advance to generate a ne% life, an together with women of popular alternative historical project, a sectors, to develop with them project for an integral human reflection and consciousness of society. their problems, defying traditional methods and practices. Women's struggle is a vital, Rocio Rosero transcendental and historical Popular Education Among Women process. It is vital because it Network commits us in our family, Consejo Educacion de Adultos de working and social life; it is America Lenina transcendental because it doesn't Casilla I23-C stay in ourselves but is aimed at Sucursal 15

Suggested Reading::

Crecer Juntas., Mujeres, Feminism yEducation Popular, (To Grow Together,Women, Feminism and Popular Education) Isis, Ediciones delas mujeres No. 8, 1987. (see below) Carta Trimestral (Spanish) The newsletter of theCEAAL network of Popular Education AmongWomen. (Spanish) Taller Latino Americano Sobre Feminismo yEducacion Popular, Rocio Rocero, ed.(Spanish)Report from a workshop whichtook place in December 1985 to discuss anddebate the relationship between popular education and feminism.

Crecer Juntas, Mujeres, Feminismo yEducacion Popular

ISIS/CEAAL, 1987, 101pp. (Spanishavailable soonin English and French) The articles in this issue document and reflect onthe experiences of groups which have developed apopular education approach in their work with womenincluding experiences of groups in Brazil, Chile, Ecuador,Mexico, Peru, Dominican Republic and Venezuela.This issue could be used as an important tool in promoting discussion of popular education in relation to the struggle for women's equality and liberation. Cost: US$6. Spanish version and information on the English and French versions available from: ISIS Internacional, Casilla 2067, Correo Central, Santiago, CHILE.

12 BEST COPY AVAILABLE twtrbotwmfm Feminism and Popular Education McAINAMOSON

thorough analysis and understanding of their own Our Practice in situation that women are empowered to take control over their lives and collectively shape their own future. the Philippines We at the Center have recently publishedHow Do We Liberate Ourselves? Understanding our Oppression, Working for Emancipationa module for use by different groups and organizations. The Carol Anonuevo, Center for content of this education program Women's Resources, has been the cause of much The Philippines discussion among us. Moving from the familiar to the The majority of the people in dimension into their efforts. unfamiliar, the first part of the Third World countries live It is clear to many women module is on the awareness of . in dire poverty. The educators and organizers that the the body and understanding the landlessness of the peasants, the primary objective of women's self as it is shaped by the low wages of the workers, education is to equip women with different factors of socialization. increasing unemployment rates knowledge and skills to be In this way women begin by and repressive political systems able to understand their realities. sharing their stories, out of are among the many realities We believe that it is only aftera which they develop a Third World countries share. Connected by a new international economic order, our so-called development programs are no other than adjuncts of multinational corporations and American political interests. People live day in and day out without actually having control of their lives. Governments and multinationals have structured their living patterns, whether be it sleeping, buying or thinking. It is the task of progressive mass movements to alter this state of affairs. It is important and necessary that women's education should figure prominently in such conscientization work. The reality however is that in many Third World countries, nationalist educators have neglected this aspect. It is a recent phenomena that education programs for women are integrating popular education modules. In the Philippines, we are slowly reaping the rich experiences of women all over the country as grassroots women organizers begin to incorporate the women's Center for Women' s Resources 5 f:BEST COPY AVM ARI r 13 MMANAVSAMPIR Feminismand PopularEduattion IMPAVAMORNMS* In the process of giving the or issues like poverty or visualization of their respective landlessness but it is important life stories. From that base modules to workers, peasant to see how women areaffected women are betterable to identify women, urban poorand middle class women, we have become by such poverty. A frank exactly how the church, the assessment of the positive and educational system and mass mare sensitive to thedifferent education requirements not only negative aspects of the module is media have taught and reinforced therefore a necesscuy step existing stereotype& The next in terms of the content of the of the program but more importantly,in throughout the education process. part is a discussion Today we are happy to see conditions of women in different the methods we use. Lectures did not sit too well with that after a thorough analysis of classes. Here women have the their situation many women in opportunity to see the particular grassroots women but werequite acceptable to middle class women. the Philippines have transcended conditions of women workers, their homes and have set their peasant women, urban poor In general, theatre presentations people and were effective as well aF sights on national issues. No women and indigenous longer tied down to the ideology at the same time canappreciate discussion groups. We rulize the conditions like the double that it is necessary to develop of sexism, women have burden which they share. After more able facilitatorsfor such recognized the intimate and this, the various laws that workshops. In sum, there should undeniable link of women's discriminate against women are be a good mix of inputs, oppression and the country's underdevelopment. Alternative discussed. discussions and workshops. We To recognize the historical should be conscious enough to education is i vital part of organizing, and the women's roots of women'soppression, we know the right time for evoking emphasize the history of participation and for having movement in the Philippines led Philippine society and how womenlectures. by GABRIELA, will see to it that have contributed to resistance In the last year-and-a-half the women's dimension--often left movements or in some cases,how that we have been giving out in progressive mass they have been left out. This education programs and training movements--will be a necessary ensures that earlierdiscussions other women educators, the most and integral component of the are not seen as separatewomen's important lesson that we have movement for sovereignty and issues. The fundamental issues learned is the need for constant freedom. of backwardness and foreign evaluation and assessment of the economic and political modules in terms of their Based on a presentation at the intervention are likewise relevance. The module can only seminar discussed. The last part of the serve the purpose of module tackles the different empowerment if it is seen as connected to and integrated with Center for Women' s Resources options for action, that is, 43 Roces Avenue various concrete measures women the everyday lives of women. It is therefore not simply a matter 2nd Floor, Mar Santos Bldg. can undertake tochange their Quezon City, PHILIPPINES situation. of discussing women's problems

Suggested Readings: How Do We Liberate Ourselves?Understanding Our Oppression, Working forEmancipation,by the Center for Women's Resources, Philippines,1987

"CWR: Building the Filipino Women'sMovement" in Voices Rising, Mayaune 1987. Aninterview with two members of the Centerfor Women's Resources about the work of theCenter.

Piglas-Diwa -- Issues and Trends about Womenof the Philippines, Newsletter of the Center forWomen's Resources. 5 7 14 Macswitffincim Feminism and Popular Education MatIMNAMmex

Determining New Directions for Women's Education

Wome Don't let dim times Be cautioned against contrivances the changingVan01017 (in the hand craft, needle craft... mean technologodimaging hands mothercraft, childcraft) Don't lose your Ormed in the game claiming to refine your competence they call "developthtnt" crown your role while actually crippling your potential Dare to demand education that is real employment that has rewards Go forward engagement in life not backward effective voices in the future Be hold not building Take hold of what you have Seize time of what you know and do already Seize training opportunities keep it Teach yourselves caress it and set your own horizons cultivate it Call improvements to your corner Take note Put a progress in your part Take care Take courage Capture innovaiices and invent 4 Take hold firmly of tools Crush ways çticusbig and technology and strategicirof work Take part fiercely in the future whicluut year options, Take stock of changing times and take on a stake in training Beware die tricks of "'Nimbi for n" special projects Be all that you can deceptive education and all that you want token extension A decade that you want illusive equality our day has begun. that starts and ends at home... as housewives "having little or no opportunity to actively engage enthusiastically participate in all forms of social and economic life"

Don't be trained, taught, educated... v. to occupy yourself with trivia the "toy" development of household trappings and the things they call "women's work" yet ridicule and dismiss From a Women' s Poster from Papua New in the analysis of "real" work Guinea. Reprinted in the introduction ofthe of man-hours CWR module, How dowe Liberate Ourselves, and man-made definitions of development Understanding our Oppression, Workingfor Emancipation.

5 S 15 Jamaica: Building Democratic Organizations

Hilary Nicholson Sistren Theatre Collective, Jamaica

Sistren is a women's cultural class women, and their work is group that could fill that space. collective. We began eleven supported by three or four mid- At that point we needed to years ago, not as an organ- dle-class women, including myself. institutionalize our organization, ization at first, but as a part- When our work began eleven and build on what we had been time grouping of women. We saw years ago, it was anatmosphere doing in the 1970s. That often our self-imposed mandate as of exciting social reform, when means creating a formal structure providing a forum for the voices there was a democratic opening so that you can approachfunding of poor women in Jamaica, and for many community groups. agencies for assistance. We later women across the Carib- This political framework enabled discovered that our early rela- bean, to express their concerns us to function as a cultural or- tions with funders had a direct to the wider society. The main ganization. Many new and un- influence on the structure of our form of communication we use is expected concerns were raised in organization. Project proposals popular theatre, although over those years, and many gains were needed a lot of preparation, and the years we've diversified our made for the women's movement, writing reports and accountability activities. gains that we have built on as involved skills that many of our Our organization, we dis- we moved into the1980s. working-class members had not covered, is rather different from In these past eleven years, yet developed. These skills were other non-governmental organ- our work has been affected by a found more in the so-called izations (NON). Most NGOs number of changes in our polit- "expert" middle-class women with seem to be made up largelyof ical environment. One example a formal educatiunal background. middle-class persons, very often was the changing of the govern- So we had to look for !Ili& university-trained activists or in- ment in Jamaica, which was a dle-class skilled persons to work tellectuals. Our grouping was reflection of a new political and with us. This seemed to be a mostly working-class women, and economic in 1 situation. contradiction, since we'd set out the rationale behind our work Since the less to harness the creativity of enteurnsembenhipisto create able to w govern- working-class women who wt an unilatibtarsinionionich ment, p 1,ecausejwas push- already working as animators in would use the experieice ed iito drasdb outs in the community. communication skills of wor social *was diffi- This was contradiction lum- clam women. We hoped, then and' for us ;mu work is ber one. We were faced with wele pe--we're quits deter- e ;But Are also trying to make sure that the mmidnow.that the creitiVity of fOiiiiithittPbacitm she govern- expansion of theorpnization,

workintaliSS women cap be < *lent Witsdiveadasitself01, .::.andthemiddle-elassexperts harnessed*, moats a fortiof responsibilitiesIne social coming to work with us did not communicafl1uit is nisch More.aerviees, ths Meted aspen for change thelitind of structure we dynamic thanthemsual *Union us, if we could eady brace wanted. where you haves so-called ourselves to make use.of it. The Since we were a collective, skilled expettVersusvery often difficulty was that we.'as well as we wereapending a lot of time vmus."the soocalled unskilled other small NM, had limited in democratic decision-making learner. And that' s what we are amounts of stamina and could not meetings, those agonizing situa- challenging. fulfill all that people were asking tions where sixteen people all The make-up of the group is of us. But it was our respon- have to have their voices heard thirteen or fourteen working- sibility to turn ourselves into a until they come up with a con- 16 5`J sensus! In order to make sure wanted to find out about our that everyone was heard, we had history of resistance, which is chairpersons, we spoke through very strong in Jamaica. We have the chair, and raised our hand II II 1111111 leOlS 1M1AIHAN a national heroine, a guerrilla 11, %VW 1i. when we wanted to speak and %104.1A4.1." warrior who waged warfare behaved very nicely. But this against the British in the 17th was not the way most of our century. So we did a play about members were used to behaving. the kind of leadership women Free-for-alls were another way show at the same time as being of behaving, and they are a very wives and mothers. popular way for to communicate. We also discovered that we Those bi-weekly, highly needed to build on other women's democratic decision-making meet- work and the work of other ings were called "the parliament" organizations in order to legiti- by the members of the co-op. mize what we were doing. We And so that was another contra- were moving into a period where diction: what to adopt from out- the media and values from the side models to make sure that we North were encouraging people to were democratic but didn't jeop- behave in a different way than in ardize the on-going communica- the 1970s. Confrontational activ- tion process? ides were not the order of the We also started hearing day. One needed to find other about "the executive" that sat in ways to speak out about things the back room and wrote up the that one wanted to change. We agenda, and typed it, and made have developed a newsmagazine sure that things they wanted on workshops and theatre presenta- that helps in this. the agenda were typed into it at tions--as well as documentation. Building on the work of the last minute, although ideas Very early we developed a re- others is very important in legit- for the agenda had been passed search component because we felt imizing our work. For instance, around before. that it was really important to when the Free Trade Zone work- And we developed the dem find out what women had done in ers demonstrated in Jamaica last and the oonu syndrome--dem our county and the region. March against their excruciating being them, and oonu being you. There was very little information conditions, we felt that it was Dem seh oonu fi organize a about this. And especially we important for us to take up the workshop up on the hill at the church" which means "they say you must organizc. . ." which somehow leaves me out of it. And so this problem of diffusion of responsibility in a democratic organization had to be addressed, and still is being addressed, although we've dealt with the dem and the oonu syndrome. This contradiction made us won- der whether we were simply reproducing the relations we wanted to challenge, that we saw in the outside world, because the models that were available to start a cooperative simply were not relevant. Well, the funders came to assist us in our expansion, and the expansion was a direct result of tremendous requests from the community to do popular theatre

17 issue of conditions and problems We soon fell into the inevi- addressed it over and over again of work in the Free Trade Zone. table situationor trapof hav- in workshops in rural areas and We addressed it through work- ing to rely on external funding in urban communities, but we shops and a piay, as well as the for our educational work. Thus failed to solve that problem in newsmagazine. we had to also explain to funders our own co-op. We discovered Other changes have affected that attempts to make us self- that, with the hours we were the nature of our work. Whereas reliant don't make sense. There's working, all day and well into people would pay $40 and $50 another contradiction right there. and more to attend a beauty This is something that I think all pageant show or a fashion show, of us who work in education nobody was prepared to pay $10 have had to battle--education and or $12 to come to a Sistien pre- consciotisness-raising do not sentation. So, for several years generate very much income. So now we haven't put on theatre in it's hard to become self-reliant. commercial venues in Kingston, As we expanded, working instead we respond to the grow- class members of our group have ing requests from communities to been extremely motivated to bring the theatre into rural and maintain control of the fmancial urban communities, as well as budgetting and planning of the doing workshops with co-op. Members have been very Then the criticism started motivated to learn these skills, to come from funders that the which were not their primary kind of work that we were doing skills. Many of the teacher/ was not generating any income. actors in Sistien have become Because we had stopped doing planners, and junior accountants, theatre in commercial theatres, and coordinators highly skilled in the very people we were working personal relations and communi- with have absolutely no income cations. This meant everybody to pay us. The funders were was working a double day inside quite concerned about this prob- Sistren, apart from the other day lem of self-reliance, and so they outside. Because you had to be a put a considerable amount of teacher/actor full time, as well pressure on us to develop an as learn the co-op. But in this income-generating project. We way you could maintain control developed a textile printing proj- of your own organization, which ect--not as a main focus of our is very important. work, but to generate some in- As more of the founding come. Of course, it has not members have gained skills, we've managed to support the activities now reached a point where there of the group, because the textile is enough self-confidence that we project is a very small enterprise. can look outside and we employ a As part of our attempts to secretary and part-time resource become self-reliant we made people when and where we need great efforts to get support from them to help with the admin- the local business sector. This istrative work of the organiza- worked on a project-to-project tion, without feeling that we are basis, but not in the long-term. handing over the organization. It took so much time going from Because we've been battling this business to business, with letters business, we know that skills and follow-up and phone calls. give you authority and that au- We decided that it just wasn't thority gives you power over worth that amount of effort be- somebody. cause those of us who were The double day that people supposed to be teacher/animators were working inside of Sistren were walking streets and knock- was complemented by the work- ing on people's doors and telling day outside of Sistren. We failed them about our wonderful pro- to address the domestic--or priv- jects. ate--side of people's lives. We

18 ELL the night and after shows, and domestic work that Sistrenmem- ect." We are not doing little packing-up and meetings and bers weren't doing when they projects. rehearsals, our fairly successful were at Sistren at 8 o'clock and Our fvst funding agency enterprise wa f. being supported by not home cooking. And so this experience was not a good one. the unpaid wc.k of the grannies, was another contradiction we had The agency had what I have aunties, big sisters and neigh- to face--were we simply reprodu- always called the "adopt you, bours who were doing all of the cing the same relations thatwe drop you, and in-between use you had been challenging all the for PR policy." You are so won- dine? Were we exploiting the derful, you're women and you're very families of our own members grassroots, and they just want to in order to enable Sistren take you over and adopt you. Theatre Collective to survive? And then when you change direc- Recruitment can be a dif- tions slightlyand of courseas ficult issue, since wecan be a we evaluate our work we're little precious about ourselves. shifting all the time--or when We are now this great big bu- they're ready, they just dropyou. reaucratic institution, department But in between, while you're just of this, department of that,re- their cup of tea and just too search, documentation, film, good to be true, you find that video. And when somebody you are their public relations comes in from the outside to agent. You're being touted as work with Sistren, aren't they the most wonderful project of going to just see us asan their's and they're the cat's institution that owes thema whiskers! living? Whereas those ofus The lesson we learned from who've been here for a number all that is don't put allyour eggs of years and started out by in one basket. So we diversified washing cars and collecting bot- our sources of funding, and tles to get the organization off ended up with $1,000 from here, the ground, we have thistremen- $500 from there and $500 from dous commitment and it hurtsto there. Those of us on our fi- see somebody who doesn't have nance team had this wonderful the same commitment earning the job of reporting to about 15 same money. And yet we do agencies and explaining the allo- have this policy of equity of cation of funds to all of them, pay--we have very very slight whether it was $500 or $2000 discrepancies in incomeat because understandably they had Sistren. a right to know how their funds And our policy ofpay equi- were spent. This meant more ty has some other difficulties administrative work, whichmeant when we need to find middle- more skills that we didn't have. class experts to work withus-- We now look for large enough say a communication specialist to amounts so projects can go on work on our newsmagazine. We without interruption. are not able to pay experts or We went in the direction of skilled people with formal train- church organizations becausewe ing what they wouldearn on the found that fewer awkwardques- outside market. So again, thisis tions were asked, thatno strings another contradiction,we want were attached, and tremendous the best to work withus but we confidence in the type of work can't attract them becausewe we were doing was expressed by can't afford to pay them. many of the church-related or- There are other serious ganizations. And thereare other difficulties that we experience in agencies who support women's our relations with funders. work in the Caribbean ina high- There are very few agencies that ly progressive andvery open REC1FILMPRODuCTiON understand that whatwe are way. ILL4CTINgE doing is a process andnot "proj- 6 2 19 But the problem is that such mize this work by supporting one funding is often just a one-off. another, and looking for ways to Each church congegation that support one another, and looking raises the $1000 for you--they -for similarities in our work. And don't always want to be hearing it's only when thousands of about Sistren. They want Sistren people are all doing the same this time and somebody else next thing, that it will have some time. Where does that leave legitimacy. you? And the final thing is that It's really crucial for those we must do our own research and Pr of us working in education to evaluation so that when funders wage a campaign with the donor ask us to evaluate what happened agencies and convince them that on August 15 and the certificates institutional support is absolutely weren't given out, we have our essential. We can't continue to own ways of knowing how our Our Next Issue be forced into a situation where work did make a change in some- we are just funded project-to- body's life. We're not going to Our next issue of Voices project because none of our work come up with statistics and Risingwillappearin starts on January 15 and ends measurable things that relate to August/September 1988, neatly on August15, with certifi- an economic form of measuring with a focus on issues cates being handed out. In many things. So we've got to suggest around women and donor organizations, there are ways of measuring the results of literacy,particularlythe people who are frequently fight- our work that will satisfy those experiences of women in ing this battle themselves with that are funding us, for example theUSandSouthern someone they go to for funds. So collecting lots of stories from the Africa. If you wish to actually it's a joint battle that women that we work with. share your thoughts we are into. about doing literacy work The other point is that we From a presentation at the with women, raise issues must not apologize for the fact seminar. or share information that our skills are human re- about resources, we sources, and we need money for Sistren Theatre Collective really welcome your institutional support and for sala- 20 Kensington Crescent submissions--thedeadline ries. People may want to offer Kingston 5, Jamaica forthenextissueis us for example, a printing press. July 1, 1988. But we don't want a printing Sistren publishes a newsletter Also,pleasewrite press. And many of us are called Sistren which is available tousif you have any

.working in contexts where video from the above address. thoughts on this issue of would be aice, but if there is no Voices Rising. What is electricity video can't help you. yourresponsetothe The skills of the animators that questionsraisedatthe we need for popular education seminar? We'd love to come from within. hear from you. We also have to continue to fight for recognition of better status for the kind of work we're doing. It's cultural, and it's educational. It is not highly technological but that doesn't mean that it's low status. What we have to do is legitimize the type of work we are doing. There still is not an understanding of what basic education means for adults. There is not an understanding of what popular theatre and non- formal work is. We must legiti-

20 ) Lebanon: Supporting Women's Daily Struggles

In the last Voices Rising we announced the establishment of a new find in the memoryof Nabila Breir, a friend and comrade of the Women' s Program.Nabila, a Palestinian, was a deeply committed activist and educator who worked in Beirut. She was brutally murdered in December 1986. TheNabila Breir Fund will promote links between women educators in Arabic-speaking countries andother parts of the world. This year our modest fund honoured the Najdeh Association. Najdeh works to provide support to Palestinian women in the cities and refugee camps in Lebanon. Najdeh' s coordinator, Leila Zakareya, accepted the award on behalf of the association. Leila' s presence--along with that of other women from Arabic-speaking countries who attended-- greatly increased our awareness of the situation of women in the Arab world. We are committed to working towards more ongoing contact, support and exchange between women there and inother parts of the world. One important first step is to learn more about their reality and the work they are doing. The following is a Women' s Program interview with Leila conducted by Marie Lorenzo.

How did Najdeh begin? the civil war. There was nothing nurseries and so for the women to do. There the women could be freed from Najdeh started in 1976. At the were no jobs. the burden of caring for their beginning of the civil war in So a group of Palestinian, children. Lebanon, a Palestinian camp Lebanese and some foreign This is how Najdeh started. located in a fascist area within women got together to do some- That's where the idea for organ- Beirut went under seige for thing for women in the camps. izing an embroidery project, around four months and finally A project was needed which which is the heart of Najdeh, fell. The men and boys over a would give them work, greater came from. I'm sure a lot of certain age were killed, and the self reliance, and would at the you will say, oh embroidery, remaining population was dis- same time be a link to their that's just a traditional project placed to another town, south of culture. For several decades you give to women, like sewing Beirut. these Palestinian workers had and others. But for us it is very There were widows and been losing their link with their important. families living in the camps who cultural heritage. Embroidery for had no income. The women had instance. The women in this How long has Najdeh been in been working in an industrial camp had lost that link because operation? area nearby. The new town was a they were workers and didn't city with nothing in it, just a have time to spend doing embroi- In February of this year we bunch of houses and rubble. It dery. Any project would also marked our tenth anniversary. had been destroyed by battles in have to provide complementary But we didn't celebrate it; actu-

%At %fit v w %oc v x xx x mc X XX X Xx X XX IC XX X ally we forgot it. And the rea- son we forgot it was because we were going through the kinds of turmoil that are so usual in this country. At least a third of our staff and most of our members were blockaded inside the besieged camps. It had been like that for at least six months. And those of us who were out- side and were staying in Beirut were in the throes of a street battle, which is also a regular happening in Beirut, where right- wing militias fight each other at the expense of the civilian popu- lation. For days one has to hide in staircases and shelters. Once this state was over and we got to our offices, our anniversary had gone by, and we still hadn't remembered it.It took a while. And it was right ). after the siege of Shatila was partially lifted, and in the eupho- ria of going inside the camp and f seeing Najdeh members again, 4.1 tc working with people, being es 1,4 ALI_ friends again, and being so excited that after so many to improve their living condi- started arresting women when months and living through such a tions, and who wanted to defend they found pieces of embroidery battle which one hadn't im agined whatever they had. This is the on them. They didn't find arms; would end. ..and then to cind tremendous achievement. If we they didn't look for arms. They friends were still there. We had lost this connection we arrested them as soon as they suddenly remembered that it was would have just been an institu- found somebody with a piece of our tenth anniversary. tion, a shell without any content. embroidery. This could have The only thing that seemed We felt it was an achieve- been the death of our organiza- appropriate to do at that time ment simply to have survived. tion. But the amazing thing was was to assess of what we had We had survived the Israeli inva- that the women inside the camps done and t( see whether we had sion which caused a vast amount started hiding pieces of embroid- made some achievements in ten of destniction and dispersal. We ery, thread and canvas on them years. And we found we had. were able to do this because and going around in order to women in the camps, women in distribute work. They didn't wait What were they? Shatila had the strength to for things to improve to resume reorganize, to find ways and their activities. One important achievement was means to start human life again There was another achieve- that we had never lost the vision on various levels. And we also ment which we thought was that we were a popular move- survived the camp wars. We had important. As you all know, as a ment, that we had to rely on the survived through situations that result of the Israeli invasion and women from the very areas where in fact we hadn't imagined we the Israeli occupation, Lebanon we wanted to work, women from would. I'll tell you one example has suffered an increasing disin- the camps and from the sur- of how we were able to achieve tegration of the society on a rounding neighbourhoods. People this. In the southern most part sectarian basis. And this disin- who had a will to survive, who of Lebanon, where we have our tegration has affected many had the will to respond to the embroidery workshop, the militias institutions, not because they kinds of attacks they are that were attacking the camp and really want to succumb to this subjected to, people who wanted were corning inside the camps atmosphere or to the kind of

22 (3 5 pressures that are imposed on of women's capacities as workers. How do you see providing women them, but because sometimes they Most, if not all the women with a means of being self- have no choice. And we found were politically active iu women's relknt as linked to the political that as an institution we have unions or women's mass move- struggle? been able to preserve our non- ments that basically dealt with sectarian values and our inter- resisting the military attacks on It's a very important part. You communal character. We still the camps. They were part of can't expect women to continue have Lebanese, Muslims, Chris- the liberation struggle. But in the political struggle if on the tians and Palestinians working in these mass movements couldn't day-to-day basis they are not the organization. We had not give women support in terms of able to solve their problems. accepted any compromise, despite daily survival, being there and You can't expect them to do the fears. And there are huge caring for them on that level. that; it's too much to ask of fears--people in Lebanon can be people. They require support, threatened just because they from themselves. I'm not talking belung to a certain nationality, about a Najdeh that is coming and can lose their s over- from outside and supporting. night. They don't go to court; Women need to support them- they don't get anrested--it just selves and each other. may happen in ono second. At the same time they We were committed to this belong to mass unions, and so and we had held on to it and can combine the two sides of the preserved it. And I think we political struggle. Ours is a also proved to other people ,:hat political struggle but from a it could be done and that it different perspective. could be done without too much compromise--in fact with no How is Najdeh internally compromise at all. structured? A third achievement was something that happened despite Najdeh is structured very demo- ourselves, and that was our cratically, so that none of the growth. We grew tremendously intellectual women, the bourgeois in the last four years, from a middle-class women, can impose small organization we grew from their viewpoints in an autocratic, 300 women to 800 women, and we hierarchical, patriarchal manner. achieved self-sufficiency. And It's not possible, because every- that's quite miraculous. one participates in the decision- But a'.1 the achievements making, in elaborating what we doesn't mean we haven't had ought to do and in seeing where problems. we make mistakes. And of course we tralce a lot. Going back to when Nqideh began, were the women who Let's discuss the embroidery. You started the group from political talked about its traditional value , organizations? for the women.

No, they envisaged a group which Embroidery is an integral part of would not be political in the Palestinian culture. It's part of sense that it would not have a our duty as Palestinian women specific political direction. Its and part of women's audition. objective would be broader, Traditionally in every village working with women. There was women have embroidered their no other organization with that own gowns and have made kind of mandate. There were cushions for their houses. In and are Palestinian women's dGing so they have helped to unions which mobilize women in preserve part of our national the political struggle, but very identity. Palestinian embroidery few have the capacity or the is very rich in meaning; they time to think of the development serve as our history books.

6 (') 23 Every village, town and region the right to work. You cannot Are the women teaching the has its own motifs, its own get employment outside the camp men? colours, its own designs, its own without having a work permit. relationships. They are quite Obviously Palestinians don't get Yes. It's a quite interesting intricate, not at all simple. work permits, especially the phenomena. I think it's a reflec- When we develop the working people. Very very few tion of the fact that Palestinian embroidery pieces we just don't can get work permits. For women, in the years of being develop a shape. We sit together women one of the only choices is involved in the civil war and and all participate in developing to become domestics in the cities. then after the Israeli invasion, the designs. The women don't They become either servants or and with the very important role work in the workshops. We agricultural workers on a day they are taking in the society-- distribute the pieces of embroi- wage basis. are really the mainstay. I'm not dery in workshops and it's up to exaggerating. And I'm sure it's each woman to finish it whenever everywhere, all over the world, she sees fit. We don't pressure how women have to almost take her. The women are totally free over everything. They have a to take as much time as they big responsibility. And they need in doing the work. It's not have to make decisions. like we've established a factory The respect for women is with a time limit. We love it if quite big, and I don't think they can do it fast, but we don't they'll give it up any more. want to push them. They meet There aren't many options. They realize after all these together once a week in smaller For many women, doing the years, for example, that women groups, because there usually are embroidery is far easier and more working is not a problem. And about 120. They bring their work dignified than goin* out and we see other changes. In our to the workshops to discuss their becoming a domestic in a Leba- kind of society where women problemsthe colour combinationsnese home. So there is a lot of were required to get married or some other issue. And when demand. Najdeh grew from 300 early--this is now breaking down. it's done then they hand it back. in 1984 to 800 and 1,000 now. It Of course, the needs of the life, doesn't really say that the work of the war, impose this. But also we are doing is so great but that there is no more controversy the need is so great for work, about the fact that a Palestinian and work with dignity. woman wants to work and do I want to tell you about things, leave tier home and find 00.111 something else. Now more and places to put her children, find 04A140.kum I L more it's the whole familythe others to help hereither the eldest daughters and also the extended family or some kinder- men--that participate in doing garten, and pay in order to go the embroidery. It's a new out and work. phenomena. There are some They get paid by the stitch? families where the men can't leave. They are restricted to the P:1044%**Katik, Yes. Why by the stitch--because house for security reasons. They ke-;,"-'**-44,.46 the value is really in the work, could be caught or kidnapped and 44...... 04*44, in how much work is done. We killed. So, many of them--also r 40 0 0 also pay related to the number of because they are jobless--are now 0.4.0 colours. Sometimes there's a participating in the embroidering. ps,..o.. piece that could have twelve I find that beautiful, I really do. colours which is far more diffi- cult than a monochrome thing. It wasn't a man's job? These are things that are not questioned in the Palestinian Do many women want to work No, this is a traditional society, community in Lebanon. However with Najdeh? a patriarchal society. Nobody within the Lebanese communities would think of it. I'm not going it's quite different. Women are Yes, right now lots of women to try and embelish this change more common I relegated to the want to do this work, because but I do think that many men home. When they co work it is Palestinian womenPalestinians are proud to say that they are preferred that they do a home- in general in Lebanon--don't have doing this. based project or something that 24 7 is related purely to women. I other groups, working increas- think it's really true that com- ingly in what is called emergency plete involvement of women in work. In the final analysis it's the struggle liberates their situa- distributing handouts to people. tion far faster than a situation There are so many catastrophes, where you don't have this. It's and people are in such bad situa- a very big contrast. tions. One has to help them. One has to at least distribute Does Najdeh take on selling the food, one has to at least to give embroidery? out beds and clothing for child- ren. This is something that Yes. First though we have to ideologically we don%' like but finish them, to sew them. The which we have to do. embroidery is done on a piece of We don't see our emergency cloth which is not sewn up and work, particularly now in the last from there becomes a shirt, a few years, as just emergency cushion, a dress--whatever. We work; we think it is a political have a sewing factory--we call it responsi bility. The camp wars factory but it is really a sewing are an attempt to disperse the workshop. Palestinian people in Lebanon. We market the fmished We hate that thought and feelwe pieces locally and also abroad. have to put in every effort to Our marketing committee used to allow people to remain inside the be headed by one of the founders camps giving them the moral of Najdeh, an Italian woman who support and making sure the was terribly dedicated to the question of survival is not isola- Palestinian cause and to ted from the regional questions, Palestinian women in particular, from the sruggle of Palestinians but now the women from, the for their homeland. All these camp are now the ones that do things are interlinked andwe the marketing. They have to feel that as an organization learn languages; they have to We have a much bigger which has a relative freedom of develop their own skills, learn demand than we have production. movement inside Lebanon despite bookkeeping--all this sort of Even if there were commercial the militias, that this issome- stuff. They are in control. outlets we couldn't be sure that thing we must do, even at the We have two shops inside we could give them the quantities expense of certain standards we Beirut, and we also sell in they would want because of the have. And we try to limit itas Europe and North America and a way we work with the women. much as possible. little in some Arab countries. The other problem whichwe We don't sell much in the Arab Y ou mentioned earlier that altho. face which directly affectsour world--there is a tendency now-- ugh there have been achieve- activities is the terrible economic which we are trying to stop--for ments over the ten years these situation. You mu st. know that wholesalers to come to our shop haven't been easily won. What the economy since the Israeli in an underhanded way, buy our are some of the problems the invasion and occupation is slowly materials and then they sell them group has faced? disintegrating. Four or three at profits. We sell through soli- years ago the US$1 was worth 3 darity committees or support One of the worst problems that 1/2 Lebanese pounds; today it's groups--little nucleus of support we have had, and which we are worth 800 Lebanese pounds. groups who know Najdeh. We still coping with, is that now we With today's minimumwage you call our sales "militant" sales. find ourselves, along with many can only buy three cans of milk

25 6 S per month, and that's it. And Just a general questionabout fist policy even more strongly it's a problem not only for the situation for Palestine now? against the Palestinian population. Palestinians. This new im- There were lots of different poverishment of the population Something very important hap- solutions to the Palestinian prob- creates many challenges for pened this year. As you know lem being proposed from outside, organizations like ours. the PLO was deeply divided after and this was weakening the We also have problems with it left Lebanon in 1982. This struggle and taking us back. But our members, and the huge made it easy to attack the after a long internal political psychological pains that they are Palestinian movement and struggle these divisions were going throughthe fact that most weakened the struggle and the resolved. And then when the of the workers are living in Palestinian people politically. Palestine Nadonal Council met areas that are in constant war. This was manifested in what is this year in April, and united-- They are suffering. They are now called the "camp wars." At that was really an amazing End losing homes, they are losing the same time there were the wonderful step. Everybody cele- relatives and yet they have to seiges and blockades, and all the brated in the camps, even in the work. We force them to work. excesses--which break all besieged camps. It transformed We don't give them time to rest principles of human rightsthat our whole vision. Imagine that because we cannot afford it. have been directed against we were able to re-utf.te the And this is really showing. It's Palestinian people in Lebanun. movement within three or four a huge problem and we haven't And in the West Bank the Israeli years. That's not always easy to found a solution yet. occupier began to use an iron do and we were happy that we

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26 BEST COPY AVAILABLE could do it in three years. So now the PLO is back as a force. They are recognized Challenges for a Feminist Popular regionally and internationally as Education: A Resource Kit the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian program of an inde- The following articles were included in the Resource pendent state based on United Kit for the Montreal seminar: Nations resolutions is now at the forefront. This is really a step Feminism and Popular Education: A Critical but forward. We're all very opti- Necessary Relationship by Magaly Pineda, Centro de mistic that we'll see our nation Investigación Para Accion Feminina (CIPAF), soon. I'm sure I'll see it before Dominican Republic, 1986, 3pp. my death. I'm absolutely certain. And the sympathy you see Feminist Education and Research: Towards in people. There is no way to Strengthening Basic Women's Organization by Carol compare people's awareness now Anonuevo, Center for Women's Resources (CWR), Philippines, 1987, 2pp. to ten or fifteen or twenty years 4o. The solidarity arid aware- African Women's Network: An Interview with Thelma ness that exists is tremendous. Awod, convenor of the women's network of the Before, if I had been in a confe- African Association for Literacy and Adult Education rence like this somebody would (AALAE), Kenya, 1987, 4pp. have come up to tell me, "You Palestinians, you hate Jews; you want to eliminate Jews." Not Women and Housing: A Training Program by Society for Promotion of Area Resource Centres (SPARC), Bombay, one person in this conference has India, 1987, 7pp. asked me that They know that that's not what we think. So I The Women's Program: Our History, 1987, 4pp. can't help being optimistic; things are changing. They are available in French, English and Spanish as a Association Najdeh set ($5.00) or individually ($1.00 each). Free to Third World women's and popular education groups. If you P.O. Box 113-6099 would lilce copies write the Women's Program, 309-229 Beirut, LEBANON College St., Toronto, Ontario, CANADA, M5T 1R4

Suggested Readings:

Femmes arabes et femmes d' ici: acquis et defls des armies 80 (Arab Women andWomen Here: Achievements and Challenges of the 80's), Centre d'Etudes Arabespour le Ddveloppement, 1987, 26pp. (French) Focusses on situation of women in Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine andLebanon. Prepared for a cne day seminar organized by CEAD in November 1987on the reality of women's lives in the Arab world and in Quebec. Available from: CEAD, 3738 St. Dominique, Montreal,Quebec, Canada, H2X 2X9.

Les femmes 4ars le monde arabe (Women in the Arab World), Centre d'EtudesArabes pour le Developpement, Paper No.3, 1985, 69pp. (French) This collection of shortpapers attempts to redress a narrow understanding of the situation of Arab women through a look at their particular social, economic, political and historical context. Available from: CEAD, 3738 St. Dominique,Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H2X 2X9.

Reflections on the Palestinian Women's Movement in the Occupied Territories by Rita Giacaman, 1987. (English) Cost: $1.00. Available from: CEAD, 3738 St. Dominique, Montreal,Quebec, Canada, H2X 2X9 Women & Politics, MER1P Middle East Report, No.138, Jan-Feb 1986,48pp. (English) Individual subscription $18US. Available from: MERIP, Room 518, 475 RiversideDrive, New York, NY 10115, USA. 7 27 lIflhlIllIlliflI Workshop Reports1111111111111111111111111111111111

as others pointed out, is that Reaching Women: they allow only one-way com- munication. For feedback and developing ideas, there needs to be a way of interacting, explain- An Informal ing, answering questions. For many women from the popular classes around the world, Workshopon reading and engaging with print is not something that is perceiv- ed as practical in terms of their lives or necessarily a desirable "Media" activity. For women in =al Tanzania, for instance, not only are women too tired at the end of the day, but there is no During the seminar, some of the most interestingdiscussions took adequate lighting for reading. place at the "informal workshops", which were organizedby the Amongst some workers in Asia, participants themselves on issues important in their work.These are there is a somewhat negative reports on two of those workshops. attitude towards reading which is seen as the activity of "intellec- Linzi Manicom, tuals" and as such, exclusive. In Women's Program such situations there have to be media or forms of communication During the Montreal semi- to the printed form. There is other than printed words for a nar, a number of us got the question of what language to productive education process. together informally to share use in print. The language many Patsy and Asseny from ideas about "women and media." women use in everyday speech is Tanzania stressed the importance It quickly became apparent that not always the language they of face to face discussion. Can- we were defining "media" broadly,can, or are learning to, read and ner, from Namibia, agreed. In and were raising more general write. For example, in Januica, her experience, group discussion questions about appropriate and women with a few years of amongst women is the most effective forms of communication schooling find the patois used in effective form for learning. with women. everyday speech very difficult to SWAPO (the Namibian liberation Discussion began with an read when it is written down. movement) does use printed m; t- assessment of printed media in Yet English is not the language erials in its literacy program, but our education and mobilizing of the people, and women with always in conjunction with work. When Wendy from Canada limited literacy find its complex discussion. The materials are raised the issue of the expense spelling and structure really hard also used in a cooperative way of producing and printing educa- to follow. with the more advanced helping tion materials, there was a round Maria from Nicaragua told those with less reading skills. A of consensual nods. Hilary men- of a monthly newspaper where noticeboard as a form for dissem- tioned the cost of photocopying the reporters are workers who inating daily news has also in Jamaica and we gasped. But write of issues arising from their proved effective. The problems those costs :lave different sour- lives. And the newspapers are SWAPO encounters involve a lack ces: in the Third World scarce printed on cheap paper so as to of teaching and learning ma- and expensive imported techno- be affordable to the workers. terials and a lack funds. logy make some aspects of the But the problem of newspapers, A number of us affirmed the printing process exorbitant. In the industrialized countries it is the labour drat is more costly. Printed materials have to be almost fully subsidized to be affordable for working people in many places. There are other limitations

28 11111111111111111111111 Workshop Reports 1111111111111111111111111 effectiveness of cartoon pam- women--such as printed informa- phlets and books. Judging by the tion and public meetingsare array of popular education ma- male forms, and are not forms terials on display during the with which many women feel at seminar, the cartoon is one form ease or which mean much to that many women educators are them. Activists in Tanzania are using in their work with women. now trying to use the forms that Cartoon pamphlets are often used are already part of women's in mobilizing workers in the lives, particularly those cultural Asian Free Trade Zones. The forms in which women tradition- cartoon scenes depicted the ally participatesuch as dances issues and debates surrounding and celebrations. Fauna also said the everyday concerns and strug- that the shift from print to gles of workers. These have been audio-visual, where women can distributed on picket lines to see and hear themselves, has convey information about that proved very powerful in helping particular struggle and about women to look reflectively at workers' actions in areas, to their lives. Often women can express things build up a sense of solidarity. Lucia said that women in through drawing which they can't The idea is that those who read Belize don't have time to come or are too fearful to actually put the cartoons will identify with to workshops and meetings, so into words. Rosanna told a story the characters represented and organizers have to go to where of a drawing workshop in which the issues they are talking about, the women are working and join woman had drawn a donkey as prompting reaction and discus- with women in their activities-- representing her feelings about sion. such as cooking, or producing her life and herself. Lean men- food. There, workshops can be tioned the drawing of life stories conducted by cooperating with on long sheets of paper and a the women in their daily lives. project in which workers learned Hilary mentioned the popu- to draw and produce their own larity of call-in radio shows paper transparencies to use as amongst urban poor women who educational materials. don't read--particularly domestic Drawing is also an effective workers--in Jamaica. Women can education device in the hands of call in during their workdays to a skilled artist or cartoonist, raise issues of significance to particularly when working with them. The radio is generally an an animator in a workshop important medium for education format. The animator asks ques- in this type of situation, even tions, prompting the women to though it doesn't promote too recall and describe their life much dialogue and exchange. experiences. The cartoonist Rosanna, from the Domini- depicts these experiences graphi- can Republic, stressed that find- cally, "saving" the scenes and But even cartoons require ing out about the people should ideas, in this way allowing some reading skills, time and be the first aim, but in such a conditions for reading, and a way that the community's knowl- positive attitude and familiarity edge about itself is portrayed. with printed media and the prac- She mentioned various ways of tice of reading. What are the exploring this--group poetry, alternative forms of reaching social drama and theatre. We women? shared ideas and experiences Severv.i women emphasized about different practices which the importance of mobilizing prompt women to express and women through forms with which develop their understandings of they are familiar and comfortable. their lives. Fatma from Tanzania argued that Drawing was an important print is not reaching women, and form of non-verbal communication that many of the forms through that several of us had used crea- which we have tried to mobilize tively in ow :c...ication work. 72 29 11111111111111111111111M Workshop Reports ummumumin

were given: Fatma told the story collective form and involves of a woman singer in Zanzibar community participation and who had captured the history of activity. It is easier to make the women's stniggles in her songs. links between cultural activity Tania, who works with immigrant and political action in these women in Canada, related the contexts than in the more indivi- women to stand back from and recording of the history of polit- dualized and performance-oriented reflect upon their lives as repre- ical actions by immigrant women culture of industrial-capitalist sented on thepaper. Connec- in the form of a web. This societies. It was argued that it tions can then be made between graphic picture conveyed to im- was important to see women's immediate and personal experi- migrant women a sense of the actions and culture as political, ences, and the broader social interconnectedness, the strength and for women to have their issues. and extent of the women's polit- actions valued in this way. In Clearly there is no one ical actions. And this was parti- this context, Maria from Nica- medium of communication that is cularly empowering for women ragua gave the exp.mple of 50,000 effective for all women in all who feel disconnected and dis- women protesting in front of the situations. The choice of form placed from their own history. US embassy in September 1987. depends on the constituency of Hilary noted that we are often The discussion turned to the women, the objectives of the cut off from our own past, some- mass and mainstream media. It education project, the resources times even more so if we have was suggested that, as feminists, and capacities--both of the acquired skills and formal educa- we should be working more to organizers and of women in- tion because we lose access to combat the negative influence of volved. It was also pointed the oral forms of our history. the mainstream media which out that in thinking through She talked about various ways of represents our cultural and polit- some of the issues and the value moving women to action--using ical action, picking up on certain of the print form it was im- role play, acting, drama, to portant to distinguish between rehearse situations that women materials and media intended for want to act out in real life. teachers, trainers or organizers, The discussion about the and those materials for the use potential educational value of of the women learners them- popular cultural forms prompted , a selves. Rachel to contrast the very It was at this point that limited definition of culture in Fatma articulated the main the United States with the underlying question: how to move broader vision being shared by from an understanding of our women in the room. Within the situations of oppression to organ- feminist movement in the US ized action to change those con- there has been some ditions. of a more popular women's cul- Reclaiming the history of ture and of alternative forms of women's political struggles was political action, but the surface seen as very important in has only been scratched. Others promoting political action. A added that in non-industrialized number of different examples societies, culture has a more 30 minlimmIlWorkshop Reports 1111111111111111111 themes and issues and turning though less sophisticated, are a when they raise women's issues them against us. There is a very powerful means of com- publically. tendency amongst Western femin- munication. In Tanzania, we We left the meeting with a ists to concentrate energies on were told, women working in the heightened sense of the tremen- the alternative feminist media, media were organizing together dous creativity of women activ- leaving the mainstream media precisely to deal with questions ists from many different situa- unchallenged. This issue is of representation of gender in tions, working to develop media pertinent not only to womcn in the media and to defend them- of communication appropriate to industrialized countries: in Third selves collectively against the women's lives, and exploring ways World countries, the mass media, negative reactions they encounter of reaching women.

Suggested Readings:

Women and Media: Analysis, Alternatives and Action, ISIS Journal, December1984, 132pp.(English and Spanish) With articles drawn from Asian and Pacific regions, this issue focusses on analyzing the ways in which women are portrayed in different media and efforts by women to protest against negative portrayals and to create alternatives. Available from: ISIS, Via San Saba5, 00153, Rome, Italy.

Powmful Images: A Woman's Guide to Audiovisual Resources,ISIS, 1986, 210pp.(English and Spanish) Includes articles and interviews sharing the experiences of Third world women's groups in making and using audiovisuals, and an annotated catalogue of more than 600 wolnen's audiovisuals in all media with distributors addresses. Available from: ISIS, Via San Saba5, 00153, Rome,Italy.

Media: Getting to Women, Spring 1985 issue of Connexions: an International Women's Quarterly. Articles drawn from many different regions examine issues and projects in alternative women's media. Available from: Connexions, Peoples Translation Service,4228Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA, 94609, U.S.A. 7,4 31 UHIIIIIIIIHHUWorkshop ReportsHHIHHHHIH Strengthening Grassroots Solidarity: An Informal Workshop

Linzi Manicom, Laying out our political link, for there is in fact of lot Women's Program perspective was important. Put- of information available. The ting it into practice is, we all problem lies more in the failure agreed, far more challenging and to distribute such information to How to build and strengthen complex. Just how do we main- grassroots women's groups. We international solidarity tain a solidarity perspective in neefl therefore to aim at building between women at the our everyday practice--whether a communication infrastructure grassroots level? About 20 of us education work or organizing? that is more effective in reaching came together on the last How can we make the links local womert's groups. The means morning of the seminar to discuss between women's daily lives and and resources to do this are not this question. their experience of oppression--in readily available and will have to Our first task was to clarify very different sets of circum- be found. But there are existing our political orientation with stances? There are no simple regional and international net- regard to the question. So the answers to such questions--and works and informational vehicles, group collectively formulated the certainly none that are and we should work to make following principles: firstly, " We universally applicable. The dif- much better use of these. share a commitment to practical ferent directions which the This raised the question of action against any systems that discussion took seemed to indi- how we use the information. We exploit women and their commun- cate that the challenge of devel- have to find more effective ways ities," and secondly, " We share a oping international grassroots of ensuring that the information political commitment to working solidarity needs to be taken up is effectively communicated and with grassroots women and link- on a number of fronts. creatively interpreted to form a ing with "grassroots" movements A major topic of discussion basis for mobilization. That around the world." was the sharing of information, means giving more thought to As a goal of the workshop, for this is of course the basis developing appropriate forms of and as a longer term objective, for solidarity. We need to share information and communication we agreed "We need to work information about the struggles for different constituencies. We toward a common analysis of thc and conditions of women in dif- need to explore innovative ways link between the daily experi- ferent parts of the world. And, of presenting information and ences of women and the inter- we need to expose the exploita- discussing the issues relating to national structures of oppression." tive links between industrial and women in other situations and We also shared the assumption Third World countries. struggles. that international solidarity Some participants felt that In the second half of the should be a daily dimension of it is not so much the production workshop the discussion shifted our work. of information that is the weak from information exchange and 32 7 1111111111111MMIn Workshop Reportsmummum use to the question of how to work that she had been involved The groups felt that make links between women's in, showing the ease with which international women's events struggles at grassroots levels. women on welfare in Canada should be organized so that it is All participants agreed that could relate to the issues that possible for grassroots women to if we are going to develop inter- women in South Africa and in participate. This means taking national links we have to learn Nicaragua are confronting--issues account of family responsibilities to be very sensitive to the dif- such as providing food for child- and communication and language, ferent cultural and political con- ren and organizing shelter. as well as perhaps compensating texts of womens' struggles. We The discussion then returned for wages lost during time away have to avoid making assumptions to the experience of the seminar. from wotk. It also means that about the political meaning of International gatherings that more conscious use needs to be issues and aspects of culture that allow for real personal contact made of popular education we encounter in other countries. and exposure were seen as techniques to break through the Rather, if we explore the dif- important means of developing barriers of language. Finally, we ferent social meanings and the solidarity. We concluded with a suggested that in the planning of ways issues are taken up in vari- number of proposals for strength- events efforts must be made to ous places we can come to ening future meetings: When reach out to new organizations understand more about women's women attend international con- and new women. smuggles globally, including our ferences, provision should be own. One example is the ques- made for them to meet with local tion of violence. In some grassroots women's groups for countries domestic violence is the discussions and sharing. In order major focus of women's organiz- to ensure that skills of inter- ing, while in other contexts national communication and the women are adopting what might benefits of exposure can be be seen as a "violent" strategy of shared, we suggested that two armed straggle, for national women from each group/ liberation. movement/region should be sent There is, it was agreed, a to international conferences, need for a clearer theoretical women with differing levels of understanding of the international experience, or one activist/one connections between women. But worker. in maldng grassroots links among women, the more meaningful point of departure is a focus on the immediate conditions of women's lives. What are the day-to-day issues confronting women in the popular classes in other countries? How do these compare with the problems faced by women in our own situations? On this basis we can begin to see that oppression is the common theme that connects women in different parts of the world, and explore the different forms it takes. Starting from the immediate issues and estab- lishing the points of identifica- tion, we can start to look at the different (and similar) sources of oppression, moving from local social structures to embrace an understanding of imperialism and international capitalism. One of the group members described the

f;BEST COPY AVAILABLE 33 Looking Backonthe Seminar

Pat Keel cal domination, (most often by agendas for feminism to include a National Institute of Adult the first world). genuine struggle to alleviate all , United In the face of such issues the oppression facing women Kingdom of primary national concern, in globally, beginning with those we which women struggle alongside ourselves participate in exerting. men, it can be difficult for In contemplating "what Scanning the participants list women to have the time, next?", it seems that any future and smiling over photo- strength, or even the rationale to seminar or conference needs to graphs, I am struck again turn attention towards "feminist" use as a starting point the above by the wonderful opportunity we issues, especially if they face the implications brought out in the all had to come together from so danger of alienating men. Montreal seminar. We should many different countries to share It is excAlent that we had come together again, not to our experiences and perspectives. the opportunity to come together explain repeatedly our varying In the midst of those days it was to share what we have in experiences and perspectives, but not easy to keep track of all common as women, but it's that to move forward to work out that was being shared among us. gap in our experience, our realistic strategies for dealing Now, in retrospect, I see a little differences, that it is most vital with root caust ; of women's more clearly the larger meanings to recognize and to honestly oppression. It is significant that the seminar had for me. come to terms wi di among our- some 60 percent of the women at Most significant was the selves, particularly if we want to the Montreal seminar were from persistent gap between perspec- work for international solidarity "developed" countries (about 50 tives emerging from the so-called among women. The largest chal- percent from North America "developing" countries, and those lenge in this sense lies with alone). We had the opportunity from the "developed" world. It women in dominaat countries. to hear what women from many seemed to me that in the latter, They may need to look beyond other parts of the world had to vision focuses mainly on "femin- their feminist agendas, and tell us. The onus is upon us to ist" issues--the fight for equal project into the everyday lives of listen and act with genuine soli- pay and status, and against women who make up by far the darity, and as educators we must sexism in language and culture-- greater part of the globe, and work out together what these and of course the role of indeed to take up their struggles. messages mean for both our women's education in these It is unrealistic to stand by professional and our personal issues. The messages from the waiting and hoping for those lives. other countries indicated that womm to "catch up" with "real" their focus was substantially feminist issues. NIACE different. Those of us in dominarl 19B De Mon'ort St. Women from countries in nations must begin to recogLize Leicester LE1 7GE Africa, Asia and Latin America the extent to which we partici- UK were saying something like this: pate in an unjust global power "Look sisters, if that is what structure and how we collude in feminism is about, we cannot perpetuating the struggles present identify with it, while we have in less powerful countries, bear- more pressing issues on our ing in mind that degrees of non- agendas." Those pressing issues action equate with degrees of include poverty (to a degree collusion. A close-at-hand often incomprehensible in better- indicator might be had from off countries), military conflict looking at the relative status of (again something largely outside minority ethnic groups within our the experience of fffst world own societies. women), and economic and politi- We need to widen our 7, 34 /-46ocole

Women in the Third World: A Creating Alternatives: Women Directory of Resources and Work edited by Thomas P. Fenton & Society for Participatory Mary J. Heffron, Orbis Books, Research in Asia, 1987, 24pp. 1987, 141pp. Report of a workshop Annotated listings of resources convened in Bangladesh during on women's struggles in the December 1986 to evaluate Third World. Organized Oxfam America supported according to classifications-- women's projects in India and organizations, books, Bangladesh. Projects are periodicals, pamphlets and described briefly and the articles, and audiovisuals. analysis and collective Cost: US$9.05 It's Our Move Now: A reflections of workshop Available from: Orbis Books, Community Action Guide to participants are provided. Maryknoll, New York 10545, the United Nations Forward- Available from: PRIA, 45 USA. Looking Strategies for the Sainik Farm, Khanpur, New Advancement of Women Delhi 110062, INDIA. International Women's Tribune Centre, 1987, 120pp. Designed to help women's WOMEN IN THE groups better understand and THIRD WORLD use the Nairobi Forward- Looldng Strategies for the Advancement of Women. A basis for campaigns and strategies. 110 Cost: free to women and women's groups in the Third World, or for US$6.00 Available from: IWTC, 777 United Nations Plaza, New REAFIMi -iLTER H \ V. kaki&11O1=. & Mal I. Kitson York, N.Y. 10017, USA. \w\IEN \ND l )121.

Series: Women's Participation in Development, Didactic Bulletins 1-3 UNICEF and the Society for Participatory Research in Asia, 27pp. each. Each booklet addresses a different theme tncluding: how to organize women's groups, how to communicate effectively with grassroots women and how to conduct perticipatory research among women. Available from: PRIA, 45 Sainik Farm, Khanpur, Nt. Delhi 110062, INDIA.

BEST COPYAVAILABLE 35 .,., .411 Oui1e5

An Evaluation Guide For Doing Participatory Research: Women's Groups A Feminist Approach Women's Research Centre, by Pat Maguire, 1987, 30f p. 1986, 72pp. ACTION RESEARCH Provides an introduction tt. An alternative approach to FOR WOMEN S GROUPS and critique of participatory evaluation. This "participant research from a feminist focussed" process makes it perspective. Uses a possible for women's groups to participatory research project face evaluation with more with battered women in New knowledge, more confidence, Mexico as a case study. and with a better chance of Cost: US$8.80 being respected participants in Available from: Center for the evaluation process. IShown s &maiCome International Education, Hills Cost: Cdn$4.20 women's House South, University of groups; Cdn$7.00 others. Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass. Available from: WRC, 1666 01003, U.S.A. West Broadway, Vancouver, B.C., V6J 1X6, CANADA.

Action Research For Women's ; Groups AN Women's Research Centre, 1987, 76pp. EVALUATION A series of six papers i GUIDE outlining s.11 stages of the research process from the FOR WOMEN'S GROUPS decision to do research to final report writing and the use of research results. Cost: Cdn$2.70 women's groups; Cdn$4.50 others. Available from: WRC, 1666

A West Broadway, Vancouver, Wernon's Research Centre B.C., V6J 1X6, CANADA. N

Women's Kit Participatory Research Group, free to Third World women's 1987. and popular education groups. For use in English as a Available from: PRG, 309-229 Second Language and literacy College St., Toronto, Ontario, classes. Nine booklets MST 1R4, CANADA. describe many everyday issues in women's lives and provide stimulating material based on popular education materials from women's groups in the Third World. Cost: Individuals Cdn$25, Institutions Cdn$40 (plus postage and handling), 36 Yes! would like to subscribe to Voices Rising!

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January 1989

Toronto Program Office Lynda Yanz (Co-ordinator) Jane Gun, Linzi Manicom. Carol-Anne O'Brien Editorial 1 (Bulletin Coordinator) Women's Program Update 3 Editing Amyra Braha, Anibal Viton Issues in Literacy in the Urban U.S.:an interview with & Program staff Mallory Clarke 4 Design and Production Building a Women's Centre: The Gregoria Apaza Sigrid Blohm Shannonbrooke Murphy Centre for the Promotion of Women 9

Translation Consolidating Voices of Mindanao Women 15 Marc Claessens (French) Anibal Viton (Spanish) Reviews:

Additional help this issue Doing Participatory Research: A Feminist Approach. .18 Heather Chetwynd Woman Speak! Caribbean Women Making History The ICAE Women's Program and Making Change 19 cio Participatory Research Group Straight Stitching: A Play by Women Garment Suite 308, 394 Euclid Avenue Toronto, Ontario Workers 20 CANADA M6G 2S9 Letters From the Network 22 (416) 324-8766 Telex: 986766T0RW0ME People's Education in South Africa--New Resources . ..24

Voices Rising is published Resources 25 twice yearly in English. Spanish and French.

Voices Rising is the central network- The ICAE Worm. n's Program links dividuals and groups in different regions of ing tool of the ICAE Women's Program, educators and organizers in different the world. and aims to: promote the sharing of ex- regions of the world who are working to The Women's Program is coordinated paiences, provide a forum for discussion develop education as a tool for social from Canada by the Participatory Research and debate of key issues for women, share change and the empowerment of women. Group (PRG) working in collaboration information on useful resources, and foster The International Council for Adult with key contacts from various regions. the development of a feminist practice in Education (ICAE) is an international non- PRG is a popular education and research popular education which makes connec- governmental organization with national collective. At present we are working tions between broad social struggles and member associations in over 90 countries, primarily around Native Canadian and the personal issues and oppression women and networks in a variety of areas, includ- women's issues. PRG is also active in an face daily. ing: peace, literacy, community health and international participatory research and We welcome letters or short articles popular education, workers' education, and popular education network. on your work and experiences. Through participatory research, as well as the The following agencies have provided your contributions and involvement we can- Women's Program. All networks are ongoing fmancial support to the Women's deepen our understanding and develop decentralized and coordinated by in- Program: CIDA; SIDA; NOVI13; and more effective strategies for action. FINNEDA. Editorial

The articles in this issue of Voices Rising The interview with Maria Renee arc linked by a common thread of concern Bejarano from the Gregoria Apaza Centre res- with educational and organizational methodol- tates mnny of the issues addressed in the last ogy. This is a broad theme, but one richly il- isssue of Voices Rising--the difficulty of the lustrated by the experiences of women transition from a small, mutually-supportive clucators whose accounts we've gathered working group to a larger more structured or- here. The different political and social con- ganization with a division of responsibility texts in which they are working raise a variety and labour. The challenge is to grow, but of questions and challenges for the develop- without losing mutual support and caring ment of appropriate educational approaches. amongst workers, democratic participation in Yet there is also a surprising similarity in the decision-making and coherence of the kinds of issues they are grappling with and the program. The Gregoria Apaza experience also lessons they have learned. reinforces the necessity of developing practi- The growing body of experience and cally useful skills as an integral component of methodology being generated by women ac- any program with women. The value of learn- tivists and popular educators all over the globe ing to read and write or to understand social confirms that education for women (or for relations is undercut if women are not able to anyone for that matter) is not an abstract survive. process. It is one that reaches to the very roots One important theme in the discussion of women's lives. Education cannot be with Mallory Clarke concerns the training of separated from the question of how women literacy tutors. In an urban US context, volun- survive, how they organize their lives and take teer tutors are generally white and middle care of their families. Any attempt to develop class, while learners come mainly from the education programs with and for women must black working class. The challenge here is to therefore address the issues of women's push the tutors to examine their own attitudes everyday lives--the production of food or com- around race and class. Otherwise, we will find modities for income, and the building of com- the learning situation reproducing the very munication skills for the assertion of practical relations of social subordination which the demands. A number of the articles in this literacy program is aimed at redressing. issue show how responding to women's basic Mallory's postcript to the interview adds a concerns was essential to the process of or- new dimension. With the hindsight of several ganizing. months she acknowledges that the program The two lead articles--interviews with did not adequately recognise the creativity and women from the Gregoria Apaza Centre in capacity of the tutors themselves to learn Bolivia and the Goodwill Literacy Program in through the process of teaching. inner-city Seattle in the United States--trace Participatory research (PR) as a the problems that were encountered in the methodological approach to working with process of developing their respective educa- women is also explored in this Voices Rising. tion programs. They share with us the lessons A report from the Women's Studies and and insights of their experience. Resource Centre in the Philippines describes

1 53 Editorial the effectiveness of a participatory inves- Canada. Although not discussed tigation of grassroots women's social directly and comprehensively here, these conditions. It provided the basic informa- examples show just how profoundly race tion for planning an education program, and ethnic divisions intertwine with class and developed skills amongst the par- to structure the possibilities for women's ticipants in mathematics, communica- lives all over the world. As educators tion, evaluation and confidence. At the we are constantly challenged to find same time it deepened knowledge and ways 3f deepening our understanding of !seo consciousness about the political and so- this issue and improving the effective- cial context. Another anicle, a review of ness of our practice in addressing it. Pat McGuire's boo'. on feminism and Both of the two main articles are participatory research, reinforces the based on interviews we conducted at the value of PR as an educational practice Montreal seminar. We're pleased to be with women. still reaping the benefits of that face-to- The use of women's life-stories as face contact with those who attended, an educational tool appears in several of sharing their experiences and the value the a -tides. In the literacy work that of the lessons they have learned. We Mallory describes, the stories of learners hope this will prompt some of you to are recorded and then used as reading write about your programs, telling us International and discussion material. A similar why you came to organize in a particular process is employed by the Gregoria way, and how you are managing the is- Literacy Year Apaza Centre in radio programs and sues and contradictions in your work. [.1 booklets based on the testimonies of in- digenous women who have migrated to the cities of Bolivia. The review of Straight Stitching describes a play based 1990has been proclaimed "Inter- on the lives of women garment workers national Literacy Year" by the United in Toronto. Life histories Nations. In response the ICAE has in- were central to a number itiated an international task force on of the workshops in the M.- literacy to involve non-governmental or- A Caribbean women's semi- ganizations and grassroots literacy nar, "Making History workers in building the momentum for Making Change," written 1990 as a "people's year." up inthe latest issue of Women have a central contribu- Woman Speak. This is tion to make to International Literacy obviously an important Year. The Women's Program is plan- and effective educational ning to publish a Special Issue of Voices approach to women's Rising on literacy in October/November learning. 1989 to bring to the ICAE World As- The social divisions sembly in January 1990. The theme of of race and ethnicity are a the world meeting of adult educators is pervasive and persistent "Literacy, Popular Education and theme in many of the ar- Democracy." :Ls ... . ticles, for instance those What are the issues concerning on educationdl work with women in literacy in your region? What indigenous is a feminist perspective on literacy? 4...I__-.1. 1,11 women in .. .1 Does litzracy open more doors for men Bolivia, "il- ;5 than for women in our societies--and literate" blacks why? How can literacy programs be -s. . made more responsive to women's lives in urban United - States, Carib- and needs? What are the issues and bean working et :- plans that we, as women, would like In- women and im- .r. ternational Literacy Year to take up? Let us know your ideas. migrant garment Ifj...."-_. workers in

2 our mandate as an international network study from Jamaica documenting the ex . Update of grassroots educators and groups, and periences of the Sistren Theatre Collec- ensure the active involvement of this con- tive as they have dealt with the stituency in the leadership and work of contradictions and challenges of working onthe the Program. The participants at the as an independent women's collective. Quito meeting stressed that the Women's Program's agenda must be more clearly Solidarity Action for Women linked to the concerns and priorities iden- tified by groups with a rum and active Participants agreed that more con- Program local base in the different regions. As sistent and coordinated action was re- one step in this process, we are undertak- quired to bring to life the ongoing ing an organizational review to clarify priority of "solidarity" within the The last few months have been a busy the Program's decision-making process, Program's mandate. In the short-term and productive time for the Women's and wcountability to our constituency the Women's Program will promote Program. There's lots to keep us oc- and to the International Council for specific support and actions for Women cupied with our regular work of keeping Adult Education. In the interim we have in Prisons. You'll fmd a first leaflet on up with correspondence, moving forward established an advisory committee of our the situation of women in prison in South with different projects and raising key regional contacts. Africa included in this Voices Rising. enough funds to keep going--made more Starting next issue, we'll include a difficult by what seems to be a shift AdvocacyPromoting the regular page where we can share informa- away from support to international Role of Women in the ICAE tion and make calls for action in support women's networks now that the UN of women popular educators who have Decade is over. We have also been work- Participants felt strongly that the faced repression for their efforts at or- ing on preparations for a small meeting ICAE must take measures to increase the ganizing on behalf of women for of women and groups in our network representation of women in its structures democracy, peace and justice. from Latin America, Africa, North and ensure that gender issues are high- America, Europe, Asia and the Middle lighted in all program areas. A recom- Strengthening Regional Net- East. The meeting was organized jointly mendation from the Quito meeting works and Linksbetween with the Women's Network of the Latin requests that the ICAE Executive estab- Regions American Council for Adult Education, lish an international Task Force to and took place in October in Quito, develop a Women's Action Plan, with Besides endorsement of the next Ecuador. Besides learning about one concrete goal being a significant in- stages of work for the Women's popular education and women's organiz- crease in the percentage of women on the Program, our time together in Quito also ing in Ecuador, we focussed on setting ICAE Executive starting with the 1990 allowed participants the time to clarify priorities for the Women's Program, election. While this must be done in regional plans, and begin to discuss pos- through to the next ICAE General As- close collaboration with the Women's sible joint projects between the different sembly in January 1990 in Thailand. Program, the participants stressed that regional networks. While each region is The next issue of Voices Rising the commitment and action be based in anxious to strengthen its contacts with will highlight the different questions the Executive committee. grassroots educators, the meeting noted raised in Quito. We discussed women's that links to progressive popula. educa- leadership in adult education at local, na- Emerging Theme Issues tion in North America and Europe con- tional and international levels, and the tinue to be one of our weakest links. role of networking programs in aupport- During our time together we What more can we do to more effective- ing women's efforts in leadership and or- focused on two important challenges ly involve grassroots women's groups in ganizational development. But for this facing grassroots groups: a) leadership the "North" in the network? edition we wanted to share briefly some development in the context of building of the outcomes of the meeting: democratic organizations; and b) trends The meeting was a landmark for and concerns related to funding for the Women's Program, and it will no Clearer Accountability of women's groups and education. Par- doubt take us some time to sort through the Program to itsPrimary tit4ants felt that the Women's Program all the different implications. The next Constituency should play a role in facilitating discus- Voices Rising will explore the issues sion and action on these issues, and we more thoroughly. In the meantime, we The Women's Program has grown established a working committee to con- would really welcome your input into rapidly in the last few years, and we real- centrate on this. A first step will be the this process. Write us with your ideas, ized that it's now essential to consolidate production and distribution of a case responses and questions. LJ

3 ) a black mannot the black newspaper, but the newspaper. The black com- !ssues in Literacy in munity at that time was mostly middle class; the neighbourhoods were in- tegrated even though there was a lot of the Urban U.S. violence against people who moved into the richer neighbourhoods. It's not as if there VMS no racism, it's just that it had a different quality than it had in other An Interview With Mallory Clarke cities. Then after the war there was a allory Clarke works for the Goodwill Literacy Project in central Seattle, larger influx of working-class black Mon the West Coast of the United States. The Goodwill Literacy Project is people, for example a lot of single aimed at learners who read at or up to the equivalent of a grade four level. The women who worked as domestics. The relations between whites and blacks be- main form of tutoring is on a one-to-one basis using volunteers. The project is came economically more like they are in also developing a small group format for future literacy teaching, for which other cities. Mallory was specifically hired. There are about 60 students and a small over- The black folks in our community extended staff of four who concentrate on different aspects of the program' s tend to be more homogenous than in coordination. other communities, and tend to have a bit During the seminar on The Feminist Challenge to Popular Education in more of the resources that are not avail- Montreal last year, Jenny Horsman for Voices Rising asked Mallory about able in other cities. For example, we her work with the Goodwill Literacy Project. don't have giant areas of tenement build- ings, even though there are certainly areas of town where the housing is very Who are the students in the program? cause we haven't trained our tutors in run down, very poor and where it's this. But we do, we can't say no. primarily black, although there are other Our students are primarily the lower So we are talking about people minorities and poor whites as well. strata of the working class. I think they who really have a hard time speaking up, are three-quarters black, and about half people who have very low self- Who are the tutors In the program? of them are unemployedwhich is confidence, a self-image that is very surprising to me, that that many have restricted. We are al. talking about The tutors are mostly white, and, as in jobs. But then the kinds of jobs they worldly wise, dedicated hard workers. most mainstream literacy programs, are have are car-washers, baggers in grocery middle class. But at the same time, we stores, waiters, waitresses, that sort of Could you describe the learners' com- don't want to fall into the pattern of fair- thing. We have some semi-street people munity a little? ly wealthy, older white ladies helping out in the program. There are a few more the poor. men than women. None of them read Seattle is interesting in that we don't above a grade four level. There are a have the sort of centre ghetto that other How do you select your tutors? few people who never went to school at cities our size have. Prior to the Second all. Most of the others dropped out in World War, the black community in the We do a lot of screening and the screen- elementary school in order to work or be- city was high!y integrated into the life of ing process for tutors very carefully ad- cause of family problems. the town. The newspaper was owned by dresses the issues of race and class. The The project is not supposed to be taking developmentally-disabled or severely language-disabled people, but there really isn't another place for them to go. So far we have only been able to say no to people who are non-readers be- cause they are recovering from strokes for example. We're also not supposed to be taking English as a Second Language (ESL) students, unless they communicate fairly well in the , be-

4 (' A first layer of screening the potential order.to be a tutor. After all, we are pusLi- Well, besides the overall orientation to tutors do on their own. We bring them to ing the tutors on the students. We want what literacy Ls in our society, and what an orientation. We tell them about our to have some control over that. it is not (eg. literacy does not lead to program and its history, and using actual One "the things we talk about ex- employment), we give them a series of examples, we have a discussion about plicitly in the orientation and in the teaching methods that are all useful and what paternalism is and about the times workshop is the question of race, how stem from the idea of language ex- that all of us have participated in that. that's related to poverty, and how, there- perience. This is thd closest thing to a We also have a discussion of an ar- fore, it's related to literacy. Also we've student-centred learning approach that ticle we send out before the orientation. done a fairly good screening so that we we can get to in a one-to-one situation-- We choose a subject that can give people given that we don't have total control a chance to talk about the relationship be- over what the tutors are actually going to tween literacy and poverty. We always be saying. We encourage the tutors to get people who say, "I just can't imagine have the bulk of the written materials in what it's like not to be able to read." the student's own language in the begin- We'd like to say, "If you can't imagine ning stages. it, go home, we're not interested in you." There are a whole lot of methods But this type of reaction is so universal you can use to teach the skills of reading that if we were to do that we would have and comprehension. Understanding what absolutely no tutors. So we say, "Well, is read, evaluating what is read, being imagine it, figure it out, because this is angry at what is read, etc. We think that something you need to do in order to be the methodology is the weakest link in a reasonable tutor." We give them*a our tutor-training right now. Part of it is chance to talk about the relationship be- that we are dealing with volunteer tutors tween poverty and illiteracy. We inter- rather than with staff. But we also don't view each potential tutor individually. If feel that the comprehension part of our they don't see that there is a dual relation- training has enough meat in it. The ship, that it is not illiteracy that causes tutors are not really grasping the oppor- tunities for teaching literacy creatively. poverty, that illiteracy and poverty are don't usually have to deal with the Lssue This was brought home to me by not merely a cycle that one can break out of racism in terms of mistakes tutors the following incident. One of the tutors of; if they persist in thinking illiteracy have made, at least that we know of. came to me and said, "I'm not sure if I and poverty are individual problems, and That's one of the things that scares us want to continue to tutor; my student don't demonstrate any capacity for about tutoring. We have a good sense of isn't learning. We have been drilling the seeing the issue more broadly, then we what goes on in the tutoring sessions, rules of reading for a year, and he hasn't tell them about other programs that will and we get the summation of the tutors learned anything yet." I immediately be more appropriate for them. If we and the students. But because of the don't think they should be in contact kind of people the students are, they are called up the student. We had a long with a non-reader, we tell them so. We not likely to sit down and talk to black talk, and it actually wasn't as bad as the tutor had described. The student had en- say, "We think you should learn to play folks, let alone me for example, about the piano." Or, "How would you like to the racism of the tutors. But our best joyed some of the things that they had done, and they had in fact done more stuff envelopes for us so that our student guess is that it's not a major problem. than just drill in rules. volunteers can do something more in- One of the most exciting aspects tegral to the program." of the program is the transformation that But it turned out that this So we end up with a group of happens to the volunteers in their contact gentleman was an incredible story teller, an artist. He has an amazing history of volunteers who have a political orienta- with the students. The kind of transfor- being educated in rural Alabama chools. tion or the potential for a political orienta- mation that happens with their ideas is And after hearing that story I cautht his tion. They are required to attend a very exciting. The bond that grows up workshop for about fifteen hours. It's between the two, the kind of reaching tutor in the hall and said: "Get this guy's story down on paper!" She did, and we not like we tell them exactly what we across gaps of race and of class mostly, want them to think when they get out. it's so genuinely human, it's so politiciz- were then able to use it as a way to get We treat the tutors the same way we treat ing to the tutors. We still think that this the tutors to go mere deeply into lan- the studentsthey get to develop some of is very valuable. guage experience techniques. This guy's this on their own. But we do have story about his school and his blind criteria for them that we don't for the stu- What educational approach do you try teachers, his wood stove and his having dents. We think that there are certain to develop for the tutors? to go fetch lunch for the principal during things that they have to have absorbed in the lunch breakall of those things were

5 S 7 BEST COPY AVAILABLE A so vividly expressed that it really moved test. But it does give us some indication they can solve with other kinds of skills. a lot of tutors inio using the language ex- of comprehension and reading. That They seem to be better able to access perience temique. WI said, here is this way we can get a sense of the things that those capacities in themselves, even after story, we want you to pmicipate in the the tutors are doing and whether they 50 hours of contact with the program. creation of a book. Vie need th° lan- bear any relationship to gaining literacy guage experience stories from your stu- skills. How do you see the program develop- dents too. Accountability is something most ing? literacy programs do not want to deal with. But, we think it's a disservice to We want to increase the amount of time How do you assess the tuton? the student not to ask whether the that the students can participate in the methods that we are using actually in- program. We're looking at two ways of This is one of the mRjor differences be- crease literacy skills. We see literazy stu- doing that. One is that we've got a mar- tween us and the mainstream programs, dents in other programs go for years velous grant for students to set up a com- structurally. The tutoring pairs work in without ever gaining any literacy skills. puter centre. The students have been the Centre. This means also that we are We find that there is never any asking for this. Hopefully within the in constant contact with the students. grade level change in the first 50 hour as- next couple of weeks we'll actually have We are always able to catch them in the sessment we do. We don't expect it. the computers in place and begin to fmd halls and say, "So, how's it going? What The national figure is one grade for public domain learning programs for our does it feel like? How's your tutor?" every 100 hours, but we're not going to students so that outside of their tutor ses- Mter every 50 hours of tutoring judge anyone by that. We do see that in sions they can come in and spend time time the students come in for an assess- almost every case the students are very using the computers. That also makes ment. We see this as a test of their tutor pleased with the program, because of the them computer literate. and of us rather than a test of the stu- amount of self-confidence dents. And it's very exciting--because they have gained. They it's also a time to evaluate. A student feel more prepared to will say, "These are the things that we do tackle the problems in that I like. These are the things that we their lives, problems they do that I don't like. These are the things can't solve with their that I've learned." literacy skills but which We're very interested in account- ability. A lot of the mainstream programs that do one-to-one tutoring are so fearful of saying anything negative to their tutors that they do not find out if anybody's learning anything. And of course there are different criteria for learning "anything." What is "any- thing"? Rather than changing grade levels, our biggest concern is that the goals the students set are being met. That's what the assessmer.ts are based on. We check on the short-term goals: "You said you were interested in getting a driver's license, do you still want that?" And, "Are you ma ing progress toward that? Or do you have it?" We also check on the long-term goals: "You want to be able to read to your children. Do you feel that you've made any gains on that? The test we give is one that invol- ves recognizing words out of context to help us get an idea of grade levels. There is also a comprehension test which is more of a conversation starter than a

6 co; (Th

N...) We'd like to develop a taped book library. Our tutors will never be able to give up more than the four hours we re- quire, but with taped books students can practice reading along with the written , text for as long as they wish. Another aspect of the project that we'd like to improve is the suitability and relevance of materials to the lives of 10111..._1111"-- the learners. We make sure that the materials that are available are multi-ra- cial with a heavy emphasis on the black community. We have a section in our library solely on black history, another section on black literature and poetry, Aii even though that's not the only place you'll find stories about black people. 4 We're hoping to get some materials from South Africa. Even though the language -rag. is very different, it's at a reading level that I think would still be accessible. I think we could get over the vocabulary 111 differences. A But we don't have the same sort of materials for Native Americans, or for -UV dgf;-4*Yu- Asians. Nor do we have enough 10 04700 ti4PA'go11, LI',roealki materials on women. We have searched I ? dAP and searched. We have a whole series of books written between levels one and four about the lives of women. Some of them are really great, some of them are medium. Our major complaint is that so much of the material ends well. And that Irtt just doesn't represent reality. I'd rather have them not end and then have the Ii', tutors and the students discuss it. .- But of all the improvements we ,,,W1/411/ 01-Mar.'1.1111111111 want to make, our major concern for the next year will be developing small group classes. We hope to make group teach- ing the focus of the program without losing the wonderful one-to-one tutoring pairs. we had a pool of 100 students we probab- as well, it hasn't been our number one How is the program addressing the ly could fmd enough women for a priority to separate women out. And concern about women? Have you separate group. But the students don't women have not asked to be separated considered having separate women's come to us like that, they come two or out. We cicarly have a concerned focus: groups? three a week. we will make sure to the best of our All of the people that work in the ability, to the best of the world's ability, We had thought that one of the first program, except the receptionist, are to provide materials about women and groups would be an all-woman group, women and we all come from a back- and will group women as they ask us to. but we fake logistical problems. We're ground of identifying women's issues The black women in the program, the going to have to group students in terms separately from other issues. So that's tutors, students, and staff, are going to of skill level, and at present it is not our perspective, but because anti-racism have a poetry reading evening together. feasible to separate by gender as well. If is such a clear focus among all four of us

7 S A

What are the key issues you worry volved in social issues, but the issues But probably the biggest change is about? will be different than they are now. the most subtle. Reading the interview a But I don't see the lack of com- year later, I can detect a heavy mistrust The first response, not from me but from munity action as such a problem. I of volunteers on my part. We knew that the rest of the group, is the question of mean, I'm involved in literacy work be- about ourselves and even joked about it political ac4on as it's associated with cause I love reading and I love to watch at our own expense. We knew that we literacy. The workers in the project people learn, not because 1 think that at couldn't use a traditional model of tutor come out of the Paolo Freire tradition, this point in time it's a key to social training to produce a team of popular not necessarily in our lives but in our revolution. For that I'm involved in the educators (based on the hope that people study. For the others the program repre- solidarity movement. I'm actually very will "get" student empowerment if you sents the need to be involved in com- happy with literacy work. The program repeat it often enough.) At least we munity activity and community action. work in is calm, constructive, progres- knew we weren't doing it. But it took a They would identify the problem as the sive, supportive. The students love the year to recognize that mistrust as a flaw fact that this community action is not program; the tutors love the program. in our theoretical perspective and to happening. I'm sure this is a concern of Though of course there are too many change it. Now our trainings reflect an literacy programs all over the developed things to do. increased respect for tutors. The train- world. ings I have designed since '85 have in- I personally don't feel that the ab- creasingly given tutors more theory and sence of community action is a problem. general methodology and fewer direc- We are not in a revolutionary period. tives and workbooks. At least I recog- The times that the literacy programs are nized that volunteers are an intelligent deeply involved in social or political and creative bunch and are capable of movements are times when there is designing great lessons to fit their par- society-wide upheaval. Literacy ticular students, if given sufficient infor- programs do not create social move- mation. ments. Literacy programs can be at- The changes in the last year show tached to social upheaval.., as it arises a qualitative maturation of all of us in the unevenly in society. In our particular program. We are moving away from a city we don't have that sort of grassroots somewhat fearful control and toward movement going on, partly because of POSTSCRIPT: We recently received a more participation and input. We aren't the kind of city that this is. The social letter from Mallory: doing this for moral reasons but in order movement we do have has to do with the to increase the quantity of creativity that electoral campaign around Jesse Jackson Thanks for sending me a copy of the in- is brought to bear on literacy learning and the Rainbow Coalition, and off and terview Jenny and I recorded last Oc- and '1 increase the level of empower- on with the solidarity movement, with tober. Rereading it was very instructive. How can unempowered tutors em- Nicaragua and against apartheid. Our T can see how ver far we've come in a power students? This sort of change is a students though are not involved in yez.:. For example, the group classes are long process, something we have to be these. Were they to have their own firmly in place wnh five scheduled to very thoughtful about. We don't want to movement it would be about different start (Or restart) the last week in Septem- abandon the tutors to their own devices things. They are very interested in anti- ber. They've so upped the level of com- nor pretend we have nothing to say about apartheid, in Nicaragua, and in a whole munity spirit, student involvement sad about teaching or learning. We do want host of issues. Their experience exposes general excitement, we can't imagine the to bring our pracice more in line with the lies for them- they don't have wool school without them. The computer our theory. over their eyes--so with any of those is- centre has two Apples and a Macintosh, So thanks again for the copy of the sues that you might raise, they are very plus a great library of review programs. interview. It was a great insight. receptive and very interested and ask Somebody is always in there, laughing or very intelligent questions. But it doesn't studiously staring into the screens. We S incerely, mean that they are going to put their recently purchased rolling tables so that lives into those movements. They're the computers can be taken to classes Mallory Clarke going to go home and take care of the and the training sessions. The tape kids. And they're going to continue look- fibrary fills two cardboard boxes and is ing for jobs. They're going to continue still growing. The advisory council has Goodwill Literacy Project battling welfare. There may be a time gained student members and several stu- 1700 S. Lane when these very same people are in-. dents lead or co-lead sub-committees. Seattle, WA 98144 USA

8 Building a Women's Centre: The Gregoria Apaza Centre for the Promotion of Women

An Interview with Maria Renee Bejarano F. Nilo Barron Acha

aria Renee Bejarano works cally with women. But there began to be the name of Gregoria Apaza meant a lot Mwith the Gregoria Apaza limitations to women's work in the party. to them and it was a reference point for Centre for the Promotion of Women, The women's section was controversial. their identity. in La Paz, Bolivia. During the semi- The leaders had the traditional left view of women's role in politics, and didn't Whut were the goals of the centre? on "The Feminist Challenge to see women's organizing as relevent. Af:L' t Education" in Montreal last What for? They didn't take women To build a non-government organization yea, Lynda ranz and Marie Lorenzo seriously, so women's struggle within working with women, which would talked to Maria Renee for the party was hard. strengthen the women's movement. The Voices Rising. This attitude towards women was centre was one of the first women's in- another reason for creating the centre, stitutions to define work principles of ad- and the third mason was the crisis in the dressing the gender issue, the class issue party that led to its division into factions. and the ethnic issue. This was important How did the Gregoria Apaza Centre The women decided to seek political in- because previous work with women, by begin? dependence and the Gregoria Apaza political panics or non-government or- Centre was born. ganizations, had always been based on It was formed around 1983 by a group of one of these principles, for instance the three women who were active in one of Why was it called Gregoria Apaza? class issue, but without addressing the the progressive parties. One of their gender or the ethnic issue. The Aymara goals in starting the centre was to have Gregoria Apaza was an Aymara, a and Quechua peoples, were seen as continuity in their work. This was peasant leader, who fought with her folklom--the little Indian with the llama during a democratic period in Bolivia people against the Spanish conquerors. (the animal they tend in the mountains) when political work was open, but there Before the arrival of the Spanish, Bolivia and the traditional alpaca woolen cloth- could suddenly be a military takeover was mainly populated by two indigenous ing. Although you can see Indian and work would have to be done in a peoples, the Quechuas and the Aymaras. peoples everywhere in the cities, they are clandestine way. Most of the political work done by the not recognized as cultures that have sur- This progressive party had a three founders of the centre was with vived centuries of colonization, that have women's section, women working polith peasant women of Aymara origin. So

9 0 A their own ideology and a particular way of ordering the world. olivia, like so many Latin American countries, has a context of political in- BId/stability and violence. For example, I am 30 years old and I have seldom What work did the centre do at fast? seen democracies. I have grown used to living in the midst of war. In 1980, when I was a leader in the student movement, I was talking in a meeting and a The beginnings were dedicated to estab- grenade was thrown into the room. Ms was during the period when the lishing the group, finding an office and Popular Democratic Unity Front tUDP), had won presidential elections which trying to get funds for an office and for had been forced on the dictatorship by popular struggle. Then, in order to salaries. The founders thought the centre prevent the elected president from taking over the government, the military could not go ahead on a voluntary basis, took power and violent repression ensued. However, two years later, in 1982, since they had families and they had to internal and international pressurethe latter mostly due to the military's invol- survive. This work took a lot of time. vement in drug traffickingforced them to allow the UDP to take the govern- Then they began literacy projects ment. with women's groups. Many women par- At that time I shared in the euphoria of the people and the celebrations ticipated, because women in Bolivia in the streets. But hope soon vanished. The UDP government did not respond have few opportunities to learn to read to the popular classes who had struggled and shed their blood to put them into and write, especially in the countryside. power. The popular struggle then turned against the UDP, new elections were This literacy work helped to strengthen called within a year, and a centre-right coalition led by a former dictator won. women's groups in the slums. So, like other parts of Latin America and countries such as the Philip- But the people were very poor and pines, imperialism rust imposed many years of dictatorship. Now imperialism couldn't spend all their lives learning allows the form to be democratic, but it is a totally controlled and restricted reading and writing, and training. They democracy. needed to take some money home. We At the same time, the economic situation has been worsening, there is soon realized that we can give more and more unemployment, more and mote illiteracy, more and more workshops and classes, but how are poverty. People are desperate. It is a time bomb but no one knows when and people going to survive? So they tried how it is going to explode, and what will be its expression. It is within this several cooperative production projects context that we have to develop our work with women. such as cooking bread and selling it. After trying many things they formed a group called "Jams". This was a small the beginning it was difficult. They had tic way. It was so difficult. But the project, they got $1200 in funds so they to compete with the factories. They had group continues operating today and the bought stoves, pots and Gther things to to make good jam and sell it competitive- jam has a market. make jam, which they put in glasses and ly in the market, and at the same time sold. With this money they had a small make sure they earned an income that How did you start doing other things? income and the group could continue could support the group. And everything operating. That was the first project. At was done in a very rudimentary, domes- Well, at the beginning we could only get funds for small projects. Around $1000 for different types of projects, and we had to teally run after the money. We Aar/1h developed our work, doing workshops with groups that were already organized and helping to create new groups. In order to reach more women we started using the radio, and making radio programs directed to women in the popular sector. Step by step, we began to gain acceptance. So the groups that gave us funds saw that our work produced results, that we were organiz- ing people, that we were beginning to develop our base. The centre was one of the first women's institutions working with women in La Paz.

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school for women, a communication program and a documentation centre.

How do the area teams operate?

The teams respond to the particular needs of each area. In the educational CENTRO DE PROMOCION DE LA MUJER "GREGORIA APAZA" area there are two psycologists, one sociologist, two soal communication experts and one person in charge of or- How is the group organized? How do It was a difficult discussion that ganizing the documentation centre. you work? hasn't fmished yet. We analyzed dif- There arc apecific problems that require ferent options, among them functioning specific technical solutions, from design- At first we were a sort of collective, or as a collective. Finally, we decided we ing programs to deciding on group more exactly, a family. There were only had to institutionalize. So we went back dynamics and methodologies. Many of three or foes of us working there, all to the constitution of the Gregoria Apaza the women we work with den't know friends. We shared everything. That Association and made some changes, and how to read and write, so we have to use family quickly grew, which brought this is the base on which we now non-traditional educational techniques. respcnsibilities, jobs and the need for ef- operate. But we are in a constant process This is where we use popular education, ficiency. All these things require a dif- of analysis and change. and the professional people work in ferent kind of organization, because designing group methods, drama, projec- What is the structure of the centre now? tion techniques. In the production and services area On the one side we have the centre--the we have two economists and a promoter- office with eight people working in the coordinator. The problem with the administration and with the groups. On production projects is that they often fail, the other side there is the Association, like many similar projects in Bolivia and where people interested in our way of ap- throughout Latin America. Perhaps be- proaching work with women can par- cause we are creating group experiences ticipate. The main decisions are made by that are "socialized", with a different or- the Association's Assembly, where ganiution of labour, we think we don't everyone participates, and where the con- have to worry about making economic stitution and the annual budget is ap- sense. For us, these units may be a proved. The centre's Executive Director means of doing political work, organiz- submits a report to the Assembly, which ing, or women's training. But they also includes an analysis of the political situa- have their own objective, which is to tion. This is important because the politi- generate income. This is the most impor- cal reality changes so quickly. You tant thing for the women participants. So cannot predict anything in political terms. So we need to be constantly up- dating our analysis of the political condi- tions of the country. many things got mixed upemotional, Then there is an Executive Coun- personal relations mixed with work rela- cil, made up of two members of the tions, which resulted in problems. centre and two of the Association. This Executive Council elects the Executive .116 So, last year, after an evaluation 10e41%; meeting, we went through a profound Director of the Gregoria Apaza Centre. transformation. It arose from asking our- At the moment the centre has selves how we could have an organiza- "teams" in two areas: one is the Produc- tion that was efficient, without losing tion and Services Area, which works to what we had achieved in terms of being a generate income by pioducing goods and large family. We didn't want to lose providing services. The second is the those warm, personal relations amongst Educational Services Area, which our members, the friendship and the shar- manages a training program, a technical ing,

11 A

they have to be successful and profitable. meeting at the beginning of the year is to There are men working at the Centre. The projects have to be able to compete plan. We also have bi-monthly meetings Why? What are their roles? in the market. of two representatives from each work The role of the economists is there- area, to do ongoing planning, coordina- One is a psychologist who works to sup- fore to design workable projects. Their tion and evaluation. port training of mothers in the "early work is also important for negotiations stimulation programs" for children in the wiih our funders, who put a lot of pres- Do the people working in the office daycare centres. He develops ap- sure on us. Sometimes they decide that meet as well? propriate educational techniques for making piggy banks is the fashion and people who do not read and write, like they want everyone to make little piggy We have informal meetings once a our women. The economist for our banks! Now our economists can do month. In the office there is an ad- production projects is also a man. When some market research and decide what is ministrator and a secretary, the rest of us we advertised for two economists, many convenient for us to work on. work within the two areas. Previously, people appliedmen and women, but we used to meet twice a month, but we more men than women. Clearly, many How do the Affert fat teams relate to realized that although it was important to women never complete university and each other? get together during the growing period to few take economics. We hired the two talk about what we were doing, we were best applicants, one of them was a We clor the office and meet for one wasting too much time. This is a woman. Our priority in the selection week at the end of the year and for problem of always searching for the per- were women, but only one woman was another week at the beginning of the fect equilibriumhaving time for our per- selected. This is a reality that we cannot year. At the end of the year we evaluate sonal relationships, but not so much time change. But this guy's role is technical reports from each of the programs. The that our work suffers. suppon, he is not responsible for ideological or educational work with women. The other men are the ad- ministrator and the courier. e work mainly with Aymara peasant women who have migrated to the Wcity. One of our projects is a radio program called "The Voice of the Kantutas." The kantuta is a flower, like a lily, the same colour as the Bolivian flag. We tape-record the stories of women's experiences and broadcast them in the Aymara language. In one of our meetings,an Aymara woman stood up and said she wanted to talk about her experience. She told us that soon after she first came to the city, she met a man. They went to live together, and, well... one day she realized she was pregnant. She was sixteen years old. By the time she realized she was pregnant, she was already in her fourth or sixth month. She didn't have any knowledge of her own sexuality, her own body. She didn't know anything about menstruation, nota thing. She told us that the rust time she menstruated she put some small pieces of cloth there. She never knew what to do with the pieces of cloth, so she would hide them in the soil, she would make a little hole and cove: the pieces of cloth and she would put on another little piece. She was only sixteen. The man found work somewhere else and left her. So shewas alone. She began working as a domestic because it was all she. knew howto do. She worked until she gave birth when she had to quit. Nobody would hire her with a baby and that was the only work she could do. She didn't know how to read and writeall she had done in her life was to clean floors, cook, clean,sweep. So she left the baby with some relatives. Three years later she came to ask for her child, she wanted him back. Her relatives didn't want to give him back. It had cost themmoney to care for the child, and he would soon would be able toearn an income himself. They said that if she wanted him back, she would have topay. So she went back to the countryside, and worked at spinning and knitting blankets and bedcovers, and in the harvests. Finally they gave her back the child. "I left my child to be able to save some money," she said, "and after three years I was back in the same place where I'd begun. Iwant to tell these things so they do not to happen to others."

12 This means that the centre is a group for women, but not necessarily a t is so expensive to raise a child. Poverty is immense in Bolivia. So, when women's group. I children are older, when they are 7 years old, they begin to earn an income. Boys produce molt income, they sell things, wash ors, shoe-shine, beg. That Yes. I suppose this is unusual in the West, but it isn't a problem for our is why people prefer boys; giving birth to a girl is bad luck, it worsens the wive: ty. group. We haven't defmed ourselves as feminist, although in our views and in So poverty worsens women's situation, and women's situation cannot our work we share a lot with Latin be divorced from poverty. A woman never learns how to read and write and the only thing she is trained for is cleaning, sweeping, caring for children, and American groups that call themselves cooking. It's poverty that defmes women's role in the family. And in the case feminist. Of course, women do the ideological work for the group. Also, of the Aymara women who migrate to the city, this role is established at very early age. women can't do education about women's issues, for instance sexuality, In the countryside poverty is worse than in the city. Many women move with a man present. Actually, there are to La Paz at sixteen or seventeen years of age, but others have to go when they differences among women on this topic, are 5 or 6 years old. The mothers put them in a truck and send them to the class differences mainly, different ways city. Or the mothers take the little girls and knock at the doors of middle-class of looking at the same things, of living professionals who can pay for a domestic, or at rich peoples' doors, and they through them, of feeling them. And a give their daughters to be servants in exchange for room and board. They give them away. male presence would only make mah worse. You might also see a little 7 year old Aymara girl caring for a 3 year old baby. In the daycare centre where I work, a little 3 year old girl came with a What area do you work in? large wound on her wrist, covered with little pieces of cloth. I said to her, "What happened to you? Who's done this to you?" And she said, "My mom, Up to now I've worked in the production 'cause I lost my baby brother's milk bottle." Three years old, she could barely and services area, I used to be in charge talk, and she had the responsibility of caring for the milk bottle of her eight of childcare. But this year we realized month old baby brother. And her mother had beaten her so much for having that it was really necessary to have one lost the milk bottle because it was a lot of money, three and a half dollars. The or two people systematizing our working most they make is $15, $20, maybe $50 a month. Poverty influences women's experience in women's education and roles and attitudes, it can't be separated. training, in order to begin to develop a theory about our approach. We have lots of material, such as tapes and reports. Qtig AGOTADA ESTOY, QUISIERPh But because of the way our work has VOLVE R A, MI PUEBLO. developed, we haven't had the oppor- tunity to develop a synthesis of it all and discern our overall direction. I am now in charge of that task.

Do all staff at the centre share the same political view?

No. Some are still activists in the progressive parties. Others are inde- pendent progressives, who don't par- ticipate in any political party. Our organization does not interfere in these matters. One thing we don't allow is the use of the women's groups we work with for political campaigning. This year we have city elections in La Paz, and we think it is important that the womenwe work with participate. So, in order for them to gain knowledge of the different From a booklet produced by the Gregoria Apaza Centre:Some time later..."I work up to 16 options, we are developing a seminar hours without resting... ","I'm so worn out, I want to go back to my people."

BEST COPY AVAILABE where different candidates will present began to actively participate in struggles, way that their feelings have screwed their views. Obviously we are in some in blockades, in fighting the military. them up, because "a woman is all heart, way biased toward progressive can- Now their organization hqs split. One she is not objective," (which is pure gar- didates; and we don't see this as a con- group says that peasant women should bage,) those very feelings are what will tradiction, because the fact that we are have their own organization, that the give women new value. Those feelings working with women of the popular clas- peasant v.a;en's traditional submissive must find ways of expression. Women's ses is in itself a political definition. role won't allow them to actively par- daily life is crucial to their being. When ticipate in meetingsthey don't spnak they were militants in political parties, The centre's work has developed in out, they are shy and they need to they were criticized for being women, many different fields. What do you develop skills for this. The other group for being honnonal, for not being objec- think has been its main contribution? says no, they should be together in the the and not thinking coldly with their same organization as the men. heads, but with their stomachs. Why The most important aspect of Gregoria The women who began the centre should they feel ashamed because they Apaza's work is our new vision of work- weee critical of the ways women had cry, because they feel! At Gregoria ing with women. It isn't that women are been treated within progressive organiza- Apaza our contribution lies in the fact being organized because of our work. tions. At Gregoria Apaza we don't assert that our approach is not the classic way Take the case of the women miners. that women, in order to be able to par- of working with women or with the They were one of the first women's ticipate in the political movement must popular sectors. 0 groups to organize themselves, but they leave behind Ler home, her children, her were organized around the demands of brooms and pots. We believe that a cold the miners, their husbands. It was a marxist discourse will not appeal to political class struggle and there was no women, especially women in the popular Gregoria Apaza Centre for the demand fo: spv.ce for women. hasant sectors. Promotion of Women women have also organized by themsel- Women will rally behind those Casilla 21170 ves, inspired and strengthened by the who talk of their daily problems, of them La Paz men's peannt movement. Those women as subjects, of their feelings. In the same Bolivia

As( s II&,ns Is sesollitla lye 41 Cowati 1. Itriupres cto Alto 'ajar inalurf, y piree. rya?) a, iralaya.r /Co.mirsHermirti. tas szemr1.1 tI

- get A* da. 4-11mo.ano.:eiwutgiuul- CIL eriaria,A,st, ?At41464 ahdomtgioA tado. L. 9. v ampiatt. .4114"41144 .'446141,44$ . 4-,7 viraft.. These photos are from a newsletter produced by the Gregoria Apaza Cerure for the Pronwtion of Womencalled Madrugada.

14 BEST COPY AVAILABLE tin/60I The aim of the study was to estab- lish the concrete basis for an ongoing education campaign program by obtain- ing a comprehensive picture of the condi-

0 tions of the women in the island. This study was a breakthrough in terms of using a participatory research approach, as the women involved in the study were the researcher-respondents themselves. Participants represented the following sectors: workers, peasants, urban poor, tribat Filipinos, Moro and religious. The c41111 results of the study are reflected in a booklet entitled Voices of Mindanao Women. The education program began with

*re 7/44 trainers' training for grassroots women in WSRC Mindanao island. This then facilitated the development of a curriculum for a A basic education seminar, which was un- 9fir\ dertaken by the participants in the tminers' training to reach out to other women in their localities. The first par- Consolidating ticipants in the basic educatio.: seminars then became the members of core groups that were responsible for reproducing the Voices of seminar, in this way expanding women's organizing. Most of the seminars con- ducted by the core groups were multi- Mindanao Women sectoral in nature, with participants coming from the various sectors-- workers, urban poor, and peasants. Oc- casionally, low-income professional women were invited to the basic educa- tion seminars, vvhere they were expected to share their experiential learnings with The follot )ing repnrt was sent tothe leadership, organizing and management the other women in the group. Womot' s Programby the Women' s skills. The WSRC works primarily with The arrangement of topics in the Studiel and Resource Center, which is women workers, peasant women, urban basic education seminars is based on the based on the island of Mindanao in the poor women and Tribal Filipinos; and expectations of the requesting groups, in- secondarily with women nurses, women cluding factors such as level of formal teachers and women in the religious sec- education, political orientation, and time- The Women's Studies and Resource tor. -experience has shown that women can Center (WSRC), formally launched its The seed of the WSRC was sown only attend a maximum of a two-day live- education program in 1984 at the height when a group of women involved in in seminar. of the Marcos regime. This period was women's concerns and social research While the basic education seminar marked by the growing people's resis- met in 1982 in Davao City to discuss is aimed at giving a comprehensive orien- tance to the dictatorship. women's issues and the complexity of tation to women who are interested in The overall objective of the women's problems. The group then getting involved in the women's move- program is to accelerate the active and developed into a study and resource ment, there are also skills training significant participation of Mindanao team, which initiated a preliminary inves- seminars given to enhance key women's women in social transformation. Specifi- tigation into the livMg conditions of Min- training, organizing and other skills. cally, it aims at increasing the level of danao women. This was conducted in Workshops are also held in management critical consciousness of women at the 1982-1983. and communication skills. The latter in- same time as equipping them with basic clude radio program materials produc-

15 ( took on the task of conducting research tional issues and the issues and activities which allows women to express senti- of other peasant women and their or- ments and realities, clarify issues and ganizations. present perspectives. As part of this project a consult- The \VSRC recently conducted a ation was held where the participants participatory research project among said that tiirough th iesearch process peasant women. A number of different they had gained a lot of knowledge that issues were explored, including self-dis- they had not realized would come from covery as women--women's history of themselves. They felt that it had been tion, low-cost visuals production, song oppression and exploitation and their in- proven that women with little or no for- composition and production, basic writ- dividual life-histories of oppression and mai education could do research work as ing, speakers' training and project exploitation, as well as knowledge of long as they were aware of whom and development. their rights and responsibilites as women. what the research was for. The women There are occasions when Skills in research, feasibility studies, and called for the launching of research women's groups have to be provided organizing were discussed, as well as na- with learning opportunities for the development of livelihood skills, ena- bling participants to engage, for ex- ample, in income-generating activities. However, much has to be done in cur- riculum development for this type of training. As more and more lessons were gathered from the seminars and training workshops it became clear there was a need for an in-depth investigation of the conditions of women in different sectois. Participatory research was again dis- cussed as an effective way of getting to know women from the different groups or classes. As women organizers ex- presssed a sense of ina,lequacy in ar- ticulating specific issui:s of particular women's groups or classes, the WSRC dik4y

among peasant women and became the problems and develop their commit- directly involved in the formulation of cL ment to solutions within their ranks and the research design and other aspects of / their community. Action programs are the implementation. During the last day the concrete expressions of the steds of the consultation, they prepared a towards the solution of these problems. detailed action plan. The WSRC research team, which The consultation itself was an includes the peasant women themselves, educational activity. And the par- were able to build a network of women ticipants said that the overall research which now form the nucleus of the six project had helped increase peasant peasant women organizations in Min- women's knowledge of organizing them- danao. The same process is new happen- selves, their rights and responsibilities, ing with a study of women workers. research as a scientific tool in identifying Although the method is diffeient from problems and solutions, and in identify- that with the peasant women, the seeds ing potential members and leaders of for organizing women workers were also their organizations. They also learned sown with the launching of the research skills in functional mathematics, such as project. how to compute income and expenses, The success of these projects skills in communication through creative reflects the high level of coordination be- representations and symbols, and skills tween the WSRC and other women's in facilitating and public speaking groups in the island. The WSRC works through attending congresses, and con- closely with the women's movement, par- ferences and representing their sectors in ticularly with GABRIELA, the coalition these activities. Bringing needs and of progressive women's groups, and with resources together and handling marital WATCH (Women's Alliance for True problems and decision-making in the Change) the multi-sectoral women's family were other areas where the re- mass organization which works to build search project benefitted them. the nationalist and democratic struggle of When asked about the project and the women of Mindanao. its relation to social change, the com- WSRC's research and educational ments of the women included "I realized work and the conditions and struggles of WSRC the need to develop other women women in Mindanao are discussed in the leaders," "The love between my husband subject of intrigues, but we handled this Center's quarterly publication and I developed," "The parish priest who and evened out with them." Womenews, which is available from the handles the family apostolate work made In the main the WSRC attempts to address below: me choose my prioritiesmy women's use formal and informal ways of develop- Women' s Studies and Resource Center organization or the church work. I chose ing different aspects of participatory re- (WSRC) the former, but I recognize the impor- watch. It is seen as part of a total 2nd Floor, Santos Building tance of the latter and I will do this shift educational experience which serves to Malvar Extension gradually to balance out the effects," determ;ne women's specific problems Davao City 9501 "The police got suspicious. We were the and needs, increase their awareness of Philippines

17 REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS

MIME& does "research" have for women who have to fend for themselves and fur their children on a daily basis? How can a Doing Participatory feminist perspective become an integral part of PR? What roles can men play in a feminist, women-centred PR project? Research: A Feminist Maguire feels strongly (arid I aree with her) that PR needs to broaden its framework in order to genuinely serve Approach oppressed men and women. The ques- tion of how to attain this transformation is addressed in Maguire's final four recommendations to participatory re- search practitioners: education aboat by Patricia Maguire and practice, the expan- sion of dialogue amongst participatory re- Center for international Education, University of Massachusetts, searchers to include the feminist research 1987, 305pp, community, the inclusion of women's PR projects in publications and case studies, and the practice and testing of the feminist PR framework in planning, Review by E.A. (Nora) Cebotarev early in the book a critical analysis of the implementation and evaluation of Department of Sociology and assumptions and methodological require- projects. 0 Anthropology ments informing the main and the alterna- University of Guelph tive social science paradigms and how This book is available for US$8.80 from: Ontario, Canada they are translated into PR. Participatory research, no less than its parent theories, The Center for International Education is inherently androcentric and male- School of Education Pat Maguire's excellent book offers per- dominateee. having little room for more University of Massachusseus haps the first thorough and complete than cursory treatments of women's con- Amherst, Mass. 01003 feminist scrutiny of Participatory cerns and issues. The multiplicity of so- USA Research (PR). The appeal and value of cial knowledge types, the hierarchical the book will not, however, be limited to ordering of "knowers" and their means of a feminist readerhip. Professional adult domination are related to feminist issues educators, graduate students wishing to and discussed with a sophisticated under- include PR in their studies, teachers and standing of the political nature of all re- promoters of PR in institutional settings, search. community leaders and activists will all Maguire's analysis and feminist find valuable information and analysis in evaluation of the PR approach are il- Main its pages. Written in a clear, personal lustrated throughout by her rich, personal PMTICIPLTSSY and straight-forward style, it is a book experiences and candid reflections as a sassancm: for all those who see the primary aim of graduate student, researcher, and activist. adult education as enabling women and She develops a participatory research men to better understand the workings of model modified by feminist considera- their society. as granting them a measure tions, and describes the process of its con- of control over their lives and empower- ceptualization in a university setting to ing them towards the creation of a more its practical application in work with a just and humane future. group of battered, poor women. (Docu- Defining participatory research as ments and field instruments are included "a systematic approach to personal and in the book's appendices.) social transformation", Maguire assesses Many practical and ethical issues its advantages and limitations on various and contradictions emerging in PR work levels and offers feminist guidelines for are candidly addressed. For example, its improvement. Those interested in the how to convert a PR problem into an "ac- conceptual underpinnings of PR will find ceptable" thesis? What real meaning

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Trinidad and Tobago into an exhibition that would capture and convey to Woman viewers the central themes of that history- -that women worked inside end outside the home, that they were aware of their Speak! exploitative conditions and they were or- ganizing and struggling to improve. them. How to select and represent the most salient historical facts? To what audience? How to make it interesting? How to capture the complexity of lives Caribbean Women and social relations? In posing these and Making History and other questions and collectively working Making Change through them, the producers of the ex- hibition found themselves re-thinking

V1111111111111 their own historical location in the light of the lives and struggles of women in an

Review by Linzi Manicom, . The central objective of the semi- earlier tinie. Women's Program. nar was the exeharge of information A final example fromWoman about research being done in different Speak'of the educative and mobilizing "Once upon a time great men con- parts of the Caribbean on women's his- power of the study of women's historical query(' the earth through the sub- torical role in social movements and or- role is a portrayal, by Simon member missk nof once great people. ganizations. A shared assumption of Pauline Crawford, of the middle-class Thai was history, we were taught, such research is its integral link to social Jamaican woman reformist, Amy Bailey. arta :he recording of history was activism. Research should, therefore, be According to the review, Pauline's me 'ultaal story' of these events. More recently the power to popularly accessible and widely dissemi- characterization of the historical figure record history has been claimed nated amongst women. A major focus of of Amy "brings alive the impact of black by new voices telling us that his- the seminar was to explore the creative middle strata women in modem Carib- tory is our common wealth and and diverse ways in which women's his- bean society. The piece brings home for- not the province of empires. It tory can be represented and communi- cefully the cruel contradiction between can be taken back. These voices cated to a broad audience. This their tireless advocacy of women's eman- come, incredibly, from the sil- methodological aspect will be of par- cipation and their advancement of the houetes, the silenced men, women ticular interest to feminist popular domestication of working class women." and children whose labour, their educators in other pans of the world. These and many other interesting testimony tell us, was not their The first article is an accoot by a items in the issue suggest exciting passive response to the directives Guyanese woman of the way in which an developments in educational methodol- of evil men, but the rctive shap- initial idea to mount an exhibition on ogy that move well beyond the narrow ing of a landscape, a hope beyond 'women and work' developed into a num- form of written history. the most brutal reality. ber of projects. One of these was Red A full report of the seminar is Thread, a women's income-generating available from CAFRA and Woman From theeditorial of Woman Speak! No.23 embroidery project. Another was a Speak! is published three times a year by recording or the life histories of sugar WAND. 0 workers, produced as a slide presenta- "Making Our History Making Change" is tion. Danuta, the narrator, describes in WAND, the title of the ttpril 1988 issue of some detail the process of learning that Extra Mural Dept. Woman Speak! the magazine of the she, as researcher, underwent as she UWI Women and Development Unit (WAND) came to select women as subjects for in- Pinelands, St Michael of the University of the West Indies. The terviewing, as she managed the actual Barbados issue is a series of reports and reflections mechanics of the interview sessions and on aspects of a seminar of the same title grappled to understand the lives of the CAFRA Secretariat which took place in Barbados in October s guy Tkers. P.O. Bag 442 1987, sponsored jointly by WAND and Another article discusses the Tunapuna P.0. CAFRA (the Caribbean Association for pi xess of transforming the information Trinidadand Tobago Feminist Research and Action). in Rhoda Reddock's book on women, labour and struggle in twentieth century

19 REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS

Straight Stitching

f`4,4 t I. pp -orasemi,

IT-

Review by Rhonda Payne Canada are immigrant women. The par- garment worker, and a working woman ticipants in Straight Stitching reflected with family responsibilities. Very quick- Straight Stitching is a play that was this reality: they included Jamaican, ly, certain patterns emerged from the created with members of the Internation- Filipino, Chinese, Greek, Portuguese, stories: many of them did not speak al Ladies Garment Workers Union Polish, British and Canadian-born English when they started work, so com- (ILGWU). It was commissiowd in 1987 women. munication is a real problem. New by the Mayworks Festival in Toronto, For six weeks, Lib Spry and Shir- workers are generally harassed by super- Canada. The play was scripted by ley Barrie met with the women. Lib had visors and their fellow workers. Women Shirley Barrie and directed by Lib Spry, trained with Augusto Boal, an Argen- of colour have to deal with racism. with original music composed by Arlene tinian who developed a philosophical For Adris Moulton, participating Mantle. The cast of the premiere perfor- and practical approach to the use of in Straight Stitching was an opportunity mance of the play featured members of theatre as a means of participatory to tell her own story. "These are things the ILGWU and professional actors. analysis. "Ti:eatre of the Oppressed" that happened to me. They happened in uses popular education techniques like the past and I dealt with them, so I can Early in 1987, Susan Dicta, coordinator sculpturing and image building to get talk about them now. I wanted to let of the Mayworks Festival, approached people to demonsirate the power relation- other people know what is really going Lib Spry to mount a thePiri: project with ships in their lives. However Lib dis- on." The character of Frenchie, the shop members of the ILGWU. "Aayworks is a covered that the garment workers steward, is based on Adris. At one point Toronto Arts Festival designed to bring weren't interested in those techniques. she tells her story of when she starte together workers in the arts and or- Rather they preferred to talk, relating working in the factory, "When I started ganized labour to create a series of visual stories of their own experiences working in this business, I was the only black in and performing arts events. 1986 had in the factories. Elsa Bandoles joined the the factory. Some terrible things were witnessed the first strike in the garment group because she wanted to tell people said to me. And I had problems with my industry since 1931. Alexandra Dagg, what happens in a factory. "I wanted to machine. I would find the thread gone. edmation officer for the ILGWU, and tell everybody that piecework is hard. So I went to the women who works next Susan Ditta agreed the strilce would (It's when you're paid by the quantity of to me and I said, 'Listen good. I'm provide fertile ground for the creation of what you produce rather than the time going to make your life a misery if you a play to be featured in this the second you put in.) I thought the play might don't tell me who is doing these things to annual festival of Labour and Arts. help other workers to fight for their my machine.' So she told me. I went The union put out a call to their rights. Together we might be able to and picked up the screwdriver that I used membership and a group of women from change our working conditions." for fixing my machine and I went to the the shop floors who were keen to par- The women shared their personal woman who was doing these things. I ticipate responded. The mkjority of experiences, talking about the hopes and lifted her up out of her place and I laid workers in the garment industry in the difficulties of being an immigrant, a her back over the cutting table. I pat the

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 20 r) REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS screwdriver to her throat and I said, 'You speaks in English so that the audience un- areall popular theatre workers: that is mess with my machine one more time derstands her dilemma. The English- workers in a theatre which is generated and this screwdriver isn't coming out speaking supervisor talks a nonsense out of the struggles, achievements and dry' After that me and that woman, we language to illustrate her lack of sen- life experiences of working people. For became very good friends." sitivity to the newcomer's confusion. the audiences who saw the play there Shirley and Lib produced a basic While the play illustrates some of was no distinction between ILGWU outline for the play which incorporated the tensions between workers, it also members and the other performers. the stories they were hearing. The out- reflects the solidarity that develops on The highlights of this project were line was presented to the garment the shop floor. For Maria Vrantsi, a staff found in the process: the sharing of per- workers who helped develop the person with the union who participated sonal and working experiences between storyline further. Some of their stories in the process, this was an important ele- theatre workers and garment worktrs, the were used in their original narrative form ment in the play. "We wanted to show building of trust, and the exchange of in- and others were synthesized and fictional- that we are people with feelings and formation and skills. The rewards are to ized. One of the most important ele- rights. We want the manufacturers to be found in the resonance with audience ments was that the play would reflect the treat us like intelligent people. We members when the reality of their own pride the women took in their own skills. proved that we can make friends and life s reflected on the stage. The draw- Says Lib, "When members of the general stick together regardless of race or buks were, as is so often the case, at- public think about garment factories, nationality." aibutable to underfunding. This put a they think about the image of sweat This feeling of solidarity was very real pressure on the producers to put the .thops. There's a certain amount of truth much a part of the working environment show together very fast, without ade- in that because piece work is really hard of the project. Four of the garment quate rehearsal time or the popper sup- work. You do the same thing over and workers elected to perform in the play. port services. over again. But there's a real pri& in the None of them had performed before. Straight Stitching speaksfor and to knowledge that what they do requires Phillipa Hadju described the experience, a non-traditional theatre audience. Part real skill." "At first I was sitting there on the stage of the script is being used by an teacher The play focusses on a young and I was so scared. Then all of a sud- of English-as-a-Second Language in her Chinese immigrant who finds a job in a den I became aware of the energy. It classes with immigrant women. The garment factory soon after her arrival in started in my toes and it came up and up producers would like more working Canada. The problem of communication through my whole body till I felt as if I people to see it. Plans for the future of for a non-English speaker was dealt with could just do anything." The four of us the project include the possibility of tour- by employing an acting technique known who make a living as actors were ing to labour halls, training centres, as "gobbledygook". The Chinese woman brought in to play supportive roles. We women's groups and schools. Li

For more information please contact: it I , WOE It ILGWU 33 Cecil Street Toronto, Ontario Canada MST INI

I

I wiATIONALLgVet- 61.11.M NTWORKIS UNION

Rhonda Payne has worked for 13 years as a creator and animator of popular theatre projects in Canada and in Africa. She is a former Artistic Director of the Mwnmers Troupe in Newfoundland. She was an original cast member ofSuaight Stitching.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 21 NW 1111h, NIIILETTERS FROM THENETWORK 111111 NEL 111111h. MOIL

work provides any training opportunities more informally, information on dif- for grassroots organizers. ferent experiences. Malaysia Thank you for introducing Voices Hoping to hear from you soon. Rising to us. Hope we have more con- I was thrilled to read about the Women's tact in the future. All the very best. Sincere regards Program. Like you, I am in the women's program, mainly with the longhouse A friend in Malaysia Gloria Campos women (an indigenous people) in Resource and Information Centre of the Malaysia. I find Voices Rising extremely . I All Social Movements of Ecuador useful and encouraging for my work. I a... CP/t rIP4 "SOP11..64.44/044a4 Apartado 18-C started my involvement with the Quito women's program just over a year ago 411 4 Ecuador and we are ;tow in the process of work- AIRMAILr ing out an entry-point program on func- VIA .v. tional literacy with the longhouse es women. Being a woman from another race and ethnicity, with a totally different Uganda background from the longhouse women, Ecuador my task is extremely challenging and at Our major naie at the Uganda Restoration many instances, lonely. Nevertheless, Our centre is a non-profit organization. Effort is to motivate, animate, mobilize after reading your bulletir. I felt much We develop educational material, gather and involve under-privileged sections of encouraged by the experiences, courage research and classify information, on the Ugandan population (particularly and determination of other sisters in the labour history and working conditions in those victimized through many years of struggle. the countryside and the cities. Our work war) into action for n.covery and advan- As part of our consciousness-rais- is with workers, peasants and indigenous cement. ing and documentation, I am planning to people. It follows therefore that the resour- make a videotape on the longhouse Through our work in the education- ces (newsletters, journals, training womenfocussing on their roles and al field, we realized the importance of ad- materials and support) we need are those position as well aa their contribution to dressing the situation of indigenous that enable us to prepare the involved the longhouse community. I intend to women who are being ignored. As a first communities for the tasks and respon- use the tape to stimulate discussion step, we began to develop educational sibilities relating to this cridcal period of among the longhouse women so that they material reflecting on their condition and social and material recovery in the his- are aware of their power iL confronting providing a critical analysis. We are tory of our country. issues affectirig real development of their now working with women in indigeaous A bigger fraction of the target com- community--such aa logging and loss of communities, cocusing on their rights, on munity in our women's community are land rights. the importance of their organization as widows, which necessitates on our part As I am also developing an ap- women, and on the problems they con- the designing and implementation of spe- propriate methodology for my work with front in their communities. This is a very cialized project work to enable these the longhouse women, I hope you would difficult task because most of the women women to shoulder greater respon- let me know more about the work of the only sneak their native language and sibilities than in normal times. We are international participatory research net- vary little Spanish. We are trying to spending a sizeable percentage of our work. I would like to know if this net- determine which material is appropriate meagre resources on skills and capital for our work. We have tried different equipment in the fields of Appropriate SURAT UDARA forms, such as audiovisuals, and draw- Village Level Technology, Primary ings. So far results are promising, Healt'l Care, Agricultural Modernization, though we need more time to evaluate and the provision, n a rural self-help these experiences. basis, of hygienic water and basic sanjta- MELIICIA/A We think it would be very useful don facilities....plus of course l'"e leader- IPAR AMON to exchpnge views and experiences about ship and managerial skills required to our work with the Women's Program, to turn designed projects from concepts to AEROGRAMME share knowledge, problems and solu- realities. These activities have an in- tions. Voices Rising sums up many of built educational component manifested the difficulties confronted by groups through the Literacy Scheme attached to working with women. We hope you wili the work. sia continue sending us your materials and Our main partner organizatioas in- clude the government, the churches, 22 Iffil MI& 1111LETTERS FROM THE NETWORK MEL NI& Mb.NEIL

Makerere University, UN agencies work- We would like to let you know ing in the country, local development that we have just begun working with agencies and a cross-section of home in- urban popular sectors on a project sup- dustry. On the local women's front we porting women's experiences in produc- have very healthy ties with the National tion. We want to address an issue that Council of Women, the Women's Depart- unfortunately has not been given impor- ment of the National Resistance Move- tance, though it is one of the main causes ment Secretariat and the Uganda for the limited success of production Women's Efforts to Save Orphans. projects or income generating projects. Recently, we undertook a field review of We are talking about the need ) give our women's work in the countryside women's groups and organizaLons. the with the participation of the Associated tools to allow them to develop a reflec- market. On the other hand, projects for Countrywomen of the World. tion process around women's internal- women are usually oriented towards "sur- We hope our ties will grow and ized ideology of their economic activity, vival" and family consumptionin other strengthen, and offer you our kind which tends to underestimate and subor- words, to generate some, uncertain in- regards and best wishes. dinate their labour to the traditional roles come to contribute to a sl'aky balance or assigned by the dominant culture. to fill gaps in the fragile family budget. Sincerely yours, Through our own practice and We are still far from having learning, we have been able to see that reached conclusions on this issue. Our Joseph Kagimu women continue to rate their economic goal is to identify aspects that will help Director contribution to the family as "secon- us reflect on our own orientation, prac- Uganda Restoration Effort dary", "temporary" or as "help" to the in- tice and commitment with less ad- P.O. Box 31255 Kampala come of the head of the family (even vantaged women in our society. Uganda when he is permanently unemployed, as Our best regards. Once more, we is common in our countries.) We believe would like to emphasize the important AllIr air Air Adair that any policy or program aimed at en- contribution of Voices Rising in the coura;ing production activities among search for a more just and equal future women, to enable them to equally join for half of humanity. the development process and to improve their lives, has no chance of success Ana Marta Orteaga under these conditions. Sociologist In reaching this conclusion, we're Centre for Women' s Studies (CEM) not in any way blaming the women par- Purisima 353 ticipating in the production projects for Santiago their lack of success. The view Chile thatwomen's work is subordinate and secondarywhether or not it is remunerated-- cannot be considered the exclusive responsibility of those par- ticipating in this kind of collective ex- his letters section is a perience. This view is shared by rim" new idea and one that we hope agencies financing these programs, the will be a regular feature of Chile organizations designing the projects and Voices Rising. We've included those who conduct them. just a small selection of the First, I would like to ask you to send me To illustrate this, we can compare many interesting letters that Voices Rising regularly. Its contents the amount and the goals of investment come to the program office. have been very useful for our organiza- in two kinds of production projects: We hope that these pages can tion--the Centre for Women's Studies production units for men (usually charac- be a place for women in the net- (CEM). Soon we will be able to send terized as "small business") and those for work to share your experiences our contribution. We have been working women (usually defined as "shops") We and concerns. "!iere possible, during the last two years on a research can also differentiate between the we'l print names ans addresses project on organizational experiences of projects for the two social sectors. In the so that people can write to each women in the urban popular sector con- first case they are "development" other. Keep in touch! It's great cerning family consumption and survival. projects, oriented towards the creation of to hear from you! "production units" integrated into the

23 1 am,

People's Education in South Africalma- New Resources

The popular struggle around education Most of the leadership of the Na- One of these bookletsWhat Is has been a central component of the anti- tional Education Crisis Committee have People's Education? An Approach to apartheid resistance movement in South been detained during the prolonged Running Workshopshas wider applica- Africa since the Soweto Uprising in "States of Emergency" imposed by the tion and will be useful to a more general 1976. The continuing crisis in schooling repressive South African government readership. It is a clear and straightfor- for the oppressed black people led to the over the past two years. In February of ward guide to tha organizing of formation, in 1985, of the National 1988 the activities of the NECC itself workshopsin this case workshops Education Crisis Committee, a broad or- were restricted. Any activities perceived oriented around exploring the meaning ganization of constituencies concerned as People's Education have been banned of People's Education. The approach sets with educationstudents, teachers, from the state schools. These measures out a number of basic questions that need parents and community activists. The will not readily crush the vision of to be addressed when planning and run- concept of People's Education was born People's Education. ning a workshop, with suggestions and in this context. The Centre for Adult and Continu- examples of the kinds of issues to be con- People's Education, as it is being ing Education at the University of the sidered. The booklet will be of particular elaborated and developed, shares many Western Cape in South Africa has under- value to those working with community aspects with what in other parts of the taken a research project on People's educators. world is called popular education. The Education to conuibute to its develop- What is People' s Education? and building of democratic organization, the ment, in theory and practice. The Centre the other booklets about "People's Educa- unleashing and stimulating of critical and (CACE) has issued a number of booklets tion" can be obtained from: creative thinking and action, and the which will interest those who want to development of skills and capacides that find out more about the education strug- Centre for Adult and Continuing empower communities to bring about so- gle in South Africa. These include: Education, cial change are all embodied in the con- People' s Education in South Africa. An University of the Western Cape, ception of People's Education. Control Examination of the Concept, and Private Bag X17, of education by the popular classes to ser- People' s Education. A Collection of Ar- Bellville 7535, ves their interests is another central prin- ticles from December 1985 to May 1987. South Africa. 0 ciple. People's Education is very clearly situated within the non-racial democratic opposition movement in South Africa, and is aimed at building "People's Power" and developing education for the PEOPLE'S EDUCATION future liberated South Africa. An Examination of the Concept Although the idea of People's Education originated in the struggle around schooling, it is intended to embrace all forms of educationin com- munities, literacy projects, in the labour 011113a MAI movement, in post-. People's Education Commissions com- prising progressive educators from the communities and universitim have been Caw. for AAA anS Colfsratv Ca444.- gAck established to develop resources and u4Ans, memo", ap. methodologies for educatim in fields 041111XS0PrI100.1110XV such as Math, English and History and to No elaborate .

24 p NY.

ATRWC Update IWM SWIM, 9;1 MOB Molt Quehaceres Empowering Women Seib woo II tit Owleg Through Research ATRWC is the newsletter of the African Networking Training and Research Centre for Sistsmatizar Women on women and development. It pars cambiar Center for Wornen's Resources. contains useful reports of conferences, Philippines. 1988. 58pp. papers and development strategies, and la priatiaa information about upcoming meetings, This is a report of a conference held in publications and research activitie..4 The the Philippines in September 1987 aimed most recent issu4, No.10, June 1988, at beginning a process of dialogue and gives prominence to the topic of Women sharing between Philippina researchers and Health. in academic settings and organizers in communities, so that the knowledge Available:freeon request from: generated in both settings could be better ECAIATRWC, PO Box 3001, Addis ells* le Me MONO shared. Women academics shared their .4baba, Ethiopia. 11111 WOO el NM Id IMMO different experiences, and the organizers validated them and raised questions of Quehaceres their own. Through a series of articles authorod by the participants, the report The Research Centre for Women's Ac- discusses different dimensions of re- tion (CIPAF) in the Dominican Republic, search, such as the research process and publishesQuehaceres,their monthiy bul- funding, and several alternative ap- letin (in Spanish), as a supplement to a proaches to research including, feminist, naional newspaper. Each issue features participatory, and historical research. articles on a theme, and recent examples CAFRA News included , Free Trade Zones, Available from: Center for Women' s and women and religion. The theme of Resources, 43 Roces Avenue, 2nd floor, CAFRA, the Caribbean Association for the June 1988 issue is "Systematization Feminist Research and Action, is "an or- Mar Sanws Bldg., Quezon City, in order to change our practice." The in- Philippines. ganization of feminist researchers and ac- troduction says that systematization, or tivists committed to understanding the evaluation, is reflection on practice, with relationship between the oppression of the aim of providing a basis for develop- women and other forms of exploitation ing theory about popular education. in the society and who are working ac- Popular organizations often dismiss sys- tively to change this situation." The tematization. Instead, they either follow most recent issue of the newsletter, theories which come from above, or Voll, No.2, June 1988, includes updates reject theory in favour of an emphasis on MIND- on a number of CAFRA research practice, so that practice becomes an end projects, reports on International in itself. Women's Day activities in the region The articles inQuehaceresdon't C"- and information or reports about con- attempt to theorize systematization but ferences, meetings, scholarships and pub- rather describe different ways it can be lications. In a stimulating discussion in done, including: the testimonies of two the section entitles "CAFRA Opinion", women from CIPAF's educational team Honor Ford-Smith raises some critical about their systematization work with a questions about the mode and aims of rural women's leadership-training feminist organizing in the present Carib- project; a review of the approaches to bean context where women and their or- systematization developed by key ganizations are facing the effects of the popular education institutes in Latin economic crisis. America, and a report on a course in sys- tematization. Subscription: US$15.00 (4 issueslyear) Available from: CAFRA, PO Bag 442, Available from: C1PAF,Apdo Postal Tunapuna Post Office,Tunapuna, 1744, Santo Domingo, Dominican Trinidad and Tobago. Republic.

25 (*) L. 4 111111MINIM11111, .

aAsia available from: Center for Women' s Resources. 43 Roces Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines, LINKS %Vat% TEvcNmNPI Wom In other regions available from: Participatory Research Group, Suite 308, 394 Euclid Ave., so Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6G 259.

:pare

From Bonding Wires to Links: Women, Adult Banding Women: Education and Work Proceedings of the Interna- tional Consultation on Micro- Network of Women in Australian Chip Technology, Manila, Adutt ond Community Education, Philippines, 1986 Melbourne, 1988. 52pp. Co-published by the Center for This report outlines the results of a re- Women's Resources and the Par- search project commissioned by the Net- ticipatory Research Group, 1988, work, on adult education and paid work 67pp. for women in Australia. The research was initiated to support the view that This book documents the highlights of a women are a seriously under-utilised meeting in Manila co-sponsored by the Network of Women in resource in the Australian economy, and Center for Women's Resources, the the report will have practical value for Women's Center and the Kilusan Australian Adult and women in educational programs and Manggagawang Kababaihan-KMK Community Education policy making. (Women Workers' Movement) all bum! Newsletter in Manila, and the ICAE.Women's Available from: Program and the Participatory Research This quarterly newsletter is part of a Network of Women in Australian Adult Group in Toronto. The meeting brought growing network of women in Australia and Community Education, together 40 women--educators, or- aimed at informing practice in women's 256 Flinders Street, ganizers and workers from 12 countries-- learning by fostering information ex- Melbourne, Vic. 3000, to share experiences, problems and change, research, publications and con- Australia. strategies concerning the impact of ferences. micro-chip technology on the lives of women workers. The book includes tes- Cost: Aus.$12.00 (includes membership timonies of women workers and activists in the network.) from factories in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, and offices in Available from: Helen Gribble, clo Canada and the US, as well as analyses Council of Adult Education, 256 Flinders of the global context, local strategies for Street, Melbourne,VIC 3000, Australia. fighting back and regional and interna- tional networking.

Cost: Cdn$5 .00

26 103 The Moon Also Has Its TRIM! Own Light. A wyMIN ANP fli t:f 1.fp-LIENT The strupgle to build a

FINDINd OUR iez women s consciousness

w OWN r among Nicaraguan farm "ORI.z workers ICAE Women's Program

Within thenext few months, we willbe publishing a case study of the Women's Program of the Nicaraguan Farm Worker's Union (ATC). The struggle for

NI V.1111 4, 1. f I women's emancipation in Nicaragua is

p,1110.t.TIONA. V..:-41 4t I ("I unique. Underdevelopment, years of war, and the urgent priorities of the revolution, all combine to create a con- text which might appear to put women's Finding Our Own Way: demands in second place. In reality, More Women's Training these are the very factors which force a Activities Worldwide confrontation with a series of contradic- Women's Health Journal tions; the double workload faced by The magazine of the Latin Newsletter 40, International women, their role within the union, the American and Caribbean Women's Tribune Centre, July "machismo" so prevalent within Latin Women's Health Network, coor- 1988. 47pp. American society, and the direction of dinated by Isis International. the Nicaraguan women's movement in This is the second of two special issues general. A recent special edition of the journal is of the Tribune Newsletter which focus on This publication will be the first in devoted to the Campaign on Maternal participatory training issues and ac- the Women's Program Case Study Series Mortality, an international campaign tivities for women. It is based on a on approaches to women's education in jointly coordinated by the Women's workshop which the IWTC coordinated different regions of the world. Jointly Global Network on in Montevideo, Uruguay, in August 1987 prepared by the ICAE Women's and the Latin American and Caribbean in which participants explored different Program and the ATC Women's Women's Health Network. The cam- approaches to participatory training and Secretariat, it focusses on how popular paign was launched on the International how it relates to feminism, women's or- education has been used as a tool to Day of Action for Women's Health, 28th ganizing activities and gender issues. A promote discussion, increase conscious- May 1988. This issue contains articles guide to five specific participatory train- ness of conditions particular to women, on different aspects of maternal mortality ing activities is included. and promote women's leadership within from different national perspectives. the union. It also reflects on the effect Along with a range of articles on Cost: US$6, free to people in the Third this process has on the work and home different experiences in organizing World. life of agricultural workers and, in a women's health care, information about broader sense, on the struggles of the A vailable from: IWTC, 777 United Nicaraguan women's movement to keep organizations and resources, the most recent issue No. 6-7, (March-June 1988) Nations Plaza, New York, N .Y.10017, women's emancipation in the forefront focusses on domestic violence. Issue No. U.S.A. of the revolution. 4-5. (November 1987-January 1988) con- Available: (forthcoming in English and tains an informative article on AIDS. Spanish) The journal is published in both English and Spanish. ICAE Women' s Program, Suite 308, 394 Euclid Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M6G 2S9. Available from: Isis International, Via San Saba 5,00153 Rome, Italy. V a

Women$hare Funding and by women's groups seeking inform:- Newsnote tion on funding assistance.

Issue No.1, International Women's A vailable from: Pacific Women' s Tribune Centre, July 1988. 8pp. Resources Bureau, BP D5,Noumea CEDEX, New Caledonia, South Pacific. The Funding Newsnote was started so that women's groups could begin to tom share information relating to the broad 1100,11401* area of "women and funding"--informa- Lion about funders, issues related to fund- educators the opportunity to explore and ing for women's projects, and to begin a create popular alternatives for health care process of collectively developing that would be capable of responding to strategies which will both increase the the increasingly urgent local needs amount of funding available for all brought on by the deterioration of living women's groups, and at the same time conditions and the challenges of social begin to broaden the scope of issues that and political change. The report aims to capture the the funding community will support. This first issue is intended as an introduc- three intensive days of discussion during Working with Women: tion to the v.orld of women's funds and which participants worked to build a dialogue between curative and education- A Community Develop- contains information about foundations ment Handbook for and grant programmes specifically for al actions, find a balance between ad- women and, in most instances, initiated vocacy and demands for basic rights and Pacific Women services, and searched for ways to com- by women. The Newsnote is an oc- By Amelia Rokotuivuna, Hand- casional bulletin produced in English, bine collective political work with per- sonal development. book No. 29, South Pacific Com- French and Spanish. mission, 1988, 87pp. Available from: CEAAL, Diagonal Cost: US$6 per subscription for the next This useful book is aimed at helping three issues, free to people in the Third Oriente 1604, Casilla 6257, Santiago 22, Chile. %omen leaders, field workers, and of- World. ficers of women's organizations to ac- quire some skills and understanding that Available from: IWTC, 777 United Resource Kit for Pacific will enable them to help women par- Nations Plaza, New York, N.Y.10017, Women ticipate fully in the life of their com- USA munities. It contains explanations of Pacific Women's Resources important ideas on working with people, Bureau, South Pacific Commis- exercises to help raise awareness about, sion, Noumea, New Caledonia, Perspectives and and increase the participation of com- 1988. 386pp. Practice: Health and munities in development activities, and suggestions on how to communicate bet- Popular Education in This resource kit began as a project of ter. The booklet is divided into five sec- Latin America the Pacific Women's Resource Bureau in tions, each with their own exercises, on: 1985, in response to their assessment that community development and the com- Latin American Council for Adult very little information existed about munity worker, understanding how other Education, 1988. 69pp. women's organizations in the region. people think, understanding groups, un- Complete with maps, the kit is organized derstanding 'he position of women, and This is the report of a workshop held in into three parts, the first lists women's or- communication: getting the message Montevideo, Uruguay, in December ganizations, the second provides profiles across. 1986, which brought together more than of individual women in the Pacific, and 30 people working in community health the third provides information about sour- Available from: South Pacific and popular education in different parts ces of funding and technical assistance Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia, of Latin America. The meeting was con- for women's groups and organizations. vened by the Latin American Council for South Pacific. As a directory th.kit can be used as a Adult Education through its Health and resource by peopli. concerned with Popular Education Network, to give women and development in the Pacific health professionals and popular

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Enclosed is a cheque or money order for: $20.00 Institutions $10.00 Individuals/Groups Third world women's and popular education groups-free I cannot send money at this time but wish to receive Voices Rising Single issues-S5.00 Please send me issue: Please make payment to: ICAE (Women's Program). Send either international money or- ders, postal money orders, or cheques drawn on Canadian or American banks. Send to: ICAE Women's Program 394 Euclid Ave., Suite 308 Toronto, Ontario CANADA M6G 259 1 1 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Wow lews Proirast itiFmudl'osiat Council -Po Adult- Eciucalion VOLUME 3, NUMBER2, 1989 3EST CCPY AVAILABLE Atir.431'7g,

-1%11 611 171 sh...^AARIA 4 b Winalgowi' wohNeol and populmr eckicsaion SPECIAL REPORn Building the Movement: A Women's Leadership Seminar in International Adult Education Quito, Ecuador , , ft. October 1988 I . , , I , 'I/ , , .1/ i ii .,1, \ \ 1;1 . 't,k %s \ % \ i / I, Jiff II 1 .. ,,I I ' / 1, 1 11 I ' ,/,'. 1 0, '. \\:.' .....1. 1 1 , t ,, 1 l k \ 1 % 1 , 1 ; -44, I ! 1 .....- I i I Ii / ' (1 t -4.. '4 , I' 1 * I Il A I II \ ro 1 I I \ '''' k I N 1, /I/ - ,2 1 4 fil?..-'' I i' II' 't I ft:a... , ci viiiti!lialr t, I

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, '',/.,,,ii l0 El I-4..9i i' a ii ...... _ .,._ trailirtimi 0.4 ra\e's!tr.'iII , Iimostinsiall im ill itCt.' , 13 II ''''1:-1 IN THIS ISSUE Special Report:

Building Leadership, Building the Movement 1 Our Identity: Feminism and Popular Education, Beginning an International Discussion 3 Leadership and Women in Interantional Adult Education 6 Strategic Contradictions; Organizational Democracy and Dependence on International Aid 9 August 1989 Growing Pains: Reflections on the Historyof Flora Tristan, Peru 12 Toronto Program Office Lynda Yanz (Coordinator) Summing Up: the common threads 15 Jane Gurr, Linzi Manicom. Moving On: ICAE Harare Meetings 16 Editing Carol-Anne O'Brien. Lynda Yanz. Linzi Manicom

Design and Production Sigrid Blohrn Features: Zimbabwe: Producing a Popular Text 18 Correspondence & Distnbution Shannonbrooke Murphy Mali: The Fight Is Ours 23 Translation South Africa: Making Our Voices Heard 24 Anne Minguet-Patocka (French) Anbal Viton (Spanish)

Additional HO This Issue Heather Chetwynd, Ruth Lara Linking: 27 The ICAE Women's Program Refugee Women in Canada 308 - 394 Euclid Avenue Leadership Training and Conciousness Raising Toronto, Ontario US 30 CANADA M6G 2S9 among Chicana Workers in the

Tel: (416) 324-8766 Telex: 06-986766T0RW0ME Fax: (416) 324-8268 Letters From the Network 33

Voices Rising is published twica yearly in English, Spanish and French. Resources 38

Voices Rising is the central networking tool of the The ICAEs Women's Program links educa- The Women's program is coordinated from ICAE Women's Program, and aims to: promote tors and organizers in different regions of the Canada by the Participatory Research Group the sharing of experiences. provide a forum for world who are working to develop education as a (K-1G) working in collaborabon with key contacts debate and discussion of key issues for women tool for social change and empowerment of from various regions. PRG is a popular educe- educators, share information on useful re- women. bona and research collective. sources, and foster the development of a femi- The International Council for Adult Educe- The following agencies provided support to rmt practice in popular educabon which makes ton (ICA E) is an international non-governmental 'Building the Movemenr the leadership develop- connections between broad social strugg les and organization with national member assocations ment seminar in Quito, and to this issue of Voices the personal issues and oppression women face in over 90 countnes, and networks in a variety of Rising: Agricultural Missions, USA; UNIFEM in their daily lives. areas, including: peace, literacy, community SI DA Women & Development: Unicef-Colombial We welcome letters or short articles on your health and popular education. workers educa- Partnership Africa Canada: Anglican Church of work and expenences. Through your contribu- tion, and participatory research as well as the Canada: CIDA-INGO; United Church of Canada. tions and involvement we can deepen our under- Women's Program All networks are decentral- The following agencies have provided ongo- standing and develop more effective strategies ized and coordinated by individuals and groups in ing financial support to the Women's Program: for action. different regions of the world. CIDA. SIDA, NOVIB. and FINNEDA. BUILDING LEADERSHIP, BUILDING THE-MOVEMENT Building Leadership, Building the Movee t

The main focus of this issue of Voices Rising is "Building the Movement: A Women's Leadership Seminar in International Adult Education" which was jointly organized by the ICAE Women's Program and the Women's Net- work of CEAAL--the Latin American Council for Adult Education--and took place last October in Quito, Ecuador. This special report is made up of the words and reflections of participants on the central themes of the seminar. They are woven together, not to present one voice or viewpoint, but rather to reflect the strength and creativity generated when committed activists and educators come together to share, enjoy and learn from one another. The meeting left us invigorated with new ideas and a sense of great possibilities.

"if an international network is to be any activities of the Program and to get a better picture of use it must serve the efforts of local the links and gaps between women's popular educa- organizing and set its agenda in terms of tion initiatives and the official structures of adult the needs and priorities emerging from education in different regions. We als) hoped to take that base." up and advance our discussions of some of the central issues identified at that earlier meeting. These words by Lean Heng set the stage for five days Quito, Ecuador was chosen as the venue for the of intensive work in Quito. Through the week we seminar partly because it is the base for the CEAAL struggled from different entry points through a maze Women's Network, the strongest regional network of issues, considering ways in which that vision within our international network. Participants were might be transformed into concrete actions.This keen to team from the experience of different groups was not an easy task for it involved so many differ- involved in popular educ ation in Latin America. The ent people, contexts and perspectives. women who came brought with them their experi- The seminar had been titled "leadership devel- ence from a wide range o f organizationsfrom popular opment". It proved, in fact, to be much more than education groups, women's centres, and national that. It was about learning from each other, about af- and regional adult education institutions.They firming the basis of our movement, about evaluating combined many decades of experience working at forms of leadership amongst women, and strategies the grassroots level in very different national con- for developing the leadership of women in relation to textswith Palestinian women in Lebanon, with the broader movement for adult education. homeless women in Bombay, against repressive Building on the momentum of our first intema- government conditions in Malaysia, Chile and tional sem inar in Montreal in 1987, the I CAE Women's Africa. Many have played active roles in the women's Program wanted to bring together some of the groups and education movement in their countries and their and individuals from different regions with whom regions; some brought substantial international we've been working most closely over the last few experience. years. The idea was to consolidate the involvement The Quito program spanned a number of objec- of these key regional contacts in the leadership and tives. There were opportunities for sharing and dis-

This section was compiled by Lynda Yanz, based on many, many hoursof translation/transcnption by Heather Chetwynd and Anibal Viton of tamw from the seminar. 1 15 cussion with women's groups in Ecua- project, and an Asian train -rogram. an important accomplishment, espe- dor (through two days of visits, two We drafted a letter to the Presi- cially for those regions whose networks public panel discussions and cultural dent and Executive requesting their are still emerging. events). There was organized discus- support for the Program and the setting There was much discussion sion of three central themes--Our Iden- up of international Task Force to about what kind of "international" work tity: Feminist and Popular Education; strengthen the role of women in the made most sense, and which did not. Challenges for Building Democratic international adult education movement. Participants talked concretely about the Organizations; and Building Leader- We requested that an organizational kinds of exchanges (of people and ship, Building the Movement.And review of the Women's Program be materials) that would strengthen local there was time to plan action for the undertaken in order to ensure the Pro- and regional efforts. As in Montreal we next steps in the Women's reaffirmed the importance of Program and ICAE. strengthening linkswith The theme of lead- progressive education and ership was woven through- women's struggles in North out the seminar both in the America and Europe, not formal discussions and in merely for the useful sup- the informal exchanges as port work that can be coor- women worked together to dinated from the North, but confront the difficult issues because we want to link involved in developing al- women's educational ternative forms of educa- strugglesinternationally. tion and organization--issues The Women's Program which we've all had to face, should not be seen as a Third with challenge and with pain, World network with its tech- both personally and politi- nical centre in Canada. cally.The fruits of the Another important, if week's hard work, of an in- less visible outcome, was tense process of learning to the discussion about, and listen, and where necessary, proposal for action relating to disagree with one another to women's involvement in were evident by the Sunday the adult education move- moming when we began to ment. The contexts of adult put together the pieces and 4 education (approaches, pro- rI plans that had been build- :. grams and structures) vary ing through the week. There ,1 tremendously from region had been times of frustra- to region. No one analysis tion and despondency, when of the role of women in adult it seemed as though we education can thus be estab- weren't moving anywhere. lished, and equally, there can But as the different groups be no one strategy for taking began to inscribe the flip up women's issues effec- charts on the four walls of tively in the field. There was the meeting room with the concern however that, where summary products of their labours, we gram's accountabiiity to its constitu- appropriate, regional women 's networks were able to see just how much we had ency and to develop a clearer organiza- continue to urge the integration ofgender achieved. tional structure within the Program and issues into all aspects of work. Cer- We approved a quite ambitious between the ICAE and the Program. tainly this strategy is currently well plan of work for the Women's Pro- Beyond thesespecific out- underway within the CEAAL Women's gram, one involving most of the semi- comes, much headway was made in Network. At the international level, the nar participants in working groups terms of supporting and strengthening seminar called on the ICAE Executive around special new projects suchas the regional nem _rks' own efforts as well to support the Women's Program's preparation for the ICAE World As- as extending their involvement in the efforts to link women popular educa- sembly, an international action research international network. This represented tors.

2 1 1 BUILDINGHE MOVEMENT Our identity: Fe inism and Popular Education Beginningan InternationalDiscussion

The seminar opened with a We started this meeting by at- popular kitchens, etc.) although, within session entitled "Our identity". tempting to base ourselves in our m ultiplici ty of experiences, it seems Organizers had assumed this our regional particularities, our there is always the possibility of raising would be a fairly straightfor- different experiences. We heard about the demands around survival and the ward naming of our common the present situation from Nicaragua, gender issue, of being creative in this reference points in feminism the impact of political processes in respect. and popular education as a Asia and the role of popular educators, (Teresa, Chile) way of moving on to discus- of how they manage themselves vis a sions of other themes.We vis the situation of the party position quickly discovered however, where there is not great identification In some contexts the terms feminism that we didn't necessarily with these political parties. We re- and popular education don't mean share the same perspectives turned to the African situation and heard anything. What we are trying to do is on educational practice or about the weight of traditions, religion, not so much come to a common defini- women's organizing. We and in some cases the great fear of tion but to explore whether there is a learned how important it was politics where important sectors do not common identity in terms of our ap- not to assume a single or uni- want to think about what is happening proach to education and working for fied position at the outset of or reflect upon situations that will not women, if and how there is a basis of an encounter, but rather to have an immediate effect upon their unity for an international network. The allow ourselves to develop a lives. This is the great subject of sur- challenge is to recognize and deal con- unity through the sharing of vival, the struggle for survival. structively with the genuine differences concrete examples of the sali- Afterwards we debated and shared between us, and also to recognize that ent questions and priorities different strategies for work with women, unity does not require that we be iden- from our local realities. From how these have developed from work tical to one another. We do not have to that base (the building of which in India, in Peru, in Mali. We shared become one in order to work together ... takes listening and re-think- similar experiences in Africa and Latin What are the differences? What can we ing our own practical and America, of attempting to provide small learn fron. one another? How do we theoretical constructs), there quotas ofpowe r, or e xperience s in power want to work together? can be a more careful and to women's groups. We concluded by (Lynda, Canada) productive shift to the inter- recognizing that in these strategies what national perspective.identi- is important is a process of awareness fying, clarifying and working of the women, a discussion of the prob- How are we incorporating this per- towards a mutual understand- lems. spective of women in the build- ing of the issues in a more In each of these the important role ing of popular education which grounded way provided a of education kept coming up, without reflects the complexities of our reality better, more realistic basis for using many adjectives to name it. De- and which advances the democratiza- our program and for the plan- pending on the political and social con- tion process in our countries. What I'm ning of action. text, different elements are taken into concerned about is this theme of an this work (literacy, productive work, international perspective of popular

3 117 11 education, because I feel that popular tions in order to achieve our national then this has to go on at a regional level. education per se doesn't mean much. rights:the right of returning to our I have read abc ;It the process of organi- Popular education means something if country, the right to self-determina- zation in Latin America, and the kind of it produces change in people's practice, tion, the right to establish an independ- lessons that people have learned are and women specifically, and if these ent territory. This is why we are organ- really inspirational. It's like I'm taking lead to changes in the content of popu- izing in Lebanon and have been since one step at a time and finding that this lar education. I think this is perhaps the our exile.Also we are working as ind of eer group process helpes me key point in reflecting on any research women so that we can become produc- climb the steps I need to take. we carry out. tive in this process, and take our place (Sheela, India) (Gina, Peru) in the struggle, in our community, and become part of the political decision- making in our national liberation. Because of the ways some indi- In Africa women go to jail...but We see our participation in the viduals from regional and inter- there are other forms of prison as s Program or any international national groups have crossed our well. If I look at the face of a country network in this light. Thus what we re- paths, it's built a lot of resistance in me. like Sudan or even my country, we have quire from you is not only in terms of But in the 1 ast number of years in the in- a growing situation where women are our work with women and our leader- tensive struggle and work Lhat I've veiled and maintained in a kind of ship as women, but also you helping us been engaged in, mainly with the women prison. We haven't seen this for a long in achieving our aspirations, our na- workers, through that work and coupled time and now it's coming very fast. tional pride. And at this juncture we, as with the different readings and learning And at the same time we are trying to Palestinians in exile, believe the main of experiences of people from other re- develop into a modem society. objective is to support the uprising. gions, it's brought me quite a different (WW1 Mall) (Leila, Lebanon) perspective. I think now that regional and international work, if it is done properly can help to support and further t the beginning AMNLAE mainly It is somehow unavoidable, vvhen we consolidate the work at the base. And focussed on calling upon women talk about a network, to make a com- that's what ultimately is the test of "net- to become integrated into revo- parison with fishermen.[Net and working", at whatever level. lutionary tasks, and to take part in pro- network are the same word in Spanish.] (Lean, Malaysia) ductive tasks, in military tasks, in de- Quercum is a a Mapuche word I learned fending the revolution. There was no in Chile some time ago meaning "time discourse about gender. To speak of of active waiting." It is what fishermen We face an enormous contradic- gender at that time was to be out of do when they can't go fishing, when the tion in the U.S. We work with context. Or at least that's what we said sea is stomiy and doesn't allow fishing people who have serious prob- about "special claims", that they were .. sothey gather, share experiences, lems in their everyday lives, economic out of context, that the priority was to talk about theirdecisions, the new things problems, problems that women face in defend the revolution. But today we they've seen in the sea, and they repair any other part of the world. And we consider that truly, the defence of the their nets, hooks, boats...This meet- educators/activists need to work to solve revolution is the defence of ourselves ing has reminded me of that--a small those problems. At the same time, be- as women. Our emancipation requires group with such different experiences, cause we are in the U.S., we have to the political context of the revolution, trying to weave a large net, to cover all understand how our work relates to but we also think that we cannot wait the world. what is going on in the rest of the world. until the war is over to put forward our (Beatrlz, Brazil) The trick is that we always have to look claims. with two eyes on what we're working (Sylvia, Nicaragua) at. The question for us is how we do in- Five years ago I would quite likely depth organizing more on a local level have rejected an invitation to par- and at the same time do educational First of all is the fact that we are ticipate in an international semi- work to build a sense of international- Palestinians, and secondly, that nar, thinking it had nothing to do with ism and connections to what is going we are women. As Palestinians me, with my work. But now we find on in the rest of the world. we are committed, we are part of the that if our local collectives are to sur- (Sue, USA) Palestine National Liberation Move- vive, they need to network. City net- ment. We belong to women's organiza- works have to link with other cities and

4 We have to look at the context of our work, and of the people we work with.All of us are af- fected by the international economic order, and the multinationals.And among the people we live and work with the crucial problem is survival, hen the five-day International of life in other contexts. We knew survival in terms of home, food, fuel, Seminar on Women's Leader- about apartheid, for example, but we land. And repression, and occupation, ship in Adult Education began, could feel its extent through Shirley whether it takes place in our factories, Quite, a sunny friendly city, welcomed Walters' testimony, asking for solidar- in occupied territories, or in the rural a group of twenty women from all over ity with women imprisoned for strug- areas where in the Philippines there is the world, confident in creating new gling against legalized racism.Her currently a lot of militarization. solidarity links and working guidelines words made us feel an unconditional All us are working with both men to develop through thought and action sisterhood. The same thing happened and women, the landless, the workers. the presence of the women's move- when we listened to accounts of the Although we have differences, we also ment in the process of social transfor- forced displacements and repression come up with common issues...like mation. against Palestinians on the West Bank, the importance of consolidating grass- Women's Program coordinator, in Gaza and in Lebanon. The contrast roots organizations. The question is Lynda Yanz, inaugurated the event. with our Latin American reality was how do we use this network to build, to Her words renewed the expectations of immense.It is true that we live in a strengthen, to expand, to consolidate Ecuador women. She stressed the im- crisis situation, marginalized, even in our existing grassroots organizations? portance of the seminar's main theme: extreme poverty, but I now realize that Of course there's also the need for a reflection on women's leadership, on we must value the fact that we have a solidarity, solidarity can come in the our experience as leaders, and on the place, a territory we can call mother- form of solidarity for the prisoners, and responsibility and potential of this very land, that our heritage has been kept in solidarity to support activist work. political role, especially in the interna- books, in the arts and in our hearts. (Carol, Philippines) tional context.It was only after that Our guests visited organizations in first day of intmductions that I experi- three important cities of Ecuador, Quito, enced of the full impact of the event. Guayaquil and Cuenca; they also par- It seems that at the moment, the EBAE The women participating in the semi- ticipated in a meeting at the "Maria Women's Sub-Committee could help nar came from all regions of the world: Quilla" Cenne, with representatives of its sisters most of all in the following Arab countries, South and South-East women's organizations from different ways: that we exchange information Asia, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, provinces in order to broaden discus- with other regional organizations and North America and Latin America.I sion to the national level.After dis- national bodies on the nature of our felt so at home with these relaxed, cussing the visits with several of our work, its objectives and aims, recog- open, funny women who were all in- sisters I sensed a common feeling: the nizing both the similarities and the dif- volved in actvi ties important for women awareness of feminist issues as a world- ferem,es of our operating structures, all around the world. They were going wide issue, common to all women and that we aid women's organizations to visit women's grassroots groups in regardless of race, class, language, reli- in the other regions who are appealing Ecuador, something that was certain to gion, culture or nationality.In this for funding to agencies in terms of in- have a profound effect, since it was the sense there is an universal category of formation, advice and, where neces- first time that such interchange and gender, which legitimizes feminist the- sary, representations to such funding solidarity with leaders in adult educa- ory as a social scicnce and feminist agencies. tion was to take place, in our country. leadership as an international political (Leny, England) The schedule included a program line of action. of visits to grassroots women's organi- zations to allow for a direct knowledge Cecilia Mifio Grijalva, of their work towards social change, to "Maria Mille" Centre for share experiences and to build solidar- Research and Action on ity links. It was an intense and mobiliz- Women's Conditions ing experience for all of us. I think the (local hosts to the Quito Ecuadorean women reacted as one; we Seminar) were amazed to know of the hardships

5 1 1 9 EillILDIN6 LEADERSHIP Leadership and Women in International 1st Adult Education

Shirley Walters cussions at lunch, at tea, in the car--and movements, it is easy to understand it was all about democratic organiza- why such a conscious attempt was made tions and leadership. Then in Ecuador, to achieve participatory democracy in Lynda: 1 feel guilty taking clear in the seminar and amongst members practice. The concepts of participatory leadership. of the organizations we visited, similar democracy, equality, liberty and com- Shirley: Why? Surely we have to issues were were raised. It all seems to munity, emphasized that everyone acknowledge the questions of author- point to an important "moment" in the should participate in decisions that affect ity and power. If authority has been development of feminist 'thought on their lives and that everyone's contri- given to you why can you not exer- organizational theory and practice. bution was equally valid. These ideas cise it within the parameters of that Questions that came to mind while led easily to the idea that all hietarchy authority. For me the problem is not I was participating in these discussions was "bad", and that power and author- exercising authority, it is a question of were: Why do many women feel guilty ity were "bad". who gives the authority and who can about taking on leadership roles? Why Many critiques of what is increas- take it away. That is one of the cru- have the notions of leadership devel- ingly being seen as a naive view of or- cial components of democratic oped in the women's movement as they ganization have been developed over leadership. have? Why are the issues of power and the yea's. One example is of jo Free- Honor: Yes, it's all very well for you authority so often denied? How have man's work of 1975 on "The Politics cf to be so clear about it, but you didn't these conceptions helped and hindered Women's Liberation". She argues very have to go through the 'New Left" the development of leadership amongst strongly that: and the Women's Movement of the women? What air the competing no- Although the ideology damned the 1960s! tions of leadership which are emerging idea of leadership, the movement was within the movement? How and why not without leaders.... Much of the en- are they changing and with what e ffect? ergy of past women's movements had This is an extract of one of the many Clearly it is not possible to even been directed to having the structures informal but intense exchanges which begin to answer these questions in this of decision-making...formalized so that were part of the semitar in Quito.It limited space, even if the answers were the exclusion of women could be con- may not seem surprising that the con- at hand. All that is possible here is to fronted directly. It is parti cularly ironic versations were so impregnated with name the questions and to point to how that the women's movement should discussions about, leadershipthe offi- they emerged during the time and space inflict upon itself a problem it's been cial theme for the week was "women of the seminar in Ecuador. fighting for centuries. When informal and leadership in international adult elites are combined with a myth of education." But I was surprised. "structureless" there can be no attempt En route to Quito I had to stop over Reflecting back oil the context of the re- to put limits on the use of power be- in Lima, Peru. There I spent 36 hours emergence of the feminist movement cause the means of doing so have been with women from the Manuela Ramos in the 1960s, with its critique of the elimivated. The groups then have no Movement. They didn't knowme; I dominating practices within the insti- means ofcornpelling responsibility from didn't know them. But in a very short tutions of daily life and within the the elites who dominate them. They time I was involved in numerous dis- male-dominated contemporary social cannot even admit they exist.

6 1.2C) , BV1LDING THE MOVEMENT Now most of us involved in women's process we lost the ability to win cer- organizations am aware of these cri- tain struggles." tiques--many of us agree with them In the case of Sistren, a very impor- whole-heartedly. We've experienced tant critique of the power relations that the issues first hand as either pan of the actually existed, as opposed to what We need to be able to share our inner or outer circle! But we still feel members wanted to believe existed, training programs, because we want guilty about accapting leadership, es- was developed. The impact of class, to create grassroots leaders, because pecially our own leadership--why? race and education on informal leader- we all feel that it is mostly the middle Gina Vargas of Peru speke in her ship were clearly enunciated. Honor class who are at the forefront of presentation about the difficulty women argues that in order for women to begin these organ,:zations. How do we train have with either assuming or granting to grapple with the problems of m i ddle- grassroots leaders? What popular leadership. This she argued left women class domination over working-class education methods work best with the outside of the power structures in the members, there must be an acknowledge- different sectors and experiences society and unable to really affect change ment that unequal distribution of power women come from? substantially. She described the change exists. Once that has occurred there is (Carol, Philippines) that has been occurring within the move- a need for the development of "clearcut ment in Latin America. Women were rules of the game".(This argument beginning to recognite the they had a resonates with that ofJo Freeman above .) When we are !:Aing about leadership responsibility to take on leadership pc- Both Gina and Honor' s arguments, that discussion can't be separated . sitions and that the women's move- which draw on their long and substan- from the commitment and work we're ment was about political power and it tial experience in the women's move- doing on the ground. When we're was naive to deny the reality of power ment, highlight the need for women to talking about leadership, we can? and the need to challenge it. confront the questions of power and separate that from the question of But, Gina argued, there WES a need authority. They both are very clear that how we organize women to take to reinterpret the concept of kadership this is not an easy process as women initiatives in their context, in their and to ask what a feminist conception still need to problem atize the notion of society. This is the approach to of leadership should be. Three aspects leadership.But perhaps we need to leadership that takes up the chal- which she felt r.zeded to be considered start at another point--a point which lenge of popular education. It means for a feminist conception of leadership does not deny the importance of women looking self-critically at how we are were: the question of relative auton- taking on the responsibility of leader- leaders. We can? be complacent in omy for the movement, the need to ship but which looks at what the posi- saying we are leaders, and yet we form broad alliances with other women tive and negative features of leadership need to take responsibility for our where authoritarian and imposing be- are, and in the light of that take another leadership roles within organizations haviour is countewl, and the need to look at what a feminist notion of lead- and movements. fight against the competitiveness of ership should be. (Lynda, Canada) leadership in movements. She believed Similar to the experiences of Gina leaaership should strengthen women in Peru and Honor in Jamaica, I have and the women's movement. Women found within organizations in South should stop running away from the Africa more and more people are ac- responsibility of leadership. knowledging the political nature of Honor Ford-Smith posed similar organization and the importancc of not questions and problems when shc re- "being married to" one form of organi- flected on the experience of the Sistren zation. Forms of organization should organization in Jamaica. She deici i bed be determined by the aims and pur- how on the one hand, Jamaica has a poses of the oronization. We have long history of strong, charismatic lead- found ihat it is important to acknowl- ership based on pan onage. And this edge the contradictions and tensions type of leadership is often respected. that exist in the tloory and pi actice of On the other hand, in the women's participatory forms of organization. As organizations like Sistren, she says that: in so many community organizations "We have shied away from the around the world, participatory democ- question ofleadership as we have wanted racy has informed many of the women's to be collective and democratic. In the and other organizations who are fight-

7 / ing injustice in South Africa. There is what has been called "collectivist no space hete to elaborate in detail on democracy" both the importance of mass these debates but two examples will participation and the importance of clear After the destruction of the Palestin- suffice to illustrate the point. leadership is acknowledged. On the ian camps, only organizations such Inherent in participatory democratic one hand the importance of participa- as ours, which were Wilt on a practices is the need for degrees of tion of as many people as possible in collective structure were able to openness and trust. There needs to be the processes of major decision-mak- survive and rebuild what had been a supportive, open, consensus-seeking ing is stressed, while on the other, there destroyed. This meant consistently climate which is essential for the shar- is acknowledgement of the importance organizing women to take the initia- ing of responsibility which is at the of clear delegation of power and au- tive, to take leadership. This is the heart of this form of organization. thority to leadership in order to bcth get best meaning of leadership in our However, this participatory democratic tasks done and to drive the organiza- society. practice tends to deny the reality of tions forward. Mandates are given to It's important that we as lead- conflict within organizations. Conflict leaders who must be accountable to the ers understand that we must be dis- in South African organizations is inher- members through regular reports back. pensable. We must create new entalong either class, race, ideologi- The membership has the authority to leaders. This should be a priority in cal, or gender lines. The lack of ac- both give and recall mandates of the all our work. That brings us back to knowledgment of conflict has often leadership. It is therefore not the exis- the political question of how do we resulted in conflicting interest groups tence of power and authority in organi- organize women? We cannot enter organizing in clandestine ways, which zations that is most important, but the and organize women on theories, is the very antithesis of the "openness question of who has the power to give slogans. We have to respond to their and honesty" so essential to participa- and recall that authority. immediate needs, whether it is tory democratic practice. There are many questions that still poverty, food, polittal rights or Another example of a contradic- need to be addressed as we strive to national liberation. We must respond tory practice within participatory or- develop a more adequate notion of lead- to their needs and to what they want. ganization relates to the question of ership within the feminist movement. Understanding that is a test of our leadership. In South Africa leadership At the seminar in Ecuador there ap- leadership. Experience has shown within participatory democratic organi- peared to he agreement on one issue at us, for example, that women in zations is usually shared by all mem- least--we need to move beyond the Lebanon cannot be organized around bers of the collective. No one is given denial of leadership and the necessary the issue of equality. They would authority to lead. In many instances a political power arid authority that im- laugh at us if we tried this. What they laissez faire cPmate, closer to anarchy plies. But we also need to conkinue to want is to defend themselves and than democracy, exists where anyone challenge traditional features of leader- their families. What they want is to wishing to assert leadership is shouted ship in practice, such as the pervasive- have clothes, and to go back to their down. A malaise sets in where no one ness of authoritarianism and ccmpeti country. This is what the women dares to show leadership for fear of tion. We need to ask whether it is the consider as priorities. being accused ofbeing "undemocran c". authoritarianism and competitiveness (Lella, Lebanon) In the heightened political climate in within predominantly male leadership which people organize, increasingly against which we have reacted in the questions are being asked about the movement. If this is the case, a ques- appropriateness of the participatory tion which could potentially move us democratic form which can so often towards finding a more satisfactory result in paralysis rather than action. feminist notion of leadership could be: Many people are acknowledging the What would leadership be like which need for strong vision and leadership to worts actively against authoritarian and propel organizations forward. competitive practices?

One o f the responses to the above analy- Shirley Walters, Centre for Adult and sis of organization is the development Continuing Education of other conceptions of democratic Univers;ty of the Western Cape leadership. These have been strongly Private Bag X 17 influenced by the progressive trade union Bellville 7530 movement.In these conceptions of South Africa 8 1 6..0 0 St I tions Organizational Democracy and Dependence on International Aid

by Honor Ford-Smith practice to equate democracy with a one,[in that] it unquestionably ex- single notionthat of collective deci- posed members to areas of decision The following is a brief ex- sion making. making involved in running the organi- cerpt from the conclusion of a The undifferenti ated collective form zation and acquainted everyone with forthcoming Women's Pro- has a number of problems.It can be the skills of advocacy. At this point in gram publication about Sis- antithetical to productivity and service the organization's growth however, the tren, a women's popular the- delivery because it tends to substitute movement toward some specialization atre group in Jamaica. Strate- internal practice with a single notion-- and differentiation also seems neces- gic Contradictions is a detailed that of collective decision making. sary and inevitable ifits problems are to account of Sistren's historical Where it functions in the conservative be solved. and organizational develop- capitalist third world [it often] masks What shape then can be envisioned nen! since 1977. Honor pre- the continuation of the central contra- for a democratic organization which is sented draft sections from her dictions of capitalist societies--such as not a collective?There can be no case study as a catalyst for race and class. Where ideological vari- dogmatic answer to this question. Just discussion in Quito. ety or differences exist within a group as the collective decisionmaking model these become obstacles to sameness works in some situations, but not in rather than oppoi tunities to develop the others, there can be no one true demo- richness and complexity of the group's cratic organizational form, which will work. The undifferentiated collective work effectively across cultures and in structure lends itself to the exercise of different political and economic con- At the stan, I drew attention to the power by texts....[In importance of strengthening the informal From the beginning, a major problem this search, feminist movement at t]wo con- this leaders was the way in which the group came moment in Caribbean history and to whose roles cepts inneed the question why many new feminist can neverin practice to equate democracy with a of fuller dis- organizations as yet have been unable be clearly single notionthat of collective cussion are to affect women's conditions of life in defined, decIsion making. those of a fundamental way.In the case of who are not manage- Sistren I have argued that the group clearly accountable internally in the ment and leadership. was restricted in its impact because of group, and who tend to operate cov- In the effort to throw out the idea of its internal structure and the effects of ertly. Real processes of decision mak- the personality cult and the charismatic the funding policies of international ing then become masked and the or- leader, the progressive movement has aid agencies. ganization becomes bogged down in not really defined alternative forms of the morass of endleFs meetings, low leadership. For women's groups it is Collective Contradictions productivity, a sense of diffused re- perhaps especially difficult to grant and sponsibility and low morale. accept leadership from other women. From the beginning, a major problem ...In Sistren's history the phase of Historically women have been excluded was the way in which the group came in intense collectivity was a necessary from the processes by which power has

9 123 o

in. The term "partner" currently being used by donor agencies to describe their relationship with recipient organi- zations only obscures what remains a very real power relation. This egalitar- ian label does not change the reality. One area which women's groups need to face squarely concerns the ten- dency on the part of agencies to priori- tize material production over educa- tional and cultural processes and to see these areas as separate and distinct. This separation in the long run serves to entrench dependency because it means that internal processes of organizational 16. development and transfer of skills are always subsumed under the "more important" process of production. In fact production and education ate inex- come to reside in particular people or life....Issues of skills transfer and edu- tricably linked.... groups of people. Male, white, m iddle- cation could then be addressed in a sys- On the other hand, to prioritize class privilege has been so founded on tematic and consistent way. A key educational cultural processes over so- hierarchy, division and specialization concept in thinking about democratic called production is to ignore the im- that the women's movement has been management then is accountability--a portance of building up some form of cautious about reproducing forms which concept which can be applied differ- self-fmancing. Any single issue or set seemed to imitate these models. At the ently both within an organization and of issues which come to be prioritized same time, in organizations where externally with those it serves. for funding by agencies can be used women have granted leadership, ma- against the development of effective temalism and the dominant form of The Politics of "Aid" organizational processes. International race and class power are often reflected. funding agencies often determine pri- In the Caribbean it is particularly diffi- A second major problem which con- orities which are applied in a blanket cult to come to terms with the issue of fronted Sistren was the effect of inter- way. Our experience has shown that leadership because of the way race and national funding policies on the organi- very careful attention has to be paid to class and skill are tied and because zation. Agencies funding projects in local conditions.The political and resistance to these forms of domination the Third World have an enormous cultural context, available skills and re- are of ten covert, informal and unnamed. amount of power. One only has to sources are all areas which need very However to avoid the discussion of glimpse the files of any agency in- careful consideration and which will leadership is no solution at all.... volved in so-called development to enormously affect what is possible for The term management also tends recognize the enormous amounts of any organization. When local factors to be interpreted as an authoritarian big information they have accumulated about are not taken into consideration, choices boot, squeezing the life blood out of its progressive about pro- underlings. Management in our setting organiza- gram activi- carries the connotation of exploiters The emphasis of international tion; and the agencies on funding "grassroots" ties can be from "the evil empire" of capitalism.... amcunt of made which [But in dejecting the worst of capital- power the women seems to be contradictory have long ism we must be careful not to throwout dispensing of and simplistic. term nega- the baby with the bath water. Manage- funds gives tive conse- ment and leadership, whether they re- them over people's lives all over the quences for local organizations. This is side in individuals or in groups of people world. They are able to shape the lives especially so when organizations are need to be controlled by defining both of the organizations they support, not young or operate in a conservative what they are to manage and how they simply because they fund them, but context in which there is little capacity can be accountable and removable at also because of the processes they re- for negotiation with more powerful inter- different moments in an organization's quire the agencies to become involved national agencies. When an organiza- 124 11 tion's survival is at stake, the criteria of foreign funding. Nevertheless we are at intemational agencies will always take a stage where women's organizations priority over developing processes of working together internationally can use accountability to its Financial relations influence the work constituency. that we are carrying out and in this Such mistakes One area which women's groups need to cannot be waved way international agencies exert face squarely concerns the tendency on power and control upon the NGOs or away. Their impli- the part of agencies to prioritize material popular movements that develop cations mushroom production over educational and cultural projects. We see that the policies of into new difficulties processes and to see these areas as which are often what type of projects will be financed separate and distinct. This separation in are always defined outside our harder to deal with the long run serves to entrench countries. At the same time we than those problems cannot close our eyes to the fact that they were originally dependency because it means that internal the problem is not only outside us. meant to solve. They processes of organizational development involve people's and transfer of skills are always subsumed The result of this situation oftentimes lives, hopes, ener- under the "more important" process of is a competition between NGOs for money. Very often these agencies gies, investments and production. ask other NGOs, what do you think resourcesin deep ways. The disillu- of this or that group and if one is not alert to this we end up being divided. sionment and bitterness they create their lobbying power collectively to These things become worse when deeply affect an organization's poten- make these agencies accountable to the we have financial problems within tial to have an impact on its community groups they are supposed to be serving. our own organizations . all the and to build a healthy working culture. Just as we need to be accountable to different relationships of power and Finally, the emphasis of interna- those we serve so they also need to take competition make it more difficult to tional agencies on funding "grassroots" on board their accountability to those carry out the work we know is impor- women seems to be contradictory and whom they serve. Collective dialogue tant and to work together in truly simplistic. Grassroots women are not is key if groups are to have clear chan- supportive ways. miracle workers and like anyone else nels of communication and clearer in- (Teresa,Ch1441 need to study and understand a situ- put into the policies of these agencies ation before they can work effectively and the ways in which these are imple- in it....Agency policies sometimes mented regionally.... emphasize the delivery of funding to In many funding agencies there are grassroots women while ignoring the members of staff who are genuinely many complex processes in which both concerned about issues of dependency gender and many classes are involved, and democracy. These women want to processes which reproduce the condi- work internationally around some of tions the funding is meant to alleviate. the struggles we face. The power of the [The effect often does not contribute to agencies does not exist in a monolithic social transformation. In fact, as was institutional sense. It operates through the experience of Sistren, it can repro- people who have a degree of leverage at duce relationships of dependency and their disposal.It is up to us to build domination both internally inside groups alliances that are genuinely internation- and between aid agencies and recipi- alist in order to bring about changes. ents. Organizations like Sistren are. not at the stage where they can do without these foreign funders. Neither is it the first time in history that organizations working for radical transformation in one society require the support of richer groups in conservative societies. It will be a long time before we cease to need

11 Growing Pains: reflectionson the history of Flora Tristan, Peru

Virginia (Gina) Vargas Is the centre--even a feminist working centre While the general dynamics of the Director of Flora Tristan, one --and being part of the feminist move- mov ement can be taken up by our centres, of the strongest and longest ment. A great number of our difficul- there are real limits to the flexibility running women's centres in ties have been to confuse the centre within the work. This raises the whole Latin America. Virginia's with the movement. In working centres, question of what you call accountabil- our programs and projects have to be ity.. ..how and to whom to be account- reflections on the centre's completed and deadlines met. Feminist able. In some instances (and it's not history in response to Honor work centres can be very feminist but always possible) we've been able to Ford-SmIth's presentation we have very different rhythms, sched- reach understandings or agreements with provoked much discussion. ules, structures and different uses for women's organizations about budgets money. The movement is something or work plans we adopt on a joint basis. broader; it is a more fluid thing, more This is one way you commit yourself... In the Flora Tristan Centre what hap- flexible. I believe that as service centres it becomes an issue of mutual accounta- pened was that we suddenly became we have to accept the consequences of bility. But to arrive at this point we aware of the contradictions of growing, this difference. have had to make a great number of and all our energy got put into sorting In Flora we have gone through mistakes, and sometimes it creates out these internal adjustments so that stages in coming to terms with this. mistrust. we weren't accomplishing what we set First we were a small collective. Then, The problems of women's organi- out to do. Instead of improving, growth as we grew it was clear that not all of zations in different countries are in in many ways made things worse. It got those who came to work in the centre many ways similar. The major chal- to a point where certain problems were were part of the feminist movement. lenge has to do with the relationship impossible to ignore. So, at the end of Many were just developing their con- between democracy and efficiency. How eleven years we were asking ourselves sciousness. And it camc to a point do we achieve democratic and fluid a lot of questions...about internal and when it seemed that the collective was reladonships, where people can feel external accountability, and the need operating in opposition or distinct from they are expressing themselves, where for a much stronger sense of accounta- the feminist movement, especially in they can be doing the work they like, bility to the broader women's move- terms of administrative issues. In that and at the same time be efficient as ment. And then also about the problem period I felt we lost all our richness; we organizations?The balance is very that comes up in collective structure were divided--the collective on the one difficult to achieve and is a great source related to our notions of equality and hand, and the work on the other. And of conflict. As faras I'm concerned this leadership.It seems that in fighting this was when we really began to accept requires something that we have learned against the rigidity of what we saw and a distinction between the work of the through many years of experience but experiences we'd had in left and other centre, which is part of our paid work something we didn't have very clear at movements, we went to the other ex- and that of the movement which is the beginning--which is the need for treme. fundamentally volunteer, and outside clear-cut channels, of leadership and of Something that has caused a great office hours. The importance of this is the rules of the game or accountability. deal of confusion within Flora is the coming to terms with the linnts and the We are often still not very comfortable distinction between being a working boundaries of the centre. with this. This relates to quite deep

12 limits we face in the feminist move- ment, things some of us tried to address in the docwnent called "From Need to Love". In part it is because of some- From Nd to thing that is very much part ofus as women, which is a need to see our- Love selves mflected in other people. There is also our desire to protect. What often In comparing experiences from differ- solution. This requires defining certain happens is that we start to findan ent countries, we find certain myths rules to play by in order to ensure that important reference in our lives in the which arc significantly constant. A the plurality of different social sectors organization, we begin to find a space strong commitment to these beliefs has be encompassed. In summary, we want that we didn't have in the past. The created a fem inist political practice which power to build a democratic and par- organization becomes the father, the prevents us positively valuing our dif- ticipatory society. mother, the lover...our own space, ond ferences and makes it difficult to build This ties us closely with the second an enonnous source of conflict, con- a feminist political project. myth: Feminists have a different way flict that we haven't been able to solve of being political. Yes, politically we in our lives. 1. As feminists, we are not interested do operate in a backwards, arbitrary, in power. victimized and manipulative manner. 2. Feminists have a different way of In theory, we try to be otherwise, but if The following document, From Need to being political. we are honest with ourselves we see Love was a collective dfort froma 3.All feminists are equal. that our practice leaves much to be workshop entitled "Feminist Politics 4. Women have an inherent natural desired. This is related to the difficulty in Latin America Today" at the Fourth unity. we have in reconciling unity with di- Meeting of Latin American Feminists 5. Feminism exists us a political rela versity while being democratic, some- in Mexico in October 1987. Virginia tionship only between women. thing which is not only a need but also Vargas shared it with the participants 6. The small group is the movement. a condition for action. This difficuhy at the Quito seminar. 7. Women' s spaces, in and of them makes it impossible for us to establish selves, ensure a positive process. clear-cut mles to play by. 8. I t is valid because 1 as a woman feel The non-acceptance of diversity is it. tied in with another myth.All femi- 9. What is personal is automatically nists are equal. In denying the differ- political. ences between women (in intellect, skills, 10. Consensus equals democracy. sensitivity, etc) practice has been para- lyzed, making the movement less ef- As feminists, we are not interested fective and less significant politically. in power. If we recognize, first of all, This myth of equality is connected with that power is essential to changing another belief that dominate our prac- existing conditions, we cannot but be tice, the idea of "woman as woman" interested in it. -nfough our activism, regardless of class, race, age or nation- we have seen that as feminists we are ality, and the consequent myth that indeed interested in power, but by fail- "women have an inherent natural unity." ing to admit this openly we have made All of us know that there arc no pre- no headway in building democratic determined actors, but rather that we power.What we do, in fact, is to are all formed within a social context. exercise power arbitrarily.Further- Women as political subjects, are like- more, we reproduce the way in which wise formed within a social and politi- we handle power within the home env i- cal context. This idea of natural unity ronment--that is through victimization between women, the idea of "woman- and manipulation. hood", has been a reoccurring phantom Yes. We do want power; power to within feminism and is manifested in change social relations in order to cre- the fifth myth: Feminism only exists as ate a democratic society in which the a political relationshi p between women. demands of each sector find a space for This is in contradiction with the idea of

1 3 1p7 BUILDING LEADERSHIP feminism as a transforming force. thus becomes the basis for authoritari- love," and proceeding to a relationship The belief of "being a woman," of anism. based on need. As women, we need the natural unity between women, of a These ten myths have been gener- each other in order to affirm ourselves political orientation from and for women, ating a situation of fmstration, self- and gather strength. By accepting this has the effect of confusing the feminist complacency, erosion, inefficiency and need, wc Lecognize our differences and gmup with the feminist movement. This confusion, a situation detected by many provide for ourselves mutual support, is nothing more than thinking that feminists, who have recognized it as strength and authority. In other words, women's spaces in and of themselves being present in the large majority of if we recognize that another woman has ensure and bring something that abouttransfonna- we do not have, tion. This greater organ- "" has izational capa- become ideal- bilities, greater ized,ignoring intellectual de- that on countless velopment, occasions, more skills for women's spaces jobs, etc. then we become asphyxi- give her our ati ngghettos mist, we value where self-com- her and we en- placency hinders dow her with au- criticismand thority. We find development. It our strength in alsoinvolves her strength and denying how of- we value our- ten we as femi- selves as nists take what women. The happens in our v strength of one groups for the woman is the movement itself. strength of all By remaining within a closed-in group, groups involved in politics in Latin women. In this way we can reject the we are prev ented from confronting other Amelica. apparent security that we get from feel- women, other ideas, other forms of We cannot assume that there is an ing that we are all equal. We do not feminism. inherent quality to "being a woman." seek the reflection of equality in order The ninth myth: What is personal We must acknowledge that our ine- to confirm in ourselves something which is automatically political makes this quality has existed because we have is, in fact, not valued. Rather, the idea distinctive slogan of feminism absurd. lived in a symbolical and material is to put an end to self complacency, to Although this slogan embodies legiti- impoverishment.Our interaction with break with the victim mentality. mate criticism of the artificial division the world has been defined by living for between home life and public environ- others, with love being our only quality Haydee Birgin (Argentina) ment, stating that everything that is which is considered important. This Celeste Cambria (Peril) personal is automatically political, makes way of seeing the relationship between Fresia Carrasco (Peril) the political automatically arbitrary. women and the world has become the Viviana Erazo (Chile) There are personal issues that are not erroneous foundation for the political Marta Llamas (Mexico) political and there are personal issues and social life of feminists, for women's Margarita Pisano(Chile) that are pathological. groups and the feminist movement in Adriana SantaCruz ((Chile) One concrete example of such arbi general. We have developed a "logic of Estela Stulrez (Mexico) trary politics is the notion that consen- love"--we love each other, we arc all Virginia Vargas (Peril) sus is the expression of democracy. equalwhich does not allow us to ac- Victoria Villanueva (Peril) This results in confusing consensus cept conflicts, differences and inequal- with unanimity, and fails to analyze ity. that consensus implicitly grants some- To untangle this interwoven fabric one the right to veto. This mechanism requires putting an end to this "logic of

1 4 Summing Up: the common threads

First there was the theme oforgan- America and Europe we talked about We also raised the importance of izational development in the dif- the important role of disseminating having the capacity within our organi- ferent regions, which started with information, which very often is not zations and in the network to respond to

the concern from the Asian colleagues accessible to other countries...infor- "emergency topics" which may not to strengthen the coordination process mation on the living conditions and on have been so prevalent up to now, but from the local level right up to the inter- the issues and divisions in the move- which require that we get involved and national. This is expressed by the de- ment internationally. work to find responses. Many of thflse velopment of the NGO movement and, Throughout all this is the general require international strategies. Issues for example, by the need for stable fi- call for solidarity which needs to be such as "survival strategies" that go nancing, which is a problem raised by expressed in all we do, in training, in beyond mere income generation, the all of us. In all the regions there is this exchange. It can be something as simple "debt crisis," AIDS, or the sexual traf- need to develop organization, coordi- as sharing publications, in sharing the ficking in women that still goes on. nation, and also to strengthen and rein- way in which we are going to develop And of course there continue to be the force what already is in place. our organizations, although perhaps larger issues of war and peace, and Another topic was the importance more intensively in very serious and human rights violations which are shared of deepening our understanding of critical moments when human rights as concerns in Asia, Africa, Latin and exchange, not simply "visits" butexpe- are violated which is now the case in North America and Europe. riences that entail discussion, debate, South Africa, in Palestine, and in Cen- (Teresa, Chile) and a deep sharing, and learning from tral America. different viewpoints. This wasa contri- bution made by the African colleagues, clearly articulating the kind of exchange that we aspire to. There was a demand for training, which w as expressed by colleagues from Africa and Asia, but not only training for educators like us, but also learning how to train grassroots leaders. The need for research, publications and information was common to all of us, but was expressed differently com- Mg from the perspective of different regions. In Latin America for example - 4r..1 c") there is a need to learn and to produce 04, knowledge from our own practice. In , '44 k-r-)

Africa there is a need to increasere- ,.71;49thni search capacities and simply to have iA)E.K91. 114Tie vofItiA110! more materials, so to be able to dis- S seminate information and to find out what's going on in other parts of the world. From the North. ..from North

1 5 1 2 BUILDING LEADERSHIP

Moving On: ICAE Harare Meetings

just over three months after the view. We have been concentrating our Returning home to Ecuador after the Quito Seminar, a number of us energies on building links with those meetings in Harare, I had the chance were together again, this time in gmups which are working actively with to reflect on that rich and positive ex- Harare, Zimbabwe amidst a much larger grassroots women, which are trying to parience. For me, one of he most gathering of educators attending the do a different kind of education, one important things was coming to know ICAE Executive Meetings and a joint that mobilizes and empowers and that a bit better the ICAE, its people, com- ICA E/African Association for Literacy takes a commitment to transforming mitments and perspectives. and Adult Education (AALAE) Con- gender relations as its starting point. I came away with two strong ference on the Future of Adult Educa- But, as was clear from our discus- convictions. The first comes out of tion in Southern Africa. sions in Quito, we have no interest in the consultation I began with mem- The Women's Program wanted to isolating ourselves. Many groups in bers of the exocutive about the take advantage of the Harare meetings the Women's Program network are participation of women in the ICAE. I to begin the first stage of an exchange linked to national and regional adult felt that this was a very valuable program organized with the Women's education structures. Where they are dialogue. Since then i've thought a Network of AALAE, to learn more not, this is often due to the ineffective- lot about how important it is to know about education for women in Africa ness or irrelevance of the existing adult the opinions of the others and and to strengthen the voice of African education structures in relation to grass- maintain an open attitude in order to women in ournetwork. We also wanted roots groups. Whether we are formally better facilitate a mutual understand- to carry forward the work of Quito by associated with other structures or not, ing and a more clear perspective on engaging with the ICAE Executive in we strongly believe that as educators these issues. discussions of the ideas and proposals we are legitimately part of and have The second aspect of the developed there. much to contribute to the adult educa- Harare experience that struck me Criticisms have been made of the tion movement. was the importance of face-to-face Women's Program that it has devel- There will no dout t continue to be exchanges among women. In my oped too independently from, and out- tensions and accomodations to be made opinion this is one of the most side of the ICAE structures and asso- around this question of the relationship effective ways of firmly basing our ciations, that we haven' t focussed enough of the Women's Program to regional international work. Engaging with attention on working with existing adult education organizations. Hope- diverse cultures and ways of thinking member organizations and affiliates to fully this tension will bc a creative one, in order to find common points of develop the position of women within prompting our network members and interest is the challenge that we face. these. There has been some truth to that other adult education groups to clarify I believe that the Women's Program has a responsibility to continue to provide oppurtunities for encounters between women to generate real soli- darity and unify us. (Rock), Ecuador Vice President CEAAL, Coordinator of CEAAL Women's Network)

1 6 13;) BUILDING THE MOVEMENT

"-N 40

I think we should discuss how we can 311411t. improve interaction between the 1CAE Executive and the women"c g contingent at the executive meetings who are invited as observers. It did not work too well in Harare, I feel.It their responsibilities to their constitu- ing outi survey of the role of women in is hardly fair to any of us that the encies and to the broader adult educa- leadership positions in the ICAE Ex- women-observers are present at the tion movement. Ourpresence in Harare ecutive, activities and members asso- meetings--as observers--and outside showed in a concrete way our commit- ciations; monitoring the participation the meetings they are so busy with ment to working closely and collabora- of women in ICAE activities and devis- other matters that you can't even tively with member associations of the ing a concrete plan for increasing the speak to them at mealtimes because International Council. numbers of women sitting on the ICAE also the meals will be used for special At its January 29, 1989 session the Executive. The Task Force is to report women's meetings. I am exaggerat- ICAE Executive appmved the setting to the next Executive committee in ing a bit--a little bit. We miss being up of a Task Force on the Participation January 1990. To help begin the work, able to talk to the other half of the of Women with terms of reference which Rocio Rocero took the opportunity of world about the big issues.I would include devising a policy for strength- the Harare meetings to carry out inter- hate to think that this is not a recipro- eMng the participation of women in views and consult with different par- cal matter. ICAE activities and structures; carry- ticipants. (ICAE Executive Member)

The South-South encounter seems to 711 1.1MAIMA have set a wave of awakening to the need for closer links and sharing of our development :1 efforts and visions.l think it also further con- firmed the eagerness of African womento share and to learn what is happening in other countries. Let us as. keep up the Spirit. (Maria, Kenya)

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 1 7 MIN NIMON MI IN IN MU MEIN MI RI MINIM IN =MOM III MINIM MI IIIII MINIM MI

Zimbabwe: ProducingaPopular Text

Can you tell us something about the gions and backgrounds--from prosti- context in which you work in Zim- tutes and prisoners to leaders and min- babwe? isters. The book focuses on women's contribution and achievements, as well One of the most important changes in as problems and strategies. We're also Zimbabwe since independence has been looking at the international dimension. decentralization; the setting up o f demo- What we hope to achieve in this book is Zimbabwe gained independence cratically elected village and ward de- to explain the importance of the full participation of women in all aspects of in 19801 after a lengthy war of velopment committees in the commu- nal areas where about 65 percent of the development, to provide information liberation against the white-ruled population live. These committees must on the situation of women, and to help Rhodesian government. have at least one woman member each change negative attitudes about women Kathy Bond-Stewart has been (though some have more and women held by both women and men. We also working with Sylvia Kuimba, chairpersons). They are serviced by want to generate national discussion on community workers, and of 8000 women's issues and strategies. Talent Nyathi and Chris Hodzi to community workers in Zimbabwe, the produce a popular education majority are women. Most of the women Who will be the audience? book about women and in leadership positions at this level are development for the Zimbabwean capable farmers, with years of libera- Village leaders, village community tion struggle experience behind them. workers and educators from different Ministry of Community and The Ministry of Community De- government ministries, and trainers and Cooperative Development and velopment, which also has some im- field workers from non-governmental the Ministry of Political Affairs pressive women in top positions, con- organizations. The book will be writ- (where Women's Affairs is now tracted me (and later my three col- ten simply enough to be understood by based). Kathy talked about this leagues) to set up a Community Pub- all literate adults, and designed for both lishing Programme. My only guide- women and men, from ntral and urban exciting and complex process lines were to study the reality and to areas. Although our book is written in over a lengthy discussion with design a critical and imaginative proc- a popular form, we hope that it will also Jane Gurr and Chan Lean Heng ess to support the emerging leadership be read by donors, policy-makers and of the Women's Program during in the villages. That sort of liberty in researchers. Africa is very unusual. the ICAE Executive meetings in How did you go about producing the Zimbabwe in February, 1989. What is the focus of the book on book? The interview reveals the women? creativity that can be unleashed Well, like the two previous books we It deals with history and women's did with the ministry, we're producing at the grassroots level. economic, political and social situation, it through a collective process. We and includes women of all ages, re- have more than doubled the number of

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people involved to about 800 contribu- groups to get lots of ideas from every shout down a woman, the women would tors throughout Zimbabwe. We startvi single person. Everyone gave us ideas, say, "We 've heard enough of you. You by meeting people from different min- even quite shy people who are not very just shut up." That was also very nice! istries and from non-governmental used to talking in public. We wanted it But I can only think of one case organizations in Harare and at the pro- to be both confidence building and where a very traditional man, an elder, vincial centres. We got from them what problem-solving. got up and walked away from a meet- they wanted from the book as well as An aspect of the process which ing. In most of the gatherings the men what they could offer. was quite unusual was that from the were absolutely fascinated. But the most enjoyable part of very beginning we involved men. We In addition to getting an idea our research was our journey through- thought it was very important. If it had from the people of what they wanted in out Zimbabwe visiting a group of vil- been a "women's only" publication, the book, we also asked for contribu- lage community workers, and a village, very few people would have read it, and tions.For the first time instead of in a district in each of the eight prov- it wouldn't have got into any of the interviewing village women, as we did inces. The ministry has a contact in institutions or agencies or even into the in the past and getting their comments every village, so they let people know villages in a way that is really going to on the shape of the book, we are getting we were coming and why. They would make a big difference. contributions directly. We are asking gatherthe people together and we wo old We started this by involving village women to write, draw, compose explain our putposeusing a lot o f music men who we worked with in the past-- poems and send us their songs and and dance and laug;ner. men who have an official responsibility plays. We encourage songs and stories In those meetings what we did to work with women. Through them and drama in all our workshops.In was really an intensive listening sur- we managed to meet a very wide range every village we visited we asked for vey.Although we have inoonds of ofothermen. Actually the interchanges volunteers to coordinate the collection documentation on thesit...s.itIonof between the men and women at the of the stories. We ended up with hun- women, we tried to suspend everything meetings were very lively, and the dreds of addresses! we'd ever heard or thought about women women were very outspoken. When we got back to Harare and go into the situation very fresh.I There would be the male chau- we wrote to the people in the villages think it's crucial to develop a kind of vinists at the meetings; we certainly got thanking them for the visit and giving humility in this work and to be able to a lot of those. But we were not looking them some guidelines about what we use criticism objectively, because even for oppmssive men, we were very open wanted. In Zimbabwe there's a lot of some quite radical people are so con- to whatever we found. What was very respect for very formal boring English vinced that they have the answer and unusual was that we met a lot of men --dead language. We had to really en- everyone else is wrong, that they miss who talked very strongly about women's courage people to work in their own a lot. great contribution and achievements. languages and to use the very colourful So we would simply introduce To hear men talk like that is very con- and strong language they use in every- the idea of the book and get people vincing forordinary Zimbabweans, even day life. We gave them ideas on the talking about what they wanted and for women. We found that contribution kind of stories we wanted and topics, what they could contribute.It was from men very valuable. and held our breath. fascinating. The gatherings were often What was also amusing was Just last week the stories started 60-70 people, so we'd break into small that when men tried to interrupt or coming in, very fast every day. Some

19 1 3 BEST COPY AVAILABLE that whole struggle of the liberation kinds of developments in communi- One of the most exciting as- war. The urban areas are more difficult ties, and readership in people and so pects of post-independence Zimbabwe, in that they have very few popular on. not just for women, but for the whole organizations, but again because we country, is the emergence of more and have people everywhere we know how Yes, I really think so. I see it as about more women with a new conscious- to get things out. a ten year program. The initial books ness. It is women like these who have Our district officers and exten- and workshops are going to become done most to shape ourbook. Women's sion workers on the whole are good something else, because of the sort of wisdomisbeing restored,as M. people who've often com through years talents and intelligence we're giving Chitumba from Wcdza, describes: of experience in the liberation struggle. space to. Some of the most intelligent "In the past, women had nothing to Thty earn low salaries, they operate women I've met anywhere in Zim- do with what went on outside their under impossible conditions, and they babwe were this group of ex-squatters homes. They had nowhere to prove work long hours. They have very little who had worked in the coffee farms their intelligence.They could only recognition or respect but they're very who are now being re -settled--people prove to their husbands that they were important in terms of getting things who no-one pays any attention to. They intelligent. The man would at times use done in Zimbabwe. Some of them are had the most vigorous analytical minds. the wisdom gained from his wife on really marvelous people, very dedi- We want to find and encourage this other men where they gathered. With cated and inspiring. Most of the women energy and talent and creativity, which the change of times I have witnessed district officers are older married women is left out of so many of the official the change in women's thinking and with lots of kids and very energetic. things which go on in Zimbabwe. way of life. They started going out and But there are even some marvelous One of the main aims of a attending meetings and classes. This men. Some of the ex-combatants from process like this is that the kind of skills was a blessing to women in the commu- the liberation struggle got jobs as dis- we have in terms of development and nal areas of Zimbabwe. It gave them trict officers in the different ministries. media and adult education become much great wisdom. Women's brains were It's quite a low level government job more the property of every Zimbab- sharpened; they can now tackle prob- but once you can tap their energy and wean. For example with the talent we lems as an axe chops wood." interest they see it as part of their whole saw emerging there's no reason why political commitment. every village should not produce in the Mrs. B. Ndlovu, from a clinic end novelists, poets, and scientists and in Ow and a, expresses what women have Do you need to train the extension phiiosophers. felt about contributing to the book: workers in how to give workshops? One thing I've realized is de- "Tradition did not permit women to velopment has been so dehumanized show intellectual strength... I am very That's been an important part of put- that people will think about food and much overjoyed to be given this oppor- ting the book together. It's very much houses and water but so little attention tunity of expressing our views as women a tool for training. Instead of someone is being paid to people's more subtle in our country, Zimbabwe. We feel drawing up a curriculum and someone needs to really have their minds stretched very much honoured by the nation.I else writing a textbook, and then it's and tn discover their talents. I think that think and believe that this book will taken out and it's supposed to be used giving people a chance to really use liberate many women in our country." for training. Foe us the most excifing their brains and to discover new capaci- part of the training is developing the ties in themselves is motivating enough training materials together. in itself because in Zimbabwe we don't Kathy Bond-Stewart The main thing about the book challenge people enough intellectually. Community Publishing Programme so fay is that the workshops are very People, especially in the villages and 189 Baines Avenue confidence-building, because the par- distriws, love being challenged intel- Harare ticipants have to take over and run the lectually. Zimbabwe thing themselves. They get experience Let's end with the words of the in organizing life in a more imaginative contributors themselves. One of the and democratic way and they have to worst aspects of the oppression of learn to deal with conflicts andaggres- Zimbabwean women in the past (by sion and shyness. men, and the colonial regime) was the oppression of their minds, as some (Thanks to Jill and Don McMaster of The process of producing the book contributors describe in thc drawing on CIDA for facilitating rapid communi- must be spinning off a lot of different the following page. cation between Harare and Toronto.)

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22 1,3G Ithough illiteracy is high in French-speaking Africa--especially among women-- Ath9 picture is not so bleak when we consider some recent positive developments. the governments in the region are increasing funds available for programs, new ini- tiatives are being developed, and there has been progress in pedagogy and linguistics. AALAE's work has led to greater cooperation between countries, and has increased our awareness of the specific problems facing the region and potential so- lutions. The development of national organizations to coordinate adutt education activi- ties is bound to strengthen the movement in Africa--and our enthusiasm. dut we are cautious. Even though there are researchers, technicians and educators fighting for adult education, many problems still need to be tackled. By that I mean not only traditions, and economic and health problems, but also a lack of will on the part of the ruling class which does not want to encourage the emergence of certain social The classes. Often, this elite is backed by a middle class which takes advantage of its administrative powers. Fight Is I cannot keep silent about the exploitation of one group by another: I'm talking about women, who have ridiculously little access to education. No one ignores this now. It has been so widely talked about that everyone--even the extreme conserve- Ours tives--are starting to mention the need to educate women. Different theories and strategies have been developed, and new technologies have been introduced to alleviate women's chores and give them time to attend literacy classes. But these La Ila 3en Barka is the have other results. For example, carts have been introduced into the villages, and Coordinator of the Women's they have been handy in helping women to gather wood. But women say when they Network of the African were gathering wood by hand they worked together and it was a time to share their Association for Literacy and secrets. Women have more free time, but unfortunately it has not been used to Adult Education (ArILAE) and educate them. Instead, they are helping their husbands in the fields. head of the Women's Then it was thought that the situation could be corrected by identifying and helping Program Division of the women to express their real needs. The new catch-phrase was "income-generating National Functional Literacy activities." Knitting and sewing here, soap-making and dyeing thlre, and "Why not grow some vegetables? It's healthy for the mother and the child." But the reality is and Applied Linguistics different. In Africa women sometimes grow more than hatf of the cereal crops. But Committee (DNAFLA) of when it comes time to develop projects, women are not involved in the process. This Mali, West Africa. The is usually explained with the social argument: "We must not disrupt the community following is part of a system, the traditions. That would generate a revolution, or worse, anarchy. We have presentation that La Ila made to go slowly, step by step." Meanwhile there are more and more slogans. at (he recent AALAE Women's issues are fashionable. Creating a women's project is enough to get conference on "The Future of the attention of funders. Funders are infrlested because they want to justify their Adult Education in Southern investments internationally.It looks good to have a project for women in your Africa." program.It looks good to subsidize a project aimed at improving women's lives. But we are not fools. We are certainly interested in these opportunities. We want to grab them. But we do not want to be manipulated. What we are looking for is grassroots mobilization. Each woman in her own home needs '0 have time to stand back and think about her lot, and make decisions about her life and the life of her family. We want each woman to know that we stand behind her, whether she hides behind the veil, is confined in her kitchen, is imprisoned, or raises her children by herself. And that's why we as women--from Africa, Asia, North America, Europe and Latin America--we want to build up this solidartty so that our sisters, particularly those in South Africa and Namibia, do not feel isolated in their fight for freedom. The fight is ours and we shall win. God bless you. Lalla Ben-Batka, DNAFLA-MEM 3P62 3amako 137 Mali, West Africa 23 1111111111111M MIN III MINIM MIME NI 111111111111111111110 111111111M MI

Making Our Voices Heard

I'm one person from a collective of SPEAK is based on a very strong seven women who together publish sense that women's issues have to be SPEAK, a magazine for women. Thrae taken seriously within the broad demo- of us are full-time employees and four cratic movement. Because we know of us are volunteers. We started SPEAK that if they are not taken up now, and if in 1982. At that time a women's group people don't start addrcssing them, of activism from different areas and liberation will come and women will SPEAK is a magazine for women townships used to meet. They wanted still be saying "The nation will never be produced by a women's to get together to talk about the prob- free until the women arc free." There's a sense that it is quite urgent to raise collective in South Africa. The lems they faced as women and the problems they were facing organizing many issues, from womengetting beaten following article is based on women. From that group emerged the up by their husbands to health issues. discussions at a small meeting of idea of a newsletter and the newsletter For example there's the fact that the women educators at the ICAE was called SPEAK. We printed 200 highest cause of death among black seminar in Zimbabwe in copies of our first issue and our target women is cervical cancer, which is a gmup was mainly women activists. curable disease if it is dete-ted in the February 1989, where Karen Now we come out every two months early stages. And the struggles of women Hurt of the SPEAK collective and print 9000 copies. Our target is in trade unions, the struggles against talked about their work. working-class women and men. sexual harassment, and so many things

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MINIM II III MI IN III MI III MI MINIM III INIIMMI 111111M INININ MIMEO IIIII IN 1101111 IIMMINI life stories, the kinds of problems that and working with groups Ind writing media group and SPEAK is spending they've had, and their hopes for the up stories. We started out with the time with them ir a consistent way to futurewhat South African women sense that everybody must be able do develop media skills, from banner- would like to see in a future South everything but as SPEAK has grown-- making to badge-making, pamphlet Africa. and now that we've got a new office of- writing and so on. We also have a section on health fice in Johannesburg as well as the We believe that when you're part which we see as an impottant part of original one in Durban--we're just not of a small collective you become very empowerment, having knowledge about coping. There's chronic burnout. So skilled yourselves, but one has to pass how women's bodies work. We want we're going to do a serious evaluation that on at some stage so that other to promote a sense that health is a right of the project. We really need that. We women and organizations can learn and and that doctors don't own can't keep be able to be creative. And also we have your bodies and that you operating helped with media skills training in can understand so many of as a collec- some of the unions. We see that as an those things that are a mys- tive where important part of our work. tery to you. We look at everything SPEAK does not aim to organize health provision in South isshared women, we are not a mass-based Africa in relation to apart- because it's women's organization. We see that as heid and in relation to a health not a good the role of the trade union movement system that is increasingly use of your and mass-based women' s organizations. being privatized and put time and We see ourselves primarily as a group- beyond the reach of people. you miss ing of people producing a publication. We've recently started your dead- And while we're not directly affiliated aninternational section. Lots lines. And to a particular women's group or trade of intellectuals have books so we ' re union, our political allegiances are very on women in Cuba and havinga clear in relation to the United Demo- women in Nicaragua on their big evalu- cratic Front (UDF) and COSATU. The bookshelves. They get dusty ation in one role that SPEAK does play in or- and the information doesn't February to ganizing is putting out pamphlets and get out. Our idea is to link look at how that kind of thing. It's difficult, espe- up South African women the collec- cially as volunteers are having less and with women in other countries so that tive can wor, together in the best pos- less time. But that support media work there is a sense of the struggles taking sible way but also be productive and is important.What happens if your place everywhere.But it also hard efficient. We have internal evaluations doing an article with a group or trade writing about struggles in other coun- twice a year, in July and December. union and there is a strike on? It's hard tries because you foel as if you have to But for this major evaluation we feel not to offer our skills when we see explain the whole context. In fact the that we need the skills of somebody SPEAK's role as supporting those women in other countries series has who has had experience in organiza- struggles. done quite well. Some of the unions tions like ours but who has insights into have made copies, especially on Cuba management of projects, and who can SPEAK Collective and Mozambique, and use them in look at our problems from the outside. MGM House, 3rd Floor educational programs. Somebody who can help us sit down 127a Anderson St. SPEAK is used quite a lot in schools and say we're trying to achieve too Johannesburg and education programs.In fact I'm much orwe 'ye got to change our method. South Africa sure it's used much more than we actu- We 're sure that the evaluation wi ll create ally know. We often bump into people a whole lot of trauma but we're quite and they say "By the way we used your committed to doing it. health section" or some other piece. The other thing that I wanted to Of course we've got lots of prob- mention is that SPEAK has a serious lems in SPEAK as well. We all try to commitment to passing on and devel- be able to do everything, design, lay- oping media skills to women outside of out, writing and editing and distribu- our group. We work with women's tion, although it is mainly the full-time organizations. For example, the Natal employees who work at interviewing Organization of Women have started a

26 nu REFUGEE WOMEN IN CANADA

In recent years the Canadian In some countries of Central and South with their economic, social and cultural government has passed America, political and economic cri ses integration into Canada' s multicultural legislation to severely restrict have resulted in brutal violence and re- society. NEW offers them a place to the number of refugees who pression that is forcing women, men share their experiences and lose the fear can come into the country, and and children to leave their homelands. that they are alone. NEW sees their role Many have been seeking refuge in make it an offence for as not just providing information and Canada, where language and cultural training but a supportive environment. Canadians to help refugees differences and discrimination isolate A priority is to increase oral and enter Canada. New them from the rest of society. Although written English language proficiency Experiences for Refugee all who come experience difficulties as to allow participants to fmd and keep Women (NEW) is a Toronto- new immigrants, it is the women who the jobs they desire and to communi- based community organization have the greatest obstacles to over- cate effectively in day-to-day situations. that does educational work come. Among them are mothers and NEW also focusses on enabling partici- with Latin American refugees. widcws who have been forced to leave pants to regain their confidence and This article is based on NEW's their families behind or who are still self-esteem by providing the informa- publications and on recent coping with the shock of bereavement. tion, support and social skills necessary discussions Carol-Anne Some are recovering from experiences to take control of their lives. Another O'Brien of Voices Rising had of torture in prison. All of the women objective is to provide the women with with Mireya Gonzalez, Noemi have come from unstable and violent individual support, counselling and situations. Garcia and other members of referral to deal with personal and fam- In spite of this, refugee women ily problems and to facilitate their par- NEW. bear the responsibility of holding their ticipation in NEW. NEW also works to families together during the transition enable Latin American refugee women time, without the support of their to enter and function successfully in the community at home. Their traditional Canadian labour force. role as women is challenged by Cana- NEW is run by a board of commu- dian cultural expectations and by circum- nity representatives and a staff collec- stances that force them to become the tive composed of eight women, four breadwinner or the sole parent. They full-time workers and four part-timers. must work but many do not speak English Their work is complemented by about and their skills arc not acknowledged 25 volunteers who mainly help with by Canadian employers. Their access English language training. to English classes is limited by govern- NEW is funded by the Canadian ment regulations. All of these struggles federal government under a special pro- are an incredible drain on their ener- gram for so-called "severely employ- gies. ment disadvantaged" people. NEW Founded in 1983, NEW's goal is to starts a training session with a new assist Latin Anierican refugee women group of women every three to four

27 1 months. Participants go through a six to coverthe costs of daycare for the first views, and developing strategies to deal month program--three months of train- part of the program. NEW doesn't with breakdowns in communication, ing at NEW and then three months of receive those funds anymore and now for example at work. on-the-job training at placements which they can only help women to find d aycare Language-experience exercises are NEW has found for them. Throughout and apply for government daycare sub- used to improve skills in English by the progiam the women recieve a sal- sidies. focussing on material that the women ary--the legal minimum wage--as well Participants hear about NEW themselves have generated from their as free passes for the public transit through the centre's outreach to differ- own lives and ideas. Films, music, and system and an allowance for new cloth- ent communities and organizations in newspaper articles are often used as ing for interviews. Toronto. Most of the women are origi- catalysts for discussion, and on many NEW used to be able to accept 15 nally from from El Salvador and Gua- occasions the debates are lively and women in each session, but funds have temala, but some also come from South valuable. been slowly reduced so that they can American countries like Argentina, Chile Increasing their skills in English now accept only about 12-13. To be and Bolivia. The women come from can be a first step forward in helping the eligible under the government's crite- varied backgrounds and have different women to be more independent so they ria, participants must be unemployed skills and work experiences. don't have to rely on their husbands and or working less than 15 hours a week. The first three months of the train- children to translate or speak English The government also requires that par- ing program consists of English, orien- for them. Gaining language skills also ticipants have already been accepted as tation and information, employment motivates the women to take on other emigrants, which means that women preparation and vocational counselling, challenges. who are in the midst of the long-drawn and personal counselling and referrals. The other components of the train- process of claiming offical "refugee The English language classes are held ing program are taught in Spanish. The status" cannot join NEW's program. every morning and aim to provide each participants often have widely differ- Another cut- participant with the language tools she ing levels of back that the needs in order to function effectively English, o rganiza- and assertively in the workplace and in and NEW tion really her community.The curriculum is finds that regrets is designed to reinforce and complemcnt it is cm- that in the the other components of the program. cial to past they It includes functional topics to help the provide were participant to deal with her everyday the key able needs, such as registering her child i n - in school, opening an account at a bank, making an appoint- ment with a doctor, describ- ing her educational and employment history irke. " k job inter-

BEST COPYAVAILABLE 1 1 formation in the employment prepara- ees will be taken on as permanent tion, vocational counselling and orien- employees. They also look for employ- J. Roby Kidd tation classes in the women's mother ers who are open to working with refu- tongueto ensure that they can under- gee women and providing them with a Award stand. supportive work environment. During The employment preparation com- the job training period, the participants Mohamed Lamine Bangoura of Guinea, ponent of the program provides the par- come back to NEW once a month to West Africa, has been selected as winner ticipants with the tools they need to share their experiences, evaluate what of the ICAE's 1988 J. Roby Kidd Award. survive in the Canadian workforce, for they are learning and help NEW to Mr. Bangoura received the award for his example information about labour laws monitor their placements. NEW also important contribution to functional liter- and their rights as workers. Skills in goes to each workplace and does an in- acy for women through the project he self-evaluation are introducedidenti- hoUse evaluation with the participant _ carried out for the 'Cameroun Women's fying abilities and goalsand setting and the employer. Literacy Centre.' Mr. Bangoura was a long and short-term goals. At the end of the 26-week program literacy facilitator for a training and liter- This forms the basis for vocational there is a graduation ceremony for the acy project started on a small scale with counsellingindividually and as a group. participants, who are presented with 30 women from diverse ethnic back- The staff work with each participant to diplomas from the Board of Education grounds.Because of its success,this draw up an action-plan to help her and NEW. NEW is proud that their model will be used in 35 other locales move systematically towards her goals. record has been very successful; 80-85 throughout Guinea. Many of the women were highly quali- percent of the participants find jobs at Two other educators received Cita- fied in their home countries, as nurses, the end of the program. tions of Honour.Nishat Farooq has for example. But in order to take up In every aspect of their work NEW' s worked for the past six years in the State those kinds of professions in Canada educational approach draws on popular Resource Centre in Jamia Nagar, New they need to pass licensing exams in education and group dynamics to en- Delhi, India, preparing teaching and learn- English. So NEW encourages partici- sure that the training program is partici- ing materials for adult illiterates. Tawfeez pants to set themselves short-term goals patory and empowering. An important Hasan Tillawee, a Jordanian, has been --such as learning English, settling their focus is that the participants are encour- working to eliminate illiteracy and to pro- families or improving their financial aged to organize themselves as a group. mote adult education for the past 25 situation--and long-term goals, which Collective games are used help the years in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. may involve passing licensing exams women to get to know each other and to Roby Kidd had a special interest in or taking training in a new area they are encourage them to explore their crea- attracting new people with new ideas to interested in. tivity. They learn what it means to adult education. The aim of this Award is The orientation program aims to work as a group, they share their expe- to encourage practioners in adult educa- provide the women with self-confidence riences, and they support each other tion by recognizing contributions of women in each area of their lives: as women, as throughout the program, in their efforts and men which are recent and innova- wives, as mothers and as workers by to find work and in the challenges that tive. The Cdn$2,000 Award is offered to using life-skills exercises to empower face them in their jobs and at home. an individual or individuals, who in the them to take on their responsibilities. Most groups have continued to stay in opinion of peers, have made a particu- The workshops also include health touch with each other and some meet larlysignificant contribution toadult education, including sexuality, and together from time to time. After all the education at the local or national level. Canada's history, geography, educa- experiences they 've been through, most The Women's Program would like tion system and immigration regula- of the women value their family as the to encourage women in the network to tions. most important thing in their lives, and nominate women's educational groups Following the classroom training as a vital place to share and be renewed or individual women educators and activ- at NEW, each participant is found a by their own culture. It's a very special ists for the Award. The deadline each placement for on-the-job training. This achievement that the participants come year is October 15th. Send names to: offers her the opportunity to experience to see NEW as an extension of their the Canadian work environment and families and their cultural life. learn about a job she's interested in. J. Roby Kidd Award ICAE Examples of the placements are of- New Experiences for Refugee Women 720 Bathurst St.,Suite 500 fices, daycare centres, and stores. NEW 815 Danforth Avenue, Suite 406 Toronto, Ontario tries to find placements in workplaces Toronto, Ontario Canada M5S 2R4. where there is some hope that the train- CANADA M4J 1L2

29 1,13 Comic.;ftr Leadership Training and Consciousness Raising amongChicana Workers in the US

Kathy Kopinak

INCE 1982, La Mujer Obrera smallest possible facilities in the US S(Working Woman) has been the side of the border, while moving as principal project of El Centro Del Obrero much production as possible to the Fronterizo (The B order Workers ' Centre) Mexican side, whete wages are eight in El Paso, a Texas city located on the times less. Those paid the lowest wages Mexico-US border.Arising in 1976, on both sides of the border are Spanish- Centro Obrero was an organization speaking women. formed by Chicano (Mexican-Ameri- Cecilia Rodriguez and Pat Marin can) workers and students to support were among the founding members of their people's struggles.Its members Centro Obrero in 1976 when it opened were part of the Chicano movement, to help people in Segundo Barrio (Second the most recently organized resistance Ward) with, for example, unemploy- that Americans of Mexican origin have ment claims, housing evictions and raised to their colonization within the immigration difficulties. This city ward United States. El Paso is part of one of in El Paso has always been the poorest the poorest regions of the US. Legisla- and has acted as a receiving area for tion guaranteeing workers the "right to Mexican immigrants. Employers have work" has kept unions very weak, so used it as a source of plentiful, cheap, that wages, health and safety provi- unorganized labour. When it became sions, and job security won by workers clear that most of the Centw's clients in other parts of the world are unxnown were Segundo Barrio women who here.Neither has the government worked in small non-union sweatshops, developed welfare measures which Rodriguez, Marin and some of the other would redistribute wealth in order to founding members directed most of guarantee a minimum standard of liv- their energies to them, thereby forming ing. La Mujer Obrera in 1982. The historically depressed situation The empowemient of women work- of workers in Texas has become even ei s was initially conceived as a process more precarious since 1966, when an whereby they could gain greater con- export processing zone was formed on trol over their workplace, union and the south side of the Mexico-US bor- family. The three areas of focus when der.In urban complexes such as El La Mujer Obtera started were: 1) serv- Paso (US) and Juarez (Mexico) a sys- ice--to respond to workers' immediate tem of "twin plants" has arisen, in economic needs; 2) leadership devel- which companies producing garments opment--to assist women in dealing and electronic equipment maintain the with their as workers, 30 women and Chicanas; and 3) organiza- brated since students attended after a tion of the part of some Chicanos that donworkers' strength would come from full working day and the teacher was a the identification of Chicanas primar- theirmembership in an organized group. volunteer. ily as women is divisive and a sign of As the director of La Mujer Obrera, The centre also implemented its set being sold out. Rodriguez is not interested in simply of goals around leadership and asser- The very organizational structure paying lip service to the idea of leader- tiveness training through conscious- of La Mujer Obrera also facilitated the ship development without first making ness raising in workshops and confer- development of le adership skills. From it clear that it requires time, experience ences. As early as 1982, they devel- the beginning of the project, the em- and growth. She recognizes that this is oped educational materials which fo- phasis has been on a collective ap- a slowly accumulating process which cussed on the role of sexual disctimina- proach to problem solving so that de- cannot be achieved through linear strate- tion in the workplace, the economic pendency on the Centre and its person- gies for mobilizing "masses" into the manifestations of sexism, revaluing nel is not perpetuated. Members are streets. The development of leadership domestic labour, and the problematic employed in several different sweat- among women of colour must first be aspects of women's relationships with shops and make their workplace con- based on a profound respect for culture. men.La Mujer Obrera, along with cerns central to their activities on the Neither can leadership and assertive- other organizations, held educational committees of the Centre. This intense ness training be accomplished apart forums on models of parenting in 1982 membership involvement has been from the other political goals of the and conferences on child abuse in 1983. reflected in the content of the newslet- organization. In 1986, they jointly organized the first ter, in articles containing information An example of this practical inte- International Women's Day Confer- relevant to ongoing conflicts with fac- gration was the English language train- ence for Mexican women and Chic anas tory owners. When workers suspected ing project of 1984, in which language in the Rio Grande Valley. They held that they were not getting paid for all of education was provided as a service workshops on immigr lion, health c are, the piece work they had completed, which allowed members to improve child abuse and parenting. articles appeared showing how they their skills to cope specifically with This kind of consciousness raising could keep a daily record of the amount workplace pressures. Students learned has become an ongoing part of the produced.In this way, they learned repertoires which gave them some of Centre's activities, but the magnitude how to collect evidence to prove they the initiative in shop floor interactions of this achievement should not be were being underpaid.In the same with supervisors, for example words, underestimated by the brevity of this issue were biographies of El Paso gar- phrases, tone of voice and delivery article. Those facilitating the conscious- ment workers who had persevered and styles that indicated that piece work ness raising had to develop their own transcended great obstacles. A fea- was not being properly administered by Spanish language materials, revaluing tured column includes personal accounts the factory or that the worker did not their Mexican heritage. This was made of the life experiences of contemporary want to work overtime. The comple- more difficult by both the racism of workers which helps the reader under- tion of this class was especially cele- some white feminists and the accusa- stand that her problems are not only her

31 1 .1 5 own, but also shared by many other 1988 Nabila Breir Award Chicanas. Over the last seven years, L a Mujer A project entitled "Training and Participation of Village Women inPre-School West Bank- Obrera has moved forward with great Education" is the 1988 recipient of the Nabila Breir Award. This based programme provides for village women from all-womencommittees care, providing services and giving and other voluntary networks to become involved and trained, from asett-help support with problem s identified by the perspective, to take charge of services for pre-school education and upgrade membership.When Pat Marin and their quality. This is done through: Cecilia Rodriguez began, they realized 1. The training of pre-school supervisors and teacher-trainers according to that if non-unionized garment workers Piaget's principle of cognitive development. The supervisors are developing the philosophy and practice of pre-school teachers through an interactive were to organize themselve s, they would approach, where the supervisor's role is to support and facilitate theleacher's need support. The low wages of $70-80 efforts to develop her professional and personal philosophy as well as her per week simply do not give the work- competence. ers the resources to start building their 2. Education and curriculum materials for pre-school teacher training are own organizations. Thus the Centre being developed and produced as an integral part r4f the training process. opened as a multipurpose service agency, The Nabila Breir Award was established by the ICAE in 1987 in offering English language classes, re- memory of Nabila Breir, a Palestinian activist who wasmurdered in Beirut. ferrals to other social agencies and legal Nabila was an educator who worked with UNICEF and had played a key role services. in setting up daycare centres, literacy classes and health care clinics in the La Mujer Obrera set up Independ- Palestinian refugee camps of Lebanon. She had also been active in the ent Worker Committees in any factory ICAE. Following Nabila's death, a fund was set up tor a yearly award that where they had sufficient members. recognizes organizations doing innovative educational work tor Palestinian When workers in one factory went on a women. The objectives of the award are: to support women'seducational spontaneous strike in Septrmber of 1985, programmes aimed at enhancing the socio-economic developmentof La Muje:Obrera helped them to repre- Palestinian communities, and the quality of life and self-sufficiency of women sent themselves and structured the in particular; to provide opportunities for Palestinian women grassroots Independent Worker Committees into educators to exchange educational experiences with women educators from other regions; and to provide opportunities for Palestinian women educators an independent association of garment to participate in ICAE's regional and international workshops, seminars and workers. After this strike, the workers conferences. won several Labour Board rulings, Women's and other educational organizations are encouraged to securing unemployment benefits and submit nominations to the ICAE, giving a brief history and description of the back pay that the factory owners tried to organization. Nominations should be received by July 1st of each year, and deny them. selections are made in October. Send nominations to: In this way, the Centre has devel- ICAE oped from an organizatiou which used 720 Bathurst St., Suite 500 (-;,-P041:15, to spend much time satisfying workers ' Toronto, Ontario immediate needs, to one which is now Canada M5S 2R4 ts11. el 1 III run by the workers themselves. Some of those who received services in the early days of the organization and who participated in leadership training and and activities for low-income working Kathy Kopinakis a sociologist at King' s consciousness raising were most active women.Efforts to build this centre College, University of Western Ontario, in the strike and organization of 1985. have been fraught with difficulties Canada. This article is part of a larger They are now the ones who run La because of the organization's lack of work on wome.. organizing on the Mexi- Mujer Obrera. This had freed up some capital and the general poverty of the can-American border. You can write to the of Rodriguez's time to do more politi- community. This is the case even though Centre at .. cal work. Marin is in th.: process of they have been politically successful, implementing a and with an ever increasing membership La Mujer Obrera reskilling program for displaced work- and recognition from the larger com- ers at El Paso Community College. P.O. Box 3975 munity as a leading organization through The long-range goal of La Mujer El Paso, Texas79923 which workers attempt to cope with the USA. Obrera is the development of a self- deepening economic crisis. At the time sufficient leadership training centre of writing this article, !hey continue which will provide supportive services working towards this goal. 1.1 G 32 1:7 L:7 AV Z:7 C:7 L:=7 7 I I I I r 4:: 7I I I V L:7 All women of colour from the United States. This to my mind has been one of the biggest failings in international wf" Len's fora. Third World women have never been given much of an opportunity to interact with women like ourselves from Europe and North America, and while I understand the problem of getting funds for the sisters, I see it as an important challenge to the feminist movement. I also find the resource section very useful. We need to know what materi- als exist, what materials are being de- veloped and how to access them. I look forward to hearing from you and staying in touch.

One Struggle, Letters from Diane Haylock Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR) the Network P.O. Box 571 126 North Front Street Belize City Belize, Central America. I read the issue of Voices Rising with great pleasure and look forward to (21011111111,. future issues! One of the interesting things for me was that I knew a couple of the women and although we are not ak9sia., always in touch it was good to read Thank you for the copy of Voices Ris- more about them and what they were ing. We will be very happy to set up an doing in addition to learning more about Thank you for sending us a copy of exchange of our publications. what other sister populareducators were Voices Rising. We would like to re- Please also find enclosed a leaflet ..... ceive it on a regular basis as there is describing SPEAR. Although we do i much that we can learn from the expe- not have a specific women s programm e, riences of other women. Reading the in addition to my responsibility as co- article on the Gregoria Apaza Centre in ordinator of the popular education Pc. Bolivia [January 1989 issue] reminded programme, I am responsible for ensur- us that we have a long way to go in ing that the organization addresses 1...11. 4,0 &AA Sarawak. Our work is only in its in- women's issues. At present, we are fancy. There is much to do and learn. collaborating with two sister non-gov- saying and doing. Although I did not We were formed in 1985 and cur- ernmental organizations in setting up attend the workshop [Montreal, No- rently run a crisis phoneline for women and conducting education programmes vember, 1987] on which the issue fo- in distress. We also have a resource with the women's groups that they arc cussed, I got a very good sense of it.I centre for our members where they can working with. At the same time we particularly liked the style of the many get access to information and materials work closely with the Belize Organiza- voices rising in the boxes.I think it on a variety uf women's issues. tion for Women and Development highlights the strength in diversity. As we enter into our fourth year, we (BOWAND) of which I am the current I particularly want to endorse the are now evaluating our work and hope president. concern raised about the absence of to formulate an outreach programme in 33 1.1 7 C7 41111/L:7 41117 IF Z:7 AV LZ7 Al/ Z:17 C:7 our community. We do not have any I can't tell you how touched they were, cess, and thanks again for including us full-time staff, thus our time and ener- so much that they want to work all on the subscription list. gies are often very badly stretched. In winter to send their report to Canada. I spite of this our commitment and en- think that you are planting a seed that is Adalfina Ortiz thusiasm is high. We hope that Voices going to give excellent harvests. The Centro Femenino Progressta de Es- Rising will continue as an avenue where fact that you sent us the newsletters meraldas women can share with each other and without charge demonstrates the dy- f Esmeraldas Progressh e Women' s we hope to learn much from it. namics of your work and will undoubt- Centre] edly generate follow-up which will be Quito 506 y 6 de Diciembre In solidarity, of benefit to many people and organiza- Esmeraldas tions. Ecuador Sarawak Women for Women Society For 1989 we are planning to grow P.O. Box 551 vegetables and fruit. In our province, Kuching, Sarawak basic staples are scarce and prices are Malaysia rising, and there is unemployment with Sincere and warm greetings, from all all its effects on poor people. So we the women of the Popular Education have decided to concentrate our ener- Centre, from the women of Ecuador gies on training in growing vegetables, and, especially from the suburban crafts and nutrition. working women of Guayaquil. In the first page of Voces que se le- Because of a mail strike, we have Eatodor vantan there is that article under the had difficulties with communications. title "Sharing our Spirit" (April 1988). Sorry we couldn't write before. I think that the sister who wrote it has, Thanks for the visit to our centre It was very nice for us to receive such a inside herself, a piece of each one of us, (during the Quito seminar.) It helped to valuable package in the mail. The two because all of us are going through dif- open new roads in women'sorganiza- newsletters arrived January 24, and on ficult moments in our intimate lives. tion, to share experiences and to dis- Saturday 28 we met in Esmeraldas, and Not all of us have the understanding of cuss the women's issues around the the next day in Atacames. We wanted our loved ones when we want to give world. to discuss in a participatory fashion the part of our time to search for solutions We also want to thank you for your message you sent us, for people with serious prob- letter and the explanations about the dear sister, through lems. We don't have friendly Women's Program 's goals and work. Voces que se levan- . help in advising, planning, We think it is very positive for us to tan (Voices Rising). smiling. Of course we are often know each other better so we can a' All t$ The problem is alone. In spite of having hus- strengthen international solidarity and that we cannot pay bands, children, groups that we unity among women. fora subscription ' WooR organized, there are moments It was nice also to receive Voces because we are plan- we stand alone que se levantan .We think it is an ning the closing ceremony of the sew- and over and over efficient means for sharing, analyzing ing course we give, and v.,. have to we have to fight and discussing popular education in the spend our money on diplomas and re- against that soli- context of women's struggle for social freshments. After that we are planning tude. change, and for the sharing of experi- to do training for vegetable growing. Today, ences. We are promoting your newsletter and when your mail in March we will tell you how many we arrived, my hus- Eva Caicedo need. Meanwhile I want to let you band said, "You Women' s group know what our sisters of the Centre mustanswer Centro de Educacion Popular Guayas said, "Answer soon, Adalfina. We are quickly. This doesn't happen every- (CEP) going to send a picture of our group, we day, receiving newsletters from Can- [Giiayas Popular Education Centre] want to go in a photo to Canada." ada." So what do you think sisters, for Casilla 11146 Another women was so touched she eight years this man didn't want me to Guayaquil told me, "I never thought they would do popular training, and now he's not Ecuador pay attention to us in the (Quito) semi- opposed anymore. nar." The three sisters from Atacames, We wish the bulletin every suc-

34 1 4 EZ7 Arf:=7 IW Z:7 AVL=7 AW 1:=7 ,1= A/ L17 All

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from representatives of the various women's organizations on the island, as well as women not attached to spe- PInSuIIIA cific groups. The main goals of the hi I ippiftec National Council are to ensure full participation and integration of women I have read Voices Rising and have in the building of our nation, and to We are very much grateful for sending found it very interesting and I would establish closer ties with all women in us a copy of Voices Rising. We are glad certainly like you to send me a copy on Anguill a. about the work the ICAE is doing. We a regular basis.It would be means of We feel it is only through closer are highly spirited to hear about it, as putting us in touch with other womei.'s ties and cooperat ion that we can achieve we believe that it is high time that broad groups in different parts of the world. our objectives and ensure the full par- links should be established among NGOs It would seem as whether we are ticipation of our women. I would like who work for the uplift of marginal- First or Third World women we seem very much to be part of your network. ized/exploited peoples through popu- to have simi lar problems, women strug- I would also like to share information lar education. Furthermore, the prob- gling for equality. and gain e xpaience from other women' s lems (poverty, ill health, poor housing My group is the National Council groups around the world. In my next and so forth) besetting the Filipino of Women and is the "umbrella" or- letter I will be able to give you some workers, including women who are ganization whose members are drawn news and activities of the group. intertwined with other exploited people ...... in the Third World and that of the Best wishes, transnational cerporations who shame- lessly suck the blood of our people in Miriam Gumbs the guise of progress and free trade. Back Street We would be more than happy if II -4) South Hill you would provide us with some infor- Anguilla mation about the ICAE as our concen- ...... Caribbean tration is on workers' education and

35 1 a AI Z:7 I I IAC:7 I I 1 7 I I I ,C7 7 I I I A= E7 AM health where the majority of our bene- We teach home management, herbal ficiaries are women workers and work- medicine, consumer and nutrition edu- ers' wives. cation, Philippines history and culture, Thank you for including us on your cooking nutritious but inexpensive foods, mailing list. With best wishes for your etc. We also distribute herbal plants. continued success. To date we have distribuied for free 15,000 herbal plants. We have already i'. I.r ..-,/' In solidarity, set up a herbal garden where we grow 71 . and propagate herbal seedlings for dis- . . , x : Napoleon Genato tribution. We also hold cooking ses- Program Director sions with the wives of foreign diplo- St. Joseph Social Services mats who teach us how to cook their Room 205 Pelbel Building food.We also have study tours of 2019 Shaw Boulevard places of interest and history through- Pasig out the country.Thrice a year, we Philippines invite foreign diplomats to lecture us about their country.We also hold My work is preparing cooperative annual concerts on Philippine art and education materials for literacy and post- music. literacy. Besides this I engage in adult Thank you again and we look for- education research.In our literacy ward to another copy of Voices Rising. campaign the majority of participants

ILIPI are women. Generally my work relates **** ...... ********** Sincerely yours, with women and Voices Rising is use- ful for my task. Leonarda N. Camacho International Literacy Year 1990 Metro Manila Council of Women prepares the world community at large Balikatan Movement for a holy work. This holy work is an 82-A Midland 11 initiation to wage a practical war against Washington Street illituacy so as to reduce it to a very few Thank you very much for sending a Greenhills West percentage by the year 2000. copy of Voices Rising. It is very edu- San Juan, Metro Manila Really illiteracy has to be combat- I translate some of your ar- Philippines ted because:it is the encmy of the into the Filipino language and people, it is darkness, it makes people publioh them in our quarterly magazine unreceptive to new ideas and change, it in F) Vino. I must thank you for these hinders development, it exposes people edwational articles. to brutal exploitation and oppression, Our organization will be ten years and it is also an obstacle to people old in 1990. We have 16,700 active Eihiopict participating fully in economic, social members from the 13 towns and 4 cities and cultural activities. of Metro Manila, and 8 provinces around Briefly illiteracy is everything of the Philippines. We meet every month Thank you for your letter and Voices all evil things. It could be eradicated by with 200 members of the executive Rising.I regret that I had much work the combined efforts of the world, board who monitor for the central lead- that hindered my answering your letter governmental and non-governmental ership the monthly activities. immediately. organizations, internationally, region- We have only two goals: non-for- I found the Voices Rising bulletin ally as well as nationally. mal education and livelihood programs to have valuable experiences taken from for the members. We are a service all corners of the world. The bulletin Sincerely yours, organization, we serve our members. initiates women and democratic educa- To implement the non-fonnal edu- tors to struggle for the betterment of Beyene Abraha cation program we hold ten training women's world and make a conducive Department of Adult Education seminars a month in Metro Manila. We milieu for them. Voices Rising is a real P.O. Box 4921 are able to reach at least 5,(XX) women mouthpiece of women at the world Addis Ababa yearly through these training seminars. level. Ethiopia

36 AILZ7 C2 AV L:7 AI E7 AIIIV C.7 L::7 V L:=7 All arromm women is the saddest in Senegal, worse dous difficulties of lack of money or than the Woolofs, for example. help of any kind, we even formed a I was president of the Women's group for women who were interested Seneqa Board in my high school. However, the in sewing, dyeing material, weaving administration expelled me from the and embroidery. school because they felt I was preach- This was a brief account of my I am a university student. I am of Peul ing revolutionary ideas tl the female aims and objectives. I do not think I can origin and my father, who is polyga- students. My father claimed my mother do much to free women as long as I am mous, has three wives and about 30 was my accomplice even though she myself oppressed and dominated. I children.I left my hometown when I lived far away, and my mother and I had have a haunting problem, a sonow which was two years old to live with one of m y no place to go. I felt even more rebel- lies deep in my inner self. I was excised aunts who was childless, and would go lious.I looked after children while and married against my v ill at 15. For back to my village for the holidays. taking evening classes and I graduated the first time in my life, something When I read your mag azine A pleine from high school. gives me hope, something interests me. voix [Voices Rising] at a friend's house, At the moment, I am pursuing my God bless women's groups. Let's I could not believe it. For a long time education without a scholarship and gather our efforts for our freedom. Let's I have been deeply involved in women's without any help from my father, who fight for freedom all the way. movements, mostly to rebel against thinks I am a pariah. Needless to say, what my mother was going through in my state is precarious.Last year, I All my love, my family. She is oppressed, exploitcd, spent almost all my free time with the obedient, exhausted, as are all women women of my hometown.I did re- f name witheld] in my country.Because the worst search on the need to liberate women Dakar aspects of traditional society and Islam economically and I organized debates Senegal have been retained, the fate of Peul on family planning. In spite of tremen-

;Africa Exchange Project

In January of this year the Women's Program and the The exchange in Zimbabwe was the first phase of a Women's Network of the African Association for Liter- longer international exchange project which will take place acy and Adult Education (AALAE) co-sponsored a in November 1989 involving fifteen women working in the Women's Exchange Project in Harare, Zimbabwe, which areas of literacy and , whowill travel to brought together about 60 women (and a few men), from meet with women in Mali and Tanzania. The participants the networks of the ICAE and AALAE and from women's will come from Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Latin groups in and around the city.It took place during the America, North America, Europe and other countries in executive meetings of the ICAE and AALAE and a Africa. conference organized by AALAE, on "The Future of Exchanges of this kind have been identified by women Adult Education in Southern Africa", all of which took educators and activists as useful and important experiences Pplace in Harare. for women who are actively working at the grassroots. The program included a reception tor women educa- Women who attended the leadership development seminar tors and a fruitful day of discussion and exploration with in Ecuador, last October, and others who were at the presentations on the situation of women and women's Feminist Challenge seminar held in Montreal, in October, education in 14alaysia, Ecuador, the Gambia and Zim- 1987, identified opportunities to exchange with women in babwe, followed by study visits with community projects other regions as key to strengthening mutual support and in Harare.While very short, the exchange made it the development of networks within and Letween regions, possible for women to share their experiences in working For more information about the exchanges, write to us at with women and their personal stories of struggle against the Women's Program office in Toronto. oppression. a

a. Growing Together: Women, SPEAK OUT Feminism and Popular Education SPEAKOUT/TAURAI/KHULAMANI magazine is produced by the Women's Action Group in Zimbabwe, and comes out four times a year. In Women's Network, Latin American Council each issue the articles are published in English for Adult Education (CEAAL) and Isis and two Zimbabwean languages, Shona and International, Rome, Italy 1988. app. Ndebele. A recent issue focusses on violence against women and includes articles and a This valuable book is a collection of articles by comic-strip about women who are being beaten Latin American women active in popular by their husbands, on sexual harassment at education. It includes articles on CEAAL's work and advice on how to get help. The Issue Women's Network, on feminism and popular also features an interview with the coordinator of education and on popular education practice in the women's programme of the National Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, the Farmers Association who talks about her life, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. Originally e and a summary of a report on women in the published i6panish, this translation offers 0 4 0 cooperative movement in Zimbabwe. English-speaking audiences the opportunity to learn about the innovative work in Latin America Subscriptions: (Four issues/year) Other African in developing a vision and practice in popular counties US$10.00; Europe US$15.00; Asia education by and for women. As the introduc- US$1 '2.00; elsewhere US$20.00. tion points out, -people's movements every- Available from:SPEAK OUT, Box 135, Harare, where are finding that education is a crucial Zimbabwe. component of attempts to empower disenfran- chised groups." Feminists and women's groups have begun to carry the struggle for women's empowe:ment into the popular education move- ment. developing a critique of existing popular education efforts and creating positive alterna- tives that ex0ore the hidden realities of women's lives, and develop new visions of the concretr) dcmands and organizational forms that best express women's needs.

Cost: US$6.00. 6.6 .121.I v: lass nal. %ea Come Together. An Action mitintseat zeic s Avausble from: Isis International, Via San Saba thulalualsass, sapammt Pack for Campaign on Legal natelmaahalme OSIlattll 5, 00153 Rome, Italy. Reforms for Women in froil Malaysia

SlooLtd a la. alaatmanv All Women's Action Society (AWAM), ttyltuo. maw Ins Petallng Jaya, Malaysia.

t Itaansamolal stabbla Meth.' TOGETia.K: This kit aims to build awareness among women GitON (7 and women's groups about how women are \11\1tiNiAND NN OMEN.V! discriminated against, develop analytical skills kit NIKES necessary for a critical understanding of the POrl issues, motivate women and women's groups to act for change, and strengthen the campaign for legal reforms in Malaysia. The kit has two sections; one is composed of four illustated popular education booklets: Women and Work (16pp), Women and Family Law (16pp), Rape/ Sexual Assault (19pp), and Domestic Violence: Women Battering (12pp). The other section of the kit includes a Users' Guide and Tools for Action, leaflets which take off from the issues raised in the booklets and suggest ways to develop collective action.

Available from: All Women's Action Society (AWAM), c/o 114 Jalan SS 4/10, 43701 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

1 38 Asian and Pacific Women's Resource Materials on Resource and Action Series: The Weave Women's I abour In Japan Health !Al! This newsletter is published once a year by the Asian and Pacific Women's Resource Asian Women Workers' Centre in Tokyo, and is Collection Network, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a unique collection of articles and reports 1919, 29lipp. translated into English. The April 1989 issue _71111. focussed on migrant women workers in Japan This first publication of the Asian and Pacific with an overview of the situation of migrant Women's Resource and Action Series is a workers--their frequent °illegal' status, Japanese collection from women in the region of their men's participation in 'sex tourism' in Asia, the thinking and experiences on a variety of issues migration of Asian women to work in the sex critical to women's health. It includes sections industry in Japan, violation of the workers' on health care systems, maternal mortality, human rights, the economic relationship of nutrition, work, control of reproduction, Japan and its multinational corporations with psychological health, violence against women, Asia. The issue also features articles about the and AIDS. The book is intended for women and response of Japanese society to the plight of

community groups, policy makers and research- )411/111/ Asian workers, and the exploitation of Filipina ers, and it is aimed at helping community groups r/is\Mik\.,7ei,ds,IPItier.7/4"/"*\`ria.% workers in the sex industry. tio develop their analysis and strategies on women's health issues, extend their networking Available from: Asian Women Workers' Center, and build their resources. It includes an 2-3-18-34 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo annotated bibliography, a 22-page listing of 169, Japan. women's groups in the region, and an appendix with tables showing statistics on women in each country of the region in terms of poverty levels, literacy rates, maternal mortality, health RESOURCE MATERIALS expenditures by governments and other ON indicators. WOMEN'S LABOR IN JAPAN

PO 4 Acr4 19141 MAN WOO&N WORKERS' 0041101 Available from:Asian and Pacific Development Centre, Persiaran Duta, Kuala Lumpur, canvas Malaysia. Meng eV PIQUA, SCUM 01 JAW, -411 rut mons or :Anna want ?ono rural" of WAN MUM 4 41 r1UPINA INICIAIIT1101111311 1041X11111M1111,41111[1.0143 Ill The Weave: Women's Imo MD MOM rat :AIM AMUR III ?Win) 0,11145U114 1111111T1 no mil II I Popular Health Education tonal/MOON let 11171 11110:4D 1010116.111 4 1 ROAN 1114.11r111/1111111111 1111 Resource Guide MIMS mAnduati 1111.111? MAIM t 110

CUSO-Montreal Women's Health Group, ovErmwOF IdlOWITmove IN Am Montreal, Canada, 1988, 2713P. nmi Ivan I no .14100 0.010 ea 0000 ..111111 ..g 0101060 1000 .01.10 %III. 0 MOW g101011 ttt J00 0/ 106141001 0 M lelpenas use. tor IM NOM bc 10001 1.1 11111 1,04 ...... 00 1.001. 11* voliol 0 .041600 0 11* LW. 01,11100 11 %IV 11.1110 1.00 l.lflI . 0110 This booklet includes an introduction to popular orortvton 10 1 t v ..... 04 Iv. msive ii .1.1 ... Iv 081 NI.11.0 ow. 14105o 40..0.1 1 St 1 1.00.14 health education, and listings of organizations 0 11104t 10006 0 00. 1St 001.100 IV 111 vellow Ow VI. 1141 etre el t woe. `Former and printed and audio-visual materials dealing Voo 00.1104115 .... 11111 Ii Ike 11.1 II, sotto II ,1111 .111,8 ..... IS ..... of !NI 1.111.

with popular health education methods, women 541 II Ilrov IS 15 ttttt Iv Ia 5,1 11111561 04 410468 0.1 onlont valitive CIII 110090.11 ..../04e t Mel ttttt pet ea Immt. laMee 0141 05011 0.010140 and pharmaceuticals, reproductive and sexual 1.110.3511 00 0010 10110 II vtIne tttt Mot 114 Vv...... woo I. 60 11,A4 aim. 66-011 01.10e. crlaon health, work, immigrant and refugee women's . . 0111114 000011 01/111111118"1-111111111 health, women and nutrition, general women's CIPECMP 111'10111111111111454 WNW 1111.1141111311111MII0A.IIIINJUSU10..14111,3 III JAPAN health resources and health education and .... . community health resources. The focus is on both Canadian and international resources although the authors' goal is not to provide an exhaustive list. A second booklet is planned to cover women's health related to the enwon- ment, aging, violence and sexual assault, alternative medicine, primary health care in the third world, mental health, and issues particular to indigenous women, lesbians, adolescents and the disabled.

Available from: CUSO-Montreal, 180 est rue Ste-Catherine, Montreal, Quebec, H2X 1K9, Canada.

39 .1 I loo

AGENDA. A Journal about Beyond Labour Issues. Women and Gender Women workers in Asia

AGENDA Is published twice yearly by a Committee for Asian Women (CAW), collective of South African women who aim to Hongkong, lOpp. provide a forum for comment, discussion and debate on all aspects of women's lives, and This book is a report of a conference that CAW specifically to attempt to understand the position organized in Hongkong in October 1987 with of women within South African society. The about 30 women organizers from all over Asia to edtorial collective believes that women in South share their work and experiences concerning Africa experience exploitation and oppression women workers. The theme of the conference on the basis of their class, race and gender, and was "Beyond Labour Issues", to signify how BEYOND LABD.UR ISSUES struggle Is needed on all of these fronts. women workers need to question the way they won 'ay. 1,% /ism Agenda No. 2 (1988) contains a number of compartmentalize their work lives and their articles focussing on the battle over conscious- private family lives. The report includes ness--how organizations interpret and act on chapters on each of the workshops and women's interest in certain issues, what plenaries, brief case studies from five Asian organizations choose to politicise around and countries, and a conclusion reviewing the final Available from: Com mittee for Asian Women, 57 the gap between political statements and actual plenary which looked at planning and network- Peking Road 4/F, Kowloon, Hongkong. practices--as well as book reviews and brief ing and strategies and visions. reports on particular struggles.

Subscriptions: Individuals US$20.00, Institu- tions US$40.00. Women Working Worldwide is seaking help with its Available from: AGENDA, P.O. Box 37432, Women prnject to produce a handbook for women working and/ Overport, 4067 Durban, South Africa. or organizing in the global micro-electronics industry. Working The aim of the project is to gather intona- tion on the organizing actions of women workers in Worldwide: order to support and strengthen the struggles of workers organizing for basic rights and better A JOURNAL ABOUT Workers conditions of employment. Wor1sers' struggles are WOMEN AND GENDER strengthened by learning from each others' experi- Handbook ences, particularly in an industry such as micro- electronics, which is located in many countries and dominated by multinational companies. For this reason, the book will be distributed as widely as possible amongst organizations working in support of women in the industry. The handbook will emphasize attempts by women to organize as workers within the industry-- through trade unions, women's groups or centres, or community or church organizations. We are interested in all cases, whether or not they have been successful. Cu 1 Our main interest is how women have attempted to Contact: organize, the particular strategies and tactics they have used and what they have learned from their ex- periences. Frances Ellery We recognize that many women are working and organizing in difficutt and repressive conditions. I Project Coordinator Therefore, where requested, we will guarantee Women Working anonymity. Can you help us in any one of the following NO 2 1188 Worldwide ways: locating examples of organizing actions that Box 92 have taken place; putting us in contact with groups of 190 Upper Street women workers; Interviewing current and former London N1 11N1 employees of micro-electronics companies; sending us reports of worker' attempts to organize; and translation England of documents into English. In order to ensure accessibility, the handbook will be published in an economical format. Proceeds from the sale of the English edition will be used to publish the book in other languages.

LNM OM UM INIO IM NEI

40 1 r, 4 LJ Yes! I would like to subscribe to Voices Rising!

Name:

Address:

Enclosed is a cheque or money order for: $20.00 Institutions

$10.00 Individuals/Groups Third world women's and poiular education groupsfree I cannot send money at this time but wish to receive Voices Rising Single issues$5.00 Please send me issue: Please make payment to: ICAE (Women's Program). Send either international money orders, postal money orders, or cheques drawn on Canadian or American banks. Send to: ICAE Women's Program 394 Euclid Avenue, Suite 308 Toronto, Ontario CANADA M6G 2S9 se

:; ki-ervicvbcmal Couvicii -cor id uft 3EST COPY AVAILABLE VOLUME 4, NUMBER 1 It- 1111110%,NAIR.11 A BULLETIN ABOUT WOMEN AND POPULAR EDUCATION Ilt."011P

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\bt i0\ence

THE LITERACY155 FEMINIFT PER5PECTIVE5 onREAPING 4 WRMNG 1157 *STCOPY AVAILABLE IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial 1

Section 1 : Social Dimensions of Literacy 4 APw- Literacy: A Tool For Empowerment of Women? Khulumani Makhosikazi: Women and Literacy. ..Some Imma.%/,- Air South African Women Speak 8 vivoNiro Tomorrow Will be Different: A Literacy Course For Women an experience from Santiago, Chile 12 JANUAAY /FEBRUARY 1990 Keeping the Circle Strong: Native Women's ResourceCentre, TorontoProgram Office Toronto, Canada 13 Lynda Yanz (Coordinator),Linzi Manicom, Shannonbrooke Murphy, Dena Ham id, Ruth Late Section 2: Methodologies And Materials VR Editorial Committee On The Training of Tutors For Women's Literacy: A Woman's Susan Turner (Coordinator),LinziManicom, 17 andLynda Yanz Experience With Women in Greece Expanding the "Generative Word" Process: Women's Iron Desgn and Producgion Will, Haiti 19 Sirjrid Blohm Publishing Women's Stories; Parkdale Project Read, Toronto, 21 Correspondence & Distrbudon Canada Shannonbrooke Murphy Developing Reading and Writing Skills: SISTREN's Research Workshop 23 Translation 24 Anne Minguet-Patooka (French) A Literacy Kit for Peasant Women in Mexico Anbal Viton(Spanish)

Additional HOThis Issue Section 3: Challenges for Women's Literacy Shannonbrooke Murphy, Jane Gurr, 1990 International Literacy Year: Agenda, Comments, Dena Harnid, Liza McCoy, Pato, Katebi Kidd Challenges 25

The ICAE Women's Program Five Challenges to Women's Literacy 26 308 - 394 Euclid Avenue Deepening the Issues and Objectives of ILY 28 Toronto, Ontario CANADA M6G 2S9 Sobering Thoughts: Literacy for What? Strategies With Women in Mind 29 Tel: (416)324-8766 Telex: 06-986766T0RW0ME Fax: (416) 324-8268 Section 4: Building the Network 30

Voices Rising is published three times yearly ir. English, Spanish and French. Section 5: Resources 37

Voices Rising is thecentral networking tool of the tool for social change and empowerment of health and popular education, woricer's education. I CAE Women's Program, and aims to: promote women. and participatory research as well as the the shanng of experiences, provide a forum for The Women's Program office is located in Women's Program. All networks are decentral- debate and discussion of key issues for women Toronto, Canada with a statt of three full-timeized and coordinated by individuals and groups in educators, share information on useful re- workers. Special projects are coordinated by key different regions of the world. sources, and foster the development of a femi- contact groups and individuals in ditferent re- nist practice in popular education which makes gions. Overall direction and planning is provided The following agencies provided support to connections between bread social struggles and by an internationaladvisory committee. this issue of Voices RisingSIDA, Finnida, the personal issues and oppression women face The International Council for Adult Educa-NORAD, NOVIB, and the World Council of in their daily lives. tion (ICAE) is an international non-governmentalChurches. The ICAE's Women's Program links educa- organization with national member associations tors and organizers in citterent regions of the in over 90 countries, and networics in a variety of world who are working to develop education as a areas, including: peace, literacy, community

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 1 5 S' THE LITERACY ISSUE: Feminist Perspectives on Reading and Writing

In what ways is literacy an issue for women? What are Inevitably, the illumination of women's specific the practical and theoretical implications of a gender experience of literacy and illiteracy as distinct from perspective in this field of educational work? These are that of men led to a more profound critique. The the broad questions addressed by the articles, reviews emphasis shifted away from attempting to undustand and resources in this special issue of Voices Rising. 1990, literacy as a problem for/of womenwith an implicit International Literacy Year, and the new decade which it notion that illiteracy, like poverty, are ultimately the heralds, presents an opportunity for reflection on the"fault" of those who experience them. There is now feminist challenge to literacy theory and practice, formor.; concern to understand the ideological assump- learning from the ways in which literacy worvers are tions and judgements loaded into the concepts of "liter- reformulating literacy as a women's issue and for ensur- acy" and "illiteracy" in different social contexts, and ing that this re-visioning is taken up more broadly within within that to see how women are silenced by and our movement. precluded from these social constructions of what it One recurring theme in the following pages is that of means to be "literate." In this way literacy/illiteracy critiquethe exposure by women practitioners and learn- become part of the process of organizing and reinforc ers of the multiple ways women have been excluded from ing gender, race and class subordination. "literacy"--from its achievements, its programs, its The promotion of literacy--and the promise that it measurements, its conceptualization, from definitions of holds out--is couched differently depending on social its relevance and meaning, from its methodologies and and political circumstances. In the ideology of capital- strategies. A second theme, not surprisingly, is innova- ist industrialized countries, literacy is presumed to tionthe diverse and creative attempts to redress women 's offer "individual advancement," or in more progressive marginalization and to integrate women's interests and terms, "personal empowerment." But as feminists arc perspectives into the very meaning of the term "literacy" showing, the relationship between the acquisition of (and its obverse, "illiteracy"), into pedagogics, into the reading and writing skills and empowerment is differ- personal desires and political possibilities of literacy ent for women than for men, and depends, among other acquisition. The examples we include represent but a things, on increased economic opportunity and a reor- sprinkling of the creative energy and skill literacy prac- ganization of domestic relations. In countries of the titioners and learners are winging to this field. South, the attempts at "functional literacy" often asso- There has been a shift over recent ycars in how ciated with national development policies often further questions of women and literacy are being posed, one disadvantage women whose lives are centred in the that parallels the broader feminist critique of education. "non-productive" sphere (see Lind). We've also seen in Earlier feminist questioning was very practical, and drew recent years how gender relations limit possibilities for attention to the high incidence of what is officially women's empowerment even in situations where liter- defined as "illiteracy" amongst women, as opposed to acy is presented as an aspect of popular political mobi- men, in most countries; the logistical difficulties women lizationsuch as within oppositional social movements face in even attending school or adult literacy classes; the or pre-and post-revolutionary moments (see "Khulumani threats of violence, physical and psychological, that Makhosikazi" from South Africa and "Tomorrow Will women are often subject to when striving to becomeBe Different" from Chile). literate; and the irrelevance of the content of many This is not to suggest that learning to read and literacy programs to the daily realities and needs ofwrite, or more broadly, the acquisition of literacy, is not women's lives. Literacy programs were shown to rein-empowering for women--individually and collectively. force oppressive and limiting gender stereotypes and to But neither can it be taken for granted.It is in the oftentimes rely on teaching and learning practices that tension between the potential and the hmitations of further silence and discourage women. These revelations literacy that feminist literacy workers and women learn- and the issues they raise for literacy workers and pro-ers face a major challenge, finding ways to work grams are summarised in "Literacy, A Tool for Empow- together to redefine how--in each specific social con- erment of Women'?" by Agneta Lind. text--literacy can embrace and further women's practi-

VOICES RISLNG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 cal and strategic gender interests.Onlylate further evaluation of both official anddaily lives, as well as within the broader from this base we can expect to developnon-governmental initiatives.We lookstructures of oppression that govern their approaches to literacy that are truly em- forwara to hearing your views. lives. powering for women and men. We're well aware that despite the many But the questions remain: What is the After Agneta Lind's overview, the ar-complex issues raised in ihe pages of thisrelation between women's empowerment ticles in the first section critically exploreissue, many others are not addressed orand literacy? What are the implications of the implications of gender in specific liter- named. Like in so many areas of women'sa gender perspective in literacy?Let's acy programs in South Africa, Chile, andpopular education. our written reflectionscontinue to share and learn from our differ- Canada. They show the interrelationship ofare scarce compared to the wealth of expe- ent con tcx ts, approac hes, and politics. What "illiteracy" with race and class as well asrience and the analyses that tend to beis your experience? What problems are you gender, and situate the struggle for literacyconfined to informal discussions and indi-coming up against? What makes you mad? _ within broader struggles for social transfor- vidual reflections. We still know too littleWhat small or large successes can you mation. abo,at the range of programs and experi-sharc? What questions do you want dis- The second section includes descrip-ments being attempted, and the relatedcussed and debated through the network? tions of literacy training pedagogics, meth- problems that keep us arguing late into the odologies and materials. These provide butnight a glimpse of the innovative approaches and We don't want to end with an apology tools being developed in various parts ofabout what's missing. This issue represents Thank you to Susan Turner the world to facilitate the questioning of an important step in deepening the discus- who coordinated and edited the gender oppression. sion about women's empowerment, gender material for this issue, and also, The special section for International and literacy. One central conclusion needs to the activists from the Toronto Literacy Year sets out a series of challengesto be highlighted from the contributions in literacy community who met to the direction of literacy programming this issue and the discussions that have with us twice early on in the and policy-making. These represent some surrounded it: the feminist critique of liter- process to help provide a frame- of the critical re-thinking of literacy which acy, and the development of appropriate work and ideas for content. has been given new impetus in recent yearsstrategies and practice, must be based very by feminist theory and practice. Interna-directly on women's understanding and tional Literacy Year will no doubt stimu-experience of illiteracy/literacy within their

2 VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 1 Gj The Women's Program

Trinidad; she's recently moved to Toronto from England; and is currently working You might be Two special with a schooling project in the South Sudan interested to knowinitiatives in 1990: and as a community radio journalist for a weekly program called "Third Wave". that: That leaves Lynda, S hannonbrooke and In February 14 women from our net- Dena "womanning" the office, since cur- work (from the West Bank, Egypt, India, Several women from our network at- rent financial realities make it impossible Thailand, Mexico, Peru, Quebec, Rwanda, tended the first ICAE three-week interna- Tanzania, Mali, Canada and Zimbabwe)to think about quickly replacing those we're tional leadership workshop in international losing. Ruth Lara, Linzi Manicom, Katebi will take part in a two-week exchange visit adult education which took place in San- Kidd, Anibal Viton and David Smith con- to literacy and health programs in Tanzania tiago, Chile, September 1989. In fact there and Mali. The project is being co-spon-tinue to help us out on part-time and volun- was, quite surprisin;;ly to all, a majority of sored with the Women's Network of the teer bases. women. The workshop was coordinated by African Association for Literacy and Adult Teresa Marshall, coordinator of the ICAE Education (AALAE). Health and Popular Education network and Lynda Yanz from the Women's Program. In May, the Women's Program, work- In late October, the Women's Program ing with the Center for Women's Resources held its first Advisory Committee Meeting in the Philippines, will sponsor an Asia re- in Toronto to discuss program priorities and gional 2-week training program for repre- recommendations from the first draft of an sentatives of groups engaged in educational/ organizational review.Twenty key con- organizing work with women. The aim is to tacts from regional networks and working share the effective and empowering meth- committees attended. Two important out- ods and strategies that women have devel- comes were: a draft Statement of Mission oped. which we will be circulating for improve- ment andendorsement over the next months, and a plan of work for an important new program initiative, an "international gender and popular education research project."Staff changes in the ;See insert). On November 3 we hosted "Up InWomen's Program Alms, Women's Organizations Worldwide Toronto office Confront the Funding Crisis," a public fo- rum io stimulate discussion and debate onJane Gun, who has been working with us the current trends and policies of interna-for the past three years, has decided to tional development agencies, and theirmove to Ouawa. She'll continue to coordi- implications for women's organizing, atnate the Africa exchange visit. Sigrid Blohm, national, regional and international levels.who has been doing all the Women's Pro- See the next Voices Rising, for excerptsgram design and layout for over two years from presentations. Send us your insightsnow, will be leaving us for an eight month and questions so that we can catalyze atrip which will take her to Nicaragua, the broader debate and more effective strate-Soviet Union and Asia. gizing on how to front the pressures on Dena Hamid has joined us as recep- women's organizing internationally. tionist and bookkeeper. Dena's roots are in

VOICES RISLNG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 I f) 3 SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF LITERACY

previously monopolized. With the migra- LITERACY A Tool for tion of men to towns to take up employ- ment, women have been left in charge. Women in this situation set iteracy as an Empowerment of instrument for toping with th :ir increased responsibilities. Women also want to be Women? able to read their husbands' letters and to write back without the help or others. From her paper presentedat the In South Asia women participate less than men in literacy. The hindrances of Symposium on Women and Literacy: poverty, religlous and cultural traditions, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, Stockholm, and the social and political milieu, impose June 1989. a strict enforcement of the economic and social subjugation of women. Without there being accompanying social change, liter- acy does not present a way out of the exist- Literacy is one of the first steps in triarc hal and economic oppression subordi- ing subordination of women. Women are a process of enabling women to nate women according to the history and certainly aware that the common constraints take control over their own lives,culture of each country and region. Influ-on their participation in literacy - lack of participate on a more equal basisences from pre-colonial traditions, as welltime, overwork, male resistance - are not in society, and even Wally free them-as colonial and post-colonial imperialist easily overcome. Successful cases such as selves from economic exploitation conditions all account for the specific situ- the Self-Employed Women's Association and patriarchal oppression. ination of poor illiterate women today. in India show that only when literacy is addition to social justice, human Lack of access to school accounts for linked to making women aware of the causes rights and equality, thereare manymost adult illiteracy. The traditional sex of their oppression, and at the same time to other human, social and economic division of roles in the family and in the so-organizing and training them for self-reli- reasons to urge governments andciety exclude most girls from learning liter- ance activities, does it become a strongly organizations to take specialac- acy through schooling. When girls enrol in felt and acted upon economic need. tions to make literacy education schools, education often reinforces their But everywhere the multiple traditional for women and girls a priority subordination. Even if the open discrimina- and new roles of women prevent them from objective during International tion practiced during colonial days is less regular attendance and efficient learning. Literacy Year and afterwards. common today, patriarchal ideologies andWomen are overburdened with domestic social systems that discriminate against tasks, cooking and cleaning, childrearing, women have persisted. Many researchers cultivating and subsistence and income- have shown how education systems repro- earning activities. Just the fact of giving ."7 duce not only the social class power struc- birth frequently leaves little time and en- Gender Disparities ture, but also the existing gender differ- ergy for additional projects like literacy. It ences. A truly equal access to formal school- means frequent interruptions to atte). Sixty three percent of the world's approxi- ing is still a right that must be pursued, and mately one billion illiterate people is fe-literacy for women needs systematic criti- male; fhe official estimate is 561 million cal research. women (UNESCO 1988). And the propor- tion of women illiterates is steadilygrow- ing. In absolute numbers the greatest in- crease in women's illiteracy was in Asia: Women's Response to 109 million between 1960 and 1985. In Literacy Activities in Different those same years the numtm of illiterate Contexts women in Africa rose by 44 percent, from 68 to 98 million; the increaseamong males Between 70 and 90 percent of enrolled was much smaller. In Latin America the literacy learners in many African countries increase and difference betweenwomen are women. But women's dropout rate is and men is negligible. The.atistics high- high and their attendance irregular. Studies light the de facto discrimination against show that it takes longer for women than for women in education. Various forms ofpa- men to become "functionally literate". Women's motivation for literacy is partly linked to changes in the social roles of men by Agneta Lind, SIDA, and women. Women in many Third World Educational Division , countries are now active in areas that men

4 2 VOICES RISING JANCARY/FEBRUARY 1990 children who are at home and when mothers bring their smallest children to literacy The Role of Political classes, their concentration on "a^ Mobilization and learning is weakened. Community Support Women lack self-confi- dence and arc relatively iso- Although the need to explain lated from literate environ- the relevance of literacy in ments. Women learners often pre-literacymobiliz.ation express their weak confidence campaigns is essential,it is in learning by blaming them- more imponant to create a situ- ation where the need for liter- selves for their learning diffi- k(fe's, acy is felt or where the use of culties, saying, for example. Loh "my head is no good for learn- literacy becomes evident, or ing" or "I like to study but .1r to selec t areas for literacy where els nothing stays in my head." such a situation already exists While more common among in order to ensure sustained women, this attitude incul- motivation and pricipation. cated by colonialism is also The insertion of literacy ac- widespread among male learn- tivities into a process of social ers. However, many men and political reform or other benefit from having more de vel opmen t-related efforts contact outside of the rural aiming at solving felt needs, home environment than I encourages participation and women. Women, on the other motivation. In Cuba, Nicara- hand, have little exposure to " gua, Vietnam, Tanzania, public communication and to Angola, Moiambique and other languages than their Ethiopia, literacy was part of mother tongue. Many more a national policy for overcom- men than women communi- ing poverty and injustice. Both cate in the official language the state and the citiz.ens ex- due to patriarchal traditions AP pected literacy to bc one of of men being the "spokes- many factors which would men" and women expected to improve social, political and stay silent in public, the "4. economic conditions and help mobility of men as compared develop human and material to women's homebound iso- resources. "National commit- lation, and the fact that men ment" or "political will" ex- more often than women have pressed through the state and/ been to for some time dur- forbid women to take part in literacy classes. or popular movement, incorporatiog all sec- ing their childhood. Even if women areMen are afraid of the challenge to theirtors of the society, and the capacity to strongly motivated to learn the official na-power position within the family. Such organize and mobilize the people and other tional language, learning literacy and achallenges can lead men to violent reac- resources for literacy, were crucial for high second language at the same time consid- tions against women. Fear of husbands' orlevels of participation of women and men. erably complicates the process of literacyother males' violent reactions againstIn such campaigns the teaching methods acquisition. Furthermore, the use of newwomen's independent activities, such as were traditional but the cootents have been literacy skills and hence literacy retention literacy, prevents women from participat- f oc u ssed on national issues. including eq ual is severely limited by the lack of access to ing in literacy and/or further training. Thisrights and women's emancipation and equal easy reading and writing materials. Almost is a very important issue which needs more paricipation in all spheres of society. But all printed communication for public use inattention. just as in other literacy strategies, the sus- official languages is too complex in struc- Teaching methods and attitudes play taining of literacy among women in par- ture, vocabulary and presentation fora newlyan essential role in literacy participationticular proves difficult. In the post-cam- literate person. This is very discouraging to and sustaining participation among women paign situation, just likc in other contexts, self-confidence and further efforts to learn. in particular. The role of female teachers women tend to be pushed out at a gradua!ly Moreover, women are discouraged by for female learners and the question whether increasing rate along the path through the the attitudes of men, often including the separate female learning groups encourage processof literacy and post-literx y. male teacher, towards their capacities in learning and particip,,i,lm among women the classroom. Husbands and guardiansoften are important issues.

VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY1990 E;3BEST COPY AVAILABLE 5 II

have felt deceived because they expected to learn to read, write Literacy Linked to and calculate. other "Development" Activities

Many literacy programs today are Ai. Ytk. Women's Literacy based on the concept of "funda- Motivation $,. meAtal education" that was pro- . . , uH moted by UNESCO and other Womenliteracylearners' agencies from 1946-1964, and responses to questions adopted to describe a broad field aboutmotivationinclude of development achy' des, includ- the desire to help children ing non-formal literacy programs. to study; more self-reliance This concept became merged with and control over personal life; the "community development" liberation from isolation and ab- ideology that stressed that liter- solute submission to received au- acy must be used for some "prac- thority; and the wish to be actors tical" activity in order to produce in society in the same way as development. More selective and men. Several experiences, par- economic-oriented literacy pro- ticularly in the context of social grtuns draw on the work-oriented transformation and political "functional" approach, tried out by UNESCOrun, as well as NGO-sponsoredmobilization for literacy and equality be- in eleven countries from 1967 to 1972toprograms, the philosophy is thattween women and men, show the impor- find ways of transforming literacy intoanliteracy is not ar: aim in itself, andtance for women of coming together to effective instrument for economic develop-so literacy should be integrateddiscuss common probkms through literacy ment. into other meaningful activities. participation. The meaning of "functionality"was Literacy and numeracy become limited to improved vocational skills ofa necessary tools for learning more, target group, mostly employed workers, in controlling money and participat-"Before we could hardly go out. As a spenific economic activity. In many casesing in community activities. How-a young girl I was restricted to my liter - was "functionalized" in terms ofever, in this approach literacy in-home during several years. As industry, mechanized agriculture,or skilledstruction often becomes neglected,married I had to wear my veil crafts, virtually excluding any femalepar-since the participating women arewhen I went out and that was not ticipation. Modem sector development inexpected to be involved in so manyoften. Now we have been let free. I the Third World is heavily weighted to-activities at the same time. Womenam starting to get friends." wards men, and literacy, integrated intoorganized in many integrated proj- development programs, was also geared toects neither manage to generate"We are learning to read and write. men. income nor to learn literacy skills.It is fine. But we also get together A more common approach today is and talk. That is still better." govermnent-promoted "general literacy" programs with fairly diverse objectives. Priorites have to be defined according They are often large-scale, "politically cool" to each context. BRAC in Bangladesh, as progrt.m:, that provide access to those who well as many women's organizations inConcluding Comments want literacy, and where illiteracy is notIndia, has concluded that literacy is not a seen as an immediate, major obstacle to thepriority. It has been discovered there that Social and political contexts determine how economy. Women are often an importantwomen find literacy instruction meaning- and when literacy programs are relevant for target group. The curriculum is usuallyful only when projects that actually un-women. Illiterate women often want to oriented to subjects that the state iscom-prove women's conditions have been goingbecome literate, but relatively few manage fortable with- healthcare, nutrition andon successfully for some years and haveto satisfy this wish because the consuaints agriculture raised awareness of the accompanying need are overwh elm ing. Projects involv,ng women for literacy. In other cases, for example inprobably have a better chance to function Latin America, womcn have been mobil-well if they include a number of women Studies of traditional "incomegen-ised and recruited for the purpose of liter-with enough education to be able to cope erating" programs find that theyacy but the lessons in practice have concen- with training in leadership, organization, are often not generating muchtrated more on awareness and/or knowl-management, planning, bookkeeping and income and that literacy is seldomedge transfer about social and politicalmarketing. Illiterate women ought to have a made a priority. In many state-conditions and agendas; the participantschoice of either participating fully in proj-

6 VOICES R1SrNG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 ect activities or in literacy classes until they the learners were nursing mothers, so women Recently literate women on the have attainea literacy and numeracy skills. had to bring others to look after the children south coast of Kenya explained the A rotation scheme would help overcome brought to the centres. Food rations wereadvantages of having learnt to read, the problems of not generating income, often insufficient, but the level of learningwrite and calculate by referring to literacy or any other tangible results. And a was considered excellent. their new abilities to sign their process of conscientization, like that in the In spite of well-justified warninv thatnames, to travel, control money popular education approach, is also crucial. traditional welfare approaches of NI transactions, read medical pre- Special provisions and program de-formal education for women reproducescriptions and instructions, and signs are required, such as childcare during women's subordination rather than empow- their resulting feeling of pride and class time and intensive periods of instruc- ering or emancipating them, the impor-self-reliance. "Our eyes have been tion. The Burkina Faso Ministry of Ruraltance of teaching women survival skillsopened." (Learners' Panel, Inter- Affairs, in an innovative approach, recruited related to literacy as well as health andnationalTask Force on Literacy meet- over 13,000 women officials and members nutrition, must not be underestimated. Such ing,April 1989) of women's groups, cooperatives, execu- training provides necessary tools for fur- tive boards of female revolutionary com-ther empowering activities of awareness- mittees as well as village midwives, toraising and participation, as well as for"With literacy, people don't earn teach literacy in ten natioral languages in struggles for equality and social justice. more but everything they know is 470 centres. Literacy instruction took place Literacy is a necessary tool in thisin their heads. They can go any- at boarding centres during four phases of process, even if it does not solve fundamen-where, do anything, ask things, twelve days each, with weekly breaks dur- tal development problems. We must payenter in. When people don't know ing which participants could return home togreat attention to women's particular needs reading and writing, they are their families. The campaign v. as success- and constraints in research and action. Weafraid." (Interview with Cristina ful in spite of problems created by posses- must promote action research combinedMavale, factory worker in Maputo, sive husbands, negative influences exerted :th the training of researchers, trainers, in Marshall 1988) by adversaries of female emancipation, as and instructors so that we might better well as the exhausting demands of being a understand female learners' specific situ- wife and mother. More than 40 percent ofations.

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,4eN; e - ' ; Tt4*-.1": :; ),) VOICES RISLNG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 7 BEST COPY AVAILABLE SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF LITERACY

information to discuss a variety of social and KHULUMANI political issues of concern to them. Classes spent hours reading about and discussing the new Labour Law, wage increases, skin light- MAKHOSIKAZI ening creams, the history of the struggle, the WOMEN AND LITERACY state of emergency--the topics are endless. Discussions happen in people's own lan- some South African women speak guage or in broken English--the learning of English and literacy has been incorporated into understanding and challenging the changes that are happening in our society. Exploring Literacy and Gender In November 1988 COCAW (Congress Only 1% of all illiterate people are in of South African Writers) held a two-dayliteracy programs. Most of these are run byOver the years, ELP staff often said if would conference on Women and Writing. Theythe state. However, there are some pro-be important to talk about women's issues in invited progressive literacy organizationsgressive literacy projects in the. countryour classes. Occasionally a discussion on to talk on the topic of Women and Liter-whose literacy work is part of the strugglemen/women relations would erupt in a class, acy. To prepare for the conference, theagainst apartheid. but we never had the focus or energy to take English Literacy Project (ELP) rana it further. So we took it as a stimulus to series of workshopswith a group of womenThe English Literacy Project action when COSAW invited ELP to pres- learners to explore the relationship of ent a paper on women and literacy. literacy and gender. We came to theELP offers a service to adults who have ELP chose to workshop a play with a understanding that what affects literacymissed out on basic education. We workgroup of women learners who would per- learning has a lot more to do with racial with trade unions to organize literacy classes form at the conference. We did not want to and economic factors than gender fac-at various workplaces. We produce basic "speak" on behalf of our learners. We thought tors. English readers, workbooks and a news- that the learners in performance would "voice" paper for adults. We believe that literacythe issues around their experience as women What follows is a discussion of these work-must work towards the empowerment ofattending literacy classes. shops. But before we launch into this dis- workers, so that they are informed and We invited all ELP women learners to a cussion we would like to describe ELP'sactive in the democratic movement. Saturday workshop. Most of the women work within a context of the exter. of Since we do our work who came were illiteracy in South Africa. in a context of active feed- from one back and interchange be- workplace--a Literacy in South Africa tween ELP and learners chicken factory and since our learners are 0 where they are Nine million South Africans are illiterate. mostly unionized workers, 4employed as un- That is 9 million people over the age of 20they have had a deeply skilled labourers. have had less than five years of formalpoliticising effect on our At the end of the schooling. The racial proportion of thismaterials. firstworkshop number is significant. When ELP started off there had been a 47% of africans in 1983 our focus was on lot of discussion but 27% of coloured teaching English, reading no play and the 15% of asians and and writing. We produced group agreed to 2% of whites are classified as illiterate. ESL workbooksand meet again to pre- The racial disparity in these figures isteacher vaining in South pare the presenta- predictable. They clearly reflect the priori- African images and con- tion for COSAW. ties of an apartheid education system which tent, but based on the Brit- Attendance at promotes white education and neglects black ish model of functional, the workshops fluc- education. skill-based English language learning. Intuated, generally decreasing. We remained 1986 we initiated a learners' committeeoptimistic that we could pull off a play. Yet %Vial reps from each class. at the final workshop, when the learners Workshopped lYji It soon emerged that learners wantedwere to transform talking into performance, ELP Learners and StAff', more than English. They asked for generalthe ELP staff outnumbered the learners. So Written by Dawn Norton education, inclading current affairs, politi- we changed plans and presented a paper to and Carola Steinbier.g cal topics and numeracy. So we started the conference on what we had learned from %%thing articles which provided people with the women learners.

8 VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 I EL; SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF LITERACY

What follows is a description of the process ELP staff and learners went through to explore the theme of women and literacy and our analysis of the outcomes of the workshops.

The first part of the workshop dealt with women's attitudes to themselves and to men. As an icebreaker we discussed whether, if we had a choice, we would choose to be men or women? Two thirds of the women "chose" to be women. They saw themselves as strong and competent and responsible, particularly in the role of mother and breadwinner. A third of the women said no, utually. f they'd rather be men. They said that men care only for themselves, keep their pay packets to themselves and drink at the shebeen. The women wanted the irrespon- ..-- sibility that men can indulge in. v.Awn Later the learners agreed that although women work more than men and shoulder more responsibility, generally in this soci- ety, men had more power. therefore women need a good education. Learning is difficult because I do i't have enough education. The next step in the workshop was to lookThe Obstacles The learners agreed that all these fac- at the factors which affect literacy learning. tors affected both men and women. How- The women had a variety of reasons forBut the obstacles they needed to overcomeever they argued that attending classes was attending classes. There were functionalin their search for knowledge were formi-more difficult for women than men. goals: learn to help children with home-dable. We categorised these obstacles into Then third, gender factors. Here the work, read directions to get to meetings, three main factors: women made three main points: operate bank machines, fill-in forms. There First, political and economic. Some of Too much work to do at home--too were personal goals: do things for myself, '.1e statements that the women made were: much cooking, cleaning, looking after chil- speak to managers at work and speak up for The government oppresses us blaci:s be-dren and doing everything. myself. There was economic necessity:cause they need people to do the dirty work. Husbands who get cross when supper is edncated people can get better jobs and The government and management are notlate, or are jealous and don't want their better wages. And there were overall politi- interested in education for adults like us. wives to attend literacy classes if they cal aims: we want to understand things bet- The government does not build enoughthemselves are illiterate, or who think that ter. schools for black school children. their wives are seeing other men instead of The women's motivation to learn was I worry in class because we have noattending class. very strong. When asked what helped them money. Falling pregnant and looking after small in their learning, they responded: I must do overtime work. children. We are determined. So the learners put blame (and quite We want to overcome our oppression. rightly so) on the governments deliberateWe looked at the problems specifically af- There will be less chance to be intimi-strategy of educational under-provision-forfecting women, and discussed ways of dated. black adults and children. dealing with them. It was these very prob- We want to learn things that only men Second, organizational and personal.lems and possible solutions that we had used to learn. Women mentioned: wanted to develop into drama. But this line And they all agreed with one learner There is no time off from v, ork to attendof thinking didn't get us very far. The who said: classes. women demanded work-time off for learn- In the past a woman got married and There's no transport after class. ing. But other than that, they spoke about she had few worries because her husband I miss classes because of many funerals.doing more housework on the weekends or looked after her and her children. But to- Other workers laugh at me when I go tocooking the day before so that they had day, things are different. Today, women class. time for classes. Not once did any learner have to look after their children and after My children laugh at me because I am toosuggest that their husbands help around the their husbands. And to do that, women need old to learn. house or cook or look after sick children. a good job in order to make money. And The lessons are not interesting for me. Ironically, the "solutions" presented by

VOICES RISLNG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 1G 9 the women required them doing even more work. 1 iota/ ielyse, What did we at ELP learn?

We learned that learners are far more con- . Nam ellZ,14/7I scientised around issues of race and class than around gender. The sorts of things that women talked r yFe? . am_ yo;r7_..to..... Lg..2CPI about in relation to their learning had more to do with living in South Africa, than about being women per se. Racial discrimination A7. CA/aria f!____; and poverty are more immediate daily gar;iy. j;Ve. experiences of injustice than sexual ine- or_ r ic 0 nSte /lee qualities. huSbelevejuSi We learned that gender rolesare clearly defined and unchallenged. /-4 a deelan The issue which affected onlywomen We Wcz,n IS P7Q. budgert_ and not men was domestic work. Thisre- Pe C41 . e t-0 .Se stricted their time commitments to literacy 14/hem 4/le p 16co ovoen_.ca- classes. The women's "solution" to make Sa lakci4 ele4t!e'S time to attend the classes, ironicallymeant % . extra work in the home. They did not con- aCcoc4 _. .5 me L;_!,,es.._/is sider including men in domestic work. Gender r ef,c/ ore re 'id roles were perceived to be a "given" and _ _ Chd Gip are &II e/-e. part of the "natural order" of things. Thus . e t..---. h.itfpcviE4 domestic burdens and the double load that Soriet;rieS hhe-cjWane. r e ot. c)/_ r tom ^ women endure-of work at the work place 7hej klAfly 1. -Pro and work at home-go unchallenged. r .._.SCh _ . We learned that our entry point into gender -71-1 Ave evi _ q. e..11 . a ne.S .07.er t,01.7. cc/ezc,' hcz z issues should have been around immediate, Iprinct/...c.vliv_heired._ <-7 . concrete concerns. o".6Al; s These could be issues that have already tz, Pia de 1,'/e-o ii/11b2d Cv_. e been mentioned in classes: lobola payments, ha.2 d 11durr,'-te contraception, child care or sexual harass- o.4 cuas C.(10 ment. Through discussion around these issues, r 5 . rirj ch;liein learners could overcome the traditional gnoca -60ntto/0-fr1v/ (.ar:fe problem of women seeing their experience - re c/o- CC o Corr 0.-_i.q_.541-cl Gra_ as purely personal and from there develop Pa' riOneci an analysis of gender and the different _ s10a-el 4 he... cCoc-erte::. ilvSba-n/. power relations between men and women. 509 let). SQ e afi Rece:pt1,c,:ckv r Cacs,7 Then maybe women would feel they hada right to challenge men's lack of domestic -ka.2pd ff $ o1 pc.ei assistance or men's attitudes to their attend- 1%1 e a. Ccou.ii no/ -Ehe re.c a.; "?0,711. by ncilidr... ing class. Scr Ie 70p19 feoc/z velop a feminist analysis of learner's lives 14/4. me when the issues haven't emerged from the S 0. (czar., learners themselves is a leftist form ofpo- e. litical propaganda or cultural imposition?

1 0 VOICES RISLNG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 II In Conclusion

The workshops confirmed n4c4/...... ry1y /ain _ for us that women's issues are tangential _ co rip.La..., ...ihat.64 tc/a-VS_ . to literacy classes. People come to literacy COA+1e.... t flood ..no_reoe-o/y for functional, coping skills as well as for geep cx-771_Say - _ political information. Certainly women's aoca issues come into that, but they are unlikely _loAy to be central. ELP also realized that we don't yet - . knacy repoe_. ,,,c/ ._oway have clarity on how to focus discussion of 0,4e cia ._Wz eie.40/.. re me.e.C.73 women's issues in literacy classes. Yes, taain cx, come there is FEDTRAW (Federation of South no _40oc/ 42..yht .-Por -food. African Women) and there are strong women's voice in COSATU (Congress of Sact .WhVIio Coock oc4r^5e/./' South African Trade Unions). What ELP ac" 0-142, 1.1c-nals. We te.,cM _ needs to do is take the discussions that are . neXt 1'Co/Pie _ happening in those organizations and link 771:5i; rrve c#0.4 " C/a.,5: with the needs of literacy learners. Only a was_ cv ircz. ,.c7/ r.0 Sha, k; then can we create materials at a basic - eSa o x y0 /.014901./1 English level that would provide informa- -- tion and a starting point for women's issues. StOP41'1;5 h4c-na.75 a 4? We are part of a society that is caught i0- PGij bookS a-no/ up in national and economic liberation as .11er-I T o cv, the highest priorities. Women's issues will

o ot-fr,c/10 tke ca/. 5 ca- _ only become important in literacy classes once they have become imponant in the cjodoih'.5 7C"'n ' Clo akid go away.cjou COock national arena of political organizations and unions. 4?0 efhc CA1 1 dna., y.lco ai He...i

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VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 1 1 f':' BEST COPY AVAILABLE SOCIAL DIMENSIOnS OF LITERACY had never used a pencil. Some had been TOMORROW WILL BE victims of abuse in their childhood; one of them was deaf as a result of a beating suf- fered from her partner, another one lived DIFFERENT: A Literacy with her alcoholic step-father, others had been humiliated by their teachers and some Course for Women had been pulled out of school, or simply never went to school in order to care for their younger siblings or work. All these contrib- An experience from Santiago, Chile uted to a great sense of insecurity, as well as the daily concerns for surviving, the diffi- culties of being able to study at home, the situation in the country, which were ob- stacles difficult to overcome. Tomorrow Will Be Different is agift for have struggled with them to be treated with In spite of so many barriers, they grew Spanish-speaking women, who struggle dignity. as women, they acquired new perspectives endlessly all over the world to raise the In a society that allows and promotes and they advanced in their ability to read level of women's literacy. It is a manualsuch oppression of women, the illiterate and write. There was a rich exchange that for women's empowerment by women women is the one who is more oppressed. and as such it is one more force for the boosted the development of a critical con- For that reason we decided to develop thissciousness. The generative words in the women's global movement, that wantsliteracy program, which contains a con- methodology were taken from the reality urgently to rebuild this planet before it issciousness raising process that will help and experience of the Chilean women. destroyed by the patriarchs. women to reflect on their reality, to de- We lived exceptional moments. There This is a work that broadens hori-velop a critical conscience and to take a were disappointments and successes, cries zons and shatters the barriers to women'smore active role in the transformation of and laughs. We did relaxation exercises to literacy and education, questioning, ana-society. reduce stress. We shared personaltories lyzing and reflectql on the society, from The motivation to make this literacy and we grew in our love, appreciation and a women's perspective. It offers alterna- course originated in 1986 when some women friendship to each other. One very cold tive ways, which can be created by womenparticipating in Casa Sofia's (a centre for morning a woman arrived with bread she to improve their lives and transform apobladoraswomen in the marginalized had cooked herself, and without saying future for all the people, at the same timeareas) groups did not know to read and anything, she cut it and gave us each a piece. that they learn to read and write. Itswrite. They told us how embarrassed and Bread and roses precise methodology and clear instruc-isolated they felt because they could not Nine of thr eleven women completed tions makes this book an invaluable toolfully participate in the groups and other the four months receivingcertificate in a for women popular educators. activities. It was a particular oppression, ceremony. Three of them kept meeting during In the International Literacy Year, among other oppressions. They asked us to 1987, once a week to work on reading units. this book gives us a seed to grow in theteach them. After evaluating the pilot program used field of and of We wanted to respond to their request in 1986, we saw the need of promoting women's literacy by women. but not with just any literacy program, but literacy amongst more pobladoras and of (from the Prologue, by Carolyn Lehman) with one mach from a women's perspec- multiplying groups and locations. In 1987 tive. We found one partially developed by we decided to create a new program. The This manual is the product of a growingtwo Chilean women. Based on what they methodology is based on Paulo Freire's and understanding of the meaning of being ahad done we developed a methodology. it is detailed enough to allow its use by woman in a patriarchal world. have In August 1986, eleven women began women willing to work in the literacy field. lived for years near the women in the margi- the program, their courage moved us as did We have chosen to create the program nalized areas of Santiago; their life hastheir persistence, desire and efforts. Their for women and from their perspective be- taught us, even more clearly, the nature ofstories are similar to those of many, many cause women are, amongst the poor and domination and tile true courage to con-oppressed and marginalized women, liv- oppressed, the most abandoned, oppressed front it. With tbem, we have. felt the effects ing in a country tormented by 14 years of and isolated. We hope that, if this work of marginalization; with them we havemilitary dictatorship, where the effects of multiplies, for many women and for the experienced the helplessness and fear in theunemployment, hunger, illness, persecu- whole world, tomorrow will be different. face of institutionalized violence.;we havetion, threats and deaths doubly affect women (from the Introduction) cried with them when they told us of theirliving in poverty. horror of being raped or battered, andwe They came embarrassed for not being The manual details 17 lessons at ound themes able to read at their age and with the fear of and generatives words. Tomorrow will be maybe not being able to learn. They were Different is available by writing Monica . IP between 26 and 56 years of age. No one Ilingston. Correo Central Casilla 52414, I had more than three years of school; many Santiago Chile.

12 VOICES RISING JAN LARYIFEBRL ARY 1990 Carrie:The Native Women's Resource KEEPING THE CIRCLE Centre provides short term, emergencyserv- ices as well as longer term support. Services include assistance with welfare, housing, STRONG employment, literacy, referral, job search, day care, food, clothing, household items Native Women's Resource Centre, and support of women who are being abused. Toronto, Canada Many of the women who use the Centre are in transition, either from reserve to city or from city to city. We also organize other activities such as the women's circle which is a monthly support group and weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. The family worker provides one-to-one counselling. Regina to the Saskatchewan Indian Feder- ated College to start my Indian social work Donna: Housing is a big problem in Toronto. degree.After a year, I went back to theAnd when you look at where we live within reserve and then came here to look for athe city, it's mostly in areas where there are job. When I first started the job I didn'tlow rental housing projects. Native people really know much about literacy.I knew move around a lot and housing's always a the problem was there, but I didn't knowproblem, made worse by the high cost of what to do. I've gradually found out, but living in Toronto. So at the Centre we try to am still learning a lot. help. We also have a food bank. We give out food when people come by, to help tide Donna Marshall: Iworked at the Depart- them over and loan out bus tokens so people ment of Indian Affairs, so needless to say Ican get around. Over the last few years Native women in soon needed a different job.It was really Those are the people our literacy pro- Canada have increased their organizinghard at first.Carrie had just started too.gram wants to reach. A lot of our learners strength and visibility in both the Native But once you get goirT, and keep your earslast year came from Pedoban Lodge, a Na- and women's movement. They've foughtopen you start to grasp.Then when Itive alcohol treatment centre. So many of as part of these movements as well as started reading the stuff it was like, noour learners were from there we ended up confronted the discrimination and silenc- kidding, as if we didn't know this before.getting involved in a lot of different aCtivi- ing they continue to face within them. ties and issues. Women in cities And Native communities Lynda Yanz:What do you do here at the in every province across the country have Centre? worked to support struggles for self-de- termination, they have been at the fore- front of battles for improved housing and health care, to stop "kidnapping" by state officials of Native children from their home communities and against continu- S-0 ing police harassment.Native women ttegde have taken difficult stands against vio- lence, even where this might threaten to "divide"; they have also challenged the women's movement to address its racism and exclusion of Native women. The Native Women 's Resource Centre is unique, the only one of its kind in Canada geared to the special needs and A VI concerns of Native Women in Toronto. r^LIA 04.1 Lynda Yanz talked with two workers 1 -111 from the literacy program about the Centre.

Carrie Tabobondung:I come from a re- serve called Parry Island, and after I fin- ished high school I went to the University of

VOICES RISLNG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 17i 13 ' SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF LITERACY

Lynda: Why a Nativewomen'sresource nothing specifically for Native women. The with a volunteer tutor. We coordinate their centre? Centre opened months later in October 1985. first meeting and make sure everything is going smooth in the match. Tutors report Donna: A lot of the Native organizations Donna: Now there's a lot more womenback monthly to the coordinator on how focus on "families" which includes women using the Centre and our program is gettingthings are going.Sometimes it doesn't naturally, but what happens is that they arebetter known which means there's more work, so we try to get another tutor for the organized by men. You have lots of situ-demand. But we continue to have a problem learner.It happens sometimes; every- ations where there are no women on thewith motley staff.We have no corething's not perfect. boards. How can they address a woman'sft nding. When you have such a high turn- needs without any women? That's part ofover of staff it creates stress for the rest of the Lynda: What training do tutors get? staff who arc left, and probably most for the administrator.There is such a high turn- Carrie: We haven't done much training in over of staff and board. To me that's reallythis last year because we still had enough The NWRC is based on our tragic. There's no foundation. trained tutors. We're planning to have a belief in the traditional training session for all the tutors.It will teachings of the Elders. Carrie:I think a lot of the turnover is cover the basics of assessing learners, tips We believe these teachings because of the different government pro-on how to teach, ideas about activities. are essential to the grams we're forced to hire people on. And we teach them about the learners-- continued survival of what to expect, like low self-esteem and Indigenous people. Donna:It's oppressive to have someone how they might feel about themselves. We working under those programs and knowalso talk about the Native culture, how We also believe in the ability that she's not going to be working for thatimportant it is. We want them to under- of Native Women to Initiate, long, that the program's going to end andstand that the way Native people learn is Manage and Provide she's going to go right back to where shedifferent from non-Natives. our own service. was. We have two workers on a provincial At this point a lot of our tutors are non- government program. What happens to themNative, so in the tutor training we talk We now believe all Native when the titne's up?Where do we getabout Native culture, and the education Women have unique qualities money to keep them on? system--how it started and how Native and knowledge to share with people got involved, how they were forced others based on individual Lynda: What about the Li:eracy Program? into the residential system and the effect experiences. that has had on us. Carrie:The program [Native children were started in 1987 because sy stem atical 1 y sepa- the Board saw literacy rated from their fami- as an educational tool lies and home commu- the problem.The other really obviousforNative women. nities to attend federal problem is the society we live in:it's aEduca, ion is one specific government residential white middle-class society. Native womenneed that we found was schoolsoften thousands come from a different history and cultureapparent in the Native of miles away from and the result is that we really get the short community. Many home.] We stress that end of the stick. Not only do we have topeople may already tutors need to be able deal with sexist discrimination but alsoknow how to read and to understand where racism. Being a Native woman myself I've write but it's important we're coming from. felt...I've come to a lot of dead ends in my to extend those skills, life.So why a Native women's resourceand build self-esteem. Donna:We try to centre? Maybe because it's important just broaden thc.horizon to be letting Native women know that they'reDonna: This past year and make the tutors not the only ones out there. They're not the we've had about 35 learn- aware of the way we only ones. There is a collective of womeners. Some of them have feel.It's like we're they can count on, and through that more finished, have reached the start of a clean-up and more Native women's issues are beingtheir goals; others have- generation. It's really voiced. n't.I wouldn't say it hard. We're not going was half and half, maybe a quarter didn'tto accomplish all that we want our literacy Carrie: The Centre got started by a groupreach the goals that they set out. program to do, but we're hoping to stan of Native women v. ho got together to dis- something. We're talking generations of cuss their concerns about the quality aadCarrie: The program is learner centered, work here, because there have been gen- use of services already being provided inbased on the learner's weds and interests. A erations of a plight that has been oppress- Toronto. The problem was that thGre waslearner coming into .he program is matched ing our people.

14 VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF LITERACY

Plus you're dealing with a lot of angry and frustrated people.And that hinders Locations oCOniarioReservos theirleaming capabilities. Sometimes they 're not willing to keep going. You've got to look at it from a holistic point of view. We're not just looking at the diffemnce be- tween the way Native and white children are educated. We're about changing the education system altogether, changing the whole approach to learning and teaching. And we think everyone has a lot to learn from what we're doing. In the education system you are taught do's and don'ts and shoulds. You don't experience things, you're taught based on somebody else's opinion. So it can be that opinion is forced on you, and it can become confusing as you go from teacher to teacher, from grade to grade.In the older days Native people basically taught their chil- dren through experience and they wouldn't have to ask "why", you wouldn't have to explain "because". Instead you learn about how it is in the experience. For example, when I was younger I had problems with reading. Now I'm a good reader but I didn't get good marks and I couldn't understand that.I think that was due to my shyness, and it showed when I had to read aloud in class, which is how your reading marks are set. So I got penal- ized. That's not really fair.

Carrie:The business of having report cards and being evaluated by white people Sork/n ...that's how Native people start to feel in- ferior to the teachers, like they're not on the --r-----t 1<;Ioryiefvs$ e,66 (00 7.00 3 oo 'too o6 c, or> 1,Co same level, the teachers are up there and you're down here. We were never taught that way to begin with; we were always taught by living and seeing rather thanlot broader than "literacy" as simply read-or Crce although you find a lot of Iroquis memorizing. ing and writing. and Mohawk as well from Chaanganaway and Six Nations reserves which are quite Donna. We feel like we've been robbed by Carrie: It varies so much. Learners arc close. Toronto is the gathering place of a the education system. Besides how we're at different levels. You can have a basiclot of different Native nations. treated there is the fact that you don't learn learner that has only had Grade 5, and then about Native people. And in history all you y ou get other people in the program who arc Donna: The problem is that the Ministry. learn is the textbook "Indian." We mas-older and have finished high school orGrade where we get our funds from, doesn't rec- sacred; they conquered.I hated going to 10. They may have kept a lot of those skills ognize Native languages as legitimate sec- my history classes. I still don't have any use yet want to improve on them. Besides the ond or first languages. It's just English and for history that is not written by our people.formal stuff, we also do the in-staff work,French. So we wouldn't be able to get funds It is still based on an attitude of a differentproof-reading letters and reports. Some offor this. We're trying to find other funding race and colour, an attitude of superiority. the staff also need to improve on theirsources but are planning to just startit Our children still go to school and readwriting and speaking skills. We can pro- anyway.You can't wait around for the about drunken Indians.There's nothingvide workshops to help improve on this. government to recognize Native languages about Native lives and cultures. In the future we're hoping to do moreas legitimate for literacy. group work with the learners. We're look- We also feel it's important to have a Lynda: The scope of the Program seems aing into mother-tongue literacy in Ojibway program that allows people to learn about VOICES RISLNG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 /73 15 SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF LITERACY

what's going on in the world. We've started a small library where a lot of the materials are by Native people. I've just started to set up a filing system where we've set up files on "world," "" and "women's" issues, things like that. People want to find out what's really happening; they want to be educated, not in a fantasy way, but in I Walk in the History of my People terms of reality. I know myself that's where I'd want to start.

Carrie: We're also trying to develop our by Chrystos* own curriculum for our learners and for learners in other programs. The Ontario There are women locked in my joints Native Literacy Coalition is an umbrella for refusing to speak to the police organization for all the Ontario Native My red blood full of those Programs and a lot of their concerns are in flight shot dealing with curriculum and educating the arrested public on Native literacy issues. My tendons stretched brittle with anger do not look like white roots of peace Donna: I'd like to see our literacy program In my marrow are hungry faces as a kind of model for white learners as who live on land the whites don't want well. Where they would say "oh, we like In my marrow women who walk 5 miles every day for water this way of learning."We're trying to change the education system altogether, to In my marrow the swollen hands of my people who are not allowed change the whole approach to learning and to hunt teaching. We think everyone has a lot to to move learn from what we're doing. to be In the scars of my knees you can see Carrie: And hopefully other people will children torn from their families use our approach. bludgeoned into government schools Donna: But. recognize it as a Native ap- You can see through the pins in my bones proach. that we are prisoners of a long war My knee is so badly wounded no one will look at it The pus of the past oozes from every pore This infection has gone on for at least 300 years Our sacred beliefs have been made into pencils 1'1111111111111 N.-/"W; 4111141111111 names of citiesgas stations `411r Por My knee is wounded so badly that I limp constantly Anger is my crutchI hold myself upright with it ///,:x\ My knee is wounded see How I Am Still Walking

(from Not Vanishing pubi;:hed by Press Gang, Vancouver, 1988)

16 VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 the class be held?", "How much material On the Training of Tutors should be covered?", "Will the material be repeated?"andso on.It was evident that their experience of school-teaching made for Women's Literacy: them want a detailed program which would A Woman's Experience with Women in lay down exactly what was to be tau .ht and the time limits within which it sh ld be Greece covered. (d) The majority of the teachers were ignorant of teaching and educational meth- ods appropriate to adults.Many of the participants clung to schoolteaching meth- ods which are suitable only for primary school children. "I have worked in Greece as a tutor in Training Tutors for Women's (e) Many of the teachers tailed to ap- the program for illiterate women who Literacy preciate the significance of some of the lived in a depressed urban area of Athens. special problems that one often meets in an Within the framework of this program IIn May 1986, about eighty educators, mostadult hteracy class, for example: have developed experimental teachingof them school teachers, took part in four each of the students in a literacy class material.I am sending you an articlefive-day seminars arranged by the General is at a different level, depending on what about this experience with the hope thatSecretariat cf Popular Education. During kind of work he or she does, what interests it may be useful to others." these seminars photocopies of the teaching he or she has and how many attempts he or material were distributed and discussed with she has made alone to learn to read and the tutors along with other mauers relatingwrite. For the tutor this means that teach- to the teaching of literacy. ing must be carried out on an individual For the implementation of an adult literacy The problems that arose for tutors dur-basis. program undertaken in 1984 by the Gen-ing these training seminars were: the illiterate usually have little self- eral Secretariat for Popular Education ther.. (a) The maiarity of the school-teachers confidence regarding their ability to learn were two basic requirements: the develop-taking part thought that primary school books to read and write. They need constant en- ment of suitable teaching material, and thewere most suitable for women illiterates, couragement from the tutor who must stress instruction of tutors in matters relating tobelieving at the same time that literacy istheir capacity to do a whole range of other educational theory and teaching methods.simply the mechanical acquisition of thethings successfully. Within the framework of this programability to read and write. They those who attend a I undertook the development of experi-also believed that discussion literacy class have every- mental teaching material for use with adultwith the learners in an adult day obligations and respon- illiterate women, while working as a tutorliteracy class,was a waste of sibilities and come, conse- in a class of illiterate women that func-time; they ignored the fact quently, to the lesson after tioned in a depressed urban area of Athensthat through the discussions a tiring day.It is natural for one school year. The development ofthey would be able to pin- therefore for their perform- the teaching material was based on thepoint the needs of the learn- ance to be somewhat re- study of the educational theory and teach-ers, to cultivate the capacity duce( .lid for them to want ing method of Paulo Freire, and on teach- of the learners to express them- the fon to be lively, in- ing in the literacy class. selves, to find starting-points teresting and pleasant, to I believe that this combination of the- for the lessons, to develop relate to their needs and to ory and practical classroom experiencetheir own teaching material, and to create agive them some immediate sense of satis- constitutes the correct method for the pro-pleasant and familiar environment duringfaction, such as through learning to write duction of teaching materials for adult illit-the lessons. their address or to read an advertisement in eracy. A fundamental component of the (b) The view that there should be differ- a newspaper.It was necessary, then, to training must be the analysis of the methodent teaching material adapted to differentkeep pointing out the need for a positive used in the production of teaching materi-groups' needs and interests was not easily"atmosphere" to exist during the course of als so that the tutor is able to adapt theunderstood or accepted. Extensive discus-literacy classes. available material or produce new materialsion of the need to modify the teaching My second experience of training tu- according to the needs and interests of thematerial to suit the needs and interests of ators of women's literacy was connected illiterate women. given literacy class and to connect it to with my work in the educational program current affairs also proved necessary. Notof a non-state agency, KEMEA (Centre for all the participants were convinced of it. Study and Self-Education). tiy Danae Vaikoosi (c) Participants asked many questions KEMEA organised a one-year training of this sort: "How many times a week willprogram. The participants included unem- voICES RISENG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 1'75 17 ployed youths and graduates under twenty-with regard to teaching methods and teach- Some proposals five years of age. On completion of their ing material. What appeared to be the basic course, one group of participants was toproblem was the excessive weight theyOn the basis of my experience in training work in various special environments suchattached to the significance of a dialogue tutors I am submitting for discussion these as prisons, psychiatric clinics or - in col-during the course of the lesson - which proposals: laboration with youth centres and women'sturned into a fetish and a touch-stone for (a) The training of tutors must combine organizations - in literacy classes for youngevery problem - at the expense of teachingtheoretical knowledge and teaching prac- people and women. and the necessary teaching techniques. tice. Before their training in women's liter- They became absorbed in theoretical (b) The education experiences and in- acy, the group of participants had attended inquiries and issues and were often uninter-terests of the trainees must be taken into seminars on sociology and education. During ested in teaching methods, which of courseconsideration as well as the particular prob- the training period the problems I men- are essential for the teaching of reading andlems which arise on each occasion. tioned earlier relating to the reproductionwriting. In contrast with the schoolteacher (c) The participant trainees must be of school practices did not arise; there weretrainees, with whom there was the danger made sensitive to the special problems faced no teachers among the participants. On theof their turning literacy into an arid tech- by the illitecate women. contrary, starting with their own memoriesnique, the trainees with no teaching experi- (d) The training of tutors must take of school, the participants recognised andence were in danger of getting lost in end-place in an atmosphere comparable to the accepted the need for a different educa-less discussions. aunosphere that they, as tutors, will have to tional process in adult literacy classes both create in the literacy classes.

EXCUSE ME... BUT YOUR VOICE IS RISING! (a request for contributions)

Voices Rising is published twice, soon to be three times per year (January, June, October) in English, French and Spanish. We welcome and need your contributions. Why not think about sending us:

tt.Informally written profiles (500 to 750 words) of your organization or work, including your constituencies, approach, difficulties you confront, successes, lessons learned, broader social and political context or any other relevant information.

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Materials your organization has published, or materials you have found interest- ing and useful in your work for annotation or review. These can be English, French or Spanish books, magazines, reports, or bibliographies.

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18 VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 1 'V the initial meetings with the women, ques- ING THE tions regarding organization were clarified and the project introduced. The tutors took down c.n exact account of the women's situ- "GENERATIVE WORD" ation in order to gain insight into their prob- lems. These general discussions on their PROCESS: Women's situation as women were recorded, evalu- ated according to linguistic criteria and clas- sified thematically. Apart from this, the Iron Will, Haiti women were given a preliminary test to determine their reading and writing abili- ties. In these classes an initial introduction to reading and writing vowels took place. The actual program was then prepared on a weekly basis so that thc week's evaluation could be taken into consideration in the This article was previously p ;Nish LA under the establish- mt of a fund from which planning of the next cless. All the classes the title "Women's Literacy project in inolving credit at low interest could be were recorded so that the wealth of informa- Haiti" inAdult Education and Develop- made available. tion resulting from the discussions could be ment 31,1988:25-34, a half- yearly jour- evaluated afterwards. In this way, certain nal publLshed by the German AdultSolectioh )f the target themes could be dealt with in more depth Education Association. The article is a groups and persistent problems connected with shortened version of the original, which individual sounds or letters attended to more is in German. Anyone interested in moreThree target groups were planned for par- systematically. background information or a copy of the ticipation in the project in order to collect The program consisted of three phases: article, write to Beate at her address sufficient data to facilitate a comparison 1) 'I he aim of the first phase was to be able below. betweea the groups. At the start of theto read ant; write all vowels and consonants project there were two groups in Port-au-and to form simple words and sentences Prince and one group in the country, about with them. five hours drive away. All groups arose 2) The aim of the second phase was to read The literacy project in Haiti was carriedoutthrough personal contact; the women were and write words and sentences containing over a period of two years (1986-1988) with eager to learn to read and write, so that nocombined consonants as, for example, in three groups (rural and urban), each with motivation work was necessary. A further, gwoses (pregnancy) or legliz (church). approximately 15 participants. The project significant selection criterion was the more3) In the third phase emphasis was placed on was conceived and earned out by a group of or less homogenous structure of the groupwriting stories and the practical application ten Haitian women. While the preparation in relation to their economic activities.of skills in everyday life. was carried out by one group without any This meant that eventual joint activities We also planned to teach basic calcula- financial assistance, the execution and would be easier. tion skills by way of practical activities, evaluation (14 months) was financed by a The women in one group were market such as calculating revenue and expenditure Dutch organization that has supported vari- women who sold mainly food items. None for the organization of a party. ous projects in Haiti. Beate Schmidt was of them had an income exceeding USS3O a In the first informal talks with the women, coordinator and educational advisor. month. The women in the second groupthree main themes crystallized. They re- Aims or the proj,...,at were: were, with one exception, unemployed.lated to their work, reproduction, and par- 1) To provide readin, writing and arith- All had attended school for one year butticipation. Sub-themes were compiled which metical material related to the everyday life had left because their parents were notogether made up the program. Each theme and the specific problams of thewomen longer able to pay the fees. Motivation forwas introduced by way of a generative word panic ipaung. rirticipation in a literacy course varied. within a sentence. 2) To give women the opportunity to get to One frequently mentioned reason was not Work: The participants analyze their know each other, to dist:Liss their problems, having to be ashamed any more at notworking situation. They draw up an exact to organize themselves and to plan long- being able to read and thus being taken for term joint activities. time-study to provide information on activi- ignorant. ties which are the most time-consuming and 3) To support women interested in planning where eventual changes can be made. We suitable income-yielding activities through Outline of a provisional ask, "Can the introduction of suitable tech- learning program nology bc a first step in reducing the work- load of women?" We study the causes for The literacy program was directed. as farwomen's double and treble workload and as possible, at the interests of the partici- the significance of the organization for real- pants. The following steps were !Aka inizing their owl; uneresrs.

VOICES RISLNG JANUARY/FEBRCARY 1990 19 Respect and self-re- from surrounding districts. spect: Although women in " Work" Examples: They had learnt dances and Haiti play ea important role Content Word written plays and poems about in society and the economy, The life of a woman lavi(life) the situation of rural women. the predominant image of The inferiority of female work, beseleve(t.o bend, to lift) On the day before the women - easily recognizable underpaid or not paid at all, festival the school director from Haitian proverbs -is double and treble workload of women. refused to let them have the negative. The women ana- The tools which women use zoutt(tool) hall that he had previously lyze what effect this nega- for their work. promised them. The women tive attitude towards women were not prepared, however, has on their own view of to be robbed of their festival, themselves and how they can and without a moment's hesi- overcome the consequences. "Respect and Self-Respect" Examples: tation they stormed the sc hool Content Word Leading Haitian women and building and forced the di- The woman as pillar of the family. potomitan(pillar) their struggle for equality are rector to hand over tne key. Image of women in society. famevanyan discussed. The festival was a grua suc- International Women's Day. uitmas cess. In both groups these Rept oduction. This experiences helped to build comprises all themes con- up the self-confidence of the cerning relationships, sexu- "Reproduction" Examples: women. ality, pregnancy, birth and Content Word Although more attention so on. The women have the Relationship between man fezafe(relationship) has been given to problems opportunity to get to know and woman. surrounding literacy work their bodies better in order to Violence towards women. kenbe(to rape) with wemen in recent times, have more control over fam- Menstruation and pregnancy. gwoses(pregnancy) there is still a lack of initia- ily planning. The important Contraception and abertion. dilatasyon(abortion) tive aimed at changing role of women in health care women's situations. The ini- is discussed as well as the tiative should be grasped and problem of women being developed by women them- " rticipation"Examples: superseded in this practice selves so that they have their Content Word by modern medicine. development in their own Division of power between pouvwa(power) hands. women and me.n. Participation: We dis- The concept introduced What. laws can women appeal to? lalwa (law) cuss women's participation here is coupled with the hope Forms of organization for putting ietansanm(together) in decision making processes that reading and writing skills development intn practice. at all levels of society. Bal- will be used as a tool in se- ance of power and the rights curing a dignified human of women are analyzed. existence for women and thus Women form their own ideas for all people. Such a tool, on development and draw up strategies for The ideal occasion for the firs! jointhowever, can only function in a context putting them into practice. "test of courage" was International Women 'sIskere the social and political conditions Day. Many national organizations arrangedlinked to the well-being of everyone, exist. Evaluation of the project events and, thanks to the intensive publicity work of many newly established women's I am very imerested in contacting The perticipating groups differed ceesid- groups, practically the whole popalation was women working on the development of erably with respect to interest, coo rauon,informed about it. literacy materiels geared towards women's dynamics and attendance. A feature shared Two of the project groups became in-needs for an exchange of information and by all women was the iron will to learn to volved in festivities. Tee Port-au-Prince groupexperiences. read and write and the subsequent hope that wrote a small play entitledTetansanm their problems would then be so!ved. At the(Together). It was about a woman who en- Beate Schmidt. beginning of tbe project, their iee3rests werecouraged fellow women to join her in open- Buchenweg 20 very individual; each person wanted to gain ing up a small business with their collective5307 W. Nierderbachen the most personal profit from the course.capital. The business runs well, the women West Germany During the classes a feeling of -ust emergedmake a small profit and they leave the stage and the readiness to try something out to-dancing and singing. This five-minute play gether; perhaps due to the insight that it iswas greetel enthusiastically by the audi- easier to seek a solution to problems to-ence. The group of reral women oreenized gether. lovely festival for their village and visitors

20 VOIC-S RISING JANUARYfiEBRUARY I71J METFjODOLOGfES AND MATERIAi: PUBLISHING WOMEN'S

STORIES Janet Ryan has been a learner at Park- dale Project Read in onto, Canada Parkdale Project Read, Toronto, Canada and works to get other .* vie involved in literacy programs. She is currently edit- ing a book that she wrute and preparing it alba* for publication.She's Speaking Out is amommommus..,,,,...mmimmmolmo 111011b"h about Janet's life and the difficulties she on. ammerimmemill 111011000' has encountered in not being able to read and write. The book will be publ:shed by -01110°- -'"kisomior000 Parkdale Project Read in early 1990.

1 didn't give up yet.I still went looking for sie a job.I found a job making soap. Two ARIEL. months later, I got laid off because there was II 1 no work. I went to the unemployment office and I looked on the board and I couldn't read what was on the board.I went home and cried and my Mom said, "What happened?" "I can't find a job and when I ask for \oltilik help they say 'what do you need help with to I find a job?'I tell the people at the unem- ployment offi I can't read the job board. They say the they don't have the time to help mc read the job board and that makes me feel bad and sad that there was nothing there for me."

I moved into High Park and that's w here my new life began.I was just doing my 4 laundry one day and that's where I saw the number for a literacy program.

I started a literacy program in Parkdale at the Parkdale Public Library. on Queen Street West. The staff were good to me and 0 it was a new beginning and a new life for me. I really enjoy learning to read and write. ;67!. 4.

And I got involved in planning Interna- tional Literacy Day. And it was a lot of fun and a lot of work and I learned a lot of new ways to help other people get into literacy programs.

Excerpt from Site' s Speaking Ow: What is it like to be Illiterate? by Janet Ryan.

VOICES RISLNG S CARY/FF:1M, ...TO' 1990 21 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Betsy Trumpener works at Parkdale Parkdale Project Project Read and is helping Janet with her book. Read

Betsy: How did you get started writing your story? Parkdale Project Read is a 9 year old com- oing through life and not finding munity literacy program located in the Janet: One of the staff at Parkdale Project your experiences represented is wbat lit- neighbourhood of Parkdale in Toronto, Read asked me.I would probably never eracylearners experience, It is powerful Canada. About 40 pairs of adult learners have thought to do it myself.I just wrote when literacy Leone* get together in and volunteer tutors work together in our down things that had happerie.1 in my life. groups and name their expriences. We program. Another 30 turners attend small The people at Parkdale said, "Don't worry ,lrave learned from feminism the power learning groups and literacy drop-ins at about the spelling, we can go back and of getting together with people who think various times during the week. One of change things later."It took me about a and speak the same as you do: when your these groups is a Women ' s Group. Another yoar to write a book. I just wrote a bit every experiences are continued you know group meets weekly to work on and gener- week. When I had it all written, I worked you arc not crazy. aie learner writing. with tutors.I just made a few changes, Language experience stories told Our program's purpose is to empower adding a few things and correcting the by learners to tutors are part of good people, by means of improved literacy skills, spelling.I made a list of some learners, pedagogy, The .stories create effective to participate more fully in decisions that staff, and tutors, in the program. I had them !earning exercises for literacy students. affect their lives. We encourage learners to read it and offer suggestions. They may also be shared with other make decisions about how and what they learners because they are good learning learn and also to participate in the organiza- Betsy: Do you think being a woman has materials.Learners find these stories tion and development of the program. As in affected the way tha: you write? interesting ..when they see their own other community programs, learners sit on suugglesrefleeted. Because the language our Board of Directors, help to hire new Janet: I think men don't put their feelings of learners is used in the stories they arc. staff, and participate in program commit- in as much as woman do, so I think there's easy to read. Language experience sto- tees. lots of things in my book that a man might ries can also prOvide a source of inex- Learner participation in the program not have put in. He'd be too embarrassed. pensive and creativr reading material keeps us honest - and aware of some of our where materials are sooty needed. shortcomings. The daytime Women's Group, Betsy: What would you say to women in But these stories, if they are part of for example, developed out of uur growing literacy programs who might never have critical pedagogy, will also have another awareness that many women learners were thought of writing a story and getting it dimension, This dimension will reflect not b-Ing served by our traditional pro- published as a book? the intention to bring learners' language gramming. itno the public sphere. It is within this Janet:I would tell them:I thought the sphere that tin stork - demonstrate their Betsy Trumpener same way you probably feel, but I encour- power and make vis ble the class, race age you to give it a try. Afterwards, you'll and gender bias in language. feel really good about yourself. I feel good It is a transformative act to docu- because I've written a boa on my own and ment learners' livcs, to publish oral his- had no one tell me what to say. tories and to bring them into the pubhc realm. Thmagh this act we are challeng- ing what is t:onsidered to be literature.

ElaineGabor-Katzand Jenny ill MIS 11011.11 liorsman,Wornen and Literacy, Cana- dian Su4dies 110111111 D D 11.11, p4-

NUMMI E IL

Parkdale Project Read 1303 Queen St. West Toronto, OntarioM6K 1L6 (416) 531-6308

2 2 VOICES RISENG JANCkRY/FEBRCARY 1990 16u Mfffl1QJ3OLOIES AND MATERIAL picture, the women acted out what went ING READING before and after the moment captured in the scene.They then read, in character, the newspaper report, and commented on its AND WRITING SKILLS truthfulness in discussion. SISTREN's Research Workshop The results of these workshops were recorded by the members of SISTREN and some of the scenes scripted.All writing was done iii Creole, since the Creole lan- guage is the women's main medium of communication. The Creole was then trans- lated into English. Writing in dialect, with its improvised spelling and immediate fla- vour, the women learned to write a form of SISTREN's response to problems is col-ter, ani sounds were identified.Writing lective, creative and dynamic. When English which had previously been consid- exercis.- were linked to exercises in con-ered "bad, coarse and vulgar."In fact, some of the actresses were having diffi- flict resolution,personal awareness and group culty scripting their scenes, the group or- Jamaican Creole is a variation of English development A great many of the exer-with its own strict rules of grammar, a ganized a research workshop in reading cises have been developed from Augusto skills - a workshop which incorporated language which retains much of the Twi Boal's method of problem solving skits. Inconstruction of its creators. By writing a dance, calisthenics and games as part of these, the group develops to a climax a skit the learning process. language which had hitherto been that of a on a particular theme. They then stop andnon-literate people, the women broke the honor Ford-Smith, a member of SIS- ask the rest of the group how the problem silence. TREN Theatre Collective, tells of theshould be solved.After a discussion, the group's experiences: solution is enacted. From Worldlit: Newsletter of World Liter- Readingexercises were often takenacy of Canada from the newspaper. The study of articles692 Coxwell Ave. The workshop had as its objective the crea-in the paper and their accompanying pic- tion of dramatic exercises which would Toronto, Ontario tures is another example of the type ofCANADA M4C 3B6 teach comprehension and reading skills andexercise the group used. After looking at a develop the critical consciousness of the iv.This was the first research work- shop in which SISTREN participated.... During the group's first major production, Bellywoman Bangarang, the women were asked to script scenes they had created from their own experiences.At this point, I learned that some of the women in th- project had more developed readi skills than others. These actresses were able to help others script their scenes and by the end of the production, interest in reading about their personal experiences motivated many to practice their new skills. By the rime we got r) our sccond major produc- tion, everyone could read her own script. The research workshop investigated what took place in this processmore care- fully.In workshop, a wide range of work was cone. Physical exercises were based on the shape of the letters.Calisthenics were developed based on the alphabet and, in one case, a dance created from the spell- ing of the letters of words. Rhythmic sounds and games accompanied these so that let-

by Honor Ford-Smith

VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 23 A LITERACY KIT FOR Lola Manual

PEASANT WOMEN IN We know that there are many women who don't read and write. MEXICO This situation puts limits on women to solve certain problems, to learn new things and to improve their lives. Women who do not read and write, as any other women, know and do many things cando some accounting in their mind In the lost decade, peasant women in Mex-customs. These are followed by a critical they know what they want and what they ico have bcgun to develop their own organ- e:;amination of education, media and health need. izational processes. They are increasingly services. Finally, there is a structural analy- Women who do not read and write struggling for their specific gender con-sis of the Mexican reality (social classes, have amassed a great deal of experience cerns, without ceasing to participate withrepression, who owns what in the country, throughout their lives. Not reading and writing men in the struggle for land and services,history, etc). has not prevented them from: and against repression. Both theme and methodological devel- developing their memory Peasant women's high level of illiter-oprnent are important in the process. Each passing on their knowledge acy (total and functional) is an obstacle tolesson (which can be developed in several doing some accounting this process. Literacy is being raised moresessions according to the group's paf:e) developing their social consciousness seriously as a legitimate concern. To learnincludes a photo on the theme, a generative developing popular organization to trans- to read and write requires consistency andword, a reading on the topic, questions forform life conditions discipline and it is difficult to find appropri-discussion, and writing and reading exer- bAding women's organizations ate material and trained women educators. cises. The kit includes 31 lessons. Reading What these women have not been able Given this reality, Mujeres para elis in print, writing by hand. It was intended to achieve is to learn to read and write to Dillogo [Women for Dialogue]* began athat each lesson include only one new lM- have more information, which is available project to de velop a Literacy Kit to meet theguistic element, beginning with the most in a written form and to communicate their needs of peasant women involved in a vari- simple and frequent Spanish forms. own experience to other people in writing. ety of organizational processes. With the The manual for facilitators is a supportWe want to help women to achieve this. financial support of a Christian women'sresource for literaeducators training. It is In some cases, it is believed that illiter- group in Stein, Germany, LOLA was pro-expected that a week-long workshop devel- acy means that adults can't learn to recog- duced.It is a manual for facilitators, in-oped in conjunction with the manual will nize letters and words or to write them. This cluding a poster for generative words. enable women who read and write to facili- is true, but it is only part of it, because The three-woman team in charge oftate literacy training for the illiterate women literacy's goals broader. Literacy aims to this project tried to capture the theoreticalin their organizations. achieve that an adult: advances in the field of adult literacy. The We have already held the first training Understands what sfe is reading basic methodology is the one dveloped byworkshop for literacy educators. We are Expresses what she thinks in a written Paulo Freire. The kit intends to link theeagerly waiting for the results to show in form learning process to an examination andpractice what resulted from this first group Applies reading and writing to her daily transformation of the reality of the peasantsof volunteers taking on the challenge of this life. for whom the kit was produced. difficult process together with their com- For women to be interested in literacy, The main theme is peasam women'.pafleras. it will be necessary to link what they are reality. The process begins with a "discov- learning with: ery" of peasant women's identity in terms*Mujeres para el Didlogo !Women for The search for solutions to their prob- of what is being done in their daily livesDialogue! is a women's non-governmentlems and needs. inside and outside their homes. A re.P.;.4 m organization, of Christian background, What they would like to do with reading on family relationships follows, 1,e;nt.on-peasant and popular women's groups in and writing. Women who want to become literate ships with their mates, with thc..:41.1L1ren their educational and organizing efforts. and with their commrnities' traditk,r3 and will have the opportunhy to join the a group Mujeres Para el Dialogo to reflect on their problems, search for Apartado Postal 19-493 solutions and to listen to milers and thus by Leonor Aide Concha, 03910. Mexico strengthen and broaden their knowledge. Maria del Carmen Montes, Mexico DF This is a differeiu way of learning. and Sylvia Van Dyck Excerpt from LOLA, Manuai 24 VOICES MENG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 341#1 \sss.sscs

The moment the United Na- tures for promoting literacy and limn. declared 1990 as International adult education at governmental iteracy Year, the international lat- and non-governmental levels. racy movement began to consider (excerpted from 1990: Inter- cow the Year could strength( n the national Literacy Year) novement in every co..ier of the 1990 : I nternationo: Literacy Year world. The U.N. plan of actior is to is the newsietter of lie International "help Member States in all regions Task Force on Literacy. The newsletter to eradicate illiteracy by the year 2000." A is available in English, French and Spanish UNESCO statement says thannternationalInternational free of charge by writing to the ITFL Coor- Literacy Year (ILY) should not be a 'cele- dinating Office, 720 Bathurst Street, Suite bration ' nut a summon- to action." UNESCO 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 2R4. will be encouraging action among member Literacy states and increasing public awareness and A report entitled "A Practical Guide for popular participation. Non-Governmental Organizations, In this framework, the International Year UNESCO Clubs, Associated Schools and Council for Adult Education (ICAE) initi- Other Interested Groups" has been pre- ated an International Task Force on Liter- pared by the NGO Standing Committee. It acy (ITFL) to facilitate the involvement of contains suggestions for activities for In- primarily non-governmental organizations ternational Literacy Year. This and other (NG0s) and the g oots of the literacy reports on preparations for ILY can be ob- movement in preparations for the Year. tained by writing to: Secretariat for Inter- The Task Force envisions a year which national Literacy Year, UNESCO House, will mark the beginning of a 10 year inten- 7 Place df... Fontenoy, 75700 Paris, France. sive effort to: dramatically reduce illiteracy in the world; mobilize resources from the grassroots and factory floors through gov- ernments and educational institutions; rec- ognize that illiteracy is a problem of both industrialized and non-industrializedna- tions; not confuse a campaign against illit- Agenda, eracy with a campaign against illiterate The definition ofempowerment means people; link literacy to the achievements of not only the ability to have individual social, econom;- and political democracy; Comments, action but the ability to see the prob- strengthen the organizations of women, the lem as a group problem and theft- poor, the jobless and the landless; result in fore to see the collective dimensions increased empowerment of people, not in- Challenges of the problem and the "Oblides creased dependency; and result most im- for collective solutions to the prob- .`1 portantly in strengthened permanent struc- lem. Nellie Stromquist

VOICES RISLNG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 25 1 8 styn NKMAINIWA.O.V.: Tt'\ 4 ".st ON...Ve naiAti.4's . *ciaatba FIVE CHALLENGES TO WOMEN'S LITERACY*

THE CHALLENGE OFculture, the family, education. In the family FEMINIST THEORY. and in the community or society, a notion of Many empirical studies virginity, a sexual double standard, women's have generated a longlack of physical mobility and physical vio- The challenges facing list of factors influenc-lence in the household pruduce a psycho- women's literacy are ing the condition oflogical constraint on women's activities formidable. But this does not women and affecting women's primary andand a real coitrol of their activities via their mean that they cannot be formal education - lack of time, lack ofsexuality. We need to use a conceptual met. They will have to be motivation, distance to class or school, family framework that looks behind the "obstacles" taken into accont responsibilities, opposition by husbands orto women's literacy and women's develop- simultaneously and they will fathers, and so on. Taken as "obstacles" toment to a systematic order of control. need persistent attention. women's literacy, they become the basis Action without theory, for policy. Bat this confuses the immediate decoding/encoding skills manifestations of women's subordination THE CHALLENGE OF without an understanding of with fundamental factors behind them. So- STRA1EGY. how oppression emerges and lutions that accommodate women's lack of With the global eco- persists, the unquestioned time are short term and actually accommo- nomic and financial use of state agencies, the date a status quo detrimental to women. crises and because of accumulation of unanswered The challenge of feminist theory is to un- the sexual division of questions regarding literacy cover the systematic mech:misms behindlabour, women bear the burden of repro- process, and legislation such "obstacles." Feminist suiolars haveduction as well as take on productive re- without enactment, are identified two mutually supportive and pow- sponsibilities and struggle forrights in labour fundamental and actual erful mechanisms legislation.How can we be conditions that inhibit the of subordination; sensitive to the tensions in social transformation the sexual division women's responsibilities? How required to make women's of labour and the do we make sure that they're literacy a part of the social control of not simply engaged in a solu- orde;.. women's sexual- tion of basic needs but are ity. These con- moving towards a social re- cepts increase our structuring? The strategic chal- analytical power to lenge is how to develop pro- understand how ductive programs that allow conditions of women to have access to finan- women's subordi- cial resources, to remunerated *These five challenges are based cm Nellie nation persist and wages, but at the same time not Stromquise s presentation "Women and Lii- how change will make the mistake of simply eracy,What Next?" at the 1989 Symposium take more than just moving the problem from re- on Women and Literacy: Yesterday, Today ingeniousprogram production to production. The and Tomorrow, Stockholm. Sweden, and on design. Feminist first stTategic challenge to lit- the revised written version "Challenges to theory helps us locate "obstacles" in spe- eracy programs is how to combine women's the Attainment of Women' s Literacy" Nel- cific man-made institutions that form the practical (reproductive) needs and their stra- lie Stromquist, Schoot of Education, Uni-society in which wc live, so we can take a tegic needs (changing the sexual division of versity of Southern California, Los Ange- more sceptical analytical look ai the state,labour, the conditions of women as work- les, CA 90089-0031 USA. the diffuse set of cocial forces that we callers, their legal rights, and their rights as

26 VOICES RISLNG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 1 S ,V.\sAkk msvamas, kuegka,so ssa;kwo...manuma....wasig, autonomous citizens). A second strategic vative, holistic approaches to the education THE CHALLENGE OF challenge is to design 11' ,racy programs of women. Those who have given the great- POLICY thateombine political/psychological knowl- est degree of invention and commiunent IMPLEMENTATION. edge with skills aimed at remunerative work, have been NG0s, and they need to be given Policy provides lever- and income-generating projects that include much more attention. age for action to gain not only literacy skills but such skills as women's legal rights in collective organiza'aon and gender con- practice, where international pressure may sciousness. A third strategic challenge is to THE CHALLENGE OFbe brought to bear such as the International understand and combat the false dichoto- RESEARCH. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms mies in discourses on social and gender Many issues remain toof Discrimination Against Women, ratified transformation - productivity versus eq- be investigated when we by 54 countries. Significantly, most of the uity, efficiency versus equity, women's are trying to understandcountries that have not yet ratified the con- empowerment versus the "danger" brought the condition of women. vention include African and Arab countries to their well-being by empowerment. A We need to have a much greater under-with high rates of female illiteracy. While fourth strategic challenge is to pay as muchstanding of the household dynamics that af- laws and official attention to the process of women's literacy fect the participation commitment exist, as to the outcome. We need to be attentive of women and how concrete program- to how women learn and be willing to util- the negotiation of de- ming lags. The chal- ize 411 existing spaces for action. cision making within lenge is to lobby gov- the family affects how ernmen ts to force women enter literacy their attention to pro- THE CHALLENGE OFprograms or wish to grams, and to con- IMPLEMENTING enter literacy pro- vince in ternatio nal AGENCY SELECTION. gldms. WC still need aid agencies to use If want to have 'it-to have much more groups outside the eracy for women, v. hoevidence on what are state for the provi- gets to do it? System-effective techniques sion of literacy to atic studies of program implementation have to deal with adult women been very few. Evaluations of UNESCOwomen, and on what experimental programs conducted by gov- is an effective mix of ernment agencies in 11 countries for 2-5visual and text stim- years in the late sixties provide overwhelm-uli in the production wp ing evidence that some of the benefits thatof literacy p:ograms. Literacy programs go supposedly accrue from government actionbeyond technical programs, but we still coordination, a more rational and sophis-need that information. We need more infor- ticated teacher training, development ofmation on the kinds of supportive settings materials, outreach to a large number ofthat enable women to enter and sustain par-Welcome International populations in need, production of materi-ticipation in a literacy program, and on the Literacy Yew 1990 a-4G als sensitive to the physical andmeasure to bring attention needs of various psychological*Ind reflection to these groups and coor- constrainis onproblems and thel!enges. A dination among the women's par-decade will not be enough to various levels of ticipation at thegain the financial and government, be- communityorganizational support tween education level as well asrequired io meet them. States and agriculture. the householdwill have to work with women agnculture and level. and NGOs, and men will have health and so on The re-to be persuaded that we all d o not materialize. searchchal-stand to gain as a If we want to serve lenge is also to the restructured social order needsof produce aemerges. women in literacy programs, then it is sen-knowledge which breaks the subject/object sible that social sectors other than thestate dichotomy. so that in the process illiterate should be given a role in the provision ofwomen are part of, and become able to see education. Especially for women, nongov-themselves as a part of, larger processes ernmental organizations run by womenrep- that organize literacy/illiteracy. resent a very powerful avenue for the incor- poration of changes, and for creative, inno-

VOICES RISNG JANUARY/FEBRLARY 1990 27 :Sta , .K:17MM.1.0:r* 11.15M, Ag`t "RAUY-Mrftlntr:V4M1TOM:I;?M . QU4.11.1a1;... *.Qgmko.M.S:Wat. in reality both must be accomplished simul- DEEPENING THE taneously.Wc need better articulation between governments, NOOs and popular social move-nems to get the right mix for ISSUES AND realizing both technical/pedagogical goals OBJECTIVES OF ILY and political/ideological goals. Teachers

Are trained teachers c. nuge potential resource for literacyor a guarantee of fail- ure? In some countries teachers are seen as inextricably tied into authoritarian, tradi- Much of the accepted wisdom about lit-itly blames illiteracy for thc social prob-tional, vertical teaching processes, the an- eracy needs to be critically examined inlems of unemployment, poor health, lowtithesis of the pedagogy of empowerment relation to advances and retreats in liter- productivity, weak family management, andespoused by popular educators. acy over the past decades. The periodschool failure.There are war metaphors prior to and during ILY could be seen as("campaigns to eradicate illiteracy," "theSouth-North Exchanges a time for intense questioning and de- battle of the book," "pencils as weapons.") bate, along with a solid program of re-There are health metaphors (illiteracy as a There arc very different uses for liter- search and evaluation. The findings from"plague" or a "scourge.")What wouldacy skills in thc literacy environments of these activities would allow the interna-more adequate images of literacy and theindustrialized and non-industrialized coun- tional litericy movement to launch a illiterate look like? How will this be differ-trics. We need to combat the marginaliza- decade of w r k on literacy between 1990ent in the North and the South? Given thction of literacy workers in industrialized and 2000 on a much surer footing. stigma of illiteracy in the industrializedcountries, within the world li:eracy move- countries, is there a danger that ILY public-ment in general, and in the specific context ity will result in driving illiterates under- of ILY preparations. We need South-North Literacy, Democracy and ground? How can we build a communica-exchanges in ordcr to feed the long and rich Empowerment tions strategy into the ITFL? experience and action on literacy in the South into the North. Empowerment through literacy is seen Liberatory Goals as having to do not only with empowerment Women's Literacy in the larger society, but also in the power Literacy programs understood as a relations of learner/teacher or facilitator inprocess of liberation at times have shown Women's experiences of illiteracy and the literacy classroom. If literacy is under-more concern with conscientization thanthe doors opened to them by new literacy stood not only as reading and writing skills with tKiaal reading and writing skills, while skills are fundamentally different from those but also as having a "voice," a space for action in one's society, how do we under- stand thc forces that impede literacy?In what ways do new literacy skills actually bring empowerment within families, com- munities, workplaces and societies? Does this work differenay for women than for men? What chance is there of using new literacy skills in the current economic crisis when there are no books and no literate /14:2: environment anyway? ",,Z. c VI\ .114P0' ' Images Of Literacy and the t jet No, Jr. Literate I

Illiteracy often becomes part of a broad ----°11114111 social pathology that implicitly or explic-

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28 VOICES RISLNG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 BEST COPY AVAILABLE 1 S 'f' of mer. New abilities to speak, read, write k: and count work for men in different ways than they do for women. And the willing- ness of illiterate women and men to make a time commitment to literacy is determined largely by their assessment of what kinds of doors will be opened to them by literacy. We need to create opportunities for women to speak about their experiences of literacy. Excerpts from a report by Lentil ..help them get decent space or a building This includes paying attention both to the Ramdas, Society for Alternatives inor books in the hands of each learner, or assumptions about women's role in a soci- Education, New Delhi, India from her.1to deal with the drought or the revival of ety that silences literate women and also to report tci the kfternational Task Forcesati (wemenburning themselves on their the specific structural constraints of domes- on Literacy, April, 1989. . 'husbands' funeral pyres), and whether it tic labour and c hildcare that impede women' s will: help them cope with violence in the participation in literacy. Radical rhetoric is no substitute for change:-..-community. Many have give" up on adult There are widespread practict.s of lit- in practice. For millions of people, reality-literacy and believe we should mobilize eracy throughout the world in very small continues to he a life of toil, struggle, bun-'.-effom to ensure that children get a de- groups, often of ten or twelve people at the ger, ill health and little hope, Learning tocent. education and become literate, as local level.Given that NGOs tend to be read and write isa meaningless skill underthe hest method.for long-tenn adult liter- very weakly linked, often this work in liter- circumstances where they can feed them- acy finds NGOs reinventing the wheel. In selves only by selling their labour and that 0 some regions, such as Latin America, there of their children and where struggles forIt is not enough to nm special programs has been a widespread NGO abandonment more justice are met with violence fromfor women. Some of the hope for women's of literacy, with priorities now put oncon- the same State that promised them soliteracy rests on hard work with man re- scientizafion, cooperatives, women, health. much. garding women's equality. We are fight- etc. How do we understand this? And are Literacy needs to be redefined drasti-ing an ideological and practical battle these other activities appropriate points of cally. Literacy cannot remain at the levelover the views of women and their roles cntry for literacy at a later phase? of learning the alphabet and signing your-in society. Unless traditional values of Research about actual literacy prac- name. Today thousands of groups areandanitudes towards womenand women's tices should be carried out and communi- working at the lowest levels of the socialroles in society are tackled directly and cated in such a way as to have immediate order, with or without government sup-honestly, women will continue to be mere usefulness for these involved in literacy at port, to enabk. those people to obtain in"chjects" of development, or of literacy the grassrnots. There should be concrete reality afi the promises of freedom andprograms, instead ofactive, lite and willing case studies of real successes and failures. justice. partners and paxticipants of their own. 4. Approaches should be based on actionre- 0 search and participatory evaluation mod- The view of literacy as an important toolWorld organizations roiainely and gian- els.Full use should be made of already of democratic rights, liberation struggles, diosely declere International Year after existing research and evaluation structures, and equality for every citizen is not uni-International Year. Clovernments and UN including existing ICAE networks, univer- vers4y shared. Regarding women andgroups whip into action, Millions are sities, institutes, and so on. equality, for example, we are assumingspent on the production of glossy bro- that most Indians or most men in ourchures, campaigns, hand-outs, seminars society can see that equality for women isand consultancies. Activity peaks mid- We need not question the "why" of liter- an ideal value and that literacy for womenyear. The media keep the issue alive. acy. What we need are much clearer and girls is a must. Simile:1y, the "smallBarely does the curtain cone down on strategies for "how" and "when" and family noon' has been accepted by thethe Year for Women, then /reparations "with whom" ;'literacy to be effective Stateas a desirable goal. How have womenbegin for the Year of the...Child, Dis- within the larger process of strategies been involved in that decision? And howabled, Aged, Homeless. But what of both for survival and economic/political/ can literacy help to realize that goal? 'business as usual?' Who draws up the social change. 4. balance sheet at the end of it all? Is it only Can literacy provide jobs and employ-lett to the busy accountants and auditors ment? Can literacy empower people toof countless organizations the world over? stand up for their rights, to demand what Judith is a member of the International is legitimately theirs without invitingLatta Ramdas Task Force on Literacy. This is an abridged repression, violence and imprisonment?ITFL India Office version of her report to the Women's Lead- Can literacy counter patriarchy and indycia Indian AE Association ership Development Seminar in Interna- lead to women's equality? 17-8 Indra Prastha arg tional Adult Eduction, Quito, Equador, Our community workers are indifferent.bew Delhi - 1100002 INDIA October 1988. Their concerns centre on whether it will

VOICES RISLNG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 29 18 V

lakaufa. We now have five groups. Each BUILDING THE NETWORK group attends the Training Centre twice a week. Interest expressed by local women has been very high, and the eagerness with which these women arrive every day is very rewarding and inspiring. Literacy is a real need in these women's "Bading The Network" is a new section that will incor- lives. Women's illiteracy rates in Papua porate our letters and linking sections. Instead of simply New Guinea are between 75-80 percent, so excerpting from the letters we receive between produc- wc have plenty of willing participants. Fif- tion, we want to prod you to take on a more active role. teen to fifty year olds are coming with equal This can be your space to share your ideas, experiences, keenness and almost all of them have never and reflections on the challenges you face. You might been to school before. Most of the women also want to use the section to link up with similar groups, say that they never thought they'd get the solicit support for or participation in a project, or an- opportunity to learn to read and write after nounce work you are doing. We're well aware that many having missed out on attending school as of you simply don't have the time to sit down and write children. full articles but our hope is that by providing a more The Training Centre has an experi- informal space you'll feel it's more possible to take up the enced Kisim Save teacher, Anna Maben, debate. who has been active in women's activities We want to hear about the articles you like and don't in Simbu Province previously.We are like as well as about pressing issues not addressed by existing on very little money at the mo- Voices Rising. Let others in the network know what ment, and we have started the program with you're thinking and doing. Voices Rising will be all the bare essentials only: nuts, a blackboard, richer for it. butcher's paper and chalk. We received a small grant from the Australian High Commission which has helped us purchase some Kisim Save literacy kits from Chris- tian Books Melanesia, other pidgin books and teaching aids, and a little furniture. We KISIM SAVE SKUL BILONG are optimistic about a submission we have made to the National Government's Liter- OL MERI: acy Development Program, and also to the Urban Skills Program for Women, Goroka, Australian YWCA for funding. We have many ideas for the Training Papua New Guinea Centre. I am presently compiling a list of resource people who are willing to come and lead sessions regularly in their particu- I am an Australian Volunteer Abroad (AV A)literacy and later numeracy and practicallar fields, for instance, a woman solicitor, a employed by the Young Women's Chris-skills such as how to open and operate ahealth educator, a Christian Institute of tian Association (YWCA) in Goroka, East-bank account, legal awareness and healthCounselling volunteer. I am endeavouring ern Highlands Province. My job titleis care. to build up local resources so that the pro- "Field Training Officer" and I came to During the early days I wrote to agen-gram can be maintained on its own. Papua New Guinea in July 1988 to workcies, organizations and individuals within I would like to organize a workshop to with the YWCA to plan, develop and im- the countly and internationa:iy working on train Kisim Save teachers. There has been a plement a non-formal education programWomen in Development issues, initiatinglot of interest expressed by women leaders for women in the Goroka YWCA's recentlyvaluable networking links and acquiringof particular church women's fellowship constructed multipurpose building. the most recent and relevant informationgroups locally to learn how to teach so that Through a process of consultation withand material available on work with women they can introduce a Kisim Save program local women and with individuals, agen- and literacy. Development workers shouldn 'tinto their own work. By providing resources cies and organizations working with women, have to reinvent the wheel every time we goand training, we can encourage the oppor- a program relevant to the women's needsinto the field. With networking we learn tunity for Kisim Save to be extended to a has been gradually developed. The over-from each other's sucecess and failures:wider network of women. whelming request from the women them-expecially working with women, so much Enabling women to become literate is selves for activities at the Training Centreof our history gets "lost." an essential tool in encouraging women's was for "tok pisin" literacy. With this ob- We started with two groups of womendevelopment. Literacy rates are significant jective in sight, the urban skills programfrom two different parts of Goroka: Northwhen looking at infant mortality and gen- has been developed to incorporate, initially, Goroka and a neighbouring village, Masi- eral health statistics, and it seem the two are

30 VOICES RISLNG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 ilidot, I; %row JO'

directly linked. I have found from personal experience of our Kisim Save Skul in Goroka POPULAR EDUCATION that women's self esteem and confidence and general understanding of themselvesAMONG WOMEN rETWORK and the world around them is hugely in- Puno Peru creased as they become literate. If women see themselves as capable and intelligent human beings, as they are beginning to, instead of "mi meri tasol, mi samting nating," they will demand and command respect in The articles inVoices Risingare ev.cellent,Our Constitution this society. mostly because they address the issue of P:ease feel free to contact me for fur-literacy, which is essential to us in Peru. InOn May 17, 1989, in Chucuyto-Puno (Peru) ther information about Kisim Save SkulPuno, where we live, on the shore of Titi-the Popular Education Network Among Bilong 01 Merl. Or bette: still, drop in andcaca Lake, in a cold and dry climate, theWomen was created. Twenty-one delegates see us if you're in the neighbourhood. Visi-high rate of illiteracy is one of the indica-attended the inaugural event representing tors are always most welcome, and then the tors of the isolation and discriminationpublic, private, women's and women's women themselves can tell you about our suffered by women. Our population livespeasant organizations in Puno. "lik lik skul." mostly (70%) in rural During the debate, in which areas, and more than everyone participated, the most Debbie Chapman half are women. In the important opinions were: Field Training Officer rural area the illiter- That women are always ma- YWCA Goroka acy rate is 54.4% and nipulated, that financial sup- P.O. Box 636, in the urban areas is port is conditioned to electoral Goroka, 28.8% among women. work; that women in rural ar- PAPUA NEW GUINEA Literacy work and eas always need men's support training is c':fficult and for many formal procedures Ed Note:A more recent report from Debbieour organization to- because they are afraid of ex- outlines numerous plans for the Next Year.gether with other or- pressing their needs before tit!' These include: ganizations in Puno institutions. That there is dis- 1) In 1990, UN International Literacyhave created a district crimination in food support ro Year, the Y's Women's Training Centrenetwork for popular education amongsingle and young mothers. That men in the will be encr uraging, supporting and initiat-women. communities charge their part for the pro- ing literacy projects wherever possible All the organizations within the spacecedures, but they do not allow women to do throughout Papua New Guinea. Publicity, of our network are advancing, contributingit by themselves, and that they drink too information dissemination and visits willexperiences, possibilities and a commonmuch. be used to encourage projects as wellasconcern in making it possible for women to That many women don't read or write direct sharing of ideas, resources and mate- participate more in the public life of theand that priority should be given to the rials. district and the region. peasant sector because the peasant women 2) A workshop is planned to train inter- We need your support with documen-is over exploited and marginalized, without ested local women to initiate and run liter-tation on literacy and perhaps with someaccess to education, and that no one shows acy projects. Funding has been receivedfunds that would contribute to reduce theconcern for their training or for allowing from the New Zealand High Commissioner high illiteracy rate. As well, we would likethem to know their rights. and documentation and packaging will beto know of events related to this problem That to have access to assistance women able to be duplicated in other parts of the and training possibilities for literacy educa-must know how to read and write and the country. 1 he Goroka Training Cente will tors in the Latin American language. mothers' organizations operate only when become a resource centre as well as provide We will send you news of our experi- there is food support. direct programming to the women of Goroka.ence in literacy and on popular education. That we must defend our own ways, our 3) More production of material in 'tokWe enclose our Constitution. We want allculture, our ways of nutrition, our folklore. pisin' with a view to commercial printing those related to ICAE to know about them. That women in the cities are in extreme and distribution. This will encourage in- We are sending a copy of our declaration in poverty because prices have raised and there digenous literature, and could be a sourcesupport of women prisoners in South Af-is not enough money for rent, food, and of raising funds for the Training Centre. rica. water and electricity services, and that we 4) The establishment of a retail outlet have to go out and protest in an organized for books so that the profits of the bookshopSonia Molina, President way. could go towards subsidizing the programsArnparo Choquehuanca L., Secretary That we have to develop a solidarity at the Training Centre. ORMUP practice among women and that within the Calle Deza 750, Aptdo. 477, network there are women that can help a lot Puno, Peru in training.

VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 31 That everything goes to the cities and nothing for the rural side, that there is a great deal of centralization and the red tape u J It-,o6 is cumbersome, and that in the city they AiorM or spend too much money, forgetting about people in the country side. There is no work for women, they are marginalized and have /reloind no opportunities for training. The rural woman is marginalized because she does not speak Spanish and always is afraid of talking toI am writing on behalf of the Centre for city people. Research and Documentation, a commu- That it is necessary for women to panici- nity resource organisation based in West pate more fully in the production processBelfast in the North of Ireland. This organ- and in all levels of public life, and that isation was set up last year vihen a group of women must be well informed. Irish people who tiad been working in third That many times women's participation world countries and community workers is dependent on the leadas allowing it, whocame together to discuss the links between first ensure that it will be convenient forthe countries we had worked in and the them that women know things; if there is nocurrent situation in Ireland and also to use problem in this they will allow women'sthe experience and insights we had gained participation. The topic of political ma-in these countries upon our return to Ire- nipulation was widely discussed. land. There was a discussion about the need We are involved in many issues here for popular education as a positive alterna-throughout the country ranging from un- tive for women. employment, emigration. repression, "women's issues" etc. We resource com- Network's Objectives munity groups here and organise exchanges To promote social change, through thebetween groups north and south. We also practice of popular educati on among women. work a lot with women's groups. I was To practice solidarity, coordination andwondering if you could put us on your Snail experiences and resources sharing withinmailing list and maybe send us a list of the network and with other groups. different international women's groups,We are a group of Brazilian Black Women To contribute to women's organization, particularly in Central America. I was work-working with low income Black Women in empowerment and participation in the proc- ing there three years before coming homeour region and we are organizing the 1st ess of transforming society. to Ireland. CONGRESS OF BLACK WOMEN FROM Anyway I look forward to hearing BAIX ADA SANTISTA, days 11 to 14 of Fields of work from you and if there is anything we can doMay, in Santos City, Sao Paulo State. Communication from this end please do let me know. We We are interested in being in touch with Literacy keep a wide range of information (newspa- ICAE (Women's Program) because in Bra- Health Care and Nutrition per cuttings, articles etc.) on a variety ofzil the illiteracy of the Black Women is very Research and Resources topics (political issues in the North andhigh: about 1/2 of all the Black Women here Production South of Ireland, discrimination, unem-are illiterate. We want to change this see- Legal Training ployment, emigration, third world, etc.) Anary and this Congress is a space for reflec- Organization large part of our work is organising pro-tion and debate about this and other prob- Popular Culture grammes for international visitors fromlems which confine Black Women to the countries like Central America, South Africa, lowest rank among the Brazilian workers. Methodology: Vietnam, Philippines to meet with local To give us solidarity and the experience Popular education will be based in popularcommunity groups here in the North ofof other countries would be a great advance- knowledge and will be in constant evolu- Ireland and to share perspectives. ment for our local strategies of empower- tion according to daily life and the national ment. situation. Popular education is a means toMise le meas achieve a global transformation of society, Alzira Rufino where the different forms of exploitation Caitriona Ruane Encontro de Mulheres Negras da Baixada and oppression will be eliminated. PopularCo-ordinator, Centre for Research and Santista education allows for a coordi nati on of popularDocumentation doCEFAS sectors. 89B Glen Road rua Vasco de Gama, 87 Belfast, Antrun BT11 Santos. Sao Paulo NORTH OF IRELAND BRAZIL

VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 32 1 4) ofilk#ey/

110111110101:111111MMINVIIIIIIIftwo SHARING...-STRATEQIES Irtcisc ..'AROUN.a0ENDERAND I saw Voices Rifing on my table when I came back to India after spending about 45 TRAINING days in Italy with 12C friends frorn 90 countries.The bulletin not only gave us novel ideas & experiences but it is a strength and solidarity to us in our struggle with $044iwk..Acr;cA traditional Fishing Women for libeiation, I met many women of USA, Europe I work for a rural development agency women and challenge the traditional sexual and Australia having concern for the situ- that is based in Natal and Kwazulu, South division of labour with women whose aion foi women in India. They encouraged Africa. I am currently involved in doingprimary interest is sewing? Is such tt me in my mission. My friends at home also panicipatory evaluation work w ith a num- challenge always desirable? How do you share their frustrating experiences while ber of our projects. My specific focus isdeal with the conflict between short and working with the fishing women in India. on organisation, gender relations andlong-term interests? Say, if rural women Some times I am in confusion. What to do women's participation. are totally dependent on remivantes from and what no. to do, One of the ways that both fieldwork-migrant husbande is it appropriate to en- Women in Indian countryside live in ers and rural workers come to define theircourage an articulation of their 'anger' deprivation. We intend to organise them pale in development is in a training situ-with men and/or husbands? into cohesive groups. We help them to adon. This training may be either formal undertand and articulate their situations. (stru. lured learning sessions) or informal I would like to hear from any other We facilitate them to recognise the forces (learning how to deal with daily prob-readers who are grappling with some of that oppress them, We motivate them to be lems). I have found that both structuredthese issues or have prepared training organi,;ed. and informal training sessions can play amaterials that are both practically fea- When we work with education, health, valuable role in facilitating broadercon-sible as well as politically challeaging. and other awareness programs, people in s6iousness of the development context.I'm especially interested in materials that countryside ask tor food, shelter and clothes. However, I have not found many "train-combine both technical and organiza- Unfortunately, we don't have resources to ing materials" that deal with the specifictional "knowledge" on an integrated way. meet all these. The material needs of such conditions facing rural women or how to people could not be met permanently, un- struggle with patriarchal gender relations,Michelle Freedman, less our resources in India arc genuinely in a colonial and capitalist context. I amAGENDA: A Journal About Women and distributed. People need to understand, malise interested in finding out more about thoseGender this and to challenge the distributory practical stattegks which have workedP.O. Box 37432 for Voices Rising waders. What trainingOverport 4067 But unforuntately the degree of depri- materials or workshops have you devel-,SOUTH AFRICA vation is so acute that they don't have aped that deal with these issues? patience and power to wait for a new wave For instance, do you use similar train-We'd also be inteTested in your reflec- to come. They intend to have an immediate ing strategies when you are working withtions on Michelle's questions.Let's result. As a result the movement gets lost women's, men's or mixed groups? Howstart a dtseussion around these issues midway before it reaches the desired goal. do you facilitate and encourage women'sin the pages of Yokes Rising. Send us However we learn from our frustration. autonomy when all the fieldworkers arecop ies of relevant resources, letters and Our experience is more broad reading ,:our men and the majority of rural groupsarticles. report on building leadership.Hope this consist of women? Given that structured newsletter would be a media for us to reach training often works best over a few days with the friends, those who are also in tt:e or weeks in an environment away from process of struggle for LIBERATING home, how do you deal with resistant WOMEN. husbands? Some women won'tleave home With Solidarity, without their husbands' permission. In these uses should the educators continue Laxp.:dhai Swain. working only with those women whoare CARD Centre for Action Research and "allowed" to attend? What practical strate- Documentation gies have been devised to move froma LI353,Dumudwna Housing Board welfare to a transformative approach? P.O. Aiginia For example, how do you both respect Bhubaneswar, Orissa, 751002 INDIA

VOICES RISNG JANUARY/FEHRUP RY 1990 19.Z 33 Nei) The theme of yourcrn Quito Seminar and the main focus of latest issue of VII. "Building Leadership, Building the Movement" re-

VIUSEO ally needs some further discussions in the EL ADE ow-4 whole international arena. From my side, I also think the traditional concept of "Lead- ership" and "Charismatic Leader" is only enough to maintain the status-quo. We need to promote alternative concepts of leader- ship in order to achieve progressive trans- formation of world communities and socie- ties. Thanks for your initiating the way out. The interview with Kathy Bond-Stew- Co slatg;c0, art is quite worth publishing. We could ba know a great deal about Zimbabwian situ- We are trying to develop an educational We think is of great value to share experi- ation and the situation there. Also, the way program related to women's issues. We ences among those of us working in popular of producing a popular text is interesting utilize a popular education methodologyon education. For us it is very important to be and meaningful. topics such as: domestic work, working included in your popular educators and This time, besides sharing the maga- women, women in the media, abortion, activists network, because our Regional zine to read among friends here, I made battered women, women's sexuality. We Centre in Havana, Cuba has been opening some xerox copies of the Special Report would like to receive information about spaces in women's training in Latin Amer- similar programs in other countries. section and sent them to many friends working in different parts of Nepal. I have alsoica. We are also providing direct services Presently, taking into account the so- encouraged them to write to you, especially to battered women and doing community cial and political changes occurring in our I asked women development workers here education on violence against women. If region and women's important role both in to go through it. you have a brochure addressing this prob- popular struggles and organizations, we From my side, I will be sending you my lem, we wo.did like to receive it. have committed ourselves to work in three comments, sharing your magazine among I have given Voices Rising to a woman main areas: Training (through three-month in a small community, who shared it withmany friends here, encouraging others to contact you, and I would also translatecourses in Havana, field courses for organi- other women. They thought itwas very zations who require them and workshops some relevant articles into Nepali and give valuable and they liked the articles dealing on specific topics such as, women, health them to publish in magazines here. with other women's experiences. We have care, methodology for women's skill de- to take into account the level of formal velopment and others); Documentation Bimai Phunyal education of many women in the ruralareas (development of a documentation centre CARE-NEPAL of Costa Rica, and the circumstances that and making links with other similar centres); P.O. BOA 1661 prevent them taking full advantage of ar- Research on different women's issues. Kathmandu ticles that are a little bit too advanced for We have done eighteen courses with NEPAL them. the participation of more than 500 women from Latin American and Caribbean or- I hope we keep in touch. ganizations. These women are grouped in a network which will allow us to follow up Norma Jean Profitt M. the training process. We are sure tfi:it the MUSADE links established with you will be of mutual Mujeres Unidas en Salud y Desarrollo support. Women United for Health and Develop- ment ConcepciOn Dumois Apartado 17, San RamOn, Ale juela Director COSTA RICA FederaciOn Demccrática Internacional de Mujeres, Centro Regional Please note that MUSADE is looking to Regional Centre, Women' s International receive materials and information about Democratic Federation programs related to violence against N111+ Calle 20 NQ 117, entre 1° y 3°, Miramar, women, VR Ciudad de La Ilabana, CUBA 1 (j 34 VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 °"- 7°" f111 X daughters, whose experience in labour °11111=14alt struggles is widely known. Our objective is that these organizations work not only on Zimbabwe labour issues but that they begin to address those issues related to women's problems I enjoyed reading the Rising Voices.Its and women's education. Thus we are work- contents are nothing but truth. The Sistren ing in training and advising these organiza- case, is what I mentioned on the 26th Au- gust at the Zimbabwe Women's Bureau tions to allow them to broaden their space of action. Our main work is to train facilita- Conference.International donor agencies tors in health care and law. We will be policies are very suppressive, as a result so -----Argendhno sending you an article on our experience. much money has been spent on programs which don't meet our requirements and The Foundation for Study and Research Rubi Paredes D. needs. This is an issue which th . Women's about Women (FEIM) is formed bya group AMAUTA Program can really voice out on our behalf. of professional women in different special- C.C. lndependencia ties. Since 1984 we have been working in We in Africa need adult literacy and train- ing in technical skills as mentioned in theEsq. Av. Independencia Calle Paucarpata women's training and mobilization inpopu- Block D Of. 433 que s tionnai re. Li teracy and production should lar sectors in Argentina. We began in 1984 Arequipa, PERU with the Program Women and Develop-go hand in hand. We would like to be ment in the Ministry of Health and Welfare. involved in The Women's Program as much After the government changed in July 1989, as possible. we ceased working at the Ministry and We will be setting up our offices on the concentrated our energies in FEIM and 1st October 1989. A program has already with other NGOs. been (frown up and we will be working in Our major experience has been train-partnership with Foundation for Interna- ing women as health care facilitators. Be-tional Training in Canada. For your infor- tween 1985-86 we trained 500 women in mation it is the only organisation which has and the provinces of Rio had an ear to listen to what we want. We are Negro and Neuquen. The:,e were 20-26very excited as our approach will be a year old women who were trained in pro-departure from what has been going on. grams using a participatory methodology. Maybe some of the International donor Since 1988 we have been training olderagencies will believe that we mean what we Thailand women (seniors) in Retiree Centres. We'vehave been talking about that what they wantThank you for your letter and a copy of is not what we want. had six seminars with 330 participants. Voices Rising. We are glad about the work These woman have more concern andpos- the ICAE (Women's Program) is doing. Well, I think I have said quite a mouthful. sibilities of working in the field thanyounger We found the Voices Rising bulletin to have women. After the training we do a follow valuable experience taken from all corners Esinet Mapondera. up, focusing on their organization in groups. of the world. Zimbabwe Women Finance Trust Seventy per cent of the women trainedare Our organization just have 10 years old P.O. Box 8023 working in the field. on 16 May 198. At present we have 1600 Causeway, Ilarare Another aspect of our work is thepro- active members from a total company head ZIMBABWE motion of women's rights and trainingon count of 2000, about 90 percent of mem- this subject. Between 1985-89we organ- bers are female. Therefore Adult Education ized 2-day workshops in differentparts of Programme must be necessary for our the country focusing on women's rights (as members. workers, in social security, health, family, We would also like to share informa- education and politics) and howto apply tion and gain experience from other women's them in the daily life. Perot groups around the world. "Welcome to Thailand" for the World Assembly of Adult Our best regards from all of us working Mabel Bianco, President Educators in January, 1990. FEIM with women in the Amauta Association. The Amauta Association is a non-profit Foundation for Women's Studies and Re- In Solidarity, search organization. We have been supporting popular organizations in ourdistrict, mainly FundaciOn para Estudio e Investigación de Prapapan Jumnakros those in the mining industry, mostly trade la Mujer. Signetics Workers Union unions and the Miners Housewives Com- L6pez 2602, p. 13- 303 Changwatan:4 Road mittees (Comité de Amos de Casa Min- (1425) - Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA Bangkhen, Bangkok 10210 Phone 802-3635 eras), which represent the miner's wife or THAILAND

VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 ()4 r:; 35 1111111111=1111111111=111111 11 PW Uppines Thank you very much for sending us a complimentary copy of the Women's Kit :H15ToRY: (see Resources Section) and Networking Bulletin of the Women's Program (Voices R ising). Your Women's Kit is very interesting and simple, so it is very appropriate refer- ence especially for peas, its level. It will be help to us in our currici. um development for women's group here in Bicol. Here in Bicol, we are also working with Amihan, a peasant women' s organization working with Gabriela National; though this organiza- tion is still in the formative stage. In a country like the Philippines when militari- zation intensifies, it is strongly felt in the countryside. And it is the peasant sector who is greatly affected, especially their organization. We welcome why much we could sustained our linkage and informa- tion sharing. Since you are working with women sector, your experiences, materials, shared information will update and help us much in our deeper understanding with the women issue and this will help us in our training workshop with the women sector.

Lorna G. Santiago Philippine Educational Theater Associa- tion "I :wasn't talking.. .I was networking." P.O. Box 163 Legaspi City PHILIPPINES

vidnal practitioners using popular education. Now we want A Network Database to take the next step and begin to implement it. Our plan is to organize the database by geographical region and hy areas Many thmks to ail the women who answered the "Activating of interest (popular health, literacy, workers education, the Network" questionnaire sent out with the last issue. The indigenous, etc.). We are still woticing out details, so it is an response was far greater than we expected! We appreciate ideal stage for you to have input. Would you find such a everyone who took the time to let us know their thoughts, both database useful? If so, do you have suggestions? Would you supportive and critical We will be using this information to like to be included in the database? How can we collaborate strengthen Voices Rising and also to begin new initiatives to with already existing regional and international services? support women educators in their work. We will be linking the "practitioners database" For those of you who didn't fill in and send back the with the bibliographical data base being developed by the questionnaire, it's not too late. We want to hear from every. Gender and Popular Education international compatafive body. Don't let the limitations of the questionnaire stop you. research project (see insert). Any comments, questions or criticisms, will be useful. Everyone who wrote back was excited about the For information about the database write to Shannonbrooke potential international database of women's groups and indi. Murphy at the Women's Program Toronto office.

36 VOICES RISLNU JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 I I) Women and the range of literacy programs that oper- you a new way of looking at the first. ate In Canada, with an emphasis on pro- Another highlight is the excerpts of texts Literacy grams that incorporate literacy learning and illustrations from books written by with politicization and movements for women in literacy classes. social change. If you are a feminist; if you are a We like it because it takes up the literacy worker; if you are interested in the concerns of Canadian literacy activists. area where these two viewpoints mesh, These concerns are recurring themes in read this book. many of the articles, yet each author ap- proaches them from a slightly different Available from: point of view. Here we can only give a Canadian Woman Studies, brief outline of some of the questions 212 Founders College raised: York University What is the matter with the Southern 4700 Keele Street Report on Illiteracy? How does it divide Downsview, Ontario us from each other? What are the biases M.3.1 1P3 in the report? Why is literacy such a hot issue these days in government and business circles? How can we analyze the effects

" these two big players will have on literacy programming? ;04 What is the matter with literacy Canadian Woman Studles/Les programs that "blame the victim?" Why cahlers de la femme, FalliWInter do some of our programs offer an individ- 1988 (Volume 9, Numbers 38/4). uat solution to a problem that has causes in our society and our political systems? Review by Kate Nonesuch and Evelyn Why do we) shy away from literacy work published by thb Participatory Re- Battell, literacy instructors, Malaspina that politicizes? What can we transfer search Group and the ICAE Women's College, Duncan, B.C. from literacy campaigns in revolutionary Program settings to the Canadian context? Women Learners in English as a Second We like this issue on Women and Literacy. How do we structure programs that Language and literacy classes need their It contains some 40 articles on the answer women's needs in terms of lives outside the classroom to be acknowl- subject, plus reviews of films and books, content, scheduling, transportation and edged and discussed. The material in this and a short section of fiction and poetry. daycare? How do we find or create ma- kit describes many everyday issues in We like it for many reasons. First, simply terials that honour their experience? women's lives and provides relevant and because it is a joy to see a discussion of What is meant by "learner-centred" stimulating material so that women can literacy by so many feminists,a series of proyamming? How can a program be improve their English skills while consider- articles that takes up the ditterences in learner-centred if learners have little con- ing their real problems. men's and women's experiences of trol over the program? The Women's Kit is a series of eight literacy and illiteracy. It is also good tosee Owestions of language, power and booklets plus an introduction. each thinking that analyzes the social and class come up again and again. Most lit- booklet is made up of excerpts from political causes of women's oppression eracy learners are working class and materials wriren by women about their and its relationship to women's literacy. most instructors, tutors and programmers lives in Latin America, Africa, and England. Afthough many of the articlesare are middle class. However, most jobs Our aim is to encourage women to theoretical, all are firmly rooted in theex- available to women require a higher engage in discussion and critical thinking perience of women in Canada. Many degree of literacy than those available to about their livesas homemakers, paid women's stories PT 'nld in their own men; and most instructors and many workers; and mothers. words: women. whose men interfere with programmers are women working in an Booklet titles are: Women's Days; their going to school; women whoare area that requires a good education and Childcare; Health; Housework; Finding isolated from other women because of doesn't pay very well, relatively speaking. Paid Work; Working Conditions; Violence povert;P, migration, religion, or socializa- These are scme of the questions in the Home; and Women Wvrking tion; women who go back to school raised initf ese lively articles. The Together. against overwhelming odds; women who answers e not always clear, but the find in a literacy class the knowledgeand discussiods are fascinating. Cost: $40.00 Institutions; $25.00 Individu- the power to regain some control of their One of the triumphs of Women and als: Free to Third World women's and jobs, their families and their lives; and the Literacy is the interplay of ideas and in- popular education groups. particular voices of native women, immi formation among the articles by different Available from: the Women's Program grant women, Mennonite women and writers. Read them in any order; come 394 Euclid Ave., Suite 308 women of every colour. back to them and you will find your Toronto, Ontario We like it because it gives an idea of reading of a second article has taught CANADA M6G 2S9

VOICES RISING JANUARUEBRUARY 1990 37 tita

SIBAMBENE: The Voices of RING DING IN A TIGHT Women at Mboza CORNER: Funding and Manila Grleul, text Organizational Democracy in Ellen Mange% field assistance Sistren 1977-1988 Roselyn Wilson, photographs, design and layout by Honor Ford-Smith Raven Press, P.O. Box 31134, The Jamaican women's popular theatre 0°....1aA OtW a___=:.! Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2017, Illo Vvvf group SISTREN has been internationally South Africa. acclaimed both for its periormances and as a successful example of grassroots "Sibambene is about experiences, and women's organization, But SISTREN (and about pooled resources and learning. It is feminist organizations elsewhere) have a literacy which women at Mboza have not managed to contribute significantly to created that is of themselves. the transformation of gender relations in Sibambene is a book produced with a society. group of women who have had no formal In Ring Ding in a Tight Corner, Honor schooling. They live in a rural community Ford-Smith, former artisitc director of known as Mboza where they have SISTREN. sets out to analyze the recently started to attend literacy classes. limitations of SISTREN's social impact. In Through the text we learn about the hbr account of the group's historical and realities, the uncertainties, and the hopes organizational development, she explores: of three generations of women. the way international agencies' funding The fact that it is those who are policies exacerbated the internal contra- literate who exercise control over texts dictions of the collective structure; the serves to perpetuate the mystique of complex ways the social relations of class, literacy. This book is an explicit attempt to race and political allegiance affected challenge that mystique." domocratic organization and manage- ment; and the external and internal conditions which limited the group's ability to respond to the needs of its members and constituency of Jamaican women.

Available from: The Women's Program, 394 Euclid Ave., Suite 308, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA, M6G 2S9 Canadian Literacy Materials for Women

The Canadian Congress for Learning education throughout Canada. The re- tutors are providing an opportunity for Opportunities for Women (CCLOW) is sponse has been overwhemingly positive, women literacy students to be involved in currently working on a project to develoo with most respondents indicating support this book review process. The resulting an annotated directory of Canadian for the project. Although many do not have directory will be a collection of reviews literacy materials for women. The goal is materials to recommend, most indicate reflective of the various experiences and to identify and collect high quality Cana- that they urgently need women's literacy opinions of women in different parts of dian literacy materials that respond to and materials for their programs. the country. We look forward to receiving reflect the varied aspirations, interests and A volunteer working group of women these reviews and to compiling the direc- learning needs of Canadian women literacy practitioners and women experi- tory early in 1990. liteiacy students. enced with literacy materials is giving lead- A copy of the directoly will be When we first began this project, we ership to the project. This group has set up distributed free of charge to all those who were uncertain what we would find. We criteria to determine which materials will be sent in information to the project and on a were aware, from an earlier CCLOW included in the directory, developed cost-recovery basis to others. For infor- study, that there were very few Canadian guidlines for selecting and assessing adult mation or a copy of the directory. contact: literacy materials for women, but we also literacy materials for women in Canada, knew that some exciting new publishing designed a book review format and set up The Literacy Materials for Women Project efforts had been initiated, including some a book review process that encourages the CCLOW student writing and publishing. We wanted participation of women practitioners and 47 Main Street to explore these and other potential learners. Book reviews are being written Toronto, Ontario sources of relevant materials. As a first locally in at least three different regions of Canada, M4E 3V6 step, we sent out a questionnaire to the country--by individuals, by student/tutor Telephone (416) 699-1909 women's groups, literacy groups and pairs and by small voups. Whenever others involved in women's literacy possible, literacy practitioners and literacy 38 VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 0 k "PO

Funding Development: A Convergence, Special Issue Economic Literacy Case Study From the Adult on Women and Non-Formal Excerpted From Newsletter 42, "Mak- Literacy Organization of Adult Education, Vol.11, No.4, lug Connections: Economics and Zimbabwe 1988 Women's Lives," June 1989 Of The by Shirley Ross International Council for Adult Educa- Tribune. A Women and Development lntermedia/NCCC, New York, N.Y., tion, 96pp. Quarterly. 1987, 65pp. The articles contained in this special issue Our lives are affected by the debt crisis, This insightful and practical case study focus on problems, trends and issues inflation, devaluations, and all of the eco- examines the funding experiences of the related to non-formal education and nomic crises that we hear about. But Adutt Literacy Organization of Zimbabwe training programs for women in several these issues are not the problem. They (ALOZ) from 1978 to 1985.ft was written, countries and regions including Pakistan, are symptoms or results of a larger to respond to the dearth of material Uganda, Canada, West Africa and economic system. available on fundraising, from the per- Europe. The introductory article by Nel ly If we aro going to work to make eco- spective of Third World groups. The study P. Stromquist provides an overview of the nomic systems more responsive to includes art overview of the organizational development of non-formal education for people's needs, maybe we need to and financial histories of ALOZ, reflections women, and the sometimes negative become "economically literate." from the experiences of an ALOZ Pro- impact programs have had on women. Economic Literacy Is... gram Officer as well as general descrip- Stromquist explores the question of what Understanding how the economy works tions and examples of funding develop- kinds of non-formal ei:ucation are needed and its relationship to ow daily lives. ment techniques, placed in the context of by women, namely, tnose which empower Understanding that the economy is not a overall pro ect development, from needs women to understand their situation and neutral thing, nor is it beyond our control. assessmert to implementation and undertake efforts to improve it. Understanding the connection between evaluation. economic power and political power. Cost: Single copies: US$6, Subscriptions: Understanding how changes in the Availabk? from: Intermedia, 475 Riverside $21 yearly for Africa, Asia, Lawn America, economy have different impacts on Drive !Vow York, N.V., 10115, USA $25 yearly elsewhere. women and men. The debt crisis, Available from: ICAE, 720 Bathurst Street, inflation, devaluations and all economic Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, policies need to be explored from a Buang Basadi, Khulumani M5S 2R4. women's perspective. Makhosikazi, Women Speak: Understanding how women's work in the Conference on Women and family and in the household is an integral Wrieng part of the economy and must be given economic value. Congress of South African Writers Taking into consideration the sexual Transvaal Region, 1988, 62pp. division of labour in the family, the house- hold and the workforce. This mnference organized by the You do not need to be an economist Transvaal region of the Congress of So Jth to educate yourself about economics and African Writers in November 1988 offered then organize training and educational women writers and cultural workers a sessions, public meetings and other initia- forum to ret!ect on their role in the context tives to spread understanding of econor..p. of the national struggle for liberation. issues to thousands of women. In Special emphasis was placed on examin- "Making Connections: Economics and ing the position and experiences of Women's Lives," specific training activities women as writers in South Africa, and the that you might want to use are suggested portrayal of women in South African for building economic literacy. literature. The publication includespapers and poems presented at the conference For this issue and a listing of materials along with excerpts of the discussions It write to: provides stimulating and informative International Women's Tribune Centre insights into women's participation in 777 United Nations Plaza, New York. NY literature and in the cultural and political 10017, USA. life of South Africa generally. Most IWTC publications are free to people from the Third World. Available from: English Literacy Project. 314 Dunwell House, 35 Jorissen Street. Braamfontein 2017, Johannesburg, South Africa

Vor1:1'. RZING JANUARY/I:LBRI. ARY t99O 39 Arr. I too tr hr. TRAINING FOR EMPOWERMENT

This kit is very powerful for us. The on introduction to popular education adapt these tools and activities for the sharing of both methodologies and through the eyes of the educ ators from user's situation. contexts Is what makes it so signifi- Mozambique.It contains a User's Guide The final section of contains re- cant.lt is also an Important tool for which emphasizes that it is ilot a training sources. These include written resources building South.South consciousrieqs programme ready-made bu; a set of sug- on both the theory and practice of popular and the vital links we need between gestions, to be adapted cmatively to the education and a description of the popular educators in Africa and Latin America. user's context. There are 3 Background education groups that the educators from Shirley Walters, Centre of Continuing and Papers, one reflecting on South-South Mozambique met in Nicaragua and Brazil. Adult Education, University of the Western exchanges as an approach to staff The kit will also be of real interest to those Cape, South Atrica training, a second containing a message training frontline workers in the field of co- irom Latin American popular educators to operative, community and labour educa- The South-South exchange that took their African counterpars, and the third tion. four Mozambican literacy workers to giving a brief overview of education in spend four months learning with popular Mozambique. The kit is being published by the National educators in Nicaragua and Brazil had an Tne heart of the kit is made up of Directorate of Adult Education in Mozam- important impact on literacy work in worksheets describing 9 Activities and bique and the International Council for Mozambique. The four went back to work Tools encountered in literacy work in Adult Education.It is available in English, in a pilot centre for training literacy Latin America. The n ne worksheets each Pcvtuguese and French workers where their new ins;ghts and include a vignette of the Nicaraguan or energies injected vitality and creativity to Brazilian group met using the activity, Available from: International Council for literacy staff training. locating the activity fi.mly in its own Adult Education Another outcome of the trip is a kit of context. There is some indication of the 720 Bathurst St., Ste. 500, Toronto, materials for training trainers called "Train- theoretical significance of the activity and Canada M5S 2R4 ing for Empowerment."lt offers a hands- de:ailed descriptions of how to use and $15

LITERACY FROM THE INSIDE OUT

-.4111-_AA -0( IMP NMI .11111 rv, wis

By Rachel Martin $5.00 US (including postage) Available from: Rachel Martin A record of one teacher's progress toward 302 Arlington Street making her classroom practice align with Watertown, MA 02172 her goals. Thoughts on what's working, U.S.A. what isn't, and the cuestions that remain, which together provide a curriculum development tool for other literacy workers immersed in the same process.

40 VOICES RISING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990 Yes! I would like to subscribe to Voices Rising!

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Volume 4. Number 2 Editorial Violence Against Women Women Battered Women: Breakmg the(:cle 43 A Bulletin About and Popular Education The Women's Program Self-I kip Groups: Working Toward an End to October/November 1990 Activating the Network 9 Domestic Violence 'Argentina, 44 Gender and Popular Education: Toronto Program Office knowing Our Rights. IN:lending our Lynda Yanz ICO.ordinatorhRuth Lara, A Research Project 12 46 Integrity , Nicaragua Lini Maniconi. 1,ita McCoy, Women. Literacy and Education in illannonbrooke Murphy Africa: An International Exchange lb Solidarity VR Editorial Committee Norma Virginia Gwroia de lierrera: ICAE Fourth World Assembly Heather Chetwvnd, Lita McCoy, Her example lives on. 49 Shannonbrooke Murphy, LyndaYanz A Critical Moment for Solidarity Alerts 1:odate 50 Women Educators Design and Production The Asian WomenS I lurnan Strategies for Popular Education under BY tuuon labour at Rights Commission 51 Blackbird Design Collectpx Conditions of Repression 25 Farida Zarnan International Delegates Call Front emer illustration bv for Solidarity with Thai Women . The Funding Crisis Translation The International Sex Trade: AFew Anne Minguet-Patocka tFrench) After the Decade: Trends in Funding Facts about Trafficking in Women 53 Anibal Viton Spanish) to Women's Organizations 29 Oka is All of Us 66 Playing the Funding Game: Additional Help on thlsIssue Lessons from CAFRA 32 laneCurt Ruth Lara. Linz Manicom, Building the Network 54 Ana Maria Santinoli Exploring the Alternatives to State Funding ui Canada 33 61 Questioning Official Development Resources Assistance in the Philippines 36

literacy: The Critique from Below 38

Program, and aims to: Voices Rising is the central networkingtool of the !CAE Women's Provide a forum for debateand discussion of key is- promote the sharing of experiences. and foster the develop- sues for women educators, shareinformation on useful resources, popular education which makesconnections between broad ment of a feminist practice in face in their daily lrves. social struggles and the personal issuesand oppression women different regions of the world who The ICAE Women's Program links educatorsand organizers in and empowermentof women. are working to develop education asa tool for social change to this issue of VoicesRisings. Canaraan Catholic The following agencies provided support NORAD. NOVIB, and SIDA. Organization for Development and Peace(CCODP). CIDA. Finnida, St., 5th floor, Toronto. The ICAE Women's Program c/oICAE Secretariat. 720 Bathurst Ontano. Canada M5S 2R4, Tel: (416)588-1211. Fax: (416) 588-5725 collective, write To correspond with the past Women'sProgram and Voices Rising c/o Lynda Yanz. 606 Shaw St.,Toronto Ontario, Canada M6G3L6 French. Voices Rising is published twice yearly inEnglish. Spanish and

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11 EDIT OR I At

We'd like to be able to that women activists and women's move- tell you how the Pro- ments are at a crossroads. We've grown in gram will be continu- numbers and vitality through the last years ing and where it will (so many years, including an entire UN MuJer a Mujer be located. But the "Decade for Women"). Women's organi For the last year she's been the mainstay future is still unclear. There is a short zations are stronger and our demands are of the office and network. Knowing that term plan to maintain aspects of the Pro- more often acknowledged, but we are see- her Women's Progsm work is finishing, gram until a new base can be found. As ing that this public legitimacy can also be she's already story I doing more work in part of that, the next issue of Voices Ris- withdrawn. Now the context of our work community radio; she's one of the hosts ing will be produced by the Women's is shifting. Some funding agencies are of a current affairs program and is work- Network of the Latin American Council "tired of women" and other social ing with a planning group to develop a for Adult Education (CEAAL) in Quito, concerns are taking centre stage. Yet we new feminist program whichwill high- Ecuador. know that women's lives remain substan- light women's movements internationally. tially unaltered. We need to creatively She also works day and night with a local At the Crossroads rethink our strategies so that we can con- group that supports political prisoners The last few months since the ICAE deci- tinue to be effective in our work and in and indigenous struggles in Canada. sion have been difficult ones for the Pro- our struggles. We have come far, but there Linzi Manicom has been working gram staff; from one day to the next we is still far to go, and the road is uncertain. with the Women's Program for five years. were unclear about programmatic priori- Which way forward? Although her time with the Program has ties which would be continued, which Our Next Steps always been limited, because she is also a dropped, which put "on hold". At the full-time student, she's been a central same time we had two new time-consum- It's strange how international networks member of the Program team. Linzi is ing responsibilities which we hadn't antic- take form; strong relations develop among South African and has many years of ipated. We had to prepare for a transition friendVsisters/comrades who never have experience working in south-eastern (without knowing the destination or con- the chance to work together on a project Africa. She's been the staff person work- tent of the transition), and we had to close or organize a demonstration - andwho ing with Shirley Walters on the research down an office that has been functioning sometimes never even meet. And yet the project and, with luck, will continue to be for ten years. In the midst of the confu- shared orientation towards our work for involved through the project's next phase. sion and frustration, we were clear that and with women allows a strong sense of Liza McCoy has worked with the Pro- we wanted to get on with producing a sec- solidarity and connection to develop. gram and various women's projectsoff ond 1990 issue of Voices Rising before Before vying goodbye we also wanted to and on for a number of years, primarily finishing. We felt a responsibility to share something about us, the women as editor, first of the old Women'sPro- women in the network and, quite simply, you've written to and heard from through gram Newsletter and now with Voices we needed to intersperse the "closing' the pages of Voices Rising. Rising. Like Linzi, she is looking forward with something creative. Ruth Lara, originally from Peru, has to spending the next months concentrat- This issue of Voices Rising is a large worked with us for the past two years as ing on her thesis at the Ontario Institute one, and - we believe - one of our the Latin American network correspon- for Studies in Education. strongest yet. The articles raise a number dent. Recently Ale has been working with Some of you may be surprised to of critical questions for women. You may a small group of other Latin American know that them have also been two men remember that in the last Voices Rising women to set up Na Juana's Place, a ser- working closely with the Women's Pro- we promised that this issue would focus vice, support and networking centre for gram. Anibal Viton hasdone most of our on international aid and funding to Latin American women in Toronto. Ruth Spanish translation over the last five women's groups. When we discovered, is also run off her feet with the different years. He'll continue translating withdif- however, that this would be our last issue projects of the Latin American Women's ferent community groups in Toronto as and that Voices Rising's continuity and Collective, the current priority of which is well as doing some writing of his own. future were unclear, we decided to pro- preparing for the Fifth Feminist Encuen- David Smith was our computer and duce a large "farewell" issue that would tro in Argentina (November 1990). financial wizard for close to six years as touch on several key areas. Shannonbrooke Murphy started with we made the transition from typewriters Despite the apparent diversity of the Women's Program on a temporary to word-processors. He is now a coordi- issues and topics, a strong theme runs placement as a student helping us to sort nator at the Canadian Peace Alliance. throughout. It seems that many of us feel through a backlog of publication orders. Lynda Yanz (as always) is consumed

4 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990

2;P`44 EDITORIAL

wi.th d.etails, finishing off the tail ends of our collective history. She's beginning to focus on more local and Canadian-based WHAT IS ff ALL FOR? women's projects, and will be working At the first Women's Program intemational seminar in Montreal in more closely with the National Action 1987, Lean Heng (Malaysia) gave words to much of the potential Committee on the Status of Women. At that we've tried to support in our years as staff with the Program. the same time she also 'wants to continue to find ways of encouraging international solidarity and action. One upcomingpro- "I hope to find friends, to find consolation, from meeting them, to ject is a gender and popular education assess my work, and to relate w!th the people here who are also training program that will link women in engaged in this kind of work. The stories I hear frnm others are Mexico, US and Canada. With luck, that very significant because they are like mirrors te my own situation. project will link with the Women's Pro- gram Research Project which is now They will become a basis for me to reflect and learn how people focussed on training...the circle contin- approach the work. For me the greatest strength of a seminar like ues. this is the feeling of not being isolated, the feeling that you are All of us without question- remain with people who are doing the same workwho are trying to be committed to popular education as an strongwho are trying to survivewho are still trying to fight important component of political organiz- ing, to developing feminist critique and back. And I really want to bring back your spirit not just for myself methods in popular education and to the but for the people I work with back home." strength of solidarity and sharing across national boundaries. We will take what Let's all continue to share, as Lean says, the "spirit"not simply we've learned through our work with the for ourselves but for the people, and struggles, in our home towns. Women's Programskiils, experience and visionto the projects and commitments we undertake. Goodbye Thank you to all of you whom we so casu- ally refer to as "the network" (in reports, editorials, and funding proposals). Thank you for your contributions, suggestions, critidsms and the insights that you've shared with us and which we'll carry with us as we continue along the road... strug- gling, fighting, laughing, learning, and loving... astogether we "make the road by walking". 1; For the time being, correspon- dence to the Women's Program The Voices Rising Collective .0e fgaYiZe and Voices Rising should be sent *Sae. Lynda, Shannonbrooke, Liza, directly to the ICAE Secretariat 0 Ruth, and Linzi .1 in Toronto. A, A

ISAD ICAE 720 Bathurst Street, Suite 500

A Toronto, Ontario M5S 2IW 4... WY' .Joe' CANADA

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 5 20 5 vEDITORIAL

The Program Advisory Committee of the 1CAE decided at their meeting last April to look for a new Women's Program Coordinator and to move the Program to a base in the Third World within the year. As they explained the Changing decision, the committee felt that it was "time" to have coordination of the Women's Program in the Third World, Coordination that this kind of change is consistent with current thrusts within the ICAE, Base of the that it would strengthen whatever group took on the coordination, and that loca- Women's tion in the South would make the Women's Program more attractive to funders, who are increasingly reluctant Progra rn to fund international networks, c3pecial- ly those based in the North. We were stunned at the news of this decision, since we had not been informed that such a major policy and organizational change was under consid- IgrS eration. We do not in principle oppose moving the coordination base of the Women's Program, but we are highly WI critical of the process and timing by which this particular decision was made: it has undermined the strength and effectiveness of the Program in both the short and the long term. The decision was made without con- sultation with the staff, leadership or constituency of the Women's Program. The Women's Program has an Advisory Committee and was in the process of formalizing the working of that hody in terms of accountability to the base and input/decision making regarding program policy and project development. An immediate concern

6 VOICES RISING e OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 4 EDITORIAL

was whether the ICAE had the right or gram attempts to serve. w( have always been dependent on pre- authority to make major, far-reaching We do not share the ICAE's optimism senting new project proposals to hinders decisions On behalf of the Wornen's Pro- that moving the base to the South will be and so were never secure for more than a gram without consulting the Program's overwhelmingly advantageous to the Pro- few months at a time.) Although our deci- own Advisory Committee or staff. We gram at this time, and we are especially sion as a staff was to continue working as had been operating with the assumption doubtful about it being done in such a long as was financially feasible, the way that any major decisions regarding the rush. Any transfer of a program needs to the situation was handled by the ICAE Program would involve various levels of be carefully planned and funded to avoid had a demoralizing impact that the network, in consultation and close col- a drastic reduction in service capacity undermined our commitment to thc Pro- laboration with the appropriate structures TheOrganizational Reviewrecommends gram and at moments madeNovember 1 of the ICAE. that if such a move appears to be general- see rn years away. The Program had in fact begun look- ly adiantageous after extensive research, There is no question that we continue ing at the possibility of a change of Pro- then the planning and transition process to be anxious about the future of the gram location and a formal discussion was should take three to five years, to ensure Women's Prograrn. We are concerned planned for a Women's Program Advisory that the Program is strengthened rather most about the disruption of service that Committee meeting scheduled for March than weakened by the move. will probably become even more severe 1991. This question was seen as an inte- Which brings us to a second aspect of when our office closes. Project work that gral piece of the process of attempting to our response: frustration with the lack of has already been decentralized, such as ensure an international vision as well as planning behind the ICAE decision and the Research Project, will go on. although more accountability to a quite complex consequent anxiety about the disruption in a reduced form for the time being. The "base constituency" (i.e., those of you who this sudden transition will create for the biggest disruptions will probably be expe- participate in the neb.york in different Women's Program. Already, as a result of rienced by the broader network of grass- ways). Other central aspects of the process our energies being diverted to handle this roots educators:Voices Risingreaders, involved the development of the Advisory new situation in the short term, we have those of you who write in, those who Committee and the move to decentralize had to put projects on hold and cut down expressed an interest in getting more coordination of key projects (such as the day-to-day support activities, such as net- involved in different activities. Asia Training and International Research work comispondence. We have been In the long term we are worried about Projects). unable to fundraise for future projects the future of the Program in a situation Our perspective, based in part on the since we do not know where the program where issues of autonomy (vis-à-vis the recommendations ofthe Women's Pro- will be located and which or what kinds of ICAE) and accountability (both to the gram Organizational Review, was that the projects the new base will be able to man- ICAE and the constituency have not advantagesand disadvantages of such a age in the short term. been worked through. There has been a move need to be explored in depth and These limitations on effective good deal of criticism of the process, and with reference to other changes in the fundraisng have made it impossible for us particularly of the way a small ICAE com- Program so that any decision would be to keep fie Toronto office open. After mittee seemed to feel it could make such informed by a forward-looking vision of much th Dught and budgetary anal;.sis we what would be required of the new office have decided to close the office in and staff: This exploration would neces- November, which is when we will run out sarily include discussion and input from of money. (The Women's Prograrri's lack the network constituency which the Pro- of operational or core funding meant that

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CEAAL

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 7 BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 0 7 EPITORIA.L. a far-reaching decision without any con- decision and it is incumbent upon the sultation with those who would be affect- ICAE to take clear steps to rectify this. JOAN CONWAY ed by its actions. The ICAE now recog- The Next Months nizes to some extent that a mistake was As we went to press, we learned made, not least because they are seeing An ad hoc 'committee, drawn from the with shock and deep sadness of the effects of the lack of planning and ICAE committee that made the decision the sudden death, through serious consultation. and supplemented with members from illness, of Joan Conway, the We are concerned that this same situ- the Women's Program Advisory Commit- Toronto-based popular educator ation could arise again. There are still no tee, met in September to determine the and organizational consultant. formal guidelines about the relationship future location of the Women's Program. Joan's skill and sensitivity as a of the Women's Program to the ICAE; we Unfortunately, there had by that time facilitator, her warmth and sin. have learned by painful experience that been no bids on the program frk...n groups csrlty as a colleague and sister, good faith is not enough. It is essential wanting to take on coordination. So were widely respected and that terms of reference be clarified if the instead of selecting a new coordinator and appreciated in the adult educa- Women's Program is to continue to be a office base, the committee had to figure tion and feminist communities in strong program, responding to a varied out how to keep the program operating Canada and abroad. Joan worked, through CUSO, network which extends beyond ICAE until a coordinator could be found. This in a number of countries. She national member and regional associa- committee has established a plan to solicit had recently been involved in a tions as its base. To what extent does the proposals for coordination, is developing Program have autonomy to act and plan? women's training and participa- criteria for evaluating the proposals an 3 tory evaluation project in Zam- And within that, what role does the making a selection, and will be overseeing Women's Program Advisory Committee bia where she spent several the transition. It is this committee that will weeks in August and September. play? How does the Program ensure that be responsible for the Women's Program those groups who are active in the net- The week before she died, Joan after November 1 and until coordination was at the Centre for Adult and work and who aren't part of regionalor is transferred to the new base. You will Continuing Education in Cape member associations also have a voice probably be hearing from them soon, if Town, South Africa, mnning an within the Advisory Committee? What you haven't already; you can write to them exciting and successful gender are the mechanisms for accountability to at the ICAE Secretariat office in Toronto. and popular education workshop the ICAE? And to what body or bodies is There is hard work ahead for the tran- for community activists, part of the Program accountableto the ICAE sition committee and for the new coordi- the international research pro- Executive9 to the ICAE Secretariat9 to nation team. All of us who are part of the ject being convened by Shirley the ICAE Program Advisory Committee? network, and committed to strengthening Walters in association with the The questions of autonomy and links between women popular educators Women's Program. Joan had par- accountability have-24,...icular history for internationally, need to maintain pressure ticipator'. in the research semi- the Women's Program in its relation to on the ICAE to work with Women's Pro- nar organized by the Women's the ICAE and yet these are clearly two gram representatives in establishing clear Program in Toronto last Novem- fundamental issues for women'smove- structures of autonomy and accountability. ber. ments and groups everywhere as we The many letters sent to the ICAE While tho legacy of Joan's struggle to effect change. Certainly those protesting the decision process have been work is a rich and valuable one, of us who are leaving the Program hadno effective in showing the ICAE that the her ongoing contribution to the pat answers. What's important is develop- Women's Program has a strong development of gender.sensitive ing trust and more clarity on constituency that does not want to be popular education and organize- what the limits and potential left out of decisions that affect tion-building, both in Canada and internationally, will be much of the relation are. The Pro- them. All of our input is vital to the missed. As will she. The women gram's autonomy and future strength of the Program. accountability to its with whom Joan worked so base have been severe- recently and intensely in Cape ly undermined by the Town greeted the sad news of her death in a way that can inspire us all: "She gave us so much. The best way we can ackmwledge her is to carry the work forward".

Major a Mum

IIVOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 THE WOMEN'S PROGRAM

ACTIVATING THE NETWORK How. Dp

in the Women's Program International Network?

How do you become came from Latin America, Asia, Africa "active" in an internation- and North America and the weakest from al network? How do you Europe, the Caribbean, the South Pacific add your voice to the and the Arab World. direction of an interna- The questionnaire dealt with several tional program, particularly when the Pro- practical suggestions for strengthening gram office is half-way around the world the network in areas in which it is weak, and you are a small, grassroots group and for operating more efficiently and whose time, staff and budgetarycon- democratically. The feedback we received straints hinder participation in interna- helped us to elaborate priorities for the tional meetings? 1990-1991 Year Plan. Unfort.inately. the What kind of women and organiza- 1CAE's April decision to relocate the Pro- tions actually benefit from an internation- gram within the year has meant that many al network such as the Women's Program'? new plans have had to be put on hold How can we broaden and deepen interna- until it is clear where the Program will be aonal exchange, encouraging both inter- located, and which activities will be feasi- and intra-regional sharing of experience ble priorities for the new team. and analysis? How can the Women's Pro- Although the unclarity of the gram improve its efforts at acting as a cata- Stgrld Blom Program's future makes it difficult to lyst for international discussion aboutcom- "become active" and "join" the network. report on plans with precision, we are mon issues and coordination of strategy? Although we tried to keep in touch and confident that the new Program team will These were some of the tough ques- respond to requests from individuals and make every effort to respond to the con- tions the Women's Program Toronto staff groups, we didn't have clear mechanisms cerns and interests of the network. Thus asked ourselves last year aswe discussed for groups to be involved, nor had we for- we felt it would be helpful to share some how to ensure a more active involvement mally consulted with the entire network to assessment from the consultation. of our contacts in the day-to-day work of see in what capacity people were willing the network and in setting the Program's and able to involve themselves. Decentralizing the agenda. Obviously, we could not come up So, in mid-1989 we sent out a ques- Network with answers in isolation, so we decided to tionnaire to discovc: how groups find the We asked women whether it would be use- consult the network. We had some pre- Women's Program useful and in what ways ful for them to have access to other con- liminary ideas for initiatives which could they might like to bc Triore involved. Many tacts within their region or sector of work, strengthen our effectiveness as wellas women responded, offering constructive, and whether they would be willing to play provide clearer mechanisms forgroup practical ideas and suggestions. Responses a more active role in building the Pro- involvement. came in from all regions, approximately gram, and more specifically, in extending At that time we were regularly receiv- proportionate to the strength of our con- the network in their areas. Most said yes. ing requests from new contacts wanting to nections in each: ie, the highest response 209 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 9 THE WOMEN'S PROGRAM

involvement are never easy, and are fur- , ther complicated at the international level, especially where there is no clear base. However, over the last three years the Program has been working to set up a functioning Advisory Committee of representatives from each of the regions where we have active con- tacts, in order to ensure a more collective and international leadership. The hope is that once this structure becomes formal- ized, representation from the regions on the Advisory Committee would provide an important level of accountability for your views and concerns. Database Respondents unariimously expressed the need for access to a database of other individuals and groups to further facilitate The process of decentralizing the net- regional and sectoral networking. As a working so that many more groups feel an result, the development of a database pro- active involvement and ownership is cru- ject held a prominent role in our original cial lithe Program is to be more than a work plan for 1990-91. One of our recom- service centre. For example, the Program mendations to the new staff will be that office can make copies of regional mailing they too prioritize building the database. lists available so that you can be directly in We will be forwarding all data in our pos- contact with others involved in popular session and ell reference files. education with women's groups. And you can help build the network by contacting International and/or suggesting groups with whom we Exchanges should be in touch. You who are operating We asked about the relevance of interna- in the regions can help keep the Women's Program contact list up-to-date as new tional exchanges (conferences, seminars, organizations or projects emerge. We also exchange visits) and for ideas on which encourage you to keep the Program foruins would be informed of any new developments in the most useful. Women work you am doing. Use Voices Rising to seemed to be in inform others, and solicit suggestions and agreement that resources. international ex- change was impor- We hope that you will take the initia- tive to be in direct contact with the other tant, but were less individuals and groups listed in this issue, clear on the most effective means. This is not surprising as well as using the Women's Program office as a reference point for communi- since while face-to-face encounters are cating questions and developments in often powerful learning experiences, they your work with the broader network. can also be frustrating when they don't measure up to our high expectations. Cer- Asnetwork contacts take on a more active role in the ongoing work of the Pro- tainly we've learnt a lot from our efforts gram, it becomes incumbent on the Pro- and mistakes. We hope Voices Rising will gram to ensure that those involved have continue as a forum for critical reflection clear mechanisms for ensuring input into about both the possibilities and the limita- the priorities and direction of the tions of international exchanges and semi- Program. Accountability and constituency nars. If you have experience with or con- crete ideas about international 10 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 2L. THE WOMEN'S PROGF4AM exchangeswhat works wOl and whatare the pitfalls please write and share them with the new Program office. The ongoing International Research Project on Gender and Popular Educa- tion represents a "long-distance" form of international exchange. The concrete results of this project will be available in printed form to evetyone in the network 0" through Voices Rising. Formore informa- tion, see page 8, and please be in touch with project coordinators if you'd like to be more actively involved. Sharing Resources Over the years the Women's Program has collected many publications and periodi- cals produced by groups in the network, and has annotated some of these in the \?' Resources section of past issues of Voices Rising. Sigrid Blohm The Research Project also hasas one of its components the publication ofan If your organization has been sendingus publications annotated bibliography on gender and on an exchange basis, please delete our office from popular education. Please watch for fur- ther information in upcoming issues of your mailing list, or replace it with the Women's Voices Rising. Program temporary contact address, do the ICAE Voices Rising Secretariat, 720 Bathurst St., Suite 500, Toronto, In keeping with the interests of accessibil- Ontario, M5S 2R4 CANADA. ity to busy activist women and groups,we have expanded the Networking section, which consists largely of informal letters, reports, requests and dialogues: items that require less time to produce. We will editorial group suggestions regarding We hope that this sur- encourage the new editorial group to con- accessibility of language and presentation, vey was only the tinue to develop this section. future subjects for discussion in Voices beginning of a con- Many groups have indicated their will- Rising, issues for more in-depth debate tinuing dialogue ingness to be distribution contacts for and regions you'd like tosee covered in about the Women's Voices Rising. The distribution of Voices more detail. Program international networking. Above Rising is a logical first step in regional and all, the Program must act in your interests local networking for the Wornen's Solidarity Alerts and respond to your needs as you your- Program, while at the same time provid- Favourable response to the solidarity selves identify them. It is crucial that the ing an important resource to women edu- alerts was so overwhelming that we have Program staff continue to receive regular cators you may come into contact with or devoted an entire section of this issue of feedback, both congratulatory and critical, know. Distribution within the regions Voices Rising to solidarity updates and so it can assess strengths and weaknesses could be vety much more effective with calls to action. Don't hesitate to contact and identify a plan of action through dia- the cooperation of various centres the Women's Program for solidaritysup- logue and understanding based on needs throughout the regions, who could dis- port. For further updates about the expressed directly from the base. It is tribute Voicas Rising at conferences,mass Women's Program solidarity initiatives, through this kind of communication that meetings, etc. I f you are willing and able see the Solidarity section in this issue. women on staff at the Program office can to distribute Voices Rising to your both show responsible, accountable lead- network, please contact the new Program ership and help facilitate your more active office. involvement in the Program. Please also continue to send the new VOICES RISING 211 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1.990 11 THE WOMEN'S PROGRAM

UPDATE sensitivity in relation to its training pro- cess with women pavementdwellers. But progress has been uneven and at ms411. times disappointing. We have not yet managed to secure funding for the inter- national component, so some of the cen- tralized research support has had to be put on hold. In addition, the funding crisis MMAIN experienced by the Women's Program at the end of last year meant a cut-back in staff time. As anticipated, members of the & P WMI International Working Group have many other claims on their time and energies 1111 win41111. and the work of the Research Project has had to compete with these. Thus we have not kept as actively in touch with each EIMPIEWEI other nor as on schedule as we had hoped we would. Shirley Walters, the project convenor and director of CACE, spent several days A Research Project of meetings in Toronto in June, working with Linzi and Lynda of the Women's Program to evaluate the Project and decide how to proceed in this next phase, The last issue of Voices Rising of the international a nd collaborative particularly in light of the pending shift of included a flyer about the nature of the Projec t in providing for a the coordination of the Women's Program International Perspectives valuable exchange of experiences and (see Editorial). on Gender and Popular resources. And the comparative aspect We decided that to simplify coordina- Education Research Pro- brings a potential for sharpening our tion of the Research Project, it should be ject. As you may recall, this project is understanding of the similarities and dif- centred at CACE. All correspondence in being coordinated by the Centre for Adult ferences in approaches and connection with the Project and Continuing Education (CACE) at the how these relate to the "The Research should be addressed to University of the Western Cape in South broader social and political Project can help CACE. Where communica- Africa and the Women's Program. contexts in which we work. tion with South Africa is dif- Response from the network has been In South Africa, and feminist popular ficult you can write to Linzi enthusiastic. Women in many parts of the particularly within CACE, educators look do ICAE in Toronto. world have written expressing interest, the project has moved For a collaborative pro- asking to be kept informed and telling us ahead with great enthusi- more analyticallyject that does not have about their own research experience. asm! The relevance of at how we take upbountiful funding and which We've had letters from community-based questions of gender and relies on the "spare" time, and women's organizations which see the popular education to the questions of interest and commitment of project as an opportunity for reflecting development of the popu- gender in our participants, we realized that more analytically on the training they lar democratic movement educational our initial research goals have been doing with grassroots women. in the liberation struggle in were too ambitious and dif- We've had replies from graduate students South Africa is an impor- practice." fuse. We decided to focus doing participatory research with women's tant factor here. But so too our attention and energies organizations in various regions who are is the strong commitment of CACE to on just one research theme - the develop- keen to discuss their work. in ,rnational collaborative research ment of tools or training for gender analy- The feedback confirms our assessment arc and these issues. sis or gender-sensitivity in popular educa- that the Research Project. can respond to In Bombay, India, the shelter organi- tion. By focussing on "training", we hope the need feminist popular educators have zation SPARC has been thinking through to stimulate the documentation of gender- to look more analytically at how we take ways of incorporating thc aims of the pro- aware popular education practice in dif- up questions of gender in our educational ject into its work plan. SPARC is under- femnt places both for the purposes of analy- practice. We can already see the strength taking to explore the concept of gender- sis and as useful resoumes for educators.

12 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 2 THE WO EN'S PROGRAM,

It seems that for the actual research only be won through ongoing and analysis to get done, writtenup, trans- political organization and lated and distributed, it is best integrated THE RELEVANCE mobilization. into the work programs of popular educa- Last year within the tion groups or the research programs of organizations of the mass individuals. In this way it is less ofan extra OF NE RESEARCH democratic movement, we had task added on to one's load, and morean begun the process of develop- essential part of the work that is already ing and refining our views on underway. Of course, not all of us are in a the position of women within a position to organize our work around the PROJECTfor new democratic order and objectives of the Research Project, even within a new South African when interest is high. But we all have constitution. We were particu- ideas, questions and observations about &KmAfrican larly concerned to address the how gender (and other forms of) subordi- triple oppression of black, nation can be tackled arid how women can working-class women. At that be empowered through a popular eminists time we thought that we still education pmcess. We encourage you to had several years to work on share these ideas and experiences withus. Activists these issues. Suddenly, the pos- Write about your work, raise issues that sibilities for change have you've encountered, give information opened up. We need answers about materials you have worked withor Shirley Walters, to our questions as matters of know, list (and comment on) books or arti- Research Project Convenor, Centre for Adult urgency. It is within this con- cles about gender and popular education and Continuing Education (CACE) text that the gender and popu- from your region. lar eduaition research project The South African context has become even more important for us Write to: has changed dramatically in South Africa. We recognize that to Shirky Walters since February 2, 1990, bring about any change in the patriarchal CACE, University of the Western Cape when the South African relations within our country, there will hivate Bag X17 State President announced need to be changes on the economic, Beliville, 7535 the unbanning of the organizations that political, legal and cultural levels. Political SOUTH AFRICA have made up the national libera- mobilization which integrates tion movement. He also 'The race-, class- and gender-sensi- or announced his government's inten- research tive popular education practices LAnzi Manicom tion to enter into negotiations with is a crucial wmponent in work- do ICAE all parties to create a new constitu-project helpsing towards this change. 720 Bathurst St., Suite 500 tion for the country. Suddenly, us address Many people in several Toronto, Ontario organizations and people are legal, someof thecountries around the world CANADA,M5S 2R4. that previously we could have have been in situations which been jailed as "terrorists" for pro- Urgent may be comparable to moting. Nelson Mandela and political elements of the South African experience. We believe that we other leaders of the African education National Congress are seen on our should learn as much as we can television and are actively partici- questions offrom these experiences. This is pating in the politics of the coun- ourtime." why the international compo- try. It is still difficult for us to nent of the research project is believe- for many of us, through- so important for us. Some out our entire adult lives, the government examples of the questions we are media has vilified and persecuted our addressing at present will illustrate what organizations and leaders. As you can we mean: How have Departments of imagine, the situation is extremely com- Women's Affairs or Women's Bureaux plex and politically very fluid as various served the interests of women in various forces manoeuvre for power and countries? What roles do or should influence. We realize that the white ruling women's organizations play in a demo- bloc will not give over power; powercan cratic state?Howimportant is it for

213 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 13 THE WOMEN'S PROGRAM

"How can we as A women buikl our skills and confidenceft so that we can ensure that gender

oppression is taken 41 A seriously by a new A democratic South .4.10,411°S t; African government?" '4 k <., -

organizations to retain autonomy from the state? or the ruling party? Another set of questions which we are asking relates more specifically to popular educational strategies. What are the most effective ways of raising consciousness about gender oppression in mixed orgam- zations of men and women? What tech- niques have been developed which will aid this process? How can we as women build our skills and our confidence so that we can ensure that gender oppression is taken seriously by a new democratic is strong interest among women in lead- South African government? These are people, organizations and resources to share with one another. ership positions in many different or- some of the many questions which we The resources that are being collected ganizations. We will be trying to build on believe the research project can helpus consist of books, articles, magaimes and international experiences and adapt them answer through collectivizing our knowl- to the South African experience. The plan edge, experiences and resources. information on organizations in other countries. They are being stored and dis- is to have two workshops with the same Program of Action tributed as part of the CACE Resource group with a four to six month interval. Relating to Gender and Centre service. We will be distributing At CACE we are taking the research Popular Education Voices Rising and other Women's Program project very seriously, as it helps us publications. We are keen to hear of any address some of the urgent political edu- The project is coordinated by the Centre for relevant materials and activities that could cation questions of our time. We trust Adult and Continuing Education (CACE). assist and inspire activists locally that through the Women's Program Net- At present we have two short goals: 2. We are developing gender-sensitive work we will be able to share whatever 1. We are building a network of organiza- popular education practices through run- we learn through our work on the ground tions and individuals around the country ning a series of popular educational work- and that we can continue to learn from who are concerned with issues of gender shops for educators within community others in different contexts. We see the and popular education. We have sent out and workers' organizations. The first research project as another oppoe-nity over 200 letters and have had enthusiastic workshop was held for 30 activists in for us to help build the national, regional responses from a wide range of rural and February. A second, which aims to devel- and global movement of women through urban organizations who see the potential op a tra;ning manual on tools for gender collectively developing a methcdology for of the project to push us all forwardas we analysis, is being planned for early Octo- political action. grapple with similar issues. As part of the ber. About 25 South African women from process we are building up a contact list of around the country will participate. There 2 1 14 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 BEST COPY AVAILABLE THE WOMEN'S PROGRAM DevelopingaBalance Between Introspection and Action Organizing Urban Poor Women in India

Sheela Patel is the Director of SPARC (the Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres) in Bombay. SPARC works with networks ofurban poorin India and Asia using participatory research methodology to mobilizecom- munitiesparticularly womenaround issues of shelter Sheela took the proposal for the International Research Project on Gender and Popular Education to SPARC for it to comider whether and how it might participate in the project. She wrote to us in January.

The title, the words and the "jargon" affected everyone negativelysince they read the notes before our discussion. However, once the whole process was elaborated, the response was gradually warmer and increasingly enthusiastic. The Anzetik concept of gender-sensitivity was very repertoire of an organization whose SPARC exciting and stimulated a lot of discussion. "engine" runs on action. Society for Promotion of Area Resource For the last two years, there has been Therefore the challenge lies in creat- Centres an increasing urgenci for SPARC to back ing and locating space within SPARC's 52, Miami, Bhulabhai Desai Road up its community mobilization process scope of work which makes this yet anoth- Bombay 400-26 with research- analyzing its working pro- er strength rather than burden. Creating INDIA cess and methods as well as developing the workable linkage seems to be the true ways to judge/assess national and interna- challenge. To do this we all felt that we tional policies for development vis-à-vis should start off by locating in this research the poor. a starting point which will be of value to We are now at a painful and awkward the organization- and from there to move stage - struggling to develop a balance to more abstract and complex areas. between research and introspection and Like all activist organizations, we "do" action and organizing. We also find our- faster than we "write". Since the audience "We are now at a selves now in a position to lobby for policy who will "read" is not our primary audi- changes. ence, the chances are that we will never painful and awkward This makes it urgent to have "in house" prepare a comprehensive document stage struggling to expertise to assess the implications of poli- unless we make a commitment to do so. develop a balance cy demands we are making in general and So we all saw this research process as our between research and with regards to women specifically. opportunity to document what we do and However, while conceptually this kind then analyze the contents, exchange ideas introspection and action of additional task is acceptable, in actual and processes while learning how macro and organizing." terms it is very hand to "add on" to the policies link up and in turn affect what we do and undertake.

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 15 BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2f 5 THE WOMEN S PROGf4IVI

LTERAdY IN FEBRUARY 1990 TEN WOMEN literacy and health workers attended a three week exchange in Mali and Tanzania organized by the Women's Program and w.EDUCATION the Women's Network of AALAE (African Association for Literacy and Adult Educa- tion). The aim was to strengthen and pro- mote non-formal education as a tool for social change and the empowerment of IN AFRICAa. women. The idea of an exchange came from individuals and groups in the network of international exchange the Women's Program. In a number of forums over the last few years women in FEBRUARY 3-18, 1990 the network called for "deeper" learning experiences, ones which would allow them to observe and share their experiences BY JANE GURR with women doing similar work in differ- ent parts of the world. Literacy and health were chosen as themes in order to focus Sheba Lakdawala the content of the exchange. Mali and records a group Tanzania were chosen as sites for the discussion, exchange with the aim to strengthen the international network of women educators and especially the participation of African and French-speaking women. The participants were selected from the Women's Program Network and are working with literacy and health education programs with women, in a variety of capacities (see list on page 19). Each woman brought with her a wealth of experience working for women's empow- erment along with commitments to numerous organizations and networks involved in women's development. We were hosted by the DNAFLA (Departe- ment national d'alphabetisation fonctionelle linguistique appliqué) in Mali and by the Tanzania Media Women's Association (TAM WA). During the 16 days spent together we met with women le VOICES RISING * OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 2n; THE WOMEN'S PROGRAM educators, organizers and learners in two "This experience has and strong advocacy role for ihe rights of urban centres, Bamako (Mali) and Dares women in Tanzanian society. TAMWA Salaam (Tanzania), and in villages enlarged my vision of the also works with women in small rural surrounding the two cities. Third World. It has communities, helping to organize women The projects and programs visited expanded my perspective for health and cooperative projects. wero wide-ranging and not restricted to The exchange group visited three health and literacy although thesewere a and understanding of communities in which TAMWA has been central focus. We saw literacy and tradi- women in Africa and has active: Saleni, Msoga and Lugoba villages. tional midwifery training for ruralwomen, Here the participants spent time talking a variety of women's cooperatives, a rural worked to build with village women about their lives and health centre, working conditions ina international solidarity concerns, and shared practical informa- shoe factory employing mainlywomen, tion about their own contexts and work and community animation projects in among women." with women. Although they came from rural areas which used alternativecom- very diverse contexts, the village women Marie Lesort (Mexico) munications such as theatre and song. and the exchange participants identified Mali many shared issues and problems. We were told that for the village women, the In Mali the military government largely presence of women from different coun- controls development efforts, in associa- needed health records (births, deaths, ill- tries and the realization that women from nesses) for their village and to organize tion with international agencies suchas all over the world experience similar prob- UNIFEM, UNICEF, UNDP and other and run cooperatives more effectively. In lems created an important and validating smaller but foreign NGO's. The people of fact, the literacy skills gained were only experience which would assist them in Mali are struggling for basic survival lasting when directly linked to an activity their efforts to mobilize the community. against drought, desertification, severe or responsibility which was ongoing in TAM WA works with popular theatre women's lives. For them, literacy for it's food shortages, and poor economic condi- methods in rural areas. We saw le pow_ r tions. These factors, when combined with own sake doesn't make sense. of popular theatre in a session which strong Islamic tradition, may explain why Tanzania raised issues faced by women in tradition- projects aimed at women's development al polygamous marriages. The process are focussed primarily on satisfying basic Although women in Tanzania and Mali involved a theatre presentation followed needs, but don't address the structural confront many similar difficulties in their by the active participation of everyone inequality between men andwomen. We daily livesthe searches for water and present. The feelings of wives in relation also observed that much of the burden of fuel, the overburden of work and the to their husbands and one another and work toward development is carriedout struggle against health problems and dis- the attitudes of men in polygamous mar- by women. Where steps forwardare easesthe contexts are very different. riages were brought out. The audience being taken in terms of literacy, foodpro- The government in Tanzania is officially members got involved by presenting their duction, nutrition, hygiene and other socialist and greater potential exists for the health issues, it is thewomen who are development of non-governmental organi- leading the efforts. As Linda Gagnon zations which are critical of government from Quebec expressed it, "womenare and foreign development policies and constantly being motivated to domore, programs. We also saw evidence of a but there is no considerationor criticism growing women's movement, of of the role of men." which our hosts, TAMWA, are en ASs00.6,.. mrlo A highlight of the time spent in Mali an integral part. was a three-day period spent in rural TAMWA began doing areas, Ouelessebougou and Bla, where we educational work two years were hosted by the Centre de formation ago around the portrayal of des animatrices rurales, under the leader- women in the media in ship of Halimatou Traore. Here Halima- Tanzania. Since then their tou and the other staff shared withus role and base in Tanzanian their efforts to provide training in literacy, society have greatly midwifery,animal husbandry andco-op expanded. TAMWA's main development for women from surround- focus is still communica- ing viii.ges. We learned that with literacy tions and through this they skills the womenare able to keep much are playing a very visible

h. _A, 217 _.%andirMtott rib" THE WOMEN'S PROGRAM

"This experience is valuable to me because it allows me to see myself and my work with new perspectives, through

what I am learning sion of concrete issues and strategies? internationally was a strong theme In planning the exchange we throughout the exchange. The partici- from others." recognized that the participants would pants agreed that it would be essential to need time to adjust to their new surround- use the experience as a channel forreflec- Faten Abdel-Moneim (Egypt) ings, to meet and get to know one another, tion and analysis, especially with the and to gain an overall perspective on the grassroots women they work with, and society and situation of women in each then to share and distribute the ideas gen- country. We also wanted to establish the erated through their networks. Efforts points of view and ideas for dealing with programmatic and organizational context would also be made to encourage local the situation. The process allowed the within which the exchange was organized, organizations to link with the groups they group to cut directly to issues and provid- which we hoped would lead to concrete met in Mali and Tanzania. ed a framework for collectively consider- results emerging from the exchange. The The exchange contributed to the ing solutions. group devoted the first two days they were strengthening of local, regional and inter- The Exchange together to an orientation, covering many national networks of women educators. At Experience of these basic issues. a local level, for example, it was clear that What became clear once we began TAMWA had used the opportunity of the Exchanges can be deeply enriching learn- meeting with village women in Mali was exchange to mobilize the community and ing experiences, allowing participants to that the two-day orientation had not been develop links with other organizations see how others are working, and to mflect sufficient to provide the kind of in-depth which would cany on into the future. For on their own projects at horn:- These can briefing that participants needed. A deep- the Women's Program, the participation also be important moments for building er understanding of the economic, social of African women and French and Ara- global awareness of women's struggles and cultural dynamics affecting the sii:ua- bic-speaking women marked an impor- and international solidarity. It is, however, tion of women in the two countries was tant moment in increasing the participa- not enough just to bring women from dif- necessary if participants were to make tion of women from those regions in the ferent contexts together. An exchangc is a comparisons with their own work and to internatIonal network of women educa- complex process that needs to be orga- discuss concrete imes and strategies. We tors. We in the Women's Program learned nized thoughtfully. Some of the questions realized that more time should have been d lot from this first experience. We are left and problems we grappled with were: spent on briefings throughout the three with the conclusion that despite the com- How to set the stage for open and in- weeks and that participants needed even plexities of language interpretation and depth discussion to take place between more time to share among thernsekes. All the need for more time, that the time we women who have come from different of this was further complicated by the fact did have for reflection, challenge and cultural and work contexts, with different that we were working in four languages. sharing of experiences, will make a con- perspectives and in some eases who don't While the interpretation process worked crete contribution in strengthening the share the same language? How to move reasonably well, it slowed communication work of women educators for social the process of exchange beyond the level considerably. change and the empowerment of women. of introduction and description to discus- The shared experiences of women

111 VOICES RISINGOCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 THE WOM^EN;S PROGRAM

Despite a lack of sufficient the women and their leaders. This was CISSE:It isn't a problem. There is a Bam- time for orientation, in-depth something that we had to learn when we bara saying, that behind every man's cap began doing literacy work with the there is a woman's braid. discussion did happen women in rural areas. Once we have between participants and access to the women we are able to work SHEBA: Yes, that's the tradition all over the hosts. One such discussion with them without interference frorn tra- world. Behind every man there is a suc- centred on village traditions ditional leaders. The women are also free cessful woman, but always behind. to tell you if they want to work with you. and what they mean in terms We have learned that it's necessary to LINDA:What concerns us is that when of the power of women to respect the traditional norms. women have informal power there is al- make decisions in their ways the risk that they can lose it at any CISSE: It's nota question that women time. communities. Here Clue don't have power. People who come here Moussokoro and Leila Ben- often feel that women aren't consulted, LALLA: Isit only when somebody is sitting Barka, both from Mali, are that they don't hive power to make deci- in a circle as part of a grouping that their sharing perspectives with sions, while the situation is exactly the op- power becomes formal, recognized and posite. Traditionally women are consulted accepted? Or is it because she is behind the participants. on all village decisions, especially the first her husband and everyone knows she is wives. Each man consults his wife before playing from there that it is recognized going to the village council gatherings. and accepted and given importance? It's When the men have difficulty coming to a not because something is institutionalized decision, they will stop the meeting and and formal in the sense that you under- go to consult the women further. More stand it that it's solid. What we understand often than not, the decision made in the as informal power is powerful because LALLA:When we go to the village tomor- end conforms to what the women want. here there is all the weight of tradition row you will see that in order to have supporting it, guaranteeing the place of access to the women in the c-.;himunity we SHEBA: But the women still don't attend that power. will have to first greet the chief of the vil- t.meeting. What does that show? Is that lage who will give us permission to meet not a status issue? PARTICIPANTS

Gege Katanga Bukuru Marie Charnussy Lesort COORDINATORS Réseau des femmes de AALAE Mujeres para el Dialogo BURUNDI MEXICO Fatma Alloo Tanzania Media Women's Association Isabelle Nibakure Frescia Carasco TANZANIA Résehu des femmes oeuvrant pour le Movimiento Manuela Ramos developpement rural PERU Lalla Ben-Barb RWANDA Co-ordinator, Anesta Rodney AAIAE Women's Network Faten Abdel-Moneim Rose Hall Community Program Dir. national de Palphabétisation fonc- New Woman Group ST. VINCENT, WI. tionelle et linguistique appliqu6e EGYPT (DNA FLA) Khaleda Saifi MALI UsaDuongsaa Union of Palestinian Medical Chiang Mai Provincial Centre for Relief Committees Jane Gun- Non-Formal Education ISRAEL ICAE Women's Program THAILAND CANADA Linda Gagnon Sheba Lakdawala Relais Femmes dr Le Regroupement Sanchetana Community Health and des mntres de femmes ResearchCentre QUEBEC INDIA

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 19 2 1 a ICAE FOURTH WORLD ASSEMBLY

World Assembly of women's visibility in terms of numbers and level of partici- pation does not automatically Adult Educators result in significant change in organizational structures, either formal or informal. Bangkok, Thailand In the case of the adult education movement, the cri- tique leveled against the A CRMCAL January 8-18 '90 ICAE in a 1986 evaluation still largely holds true: "It would appear that the structure of the adult education movement still remains firmly in the control of men. MOMENTfor That is, men occupy a disproportionate number of positions on boards or execu- tive committees and as secretaries-general or executive directors of ICAE's member associations at all levels. Men tend to be vi?men the fund-raisers and power brokers of the movement." (Ted Jackson) That reality provides both the chal- lenge and context for our work as activists

alma_ for women within the ICAE and adult IVIN education movement. Certainly it shaped our work and experience at the World Assembly. What we BY LYNDA YANZ set out to do We wanted to ensure that women and gender issues were visible throughout the Assembly. We wanted to support the emerging leadership of women educators and activists representing local popular education and women's groups, many of whom are only just beginning to bemome CLOSE TO SIX HUNDRED ADULT delegates we financed, advocating for active at the international level. We knew educators from around the world came to strong women's representation from other that a strong presence of women educa- Bangkok in early January to attend the networks, working with key contacts in tors actively involved in work with women fourth World Assembly of the ICAE. The Asia and on our Advisory Committee to and who raise gender issues would ensure theme was "Literacy, Popular Education establish a plan and priorities, contribut- that all participants - women and men - and Democracy: Building the ing to the overall program planning, engaged in an educational process, even Movement." The aim was to "strengthen preparing volumes of materials, and con- though at times the "sensitivity" of the adult education networks, organizations sulting and coordinating to ensure that issues that came up made them difficult and programs internationally so that adult our contacts arrived safe, sound and well- for some, particularly male colleagues, to education might more effectively briefed.Despite our skepticism about address. contribute to broader movements for the value of large international meetings, We wanted women at the World peace, social justice and equality." we felt that the Assembly warranted this Assembly to have plenty of opportunities The ICAE Women's Program made effort because it offered an occasion for to make contact and learn from one the Bangkok meeting a priority in 1989, women and gender issues to be addressed another. In the process, we hoped to which meant tl,at we spent hundreds of in a central way by adult educators. How- strengthen the growing international net- hours fundraising to support the twenty ever, as is often the case, increasing work of women educators and the work-

20 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 . LI ICAE FOURN WORLD,ASSEIVIBL ,=11. ing links within and Increasing women's of our "women's contin- between regions. We gent" also participated PARTICIPANTS SAID also knew it would be visibility in terms of in the full roster of soli- particularly important numbers and level of darity visits, plenaries, to make special efforts theme and skill work- I came back completety affirmed, con- vinced of the need for women to have to learn about the work participation does not shops, and social and context of women access to each other's work internation- automatically result in events. But like many alty, both to see and confront the sys- in Thailand and, if pos- significant change in other participants who tems which oppress us locally but which sible, to use our pres- arrived with multiple can onty be understood and confronted ence in Bangkok to organizational agendas, we also were internationally such as the trafficking lend concrete support structures, either involved in a host of in women, the free trade zones...and to women's efforts and other activities. We to take courage for the daring steps we are all taking In confronting gender domi- struggles there. Too formal or informal." facilitated workshops, often international nation in its most intimate expressions organized meetings and within each of our cultures. meetings, even of so- more meetings, "I am also convinced of 'popular edu- called popular educa- distributed cation' as a meeting ground. Although it tors, neglect the publications, and tried happened only rarely in Bangkok, I opportunity to connect with and makea to support new connections and learning became aware there of the kind of constructive contribution to local peoples' between as many interested participants spaces we need - spaces in which to reflect on how we conceive our strug- organizations and movements. as we could humanly manage. gles, where they are embedded, what We wanted to draw attention to the We maintained a women's networking forms they take, what ti,ey touch on. under-representation ofwomen in ICAE room where participants could set up dis- "It was also exciting to be in the member associations andprogram net- plays, hold impromptu meetings,or just company of women firmty rooting the works. For example, despite the fact that take a break and meet friends. Over 100 gender struggle in the complexity of pop- the ICAE has a Task Forceon the Partici- women attended a welcoming meeting on ular struggles, making clear the gender pation of Women in the ICAE, the overall the first evening where we decided to content of every struggle and the class, gender balance of nominationsto the cultural and international nature of the operate as a caucus to monitor and ensure gender struggle." executive from regions and memberasso- that women and women's issueswere not ciations was very disappointing. Even Below Bums, neglected. We also decided tocarry out a Mujer a Mujer, Mexico though all women nomineeswere elected, modest popular education campaign the number of womenon the ICAE Exec- around women's issues during thecourse utive declined from its already embarrass- of the Assembly. Each nighta different 1 would like first to express how impor- ingly low level. team met to rack their brains for an tant and interesting It was for me to We wanted to consult with thoseinter- appropriate slogan, which they painstak- have participated In this assembty because of the richness of Its theme ested in becoming active in the Women's ingly wrote out on small cards to have Program and network in order to establish and participants. It will have a great ready on the cafeteria tables when partici- impact on us Tunisians because our priorities for the coming years as well as pants arrived for breakfast. The ideawas work In the area of adult literacy is very strengthen our links withgroups in to engage everyone in a discussion of what weak. regions where we've been relatively weak. it means for a movement to take seriously "I want to mention the quality of the Our week's work its professed commitment to women and organizing done by the ICAE staff and gender issues. Thai friends. But above all I want to emphasize the efficiency und the efforts It's not surprising that the attempt to A concern raised at that first meeting of the activists of the Women's Program, accomplish all of this stretched thecapaci- was whether some participants were sup- despite their small number and the diffi- ties of the team of new and old acquain- porting the sex tourism industry that isso cuities that they face. tances, comrades and colleagues thatcoa- extensive in Bangkok, and if so, what "The level of intervention and debate lesced as a workinggroup for the week, should be the response ofour women's was high6, enriching and allowed pulling us in many different directions. caucus and the official structures of the acti.,Ists from different regions and dif- ferent areas of struggle to exchange Challenging the sexist ideas and Assembly. We were there after allas the practices their points of view and experiences. that are still present sometimes worked embodiment of the "international adult These exchanges allowed us to discover against our efforts to participateas equals education movement" Was it acceptable points of similarity despite geographic, - and effectively created a "double work- to talk about equality, justice and social economic and cultural differences, espe- load" for women at the Assembly. change during the day and then in the cialty in the case of VIOMeil. And this led It goes without saying that those ofus evenings to "buy" Thai women from the us to the necessity of acting together to develop common or similar programs who were involved in the variousaspects brothels that line Bangkok streets? (oontkined next page)

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 21 ICAE FOURTH,WORLD ASSEMBLY

PARTICIPANTS SAID (continued frompage21)

and to strengthen our solidarity. It was importer' thus to strengthen the already existing networks and to create new ones. "The unprogrammed activities were also very important. I mention In partk.a- tar the evening of support for Thal women and the consciousness-raising work that followed. could go on listing positive points but that would take too long when it is important to mention negative points. The weak representation of women on the ICAE executive (despite the large number of rank and file women) which Women participants didn't have one inevitable. We sought each other out to was maintained after the last election. point of view, yet everyone agreed that share and compare what we were doing Certain members of the regional net- the issue was serious and couldn't be left but also, importantly, to make a place works are officials, that Is to say, work- publicly unaddressed, which is so often within the broader setting of the adult ing in governments, and knowing the what happens with issues that uncomfort- education meeting where we felt comfort- nature of governments In the developing able and validated. For according to many countries. I have my doubts about the ably straddle political and so-called "pri- popularity of the programs that are car- vate" domains. We returned to the discus- women, the World Assembly remains char- ried out. sion of what would be appropriate and acterized by a masculinist style of work The solidarity visits did not allow the responsible action, meeting in various for- and the vestiges of male power-broking establishment of true solidarity liaks mal and informal gatherings, some of from which women tend to feel excluded. because they were very official and the which included representatives from Thai language barrier prevented direct con- women's groups. The final result was a Extending the tact with the presenters, which we would need In order to get a clear idea about call to action (see Solidarity section) Network and Building the aspirations of the people and the which was passed unanimously by confer- the Program real problems faced by activists In their ence participants in the closing plenary adult education programs. Perhaps the most important outcome was NOn the personal level, the Bangkok Promoting the the contacts made with both women and assemby: Visibility of Women men participants at the Assembly. Many allowed me to establish links with of the strongest working relations, which activists in different areas (health, liter& and Gender no doubt will continue into thefuture, cy, popular education, handicaps) that interest me; Women represented about one third of were those that developed outof the cau- brought me closer to the Arab women the 436 registered participants. Although cusing and strategizing that took place in and especially to the Palestinian women numbers are not a clear indication that confronting the issue of sex tourism. A whom one meets so rare6c women's interests or gender issues will be myriad of discussions took place that we allowed me to establish links with priorities, this percentage represented an hope have laid the basis for ongoing con- women from all the continents and to tact and perhaps the possibilities for share their experiences and even to important step. It seems that member envisage long term efforts. I mention the associations and networks/programs are working links. We made many new example of the struggle against funda- taking the need for stronger women's rep- friends through the Assembly, especially mentalism waged by the Arab women resentation more seriously. among the large and strong contingent of and the Pakistani women who live a real- The "women's contingent" was quite women from South Asia who attended ity harder than that of certain other Arab noticeably organized and consistently visi- primarily through other networks; we also countries. ble througfiout the Assembly. The made new friends from the Arab region. Tut I feel that I was at times a little 'out of it' because my limited knowledge networking room, the public forum on the Important steps were taken to strengthen of English restricted my contects with Thai Women's Movement and other orga- regional networks in the areas where many of the participants whom I would nized "spaces" contributed to this. Per- these have been weak or non-existent have liked to know better. It's too bad haps most important was the way in which (North America, Arab region, among that the documents you sent me are In women educators and activists "bonded" Francophones, in South Asia and between Asian regions). The participation of two (continued nextpage) in the conference atmosphere, in a way that has come to seem natural and representatives from CARA (Caribbean 22VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER1990 .1 ) V 4W ICAE FOURTH WORLD ASSEMBLY

"Challenging the sexist The Representation of ickas and practices Women and Shifting PARTICIPANTS SAID that are still present Gender Relations in (continued from facing page) sometimes worked the ICAE English because it is not easy for me to get them translated, especial61 as I against our efforts to In spite of the fact that women represent- must pass them on to other people. But ed 30% of participants at the Assembly I understand your situation and thank participate as equals and were the most vocal and organized you for all your efforts toward making and effectively created single constituency in Bangkok, the situa- the Women's Program succeed and meet its goals." a 'double workload' tion of women in leadership within the ICAE and the adult education movement eskida !moon Women's Commission for women at the is not good. If we look at the ICAE as an Union Oaks's des trovaNisors Assembly." organization, we see nine women on the tunisions (General Union of Tunision ICA.E executive, out of a total of thirty- %micas) thrce voting members. The picture gets Association for Feminist Research and worse if we look at the power structure Bakhta Is a French/Arabic speaker. She Action) furthered their involvement in the within the Executive: the President, is a member of the health workers union affiliated to the General Union of Tu- Women's Program, and thus strengthened Treasurer and Secretary-General are men; all but two of the ten Vice-Presi- nisian Workers. Among many other priori- the Program's links with feminist popular ties, Bakhta has worked to raise gender education in the Caribbean. dents are men, and all four regional Sec- consciousness in the Union through her retaries-General are men. The pattern woric In the Women's Commission. Supporting the which Ted Jackson referred to (quoted The Women's Program has attempt- Struggles of Women earlier) still holds true. The leadership of ed to operate InEnglish,Spanish and in Thailand the adult education movement, if the French. This has been difficult, especial- ICAE is any indication, remahis in the ly due to budget limitations. We believe that finding creative ways to cross lan- hands of men. The implications of this are It's difficult to assess the extent to which guage barriers remains one of the key we were able concretely to support the felt in different ways in formal and infor- challenges In international work. We are struggles of women in Thailand. Certainly mal situations, and on more or less conse- self-critical of our limitations, especially we learned a tremendous amount about quential matters. in integrating Francophone activists into the issues women face and the excellent This reality makes the role of the Task the network. Bahkta's statement is an work being carried out by NGOs, often Force, which the ICAE set up in January indication of the force and commitment that our francophone colleagues have under very difficult circumstances. Links 1989 at the initiative of the Women's Pro- had to exert in order to work with us. were made between women in various gram, all the more crucial. Until now, the parts of the network and women in Thai- Task Force has functioned more on paper land, through exchange visits and then than in reality, with almost no funds allo- "Let me introduce you to our next through a public forumon the Thai cated to its operation. The Executive in speaker, a love6, lady isn't she women's movement. One concrete ges- Bangkok approved a request that the Task beautiful give her a hand, ladies and ture of solidarity was the Call to Action Foroe's term be extended to four years. gentlemen!! mentioned earlier, which calls on the adult The current plan, as presented by the past "Men and women applaud. Some women boo and heckle. Some women educadon movement to protest the loca- Task Force Chair and present ICAE Presi- fInd the heckling disturbing. Some dent Francisco Vio Grossi, concentrates on tion of the March 1990 governmental women quiet61 shake their heads in dis- "Education for All by the Year 2000"con- research and education. However, the may. Some women are not perturbed. ference scheduled to be held in plush question in many women's minds at the Some women applaud the compliment. quarters very close to a beach 7requented World Assembly was what actions oould be And the men? - I'm so chauvinist that I by sex tourists. While Thaiwomen felt taken to ensure that the leadership of the did not even observe their responses! Can a woman be chauvinist? that there was little possibility thatany ICAE is more mpresentative of the wo- "How does one place gender issues men adult educators who are so actively protest would result in an actual site on the agenda at a conference? Some change, they nevertheless felt it important involved in the adult education movement. of the challenges are: for the international community to draw Augmentation of the number of How do we register our ot4ections in attention to this matter with a strong and women representatives in the ICAE's such a way that we do not antagonize public voice. structures and meetings is critical but and alienate women and men who do obviously should not be seen as the only not understand the nature of the strateg to bring about shifts in gender issues? (continued on page 25)

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 23 2 2, 3 ICAE FOURTH WORLD ASSEMBLY relations. Attention also has to be paid to "According to many raising the level of gender sensitivity with- women, the World in the adult education movement general- ly. This involves the creation of an atmo- Assembly remains sphere conducive to a constructive and characterized by a collaborative discussion of gender issues. It involves the development of a style of masculinist style of work and social interaction that does not work and the alienate, silence or marginalize women. It entails, among other things, relinquishing vestiges of male the power that derives from the estab- power-broking from lished male networks and communication patterns. which women tend When the Women's Program to feel excluded." proposed to the ICAE that it set up a task force, the objective was to develop policy on a whole range of concerns that include sexual harassment, integrating gender within all aspects of adult education, and breaking the patterns that continue to Sigrid Blohm limit women from taking on leadership roles in organizational situations; three years later, that challenge remains and so does the question: what is the ICAE's commitment to integrating a feminist Bangkok was a gathering of the whole jects into a Year Plan of Activities, which vision and women's leadership? range of educators that make up the adult included further decentralization of pro- International education movement. The Women's Pro- gram area coordination, increased support gram has been working since the World to emerging networks, and several new Meetings Was this Assembly in Paris (1982) to strengthen publication initiatives, including steps to one worth the effort the position of women in this movement, increase the involvement of network and money? primarily through the development of members in the planning, production and links, solidarity and discussion among distribution ofVoices Rising.A sub-com- The cost of organizing international meet- women but also through advocacy and mittee of the Program's Advisory Commit- ings is high. The total cost to tFWomen's education within the broader movement. tee developed a proposal and plan for Program was $86,000 to finance the par- With each Assembly (Buenos Aires, 1985 working toward the next meeting of the ticipation of twenty women, in addition to and Bangkok, 1990), women have shown Advisory Committee, tentatively sched- the countless hours of labour by Women's increased strength. There is no doubt that uled for March 1991, where representa- Program staff and friends from Asia who the presence and work carried out in tives from the regions would make deci- worked hard as regional and local coordi- Bangkok had a significant and positive sions about Program structure and priori- nators. If we view participation in the impact on the movement - its terms of ties for the coming years. World Assembly only in terms of profes- reference, its forms of practice and the Unfortunately, the ICAE's April action sional development for the women level of consciousness around gender to "take charge" by making decisions on involved, the cost is too high. It is clear, issues. We believe that this process will the Program's behalf (see Editorial) has however, that the impact of the experi- continue as long as women continue to derailed both the Program's activities and ence can reach beyond the participants to organize themselves and push, patiently the development of a more democratic affect the constituencies they represent. and at times more aggressively, to find and accountable structure. The Program Conferences like Bangkok need to be new ways of integrating feminist practice has great potential - a rich base of strong seen as part of a process, important only and perspectives. contacts and past work - but serious orga- in how we, as individuals and representa- As far as the Program itself is nizational limits on process and autonomy. tives of groups and networks, find ways to concerned, the Assembly represented the Its continued strength will depend on the use what we gain to improve our move- culmination or a process of consultation hard work, creativity and tenacity of those ments and organizations, developing new and conso1i6ation that had been under- women who continue to see the Program capacities for transformation and empow- way for the two previous years. We as a potential ally and priority for their erment. returned better able to put ideas and pro- work.

24 VOICES RISINGOCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 t PARTICIPANTS MD (continued from page 23)

How do we raise awareness among women end men about gender issues which emerge during the course of a conference? How do we create a space within a conference for gender issues to be placed on the agenda? How do we address gender issues if legitimate space is denied and the issues suppressed? The Women's Program of the ICAE played a crwial role at the conference on "Literacy, Popular Education and Democracy" held in Bangkok earlier this year in placing gender issues on the agenda of the conference by: providing a forum for women to dis- sallI cuss and address gender issues which emerged durfng the conference; by convening a very successful panel discussion of Thal women who spoke of the oppression of women In Thal society in general and the exploitation of Thai women, particularly in the prostitution ftwS trade; by organizing a low-key campaW using slogans written on conference name tags, which enabled women partic- ipants to register their objections to gen- Building Democracy der insensitivity. One of the most crucial tasks cur- rent6e facing gender-sensitive popular NE FEMINIST CHALLENGE TO PPM MOVEMENTS educators Is the development of popular education skills and the destri of pro- grams which enable us to challenge gen- Excerpts from a Pre-Workshop Discussion der oppression in any educational forum, nongovernmental organization, trade EDITED BY SHANNONBROOKE MURPHY union, or health centre! ZeldaGreener, Centre for Adult and Continuing Educa- At theWorld Assembly in Bangkok, the What is the role of popular education in tion - University el tits Western Cape Women's Program organized a workshop re-building organizations and strengthen- on "Strategies for Popular Education ing their democratic process under condi- Zelda is a lecturer with CACE at UWC, working to develop both People's Educa- under Conditions of Repression." In tions of repression? tion and gender-sensitive popular educa- preparation, four of us met to decide how How can popular education continue to tion practice. Zelda is also working on best to tackle this complex issue. be used to maintain accountability and the South African component of the Gen- As Mat), Habib, from the Association strengthen participation and democracy t er and Popular Education international Najdeh in Lebanon, Zelda Groener, from in a post-repression or post-liberation Comparative Reseamh Project. the Centre for Adult and Continuing Edu society? cation in South Africa, and Bess Angosta, More strongly than a common strate- from the Women's Studies and Resource gic outline, these questions, challenges Centre in the Philippines spoke, they for- and frustrations emerged as a crucial base mulated a set of urgent common from which to understand, analyze and questions: strengthen educational practice within What are the challenges to popular edu- liberation struggles. There was a reaffir- cation under conditions of repression? mation of the crucial role of popular edu-

2?5 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 25 BEST COPY AVAILABLE ICAE FOURTH WORLD A.SSEMBLY cation in demanding fied with answers that are and elections also. But that does not accountability and democ- being given to us by our always occur. In certain conditions, some racy within liberation move- male compatriots - that the decisions have to be made by the leader- ments, even under repres- national issue is paramount ship and sometimes they are not very sive conditions. In the con- now and the gender issue goad decisions, and so they are criticised text of the struggle for comes later. We should later. The leadership is accountable. democracy, an urgent con- always say no, they come cern for the integration - hand in hand. Zdda: That sounds like a contradiction. rather than abandonment- It's a "democratic" organization, yet the of a gender perspective was Zelda: Repression is one of decision is not necessarily one all people emphasLed. the factors that shape popular education. participate in making. That's a representa- We wanted to share a small segment My presentation about the South African tive form of democracy: some people of our dismission to provoke your context will be about strengthening make the decision "on behalf or or "in thoughts and reflections. democracy, and how difficult it is under the interests or others. repression. Democratic structures are Shannonbrooke: What are some common annihilated under repres- Mani: Sometimes you have strategies that have emerged in develop- sion; democracy then to forsake democratic deci- ing popular education under conditions of becomes very difficult. sion-making in order to get repression? decisions made. But that Manj: In certain cases doesn't mean you sacrifice Mary: Democracy- building com mittees repression can be fertile Jab the whole democratic struc- and working on the grassroots level, for ground. It can breed ture. I think it's really an example. democracy. issue of building a set-up that encompasses everybody. Zelda: A gender perspective. Although Alcia: It depends. If the Committees, for example, democracy and gender issues in popular leaders go into hiding and where everybody has a role. education under repression haven't really cannot meet with their base, then democ- been seriously addressed yet. racy cannot take place. Zelda: It depends on whether you have actually built strong organizations in the Mary: Theres an even more comprehen- Bess: I don't know if it's possible for first instance. And whether organizations sive question, as far as Palestinian women democracy to happen under repression. can survive the repression. are concerned: gender issues in the national struggle itself. We, as Arab Zelda: It's ironic. In our situation, we've Manj: Why is it that some survive and women, have not yet found the answer to discovered that even though the state others don't? that larger question. I'm sere other represses, people find other spaces for women also have the same experience. forming democratic organizations. Within Zelda: Structures are weakened under How do you tie feminism with the nation- the church, or within state organizations. repression, and it's very difficult to al struggle? But there are problems. If it's a mass- rebuild them. It's difficult, but it can be This is a big challenge to us women in based organization, for example, you need done. The more repressive our state has the Third World. It's the biggest challenge public space to hold meetings in order to become, the higher our political of all. Because we've seen experiences of make democratic decisions. But if that consciousness. And that in itself strength- women who fought and sacrificed and public space is violated, you cannot meet ens organizations. were martyred, and they really did it on and therefore you cannot make democrat- In our situation, we built quite a num- an equitable basis with men. And then ic decisions. ber of organizations from the bottom up. after the revolution was Then we reached a stage where we need- won, the women returned Manj: But you know it's not ed a national organization that would to the kitchen. And retur- only decision-making that bring together the leaders of all the local ned to the veil. Now we say constitutes democratic prac- and sectoral organizations. But when Uwe don'twant that; we tice - you may not be able to those leaders began putting their energy want to do something else", make "democratic" into work at the national level, the local but we don't know how decisions but you can still be organizations were weakened. So you One answer is that we democratic. Theoretically, have to go back and strengthen the base. should always push the gen- decisions should always Go back and rebuild. der issue and not be satis- come from the bottom up,

26 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 ICAE FOURTH WORLD ASSEMBLY

Accountability is important. It's one of for socialism. But what kind of socialism the challenges for us in NGOs and popu- are we talking about? We haven't come to lar organizations. You can use a participa- terms with that yet. If we are talking tory form of democracy in your local orga- about a socialist society based on partici- nization but if you're actually talking patory democracy, then obviously partici- about making a decision in a mass-based patory democracy is a practice to be "You can use organization with five thousand people, introduced into local organizations, can you use the same form? We are not in NGOs and trade unions. If we are talking participatory power, but our organizations form the about a socialism which is authoritarian, embryos of the new society. How do you then it wouldn't be necessary to be demo- democracy in your make that transformation? Now we have cratic within local organizations. It would to start thinking about democracy not be a waste of time. only in the context of a particular popular One of the main aspects of national local organization but organization but in the society at large. oppression is authoritarianism, particularly One of the questions we are currently male authoritarianism. And so for some if you're actually asking is, once we are liberated and have people, especially feminists, the struggle a new state, will this state nationalize thf: against oppression is also a struggle against NGOs? I predict that some NGO's will authoritarianism, even within liberation talking about making want to become part of the state appara- organizations. We've learned authori- tus. But others may choose to remain out- tarianism from our oppressors, and do not a decision in a mass- side the state. And they may be jailed. conduct our organizations differently. based organization Mary: If our movements ever do come to Mary: Authoritarianism is a part of many power, will we remain democratic? That is ideologies, even on the left. It's not only the crux of the issue- because in many the oppressor, it's our own modes of with five thousand countries, they just forget all about oppression. democracy. people, can you use And that brought us back again, to a dis- Bess: That's the crucial role of education. cussion of popular education, building a base, building democratic organization, the same form?"

Ze/da: In South Africa, our struggle at the building for empowerment... incondi- moment is against national oppression, tions of repression and in processes of but within that struggle there is a struggle liberation.

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 27 227 THE FUNDING CRISIS

INTRODUCTION omen rand7. junaing

THE WOMEN'S PROGRAM UNDER- er (by funders over what work is or is not contexts in which different funders are took an organizational review in 1989. At appropriate) is a political issue. operating, since development agencies, that time, the Program was in a financial As a modest contribution to this pro- church organizations, private foundations crisis. Thus, an important part of the pro- cess we are sharing some of what we have and NGOs have different contingencies, cess involved assessing current policy learned in order to promote further shar- possibilities and limitations. Our strategies towards funding women's programming ing and discussion among groups in the for action and alliance need to be more and networks within international agen- network. The following excerpts are from precise and thoughtful if we are not only cies. Through discussions with both fun- two primary sources: the Women's Pro- to survive but to find more effective ways ders and other women's groups and net- gram Organizational Review, published to work for women's empowerment and works, it became clear that the same in January 1990; and presentations given to build strong movements for women. ftmding crisis we were facing was also at a public forum, "Up In Alms: Women's What can be done and how can we being faced by many women's organiza- Organizations Internationally Confront work in ways that will help one another, tions around the world as agencies' poli- the Funding Crisis," which we organized rather than accepting the dynamic of cies towards women are changing. The in Toronto to coincide with the meeting of competition which the funding crisis potential result of these changes is that our Advisory Committee in November imposes on women's groups? We are well even less money will be made available to 1989. aware that many donors are also projects specifically targeted at women in Our aim is to contribute to a critical struggling to find ways to effectively sup. this coming period; agencies will exert awareness and collective analysis of the port progressive initiatives. Most impor- more control over the kinds of initiatives funding crisis. The material that follows tant is to begin a dialogue that can facili- that are supported and it will be even raises more questions than it answers. In tate a constructive move toward resolving harder for new groups to break into the spite of international trends that affect all this critical situation in a way that "international funding" arena. of us, it is clear that there are important advances our commitment to women's We felt it important not to tackle the differences in our experiences, depending struggle for equity, social justice and problem merely as a question of survival on the region we're working in, whether democracy. In order to do this, we as for our office or the Women's Program; we are working at the local, regional d women's groups need to be clear about the issue of women's groups' dependence international level, and our histories with our needs and concerns, and able to share on government and aid funding where funding agencies. We need to know more with others in an open dialogue rather accountability exists in one direction about these differences and similarities. than confronting each other as competi- (from us to funders) and control in anoth- And we need to know more about the tors for a shrinking pot of money.

211 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 THE FUNDING CRISIS

The money available for BY HONOR FORD-SMITH women's activities has al- ways been small. Until the Women's Decade many agencies made no alloca- tions to women. However, during the Decade, the inftoduction ofwomen as a category fo funding in multilateral agen- cies, bilateral agencies and international NGOs enabled women's organizations all over the world to successfully apply for After t'e financial assistance. Women's develop- ment desks were widely incorporated into finding agencies in the 70s and 80s. In many of these orgir.lizations this process came as a result 4the struggles of wo- men within the ranks of the agency staff. However, the amount of budget monies which women were able to access for "women and development" projects was still very small. In many cases it was as little as 10% of agency budgets (in other eases it has been impossible to quantify because of the waywomen are interspersed in different development agency projects - but generally we can say that it was a small percentage of agency budgets). The kind of projects agencies tended to develop and supportwere small "pilot" initiatives, often focussedon income generation or small business-type Aik endeavours geared towards women. These developments resulted in the creation of an international dependency on development agencies for the financial TRENDS IN FUNDING TO support of women's programs and move- ments. At the same time, an atmosphere of competition rapidly developed clueto a WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS relatively small amount of financing being accessed by a growing number of groups. Even state agencies in many countries, Funding to Women women's specific position in the house- such as Women's Bureaux, are attempting Since the Decade hold, their unremunerated, unrecognized to attract funds alongside small women's domestic and subsistence labour and the groups and NGOs with gender-specific In the current period (1988- 1990), many skewed sexual division of labour in gener- programs. funding agencies have begun to change al. The present policy attempts to envi- This dependence negatively affects their policies toward women. A central sion women as part of broad general pro- the internal functioning ofgroups. The change within the policy of international grams, but requires that these programs processes of accountability set up within agencies is a move toward what is being contain a "gender component." At its women's organizations in relation to aid called "mainstreaming." Mainstreaming most extreme, this policy would envision agencies are many and complex. The aims to integrate gender concerns within the abolition of women's desks within pressures and demands of accounting to what are called "general projects." In international agencies, to be replaced by aid agencies very often overshadow and many ways it is a return to the situation the training of all agency officials in "gen- work against the need to account to the which existed before the Decade, an der and development." base we serve. approach which has been much criticized The new mainstreaming trend is for the way in which it fails to recognize found in Canadian agencies, in Seandina-

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 211 2 92 THE FUND:ING CRISIS vian agencies and in the European Eco- officersthe majority of whom are men nomic Community. This situation has operating in male dominated organiza- come about in part because of a reaction tions with little knowledge or experience to the last ten years of focus on women's in dealing with gendercope critically issues. The head of international relations with the growing needs of women? Can in one agency described the reaction in crash courses in gender for project staff - this way: unaccompanied by changes in the struc- People are tired of"women." There's a tures of many of these organizations - feeling that solutions have been tried result in positive effects for women? and they haven't worked and now it's Why are policies towards women be- time to move on. They want some- ing conceptualized in such an "either/or" thing fresh to think about- like the fashion? Clearly women need both programs. The view is that these small women-specific and integrated activities environment, say. When "women" projects have somehow worked against come on to the agenda at international and organizations. It goes without saying the goals they were originally set up to that women need to participate as equals meetings, men go out to do their shop- achieve; the trend needs to be reversed ping. 'Women" are still seen as noth- in all processes of development and so in and women need to be conceptuahzed this sense resistance to ghettoized/under- ing to do with their programs. On the broadly within general categories. The funded women's projects is well placed. other hand women's real needs are difference is that now gender will be a However, we must be careful not to throw growing. So there's a contradiction. tool to analyze the situation of women the baby out with the bath water. It also represents a reaction to the spe- within this context. Women are struggling to develop cial project .. established for women dur- This trend raises a number of ques- mechanisms which guarantee that the ing the Decade. Agencies daim these tions. First, where mainstreaming is small gains we have made can beoome projects have reached only a small num- adopted as policy, what will be the mecha- institutionalized practice. Women-specific ber of women and rather than empower- nisms to guarantee continued attention to projects offer that potential. It is well. ing women have served to further women's power within these projects? documented that women's projects, marginalize them- that is, to confine How will women be sure that the appar- though often small and under-funded, them to a ghettoized "women's" area, and ently neutral category of "gender" will provide women with experience that keep them out of "richer" and "larger" operate to empower them? Can project enables them to take on leadership posi-

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$0 VOICES RISINGOCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990

2 :1 THE FUNDING CRISIS

tions by helping to develop critical con- the importance of building regional and sciousness, skills and confidence in a sup- national self-reliance. This suggests that portive setting. groups which meet these criteria would The Context be well supported. Yet the experience of (continued from prelims eige) New Priorities many so-called Third World groups work- At the same time as mainstreaming is ing with the grassroots at a national level itself in a rise n rellifrous fundamen. being implemented, there is also a trend has shown that meeting these criteria is talism, a "collapses of socialism and to prioritize other issues. In many Euro- no guarantee of funding support. the phenomenon a 'OW conflict This shift his growxl the dabate. pean development agencies the coming A central problem with the way inter- about women`s swiss po$0040 attractions are Debt, the Environment, national networking among women is nearhalt. Women es exertyl*in and a return to the well-tried Population conceptualized by funders is a lack of ety, *omen's freedom of *AVOW Control. Small scale industrialization is attention to the profound effects it has on women's tieedoM to eiervirie repro. still popular and is becoming increasingly local practice. The world fixes problems duotive choke or choice about our generated by an unequal division of so as a response to the debt crisis. These household armytements, labour and unequal trading arrangements. issues, in particular the environment and economic indePendence end our These conflicts manifest differently from the debt, are being kept before the public freedom to thre'.,;(krut fearOfphysi. place to place, but they have an interns,- through media coverage. How willwom- cal or sexual violence have also en figure within these issues? We've seen tional scope. Preferred or exclusive been undemined. a lot of discussion in the media about strug- emphasis on women's work at the com- At the same time as women's gles with the debt crisis but we haven't munity or regional level prevents women needs are growing women's 000 seen much about how women's position in from effectively coordinating our work at zations are confrontin g a crucial chai. the economy relates to this issue. a global level. The director of one lerge. Over thepars Since the women's network called it the "keep the Decade for Velomen was WV% International Orls at home strateg." women's organizatkus have reached Networking A more serious implication is that a v le of development where all international linkages around issues of ova're world we have Wein to There are other factors affecting funding gender are forced to be mediated through institutiOnedize. We are faced with available to a program like the ICAE the agencies themselves or through the urgent questions about internal pro- Women's Network. With the possible state. There are obvious problems with cesses and structures necessary to exception of some Nordic agencies and this on many levels. Let us take the exam- make our services and campaigns the Dutch, most agencies, particularly ple of women working in garment facto- effective. We am examinkyt issues some of the richest, give international net- ries and in micro chip production. These of iMpact and of accountability. Rt works a low priority. In the U.S., support women have to fight the exploitative con- are moping to theorize our goals, for women's international networks is ditions arising out of this new pheno- to make quoitstive chaniPs poor. Many agencies, both in the U.S. and menon, while at the same time struggling women's fives and to make changes elsewhere, do not have a department for to keep their tight to work. This fight can in economic and political structures. international agencies andso proposals only be effective if it is waged internation- As never before, many mbedonder have to be circulated through :egional ally. The state is an obstacle to this strug- organizations soe treed to grapple with ways of introducing into their desks. At the Ford Foundationwe were gle, since it is the state which has set up work a dimension which takes gen- told that international proposals hadto be the free trade zones where export approved by all four regional desks der into account. - a processing factories are located. Interna- St ere confrontkg these prob. clear indication of low priority. In general tional work through these channel- will !ems in an atmosphwe of economic most agencies prefer "direct links" with have limited potential for women, and will difficulty end a new wave of ideal* groups in the Third World. The Ford obviously condition the possibilities and cal attack. ..end of shifting end Foundation in the U.S., for example, effectiveness of international alliances. decreasing funding support. places a vety high priority on direct rela- Given the political and economic motiva- tionships with national grassrootsgroups. tions behind the aid relationship, it is In the rhetoric of some donor agen- Adapted from the JOE SVomen's obvious why direct national linkages are Program Ofpnimelonti Ratiow by cies, justification for the emphasis on important for agencies. This situation is direct links and strengthening regional Sue Mosher aid Honer Fordth unlikely to change. end a presentation by Hiner Rad- bodies appropriates the language of the Smith at "Up in Alms, %%Omen% left. There is reference to the importance Edited and excerpted from the ICAE Women's Program Organizati^nal Review by Organbations Worldielde Confront of "building the grassroots leadership,"to Honor Ford-Smith and Sue Thrasher, 1990 the Funding *Ws," Toronto, Nevem. the lack of Third World leadership in the and a presentation by Honor Ford-Smith at bet 1.09., international women's networks and to "Up In Alms".

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 Ill elr% 231 S THE FUNDING CRISIS

"l work at a rape crisisgood in their annual centre, and we've report. When we got funding been asked to becomefor the projects there was seif-sufficient. There isstill no money to pay for the project coordination no possible way to and administration by the PlAying organize rape survivorssecretariat. That money had to be borrowed from into some incoma the project. The account- generating project to ing for the project had to THE be done in such a way support the crisis that money was available centre. It sounds for administration in ridiculous but that's Trinidad - not for salary assistance, just for been asked by one postage, telephone, etc. uNding Part of the problem was funding agency." our own inexperience in actually writing budgets. At the beginning we didn't put in all the money that was needed GAme for long distance commu- nication and training. We had two trainers from the Dominican Republic who hadn't Lessons from CAFRA been budgeted for properly. What we've by Tina Johnson learned to do is to build part of the coor- (CAFRA Secretariat, TRINIDAD) dinator's salary into the project, or build part of the administnitive assistance costs into each project. We've also learned that it's very impor- When CAFRA (Caribbean Association for sent the violence proposal to several agen- tant to have personal contact with Feminist Research and _tetion) was cies and in one case we discovered that fimders. I don't know how many propos- formed in 1985 we didn't have any money the agency had transferred its focus from als they receive every day from various at all. The secretariat was voluntary. The the Caribbean to Africa after we had gone women's organizations and every other idea was that those of us who formed the through the whole process of writing the kind of organization. If they meet you and secretariat would concern ourselves with proposal; in another case the agency had realize that what you are doing is impor- proposal writing and raising funds, which transferred its area of interest from via tant, that you're very serious about your at the time was something that we had lence to some other issue. work and have accountability as well - very little experience with. We learned a For about two years we were not fund- some financial system in place and books lot quickly. egi and our coordinator and administrative to show them - then they are much more We went through a lot of problems in assistant worked without salary The coor- prepared to fund you and also to recom- learning about the different funders, what dinator worked almost full-time, was fin- mend you to other funders. It's a snowball the different agencies fund and the lan- ishing off her degree at night and had two effect: once you get one or two hinders guage that different funding agencies use. children. Getting the projects funded was supporting a project, other funding agen- You have to know both what kind of pro- no solution. We learned that most funding cies become interested. jects they fund and what ways they talk agencies like to firnd projects rather than One issue now is this question of "self- about their projects before you can to give institutional support. Funders are sufficiency." It is not only a demand from approach them. The first two projects that much more comfortable with funding pro- the fimders. There is concern about we wrote proposals for were on violence jects that have a beginning, a clear end whether we want to be totally dependent against women and on agriculture. and a written report. They are not so on funding agencies, especially when they We wasted a lot of time not having interested in process; they are more inter- are beginning to shift money into other done the right research. For example, we ested in something concrete which looks areas. At CAFRA we've always argued 21),) $2 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 MOON., THE FUNDING CRIS S that it is impossible for a membership network which runs projects in different territories to be totally self-sufficient because even if a particular project becomes self-sufficient, that wouldn't sus- tain the organization. The agricultural project, for example, may result in the women in the communities setting up self-sufficient projects for themselves but that doesn't provide CAFRA with any income. I also work at a nape crisis centre and we've been asked to become self-suf- ficient. There is no possible way to orgi nize rape survivors into some income gen- erating project to support the rape crisis centre. It sounds a bit ridiculous but that's been asked by one funding agency. There is a need for NGOs in the Caribbean region to get together to meet with funding agencies so that rather than funding agencies telling us what our pri- UPLORING THE orities should be, what kinds of programs we should develop, we can be telling them what our needs are. We don't want to be in competition with the other orga- ALTERNAHVES TO nizations. We want to deal with funders in a very honest and open way. We don't want them to be playing us off against STE FUNDING each other. We're always asked, "Well, what do you think of this or that organiza- ExBeYCLIAtitieCDEirDeEctorO, LNFaFtional tion?' It puts you on the spot because Action Committee on the whatever you may think about the organi- Status of Women (NAC) zation, you don't want to say that they should not be funded. It is unfair of fun- ders to ask about other organizations, to make you responsible in a sense for whe- Since the mid-1970s a large In their current campaigns to reduce ther or not that organization gets funding. proportion of Canadian deficits, the federal and most provincial I think it is important to pool our know- women's organizations and governments have begun to cut back on ledge of funding agencies in a group where institutions have been support- all sour...es of funds for women's organiza- we can put our concerns on the table and ed by government funding. In tions. These cuts are described as prag- discuss them in a very open way. It is also the last two years, however, government matic belt tightening. The federal govern- very important to be open with funders commitment to providing financial sup- ment cut its Women's Program by 15%, because they talk to each other as well. port, at both federal and provincial levels, along with its Native and Multiculturalism is shakier than it has been for 15 years. Programs. The target of these cuts has Excerpted from a presentation at the "Fund- We are experiencing a distressing decline been "operational" funds, meaning that ing Women's Organizations" workshop at the in government, industry and media recog- the bulk of monies available for women's 1CAE Fourth World Assembly, Bangkok- Jan- nition that organized women are legiti- groups are project funds. This allows ror uary 1990. mate contributors to social and economic greater government control over the policy and programs. issues on which public money is spent, CAFRA I think it is important to discuss such and for increased flexibility for govern- P.O. Box 442 developments in Canadian policy towards ment to decide what issues it wishes to Tunapuna Past Office Tunapuna women in an international forum because emphasize. TRINIDAD 1.1. TOBAGO these developments are likely to affect One of the policy shifts we feel is tel: (809) 663-8760 Canada's official development assistance being tested in these cuts is whether gev- Fay (809) 662-4414, Attn. CAPRA and Canadian non-governmentd funders. ernment can get away with eliminating all

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 33 233 THE rtUN,DING CRISIS'

its support to advocacy groups, i.e., "As we are pushed groups which engage in political activities. The mate to this strategy is to provide fun- into doing private ding to non-governmental organizations only for service work, particularly service fundraising we will work which is an extension of government policy This is not a new strateg, but the find ourselves having combination may further a current trend amongst women's organizations to become to develop entirely a-political and entirely service related. The impact of the cuts is already new strategies if we are apparent. Organizations that receive fundbg have decided to cut newsletters to avoid importing .and reduce their regional networking budgets. Our feminist periodicalsare in regulated inequalities particular jeopardy. The cuts operate as a virtual freeze on the number of groups into the structure and which will receive stable funding. This make this change it started a large private means that immigrant women's organiza- work relations of our fundraising campaign. tions, visible minority women's organiza- The question the Women's Caucus tions, disabled women's organizations and organizations." was attempting to address at the time of native women's organizations are not like- my study was "Why did women do the ly to receive secure funding. lower status fundraising and men do the I want to illustrate my concerns about higher status project work?" Or, how was what the cuts mean for the ability of Can- it that in an apparently collective, non- adian women to continue to speak to poli- hierarchical organization the women ticians and policy makers. The organiza- issue of Voices Rising]. In the discussion involved with fiindraising felt like they tion I work for, NAC, received a cut of that follows I want to focus briefly on the were doing the unimportant work, and $300,000 or 50% over three years. NAC is options of charitable and non-charitable the project officers were able to act as the largest women's organization in Cana- donations. management? da. Its primary objectives are political mo- Charitable sources The best way into these questions was bilizing, education and lobbying in the to examine the organization's work pro- name of our 570 member groups. It has Charitable registration with the state is cesses, and particularly those of the been in the business of "integrating one of the most common ways for agen- women. It showed us that there was a wornen's concerns into policy decision cies to announce to donors that they are large sub-strata of low paid, part-time, making," which has necessarily meant that accountable and legitimate. It is also at- contract and volunteer workers, almost all its members have been critical of all gov- tractive to donors because they can claim women, who processed the fundraising ernments since its origins. The current the donation as a credit on their Income receipts. They were carrying out a highly budget cuts mean that all of us, staff, vol- Tax Return Form. Large fundraising with- regulated set of tasks which the govern- unteers and the executive board, are feel- out chacitable status in Canada is very dif- ment required in order for the agency to ing the strain of an ever-expanding need ficult. However, because charitable status issue charitable receipts. They did not for political action, and the necessity to is regulated by Tax Law, there are strict show up in the organization's descriptions spend large amounts of our time andre- requirements associated with the acquisi- of itself as a collective. sources looking for new sources of fund- tion and use of officially charitable funds. The agency could not pay all volun- ing. For example, charitable funds may not be teers and grant workers at the collective Our choices include: using our official use for political or advocacy purposes. rate of pay to do this work and stay within "charitable" status t o raise funds; develop- I learned about further constraints the 20% limit on administrative spending ing a substantial dii,sct mail campaign ask- around charitable funds through a study I [imposed on agencies raising charitable ing for donations which do not require conducted several years ago with the funds]. The low paid, volunteer character charitable receipts; and approaching Women's Caucus of a Canadian charitable of that kind of work is maintained through foundations for project money agency that funds international projects. It the regulation of charities and charitable Let's look at these options a bit. The was a progressive agency that had chosen donations outlined in the Tax Act, In limitations and extra work associated with to decrease its dependence on attempting to become more "progressive" foundation project grants have been well- government funding so that it could fund and independent of government, agency documented [and are discussed in this "plogressive" work overseas. In order to workers had imported structural inequali-

34 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 41 f T H E FUNDING CRISIS

ties into their work relations. The What We Can Do work on a campaign to change the Tax gendered character of the inequalities Act, to lift the restrictions on administra- came about through the day to day prag- Canadian policy seems intenton moving tion and charitable donations, or to create matic decisions that agency members more of the service work and almost all of tax exempt status for advocacy groups; made about how to deal with this situa- the advocacy work of women's organiza- develop new workplace strategies to tion: i.e., their selection of womenas tions outside the sphere of government, ensure that we do not import racial and appropriate volunteers, combined with expecting us to find "private" sources to class inequalities into our work relations. women's own self-selectionas clerical support our attempts to end discrimina- workers rather thanprogram workers. tion against women. It seems to me that, Excerpted from apresentation at the Women's In the development agency the along with the practical changes we have Program "Up in Alms" Fonsm. inequalities brought about in the work to make, we must be increasingly process of private fundraising became prepared to: Post Script: apparent around gender. Many women's be vigilant around the slide into service organizations have tried very hard to work and to oppose changes which will This presentation was made in November develop collective, non-hierarchical and make us inappropriately relianton 1989. In February 1990 the federal gov- anti-racist work relations. The danger for women's voluntary labour and unpaid ernment cut its Women's Program by these groups is thatwe will find ourselves labour in our homes; another 15%, completely withdrawing with low-paid, part-time and voluntary be insistent that advocacy work is part ofsupport for 80 women's centres and three workers who arewomen of colour or the state's policy developmentprocess, large women's publications, and seriously women who are less educationally advan- and that women do not have theresources reducing support to another four women's taged- reproducing through our work the to finance the business of integrating their groups that conduct community-based kinds of rtlations weare fighting in the concerns; research. In the same budget the Native rest of society. As we are pushed into develop coordinated campaigns Communications Program was eliminated doing private fundraisingwe will find between our organizations, including and support for aboriginal advocacy ourselves having to develop entirelynew between Canadianwomen and women groups was severely reduced. strategies if we are to avoid importing the from the Third World, becausewe will regulated inequalities of that workinto soon all be approaching the same donors, National Action Committee the structure and work relations ofour whether they are individuals, foundations on the Status of Women organizations. or charities; 505-344 Bloor Street West Unreceipted educate donors to make straight dona- Toronto, Ontario private donations tions, without expecting charitable receipts; M5S IW9 CANADA This is the only source which will provide us with funds which we can legally use to conduct our political and administrative LISTEN FUNDERS! work- which is the bulk of NAC's work. The work involved isas labour intensive Our first funding agency experience was not a good one. The agency had what I have as charitable fundraising, but there areno always called the "adopt you, drop you, and in-betweenuse you for PR" policy. You are limitations on ouruse of the funds, i.e., so wonderful, you're women and you're grassroots, and theylust want to take you over we can use them for administration and and adopt you. And then when you change direction sIght61and ofcourse as we our political activities. NAC is therefore evaluate our work we're shifting all the timeor when they're ready, theyJust dropyou. But In between, while you're Just their cup of tea and Just too good to be true, beginning a campaign which focusses you find on that you ve their public relations agent. You're being toutedas the most wonderful developing a relation withwomen donors, project ot thelr's and they're the cat's whiskers! encouraging the women of Canada to feel a certain ownership in the work of their Hilary Nicolson (Saros Theatre- Jamaica) organization. We are aware, however, that Exempted from "Bulking Democratic Women's Organizations", we must educate our donors about why Voices Rising,April/May 1988. we need funds that are not charitable. I'm having rifficulty with the term "partnership." After fifteenyears of experience with And we are increasingly holding discus- development agencies I want to say that I don't think it is partnership. Funding agencies sions with other groups about how tocon- are at the top; we're at the bottom. We have to present you with accounts, andmy god, duct our campaignsso that we do not end so many of them are so elaborate that I who teach at the university havea hard time with up competing with each other for sup- them. But we in urn don't have any input into this accounting business from your end. porters and donors. A partnership implies some sort of sharing in decision making. Youcome all the

Listen Fundors1 oontinund on page 32

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 38 2 r; THE FUNDING CRISI'S

Questioning4T.ial Development

IN THE PHILIPPINES

By Carol Anonuevo Center for Women's Resources

Four years ago, the attention of the world loans also went to the implementation of fiscal years. Today CIDA is being criti- cized in the Philippines, as well as by Can- was focussed on the Philippines aftur a the export-oriented development strategy adian NG0s, because much of the sup- successful popular uprising ousted Mar- peddled by the International Monetkuy foundations in cos. At that time, the Marcos dictatorship Fund-World Bank, Much of this strategy port has gone to private Negros which are synonymous withland- had accumulated a $26B debt, a large failed, resulting in the increasing pauper- chunk of it going to aid his family's bank ization of the Filipinos. For the many who lord project& Canadian taxpayers' money to fund not only eco- accounts all over the world. Part of the organized and struggled to change this op- hasbeen channeled pressive situation, the government respon- nomic projects but also, in an indirect way, ded with repression and militarization. landlords privatearmies and the conse- LISTEN FUNDERS! After the overthrow of Marcos in quent militatization. In short, manyNGOs and people'sorganizations are saying that continued from Me 35 February 1986, the Filipinos tholght that all this would change. Governments all Canadian money has supported counter- time to evaluate us, and we have no insurgency efforts in the Philippines. opportunity to evaluate you. And I have a over the world expressed supportfor the Meanwhile, in the last two years, it has lot to say about that. But we never have restoration of democracy by pledging eco- the avenue to do that. You interfere with nomic assistance to rehabilitate our econ- become evident that the Aquino develop- our policy genera/41- you tell us in a very omy. The Canadian government was no ment model is no differentfrom that of pont& way, "If you change this program different. In fact, it took a bolder stance her predecessor. Our foreign debt has to make it mo;e towards education then that year, it announced that the Philip- already risen to $28B and our government we're going 1.o give you money." But we panel for debt negotiations has committed have no rig 7t to change your policy by pines had become a priority area for telling you, "Look we need this this year, development assistance. the toil of the Filipinos towards the repay- 1989, and not Um% " Part of the strateg was to involve ment of these debts. For the year In the end we real61 are at the bot- Canadian and Filipino NG0s, 43% of our total budget has beenallocat- tom, you'w at tne too and when we try to international agencies and the Canadian ed for debt servicing. This means that liberate ourselves - using your own jargon commercial sector in development pro- there is only so much left for education, to be "self-reliant" by asking for endow- hundred health and social services. Minimum ments, you invariab61 refuse. We're try- grams in the Philippines. One wages have not beenraised to the level irg to liberate ourselves from aependen- million Canadian dollars were allocated cy but cannot do it, precisely because for a trial period of two years during that is necessary for decent living. Thou- you agencies refuse to provide us with which CIDA (Canadian International sands of Filipinos sacrifice being together this fantastic chance to live off an Development Agency) was to "gather pro- with their families to seek out jobs all over endowment like you. gram experience and probefuture the world. For the women, this means Rita Olecamen (Union of Medical Relief options." working as domestic helpers in Hong Committers', Occupied Palestine) Perhaps one of the major proposals Kong, Singapore, the Middle East and Excerpted from a discussion at the North/ that emerged from this strategy is the Canada. It means working as prostitutes South Dialogue at the ICAE Fourth World in Japan and Europe and as nurses inthe Assam* Bangkok - January 1990. Negros Rehabilitation Development Fund, where $11M was allocated for four U.S. or the Middle East.

IS VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 THE FUNDING CRISIS

As we badly need dol- Canadian taxpayers' ment assistance (ODA) lar remittances, the gov- money has been on women in general and UNDERSTANDING THE FUNDING ernment has encouraged on the women's channeled to fund, not GAME: SOREN'S POPULAR this outflow of women, movement in particular? with Aquino calling them only economic prcdects Will more and more con- INEA1RE EXPERIENCE the saviours of the country venient women's organi- We have developed a dramain-education but also, in an indirect workshop to explore issues relating to fund- It is in this context zations be formed so that way, landlords' private ing: which donor funds what, whom and that many women's money can be channeled armies and the why? I have conducted the workshop here groups are now working to them? in Jamaica, with "project carriers" and oth- in the Philippines, and consequent 4. As CIDA aid is bilat- ers, aiso with women's groups in Trinidad. relating to CIDA. In militarization. In short eral assistance and there- It is a big concern of mine that ony those projects/organizations that develop an October 1988, a number fore works directly with of women's organizations many NGOs and peopk's awamnes I and understandirg of the "inter- our government, does this national funding game" get a chance to which form a significant organizations are saying mean co-optation of access funds. Do you think this popular block of the women's that Canadian money women's groups by the education would be of interest to other movement decided to has supported counter- government? struggling groups? Do you know how others band together to form the are learning and sharing about the "funding "Group of 10" to grapple insurgency efforts in the5. What will CIDA's game" and politics thereof? with the issues of devel- Philippines.... position be vis-à-vis opment aid and women's human rights violations Hilary Nicholson / Sistren Theatre Collective 20 Kensington Crescent, Kingston 5, Jamaica issues. The first project was a paper, committed by the military and vigilante groups against women in the 'Women, Development and Aid", which Note: Sistren Theatre Collective has also con- was drafted by women in the Group. supported communities? tributed a mvealing case study of the effect of CIDA gave us funds to consult with around 6. And finally, the big question: Why is playirg the "international funding game" on their organizational development and democratic prac- CIDA interested to fund the women's 600 women all over the country from the tices. Ring Dingin aTight Corner, by former artis- grassroots and different sectors (labour, movement, which has continuously raised tic director Honor-Ford Smith, is available hem peasant, urban poor, amdemics, women in the issues of imperialism, corruption and the ICAE Women's Program. arts and health) about their views on the structural defects? paper and to come up with a needs assess- rnenL which could inform the CIDA As a result of our consultations, we have AN IMPOR1ANT Human Resources Development thrust. come to the conclusion that we know too FUNDING RESOURCE In the process of our consultations little about the nature and impact of ODA The Funding Newsnote is an occasional with these women, a number of issues on women. For instance, just like the col- bulletin produced in English, French and kept cropping up. onizers' strategy of dividing the world, Spanish by the International Women's Tri- 1. The women from Negros, whose hus- First World governments have conven- bune Centre. The Newsnote was started so that women's groups could begin to share bands, sons and fathers have been killed iently divided the Philippines into "areas of responsibility" Canada is pouring a lot information relating to the broad area of or arrested and whose families have been "women and funding"- infomation about of money into Negros and two other d'isplated by the ongoing militarization in funders, issues related to funding for wo- regions in Mindanao, while a number of the countryside, areaskingwhy we are men's prgects - and to begin a process of getting money from CIDA when it has European development agencies are collectiveY developirg strategies which will been funding the landlord projects and doing so in Northern Luzon. But what both increase the amount of funding avail- able for all women's groups, and at the same indirectly causing their displacement and specifically is its impact on women? time begin to broaden the scope of issues misery. We have resolved to study the impact of official development assistance on that the funding community will support. 2. On the other hand, women's groups The Funding Newsnote is available on women and women's groups as more and request only, and is distributed free of who have seen the possibilities of more more is earmarked for women's projects. long-term funding have asked, why not? change to individuals and groups in Third World countries. All others are asked to pay Won't more money mean more resources Write to us at: US$6 per subscription for three issues. The to help women? The Group of Ten Women$hare project, of which the News- 3. As CIDA's focus is on "human resources do Center for Women's Resources note is a part, is coordinated by IWTC Pro- development" we must ask whyare they 43 Roces Avenue, 2ncl Floor gramme Associate, Alice Quinn. "developing" our women? Is itso women Quezon City Women$hare Project can be efficiently inserted in the World PHILIPPINES IWTC 777 United Nations Plaza Bank and IMF Development Strategy? New York, NY Excerpted from a presentation at the 10017USA 3. What is the impact of official develop- Women's Program Forum"Up /n Airne. VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 37 237 LITERACY: THE CRITIQUE. FROM BELOW

by Lalita Ramdas

The Critique from Below

From March 5 to 9, 1990, over 1500 Gender and the on page 7 under article VIII: NGO and governmental rooloo.,__ An active commitment representatives attended the World Challenge to must be made to disad- Education for All by the Year 2000 Educational vantaged populations, for conference which took place in Jomtien, Theory whom basic education is a Thailand. The conference was means of reducing social, sponsored by the World Bank, Feminist scholars have identi- cultural and economic UNESCO, UNICEF and UNDP. The fied the control and exploita- disparities; those who are International Task Force on literacy tion of women's sexuality and disadvantaged because of (ITFL) and NGO committees of the sexual division of labour as gender (girls and UNESCO and UNICEF worked the "two mutually supportive women); economic status CEMI. together to organize a special one-day and powerful mechanisms of (the poor, street children briefing session for NGO delegates subordination." Inevitably, this has serious and working children); location (n4ral, befom the conference. Lalita Ratndas, implications for an educational perspec- remote, and slum poi/It/dims); dislo- one of the panelists at the ITFL tive and policy. Today many of us -re re- cation (refugees and migrant workers); roundtable, focussed her presentation formulating literacy as a women's issue and disability (the physically or intel- on a critique of the major conference and posing what might be termed a "femi- lec.`ually impaired). documents from a gender and nist challenge" to educational theory and There is r o special focus on gender. grassroots perspective. The following practice. One sees repeated emphasis on reducing excerpts are from her speech and an It is revealing in this light to assess the male-female "gaps", be it in literacy levels ITFL statement prepared prior to the major documents of the Education for All or access to education; gender is tre.awd conference. conference in order to understand the as "just another" disadvantage; and there language and context in which references is a total absence of any attempt to devel- to girls and women are made, and to op a deeper, more serious analysis of the judge, if possible, the level of visibility and basic causes which have led to this situa- commitment to gender. tion and which might then suggest the solutions. Draft Documents In "The Declaration," women have been "promoted" to page 2 from page 7 and Women's Issues and find mention twice in the basic docu- ment. But the language and context need The "World Charter" assigns women and attention. The preamble says: girls to a place along with other disadvan- More than 960 million aduks, two taged populations under a sub-heading of thirds of whom are women, are illiter- "Reducing Disparities," and that too only

311 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 2'3 " LITERACYTHE CRITIQUE FROM BELOW

. < 414 t :et .1; ' ',Y. . *e"

a A .,

ate and functional illiteracy is a sig- justice calls for, particularly in an environ- spheres and are counted as "illiterate" are nificant problem in all countries. ment which is increasingly unsupportive girls and women. It is also well known Article III, item 3, refers to women with often hostile to women's needs and that the causes for this injustice are root- somewhat more emphasis but with problems. ed in economic situations as much as in restricted application: deep societal prejudices which are strong- In the countries where female enrol- ly influenced by patriarchy, and institu- ment and literacy rates are much Education and tionalized through the family, culture, lower than those for males, the most Policy-Who Decides? religion and the education process. urgent priority is to improve access to, Women bear the brunt of poverty and and the quality of education for girls Many of us worldng in the NGO sector, illiteracy, both in qualitative and quantita- and women, and to remove evenj and with women's networks across the tive terms. And while the situation is obstacle that hampers their active par- world, would contend that this absence of acute in developing countries, in industri- ticipation. All gender stereotyping in any in-depth understanding of gender alized nations too women are affected by issues, as reflected in the documents, is education should be eliminated. the deteriorating economic environment, hardly surprising! We have come to The primaty focus here again serves to as testified to in countless documents. stress the need to bring "females" on par expect nothing less in a scenario where The marginalization of women in soci- with "males" in terms of enrolment, ac- positions of power and decision-making ety forms a common feature cutting cess and participation, but without ade- are generally dominated by men, or across all other groups - be they tribal, where predominantly "patriarchal values" quate attention to landless, labour, indigenous peoples and prevail. This is true in underlying causes "If an education vision other minorities, refugees, or disabled. which lead to their most fields of econom- The gender question transcends and educational marginal- pledges itself to a ic, social and political underscores race and class issues too, thus ization. activity. The sphere of involuntarily uniting women despite their 'revolutionary' and education is no excep- In essence, howev- global heterogeneity. er, nothing has really `transformative' definition oftion. Male dominance There can be little doubt that the con- changed in terms of literacy, then [certain] in literacy policy-mak- ceptual framework on gender behind the substanoe and thrust ing is more than a little entire documentation and, therefore, the systems, controls, norms and as far as the analysis ironic however, given thinking of the World Conference on the reality of the world and position on gen- traditions could be Education for All, does not address itself situation. Statistics and der is conce.ned. It is to the basic reasons underlying gender challenged, questioned, and data repeatedly tell us plain that the position injustice in all its many dimensions. that the majority of of the WCEFA docu. even overthrown, through By drawing attention to the "blocks" ments does not give those who have been and "obstacles" to women's development - women's quest for literacy systematically denied the centrality and pri- such as lack of time, shortage of female ority which gender and justice." equal opportunity in teachers, distance of schools from home, education and other

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 MI 23', ) lack of child care, cultural and family con- gender oppression, female subjugation tions imposed on women's space and free- straints, resource constraints, and so on - and discrimination is, if anything, even dom by religion, custom and culture; education policy makers build a strong more threatening! It is self-evident that these are all women's realities in their case for what can only be categorized as there is a set of :iystematic and stnictured day-to-day world. the "techno-managerial" manifestations familial, societal norms and values which If an education vision pledges itself to of the problem. This also becomes a con- derive from patriarchy, and which serve to a "revolutionary" and "transformative" venient mechanism for diverting atten- keep women subjugated and confined to definition of literacy, then all these sys- tion away from the fundamental struc- certain biological and stereotyped roles. tems, controls, norms and traditions could tural factors responsible for keeping girls This is true for women in all societies, be challenged, questioned, and even over- and women subordinated, uneducated, from the least developed to the most thrown, through women's quest for litera- and in their homes. industrialized, with differences being cy and justice. Perhaps this is why there is Coming to the question of women purely relative in degree. The male con- no mention of words like "empowerment" and gender justice, the explosive political trol over female access to education and or "liberation" in the draft documents. potential of raising consciousness about literacy; the lowered self-image internal- the complex and manifold dimensions of ized by women themselves; the restric- A Call to Action from the International Task ForceonLiteracy (EXCERPTS)

WrE, THE MEMBERS OF far beyond, the basic skills of reading and over their own growth, and by becoming the International Task Force writing. active participants in a process of social on literacy, represent a wide Women are the key figures in the change that will lead to a more peaceful, range of non-governmental global literacy campaign, as women and just and harmonious society. organizations with an girls comprise about 70 percent of the outreach to over 60 million people in illiterate populace After excluding them nearly every corner of the world. We call from decision making structures through Women and Literacy upon ourselves, other NCOs, centuries of subjugation and discrimina- Women should be the central focus of all governments and Heads of State urgently tion, today there is an urgent need to uti- literacy programs. The root causes under- to make effective commitments for litera- lize their wealth of insights and talents in lying the present dismal status of women's cy and principles which have been identi- every sphere of social, political and eco- education are located in the structures of fied during our fifth meeting held in Suraj nomic endeavour. To answer this need, a patriarchy which continue to influence Kund, India in October 1989. priority should be given to the education attitudes and behaviou,s towards girls and Mass illiteracy is inextricably linked of girls and women in all literacy pro- women in many societies. This injustice with mass poverty, structural injustice and gramming. This positive discrimination based on gender is often compounded by marginalization. Therefore, people need will, no doubt, have an uplifting influence class and economic factors and has signifi- to be empowered as learners to get access on the qual ty of education as a whole. cant implications for the nature and thrust to the education and knowledge which of education policy and plaiining. will enable them both to assume control over their own processes of growth, and to DefiniVon of Literacy 2.1 Program design must begin with an understanding of the specific cultural, become active, responsible participants in Literacy is defined as the set of social and economic problems faced by a systematic process of social knowledge, qualities, skills, attitudes and development. women. capacities that enable individuals to pre- 2.2 Women's literacy programs must nec- Literacy therefore includes, but goes serve self-esteem by assuming control essarily include a component for sensitiza-

40 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 CEAAL

tion and education of men in particular, and preference for the male child, training and for other members of the family and the next generation to think differently society in general. Men should be and learning many forms of economic, prepared to accept the egalitariansitua- social and political cooperation. As the tion which will come as a result of the first edueators of their children, moth- education of women. ers can substantially determine 2.3 Every literacy effort should foster the values of each generation. self-confidence in women. 2.4 Teacher training and material design; ITFL India Office development, research and evaluation; do Indian Adult Education Asso- and learning strategiesmust all address ciation the particular needs and learning difficul- 17-B Indra Prastha arg. ties faced by women and girls. New Delhi 1100002 2.5 The entire range of methodology for INDIA women's literacy should be process-ori- ented and should consciously promote dialogue between men andwomen and the full understanding of their equalpart- nership and shared responsibilitiesat home and in society. 2.6 Women should be taught howto cooperate to better promote the interests of women: to educate their daughters, jointly abandoning practices whichare to their detriment suchas dowry systems Alb

241 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 41 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

1iolence

0 Ag _iomen

In the last decades more and more women have been speaking out about sexual harass- ment and wife abuse, two forms of violence against women that pervade women's work plams and homes. Popular educators working with women have identified the continuing reality of this daily violence as an enormous obstacle to women's personal, economic and political development. We need to challenge the social conditions that encourage and permit wifebeating and sexual harassment. Needless to say, this is a long-term project that involves struggle and education in many areas and on different levels: with governments, with police forces and courts, with employers and unions - and, of course, with men in general. However, because these situations of violence tend to isolate women and crush them psychologically as well as physically, it is essential to beginwith educational and support work that aims to strengthen women so that together, abused women can speak up and struggle against their intolerable conditions. The first two articles of this section focus on the subject of battered women. "Bat- tered Women: Breaking the Cycle," based largely on the experience of self-help groups for battered women, analyzes the situation faced by Argentinean women living with domestic violence. The second article, "Working Towards an End to Don iestic Violence," discusses the approach used by these self-help groups add includes samples of their educational material. Lastly, "Knowing Our Rights, Defending our Integrity" introduces educational material developed by the Women's Secretariat of the Nicaraguan Association of Rural Workers, and deals specifically with two issues that attack women's integrity: sexual harassment in the work place and physical and psycho- logical abuse in the home.

42 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 iVIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN -mmered

Breaking theCycle

by Lucretia OW, Coordinator, Program to PreventDomestic Violence The Women's Place, Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA

What Does a Battered seems strange, when we are able to recog- It is possible that in some cases the shock Woman Feel? nize the multiple factors conditioning gen- of ever-increasing violence makes the der relations, that we are not able toper- woman realize that her life is in danger. Working with the subject of domesticvio- ceive how once again cultural and social But there are too many unfortunate cases lence requires a deep understanding of expectations, and of course economic indicating that proximity to death is not what the abused woman faces and how models, lead women to try to sustain rela- sufficient in itself. she feels, while maintainingan open tionships involving self-sacrifice and bat- Undoubtedly, women feel greater sup- mind and unprejudiced point of view. tery, even to the point of endangering port as domestic violence becomes more The battered woman fir,ds herself their lives. visible in the public sphere, and as it is submerged in a situation of fear, self- identified tas a social phenomenon, shared depreciation, lack of self-conEdenec, and The Search for by many women, which transcends the sometimes panic. She no longer believes Alternatives personal and private space. herself capable of getting out of thesitua- Perhaps the search for outside help is Our experience has forced us to adopt tion on her own strength. Guilt and a also linked to the particular stage of life embarrassment push her further and fur- perspective which includes both the sub- that the battered woman is going through. ther into isolation, and her extreme lack jectivity of the bat ered woman and the Our experience in the self-help groups social dimension o 'the problem. Our of self-esteem makes her think thatno shows that many of the women who are approach is also ba d on the recognition one will listen to her, believe her or willing to search for ways to resolve their respect her. of cultural conditioni ig factors which situations, even to the point of breaking affect men and women, and which The abused woman tries, inmany are man- off their relationship with the abuser, have ifested in the way both ways, to make her relationship with the sexes feel and live. gone through the first stage of raising chil- abuser revert to its original state. She Within this framework, the self-help dren. It is possible that, while previously groups for battered women have proven ignores her own desires and needs inan totally immersed in caring for their chil- to be a suitable and efficient instrument attempt to please the abuser, canying dren, these women are now, upon com- for developing solidarity between submission to extremes, and shetries to women, pleting this critical period, able to feel strengthening their sense of self-worth anticipate his wishes. This, in turn, leads stronger and take a fresh look at and attaining a deep understanding of the to the distortion of her relationships with themselves. other people. She becomes resentful and situation. distrustful, and feels insecure, whichshe Women who have sulered domestic Excerpted from a document "Desde las mujeres often attempts to coverup by acting de- violence and have been able toescape it, y por el cambio social: los gnipos de autoayuda fensively, screaming, and rejecdng others. recognize that during long periods, in entre mujeres golpeadas" (Coming From One of the questions repeatedly some cases for many years, they felt para- Womenand Heading Towards SocialChange: asked, with irritation and impatience, lyzed. They were able to find refuge only Self-Help Groups for Battered Women). about women who face domestic violence in isolation, while hoping that something is, why do they continue to stay with the almost magical would happen to relieve Lugar de Mujer Corientes 2817 abuser? This question tendsto make them of their distressing situation. women themselves responsible for the No in-depth studies have been made Piso 5B situation in which they are immersed. It which allow us to analyze the internalpro-Buenos Aim 1193 cesses which lead woman to ask for help. ARGENTINA

243 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 43 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Argentina Se If-Holp Groups Working Towards anEnd to DomesticViolence by Lucrecia 01 ler they've gone through with her. Under but also for the good of all women and these circumstances, the first tangible the society as a whole. thing she receives from the group is hope; Wodt Methodology The First Step she sees that others have been able to free In her search for a way out, the battered themselves, and begins to think that per- The methodology used in theself-help woman may at one point have spokm to a haps she can too. groups with battered womenis inextrica- friend or neighbour - or perhaps have On her first visit, she is asked if she bly linked to the objectives and results seen a flyer w%ich invited battered suffers from domestic violence and she desired. If the objective is to modify a women to participate in a self-help group gives her first name only. It is explained to relationship with the rest of the world, - and oneday, finally prompted by fear or her that she herself defines the length of then the group's structure and action an overwhelming desire to change her her participation in the group, and that must aim to reinforce theself-confidence, oppressive situation, she decides to make the only cost is giving to other women credibility and self-esteem of the abused one more try. what she herself receives from the group. woman. Afraid and full of doubts, she finds When it is her turn to speak, the other With this in mind, the principal char- herself sitting in a circle with other participants listen attentively, respecting acteristics of a self-help group are the women who are speaking about what she wishes to say. From the start she following: themselves, about how they were able to finds that the other women are extremely break free from the same violence that understanding, that all have gone through All coordinators have suffered from do- she is now suffering. very similar situations, that eachword mestic violence. Each one hasleadership As she hears their stories, she can see represents a shared meaning, and that qualities, is trained in group dynamics, that no one is investigating details of the each silence is a moment of reflection. attends bi-weekly meetings with other violence, but rather that each woman All the participants are united in their coordinators and an institutional psychol- expresses what upsets her. The wornen solidarity with each other. Pain is shared ogist, and is strongly committed to the support one another and seareh together and begins to fade. Loneliness and isola- issue. for ways to overcome their problems arid tion disappear for the moment. To feel Coordination may be rotated, facilitat- decide what to do from here on in. heard and understood is to begin to feel ing the training of new coordinators. human. She starts to see the need and Beginning to Develop possibility to change her relationships The women are at different stages, including those who have recently arrived with other perple, and more importantly, Self-Esteem and others who have already broken free that she is capable of changing her life from violent situations. This offers a Identifying with others, accepting them and the chain of subm.ssion and violence. who with all their defects, virtues, fears and She discovers that women as a gender strong counter-example for women lack of definition, helps each woman suffer from disciimination, and that even still find themselves immersed in desper- more easily to accept her own values and though both sexes have similar cultural ation and see no way out. the different facets of her own personality. conditioning, the responsibility of the one Each woman defines the length of her This is a critical point in the process: who instigates violence is very different participation in the group according to beginning to ievelop self-esteem. from the responsibility of the abused. She her own needs. The group becomes a space where the learns that there are cultural traditions The group does not recognize any rules abused woman can begin to visualize her which place men in a position of superior- or regulations other thanthose which the healing. She has ongoing communication ity that subordinates women, and that this group itself has imposed on itsmembers. with women who have been working at must change, riot only for her own good This favours an attitude which is this for a long time, and ,:iho share what n44 :, 44 VOICES RISING A OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 Ricardo began to be more withdrawn and to return to the house late. Each week he gave Marla less money. He was becoming more violent, shouting, breaking glasses and kicking the furniture.

autonomous, responsible and committed. There is an open and trusting atmosphere which helps the battered woman to heal her self-esteem and devel- op a sense of security. The group defines weekly tasks for each One net Ole tried to talk to him but he participant, with the aim of gradually said he did not have to explain anythirg. He modifying their personalor family situa- got very angry and struck her hard. tions. Each week the gains made and dif- ficulties encounteredare evaluated. These tasks promotean active approach, and help to develop self-confidence and the capacity to take initiative. Educational Materials She isolated herself more and more, trying Some of the popular educational material to avoid the neighbors and not discussing developed by The Women's Placein her problems with anyone. She felt alone Argentina is used as part of the Program and paratyzed by panic. to Prevent Domestic Violence. Illustrated stories on cardboard, which show domes- tic violence developing out of different situations, are used as a tool to promote reflection on the causes of violencein the home and the possibilaies ofovercoming it. Specific reflections include: But the violence kept growing. Once after he hit me for burning the dinner, I saw the expression of desperation on the children's Domestic violence social problem or faces and felt like killing him. That realty family concern? frightened me and I realized I needed to find The role of education and culture in help. creating differences between thesexes How battered womencan change their situations Self-help groups for abusedwomen are they useful?

One day, when I was geffing off the bus, I saw an announcement by the church about a talk on domestic violence. I didn't feel too hopeful, but since I was there, I decided to go in.

VOICES RISING * OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 45 BEST COPY AVAILABLE 24 5 VIOtENCE AGAINST WOMEN Nicaragua Knowing Our Rights, related to the defense of women's integri- ty. The two themes shown here are sexual Defending Our Integifity harassment in the work place, and physi- cal and psychological abuse in the home. %men fannwothus become conscious These pamphlets are read and discussed in small study groups of work- tat dine is possible by Heather Chetwynd ers, often with women only,which are organized in each work centre and coor- Since 1983, the Nicaraguan Association of Vamos todas a conocer nuestros derachos dinated by women farrnworkers. These Rural Workers (ATC) has been working (Women - Let's Get to Know our Rights). "popular teachers" are trained by activists towards developing a consciousness of The first is aimed at getting union locals to who have participated in a national work- women's issues within its membership, negotiate collective agreements and, in shop organized by the Women's Secre- both male and female, at the base awl the process, to reflect on the particular tariat. Study is organized into units which leadership levels. This involves consider- conditions faced by women farmworkers. can be covered in oneday or an afternoon able educatonal work, much of which is The second pamphlet deals particularly and takes between three to six weeks to based on small-group study of educational with women's rights and how to defend complete. materials produced by the ATC Women's them. The focus is on both understanding The introduction attempts to get par- Secretariat. the legal system and developing a con- ticipants to reflect on their lives by look- This article looks at excerpts from two sciousness regarding women's oppression. ing at pictures, discussing what is shown pamphlets produced in 1988: Vamos todos While each of these materials covers a and answering questions which promote con el Convenio Colectivo (Let's All Go wide range of topics, both include sections reflection on the particular situation With the Collective skgreement) and aimed at promoting reflection on issues depicted, as well as on their own experi- ences.

How do women live? Outside of work:

What tasks do these women have? What other responsibilities do we have outside of work? What difficulties do we face in fulfilling these responsibilities? How can we solve these problems?

What problems do these women have to deal with at work? What's happening to this What other problems do women face at work? woman? How can we solve these problems? How do we deal with this situation? What type of legal protection do we have?

4$ VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 1. '1.1 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Can women's lives change?

Do we know men who cook? Why do our husbands not cook?

What do we think of this photo? After an initial reflection, concepts are How do our husbands defined and clarified. All unillustrated text is participate in childcare? w-itten with a relatively large typeface and each line of text is divided where there is a natural pause when spoken, making it easier for new readers to understand. The text is read aloud and discussed by the group.

Photostories not only generate discussion dur- Who takes cure of our chil- ing group study, but also at the moment of dren when we have togoout? taking the photos. Sexual harassment is a deli- What can we do in order to be able togoout when we want to? cate subject within the Union and therefore has not been explicitly named in the text, although it is certainly talked about during the reflection process.

Matagaipa, coffee production:

Could life be like what is show in the photos?

Men and women have biological differences, meaning we are born with bodies that function differently. 1111111111kr....:2_ For example, we as women have the possibility to get pregnant.

But there we othur differences which we not natural, but come !rem the different treatment What a creep! The men and women receive since childhood. SupervisOr told me he Only women are prepared to do the household chores, would fire me rf such as cooking and caring for the children. g0 to bed wan him But men can also learn these tasks and in many countries they do them. Z ilk Orillallk 4 Migdalia9 401110.ti.:' Wife battery is also not natural ' Let's make a complaint. ; The union leaders have and Is produced by an unjust relationship taken a stand on this in which women have the worst deal.

We can change this reality...

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 47 BEST COPY AVAILABLE 24 7 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Abuse, although primarily dealt with in relation to wife battery, also covers child beating. (The subject of incest is also included under this same section as part of child abuse.)

Personal testimonies conic from grassroots leaders who Luckily th,s mentality 's changing Your participation are known by the participants. Their reflections are con- in the leadership played a really important part in crete, suggesting possibilities for legal defence and making tno union deal with - these problems pointing out certain difficulties caused by the reactions of women themselves. 4

The goal of this edumtional process is, of course, to get people to act. "Even with the difficulties of getting legal defence, it is necessary to make formal complaints about abuse. Many women reject doing this because of the sex- 4 ist and humiliating attitudes we encounter. We must remember that as we denounce abuse we are changing And the male leadership has supported us a lot attitudes, so that abuse is recognized as a problem for Theywant us to parbcipate everyone and not only as a personal problem."

Secretaria de la Mujer What support does Migdalia have in this case? Asociación de Trabajadores del Campo (ATC) Have we heard of similar cases in our work? Casa Nacional, Apartado A-244 What attitude does our union have towards Managua, NICARAGUA these problems?

"In the internal regulations there's a clause that says that there should be respect in a work centre, that a person who creates a scandal or hits another must be dismissed from worii. I believe that we shoukl put this regulation into force." (Cnisbna Rodriguez)

"Many women do not come out against abuse and this Nearly all women from the countryside suffer means double work: convin- some degree of abuse from the men we live cing the women of what with and sometimes we also act the same way abuse means and convincing with our children. Threats, blows and other the men not to do it." fe,ms of physical violence are acts against our (Jacinta Prado) integrity-

48 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 BEST COPY AVAILABLE SOLIDARIT'Y Norma Virginia Guirola de Herrera

HER BAMPLEIIVES ON Dear friends, Our understanding of the nature of the Women's Progrom's "Solidarity Alert" impels us to take this opportunity to ask that you make an urgent call to denounce the evil and cowardy murder of our Gen- 4Ib en21 Coordinator Sra. Norma Virginia Guirola de Herrera, proof of the ongoing violation of human rights in El Salvador Nonna dedicated a large part of her life to work with Salvadorean women. She was committed to the development of gender consciousness and to building a society based on equality and social justice. We also ask that, along with us, you demand an end to the aggression against the women's organizations in our countny. Send letters of denunciation and protest to:

Lie. Alfredo Cristiani Presidente de la Reptiblica de El Salvador Casa Presidencial SanSalvador, EL SALVADOR, C.A.

Coronel Rene Emilio Ponce Jefe del Estado Mayor Conjunto de la Fuer= Armada de El Salvador Estado Mayor de la Fuerza Armada SanSalvador, EL SALVADOR, C.A. On November 12, 1989, 42-year-old Norma VirginiaGuirola de Herrera was arrested while attending to wounded civilians, most of whom were women. We would also appreciate receiving copies Her body was found the next diay in a city morgue in San Salvador, showing of the protests: signs of having been cruelly murdered. Mother of four, Norma was also President and General Coordinator of the Insti- Instituto de Investigacion, CapacitaciOn y tute for Research, Training and Development of Women (IMU) in San Salvador at Desarrollo de (aMujer(MU) the time of her death. Since the age of 18, she had dedicated her life to helping ApattadoPostal 1703 those in need, and in particular to fighting the injustices and discrimination faced by SanSalvador, EL SALVADOR, C.A. Salvadorean women. Alter the founding of the IMU in August 1986, Norma began to organize train- We hope to be able to count on your soli- ing programs for women from different sectors, to research and document the darity, socio-economic, cultural and political situation of women in El Salvador, and to ana- Nora Elizabeth de Garcia lyze the critical role of women in the current Salvadorean crisis. Her enormous Coordinadora General, IMU capacity and dedication to this work helped the IMU become an important and respected institution, both nationally and internationally. In the words of her co-workers, Norma was "an advisor in work and always a friend, offering us warm and friendly words in our moments of greatest anguish and weakness. (She) showed in practice the value of humility" In spite of her cruel and unjust death, her example will never die.

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 4 9

BEST COPY AVAILABLE (%) SOLIDARITY

he responses received as a imprisonment with a three ye.Irs' result of the Women's Pro- suspended sentence. Her supporters are gram solidarity alerts have calling for a re-trial. been encouraging. Lee Young Soon says, "There are Since 1988 when we first undertook to many obstacles to overcome but nothing alert our international network about will deter me from seeking women's and women political prisoners, we have sent wcrkers' liberation." She thanked all the out alerts on behalf of South African friends abroad who campaigned for her women political prisoners and detainees; release. we demanded protection from death- We too would like to take this oppor- threats on behalf of Women's Program tunity to thank all of you who responded network member Cecilia Olea of the to our calls for solidarity. We hope you Flora Tristan Centre in Peru; we sent out will respond with equal support to join us a call for the immediate release of Lee in condemning the murder of El Young Soon, a woman worker and orga- Salvadorean feminist/activist Norma de nizer with the Korean Women Workers Herrera. Association in South Korea; we also called for international support for the campaign Solidarity/Solidarite/Solidaridad for women's human rights launched by Gabriela, the national women's umbrella The Women's Pmgram organization in the Philippines. This call included a demand for the release of women political prisoners and an end to detention without trial. Stretching the vision of solidarity action past support for political prisoners, in Januar); of this year we sent out a call to action in solidarity with the Thai women's movement which welcomed the Women's Program delegation at the ICAE World Assembly in Bangkok. Thai women are fighting exploitation by the sex tourism industry and we sent out a call alerting members of the adult education move- ment that its choice of a conference site near a notorious sex tourist resort beach was in conflict with the work of the Thai women's movement. (For more informa- tion, see articles later in this section.) For those of you who sent letters demanding the release of Lee Young Soon, we have this update: Lee Young Soon was convicted for "violating social order" and was sentenced to two years'

11/

50 VOICES RISINGOCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 SOLIDARITY

THE ASIAN WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (AWHRC)

We wanted to introduce you to this newly to encourage the development and experiences as well as the wisdom and formed Asian women's solidarity organiza- implementation of international vision of Asian women; tion, set up to monitur, increase instruments that promote the elimination to organize seminars, workshops or consciousness of and ultimately abolish of discrimination against women; as well consultations that serve as channels or human rights abuses of women in Asia. as to make visible the existing human forums for developing a new rights violations of Asian women; understanding of human rights and which to encourage the drafting of documents promote the feminist concern for human General Purposes of such as an Asian Declaration of Women's rights; the AWHRC: Human Rights which reflect the to undertake networking, and to support and facilitate the organization of To promote a new understanding of AWHRC national network groups human rights and development from a wherever feasible in various Asian feminist perspective and in the process, countries; generate new concepts of human rights to foster solidarity among women's responsive to the collective rights of peo- groups and organizations in the Asian ples and of women. region for the promotion of women's To challenge gender subordination and human rights and the collective rights of patriarchy and the existing development peoples. models which have brought about new and more violent forms of human rights For more information contact: violations on Asian women. To provide a focal point and stimulus at Nelia Satu3ho, Regional Coordinator the national and regional levels for the Asian Women's Human Rights Commission advocacy and defence of Asian women's 1832 U.P Bliss, Diliman human rights. Quezon City Specific Purposes of the AWHRC: to encourage documentation of the human rights situation of women in the various Asian countries; to ensure the systematic exchange and flow of information to respond to women's human rights violations; to provide for concerted action and quick responses in the Asian region,on existing women's human rights violations;

25i VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMbER 199051 SOLIDARITY

INTERNATIONAL DELEGATES CALL FOR Solid rity Actions with Thai Wome

Since the mld-70's, the promotion Agroup of concerned partici- organizing against of tourism in Third World countries pants at the International exploitation every- where. The Caucus has resulted in the mushrooming of Council for Adult Educa- tion's Fourth World Assem- prepared a state- support structures In the entertain- bly (Bangkok, January 1990) ment and call to ment business: discos, night clubs, proposed that the Assembly "act on the action in solidarity massage parlours, hotels and broth- words and statements heard at this meet- with Thai women's els. Due to Increasing ing, i.e., that democracy, participation and concerns which equality begin at home, in our communi- was endorsed by unemPloYmaat, this industry ties and in the structures of our organiza- participants of the attracts large numbers of workers, tions." Assembly. In addi- particularly women, who generally The issue was the international con- tion to urging Assembly participants to have even fewer job opportunities ference Education for All by the Year express their concern about this issue to than men, but find that "service" 2000, which was to be held in March 1990 the organizations that were to be involved in the conference, it was strongly recom- jobs in the entertainment sector and would attract over 3,000 participants. The conference, for which an entirely mended to the sponsoring inter-agency require no qualifications, are more new complex was built, cost roughly US$ committee (which included the World readily available and often provide 3 to 4 million. The location chosen for the Bank) that: greater Income. This type of work meeting was Jomtien Beach, Thailand, usually implies sexual service as ten minutes away from the village of Pat- decisions as to location and program taya - notorious as a sex tourism resort. content for subsequent meetings be well. The main concern was not whether based on a critical awareness and sensitiv- The Vietnam war promoted the any of the individual participants would ity to the domestic context; development of the sex industry in involve themselves directly as consumers Thailand for American servicemen in the sex tilde industry, but rather that programs at such meetingsshould have until the end of the war In 1976. At the selection of the site was contrary to as a priority learning about the important the spirit reflected in the concept of issues of the country and region; and that point, sex tourism began to be "Education for All" and offensive because promoted by countries such as Ger- the building of a new infrastructure in the human and material resources mob- many, Switzerland, Holland and that zone directly contributes to further ilized to support such meetings should Japan. expansion of the sex trade industry contribute to and support the develop- The consequences of sex After a public forum and consultation ment programs of the host country, such with organizations representing the Thai as the building of community and voca- tourism can include, among other women's movement, the Women's Caucus tional ecntres, schools and shelters. things, various forms of violence agreed to act as an international delega- and threats of violence, the spread tion expressing solidarity with women of the HIV virus, and continually worsening labour conditions as the market expands and other forms of the sex Industry, such as "mall- order brides", begin to appear.

$2 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 OLIDARITY

Trafficking in about 52 million people, are believed to bc estimated that prostitutes receive less used in the sex trade. In 1984, a fire on the than one-thirtieth of the fees their patrons women is a crisis of resort island of Phuket left the charred Pay. bodies of prostitutes who had been Another variation of trafficking in global dimensions. chained to their beds. Small Thai girls are women is the sale of "mail-order brides" - Women in the Philippines are sold sold to European tourists as "virgin prosti- young, impoverished women from into prostitution, often as children, for the tutes," commanding a higher price than Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, gratification of American militaryperson- the going rate for sexual chattel. and the Philippines - to men in Western nel stationed there. Other Southeast Tours of Japanese and European busi- Europe and the United States. Ads for the Asian women are transported through nessmen are daily flown into South Korea women are placed in "personal" columns organized pimping networks into the and Thailand for "sex vacations" organized in mainstream newspapers by agencies brothels and sex shows of Japan, Germany by agencies like Germany's "Rosie Travel," like the American-owned "Intercontact- and the United States. Penniless, often whose brochure states, "Anything goes in Bureau" (ICB), which has a German illegal aliens, these women become the this exotic country. Especially when it branch "Speyer." prisoners of their pimps. comes to girls...' You can book a trip to For the women and girls who are traf- The situation is hardly any better for Thailand with erotic pleasures included in ficked, the daily reality of the global sex many women and girls who remain in the price." Airlines, travel agenck s, hotels, trade is one of rape, child sexual abuse, their native lands. An estimatedone mil- and pimps take the bulk of the women's beatings. torture, imprisonment, and lion Thai women and girls, ina country of r'arnings - Korean Church Women United degradation. To the pimps and procurers, their customers, and the businesses and governments that benefit from the sex The 11--"Lernationall trade, prostitution and the trafficking of women is sexual entertainment which produces huge and effortless profits. Sex Trade: With few exceptions. the media have contributed to this oppressive reality by advertising "mail-order brides" and sex A Few Facts about Trafficking in Women tours and by presenting prostitution as a glamorous job alternative for women. The Thai government is embarrassed by Pr.: Bangkok's reputation as the "Brothel of Asia," but it has steadfastly refused to , . .4.t!i place restrictions on the tourist industry, I. the country's third largest source of income.

Taken from adocument writtenby Dr Kath- leen Barry, on behdf of the Coalition Against Traffickingin Women which has NGO Con- sultative Status with the United Nations Eco- nomic and Social Council.

410. ft CoalitionAgainstTrafficking in Women Cdder Square Station PO. Box 1077, State College PA 16805-0077, USA

' We wish to note here that both sex tourism and the demand for Asian "mail-order brides" rif led and cater to a racist myth that Asian women are among the most submivive in the worid. This adds a further ominom dimension to the propaganda used to promote the traf- ficking in Man women to Western men. Voices Rising

VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 53 BEST COPY AVAILABLE-- 2 5 3 Calling All Women Popular Caracias At the Women% Research Centre we Educators were very glad toestablish oontact with Voices Rising. As a feminist organization concerned with making our work accessi- The forme: stag of the Women% Program/Popular Education Research Group are ble and relevant to women's groups both developing r. resource kit for women activists and educators. in Canada and internationally, Voices Ris- The kit will be a primer on the thcory and methodology of popular education and its ing's role of facilitating links among all of practical application to a number of areas: vioience, health, racism, urban poverty and us working for women is anextremely indigenous self-determination. We intend to use source materials from organizations in important one. our network, which we will adapt for use in our local context throughconsultation with The Women% Research Centre began Toronto activists. In this way, the kit will combine the experience ar.d wisdom of grass- in 1973. Our aim is to work with women roots women's organizations from the international network with the needs and chal- who do not normally have access to lenges articulated by local women active around common issues. research facilities. Our focus is action If you or your group have produced any popular education materials which focus on research - research which is not the areas oE distanced, which is rooted in women% description of their experience, and empowering women which is intended to promote action to violence - social and political change society. Much of our work has urban organization focussed on the issue areas of women and fighting racism the economy, violence against women, indigenous self-determination institutional change, and methods of health (especially reproductive, and in particular on AIDS) research evaluation and education. popular education methodology (especially with a gender perspective) For the past few years we have been methodologies of creating alternative and popular media drawing upon the experience of those working in the field of popular education. ....then please send us a copy. Anyone who contributes Even before that, however, our work was materials for the kit, regardless of whether the materials based on many of the same principles and are used in the final product, will be sent a free copy of techniques that are now called popular the finished Popular Education Resoutve Kit for Women education - in particular the need to be Educators and Organizers. consciously grounded in women% experi- If you want more information about the kit please ence and to undertakeresearch and edu- write to: cation with the goal of social, politicaland economic change. PERG Two WRC resources that might be of 606 Shaw Street particular interest to Voices Rising's read- Toronto, Ontatio ers are ActionResearch for Women's CANADA M6G 31,6 Groups and An Evduation Guide for Women's Groups . Also, we are currently working on a project called Strategies for Change: a Workbook Based on Women's Experience. Two parts of the workbook will be available in June 1990: Part One: "Learning From our Experience" and Part Two: "Legislative Change and the Equality Framework." A complete listing of WRC publications is available on *1 request.

$4 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 25 BUILDING TH,E NETWORK

examine their own place ii the economy learn basic economic principles better understand causes of poverty and U.S.A. wealth include social and psychological dimen- sions of economic oppression Women, Poverty and Economic Power examine how racism and sexism shape We look forward to the continued and obscure views on economics sharing of resources and experience with A project for women who want to address women's groups in Canada and interna- economic problems and work for social deepen and share understanding about a specific issue of focus - housing,social tionally. change services/welfare, or employment; Debm J. Lewis The Nationwide Women's Program of the analyze connections between other Researrh Associate American Friends Service Committee is political and social issues, considering the Women's Researrh Centre offering a series of pilot workshops on U.S. as a part of the world economy use these skills to begin strategizing for 101- 2245 West Bmadway economic literacy. These provide women Vancouver, British Columbia from any region [within the U.S.] with an continuing action and reflection. C ANADA V6K 2E4 opportunity to gain a better understand- ing of the complex world economy in For more information write to: which we participate and to develop strategies for action. Nationwide Women's Program The goal of the workshop is to bring American Friends Service Committee Panzuwa together a group of 20 to 25 women to: 1501 Cherry Street Philadelphia, PA 19102 USA We are a team of women who have been working in the area of popular education for six years. Our major efforts go towards training sessions, talks, courses, work- shops and periodic study groups with rem women from different sectors. In addit- ion, we publish posters and articles for Our First Women's them orient their activities and understand women who work as group coordinators Bookstore Is On Its Way our points of view. Part of this campaign is or animators. the Women's Bookstore projed. This year we are creating a Women's The 1985 opening of the Centre for Docu- Despite the achievements of the fern i- Support Centre which will be able to mentation and Information about Women nist movement and the rnany years it has attend to the needs of battered women (Centro de DocumentaciOn e Información existed in our country, we still do not have and offer legal aid, psychological support sobre la Mujer) resulted from our belief a place where we can sell the enormous and social assistance to grassroots women. that information is power. Since then, quantity of information which has been We would appreciate any information thousands of interested people have come produced in recent years and which is which can help to orient us and support to research and read articles, testimonies, greatly demanded by the general public. our work. In addition to informative research papers, etc. which give a rich and We also hope that this space will be a use- material, we need contacts with other complex vision of women. ful commercial outlet for women's organi- organizations and reference centres, and Over the years, we have significantly zations which have production projects. training opportunities in these fields. expanded the volume of reference materi- Women interested in supporting this al in the Centre (presently 7,500 titles) initiative can help by sending us a collec- Hope to hear from you soon. and have improved service through tion of your materials (books, pamphlets, automation. posters, cards and, in general, small Merredes Cumberbatch This year, the situation of increasing objects which can be sent by mail and Coordinadora poverty and violence in our country has led sold at under $10.00) which will be sold Prvgmma de la Mujer us to take on a mom dynamic role. We arc on consignment in our centre. Departamento Nacional de also searching out and promoting links with Pastoml Social y Caritas those who influence women's lives- jour- Centro de Dccumentacion e Apto. 1149, Zona 9A nalists, politicians, professionals and popu- Informacion Sobre la Mujer Panama City, lar women's organizations- in order to pro- Av. Arenales 2626, piso 3 PANAMA vide them with information which can help Lima 14, PERU

VOI'AS RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 55 BUILDING T.HE NETW.ORK 15tit r siocio Mexico tikeY* Looking Before We ed and to figure out what to do. We ana- to the process of taking into accousrt larg- Leap:Union Women Share lyzed the actions of the government er factors such as the economic crisis, authorities and the corrupt leadership of industrial modernization, elections, etc. Tools of Analysis our unionthey, along with the rank- Women agreed diet it is important that and-file, were the principal actors in that the rank and file be involved in the pro- Factory and government workers, nurses, struggle. We had to ask ourselves: What cess so that everyone can understand the teachers and university professors- 54 forces are at play? Do we really have the various factors necessary for making key women unionists and supporters met for a rank and file on our side? What has hap- decisions. Women also felt that, as work- weekend to learn to do "amilisis de la pened in the past? Would the govern- ing women, they need to do analysis from coyuntura," that is, to learn to analyze the ment intervene? Was the lay-off part of a a women's perspective, because of the context in which they are organizing in national strategy? particular factors - husbands, children, order to make better action decisions and "We then began to look at our options domestic responsibiliti.3s - that affect foresee the consequences. for action and the possible consequences. women's participation. The workshop opened with women We held several marches, and gained the This is the first time that women from sharing when and how their organizations support of other unions. When we saw independent. unions and democratic move- make such analysis. A nurse from the that negotiations were going nowhere, we ments within government-controlled movement to democratize the Health felt the need to take more drastic mea- unions have come together to look at their Workers Unions said: "We only stop to sures and decided to hold a hunger strike. experiences and learn new methods of evaluate what's going on when there are The results were dramatic. After 45 days analysis. Future weekend workshops will problems. For example, thousands of us with good press coverage and public sup- include how to further democratic pro- had been marching in the streets and port, we won back all 10,000 jobs." cesses within unions and how to ensure then the government fired hundreds of Once all the experiences shared in women's participation in decision-making. nurses. That's when we finally stopped to small groups had been summarized in analyze our situation. We hadn't foreseen Muter a Mujer/Correspondencia plenary, women concluded that most the firings. We were scared and didn't A. P 24-553, Colonia Roma were a!ready doing analysis, although know what to do." 06701 Mexico D.F., MEXICO generally without dedicating much time The coordinators helped the group define six questions necessary for analyz- ing ones context: 1. What has happened? What have been the key events? 2. Where have events taken place? 3. Who are the key actors? 4. What forces are at play? Who is sup- A Call for Linkages porting whom? and Pdnted Materials 5. What actions are we going to take? Who will participate? The International Labour Research and in educational methods, research 6. What will be the consequences of these Information Group (ILRIC) is based in methodology and writing skills. actions? Cape Town, and produces educational We are interested in collecting more Participants then divided into small materials for shop stewards and others in information on women workers, and groups to describe specific cases once the labour and mass democratic move- particularly in making links with groups of they had analyzed their context. ments to promote a vision and under- women workers all over the worldmost In one group, a voman from the standing of international labour solidarity. especially in Asia and Eastern Europe Department of Agriculture Workers Union ILRIG provides educational Please get in touch. Also write if you are described the steps her union had taken workshops, a computerized resource interested in the booklet series Workers before deciding to carry out a hunger strike library and has also produced booklets in of the Work/ or ILRIG's new magazine in response to the lay-off of 10,000 workers. a series entitled Workers of the World Workers' World. "First we had to figure out exactly (seven titles, three in three languages, one International Labour Research and what was happening. Then at the first sign more in the pipeline). As well, ILRIG Information Gtvup that we could be laid off, we helda gener- provides internships for students and P.O. Box 213, Salt River al assembly to see how many were affect- trains members of popular organizations Cape Town 7925, SOUTH AFRICA 56 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 r PhtlippinesMalaysia Mindanao, aside from being the second We first came together as women concer- women who together discover and fulfill major island of the Philippines, is also the ned about the sufferings of' fellow women. our dignity, equality and freedom in the stage of cultural heterogeneity and varia- Women beaten by the men they live with. daily realities of our lives; a movement of tions. National minority Filipinos who, in Women raped. Women sexually harassed. action and formation; a movement that is resistance to western colonialism preserve And the media exploitation of women's of service to women; a movement that a great portion of their rites and tradi- bodies. For the first time in March 1985 represents women who are united and tions, constitute a. significant percentage we, a group of women, broke the silence with support will be able to confront of the population. The lowland settler Fil- and ended the invisibility of such violence structures and systems that stop us ipinos, who imbibed the colonial, theneo- and abuse suffered by women. Thus women from being whole persons. colonial and for an increasing number the began the public campaign against Our activities are: sharing our experi- nationalist culture, on the other hand, also violence towards women in Malaysia. ences as women; understanding women's play front-line roles in anew wave of cul- We are AWAM. We are part of an or- position in society; knowing our bodies, tural assertion. ganization of women dedicated to creating keeping our health; campaigning for legal The Mindanao Community Theatre awareness and developing consciousness reforms pertaining to violence against Network was formally named and institut- among women of the dignity and rights of women; giving talks, holding exhibitions, ed in 1984 after a painstakingprocess of women, as enunciated by the United organLing seminars; developing skills - more than ten years, and after several lead- Nations General Assembly in 1975. public speaking, leadership, chairing erships and predecessorscame and went. We believe in: promoting mutual meetings; meeting with other women and As a direction, it is a forum to system- understanding and friendship among organizations. atize into pedagogical prescriptions the women; building support for women; pro- cultural thrusts and orientations of its viding a voice for women to speak out for AWAM member gmupseither a theatre for themselves; recognizing and establishing All Women's Action Society awakening-action-and-organization of the the human dignity of both women and do 43 C plan SS6/12 people or a theatre to instilla tradition of men as a basic human right, abolishing all 47301 Kelana Jaya dramaturgy that is Filipino by heritage and discrimination based on sex, race or creed. Selangor Darul Ehsan liberating by effect. Furthermore, integral We aspire to be: a movement of Kuaia Lumpur, MALAYSIA to its heritage-building is the development of indigenous traditions in order to draw in the tribal Filipinos' struggle for self-deter- mination in its leading capacity As a body, it rakes into its ranksmore BveNglackesk than sixty groups, organizations and cul- it's really a great pleasure for me seeing that opprtss women in our society. We tural institutions represented bya good such a nice and confident magazine on have been organizing to make broader number of theatre artists, community women. As an activist, may I join in your unity so that they can confront oppression, educators and organizers. Among its network either on behalf of our organiza- and unite in protest against low wages, members art practitioners from thesec- tion or as an individual? The organization divorce or mistreatment of wives, etc. tors of the peasantry, the workers, the stu- I have been working with is a national, Anyway, I intend to write in your mag- dents and out-of-school youths, thepro- non-governmental organization called azine. I think I will learn a lot from the fessionals and even established personali- Proshika. The name means Training, sisters from the countries far off from my ties in the field of education and art. Education and Work with and of the Peo- small country. I would be happy if I can As for its running, a coordinated body ple. The organization organizes village do anything for them and can share their facilitates the managing of itsprograms and urban landless, marginal farmers and experiences of work, ideas as well as the and projects. Secretariat back-up ispro- other low paid occupational groups, and Voims Rising magazine. Strong support vided by a consortium of established supports them in their human develop- and love, member or partner institutions basedin ment through various support services different key centres of Mindanao. aimed at their eventually taking charge of Tahmara, Pmshika their own development. Yes, of course d12, 10 Balroad Mindanao Community Theatre Network half of the nation is women. The organi- Mohamrnadpur PO. Box 146, Davao City 8000 zation addresses equality issues and issues Dhaka, BANGLADESH PHILIPPINES 257 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 57 BUILDING THE NETWORK emillIalmlonemommourrirmonans kdia AkAstralia

Thanking you very much for your kind I am one of the education and training is providing skills training to health and letter and booklet. I understand that the workers here at I lealthsharing Women community workers and community wo- problems of Latin American women are and as part of our work we conduct train- men who want to conductworkshops and similar to Indian women. Indian women ing programs. My own educational philo- information sessions on women's health. in villages believe that men are superior sophy has been influenced strongly by As I move around the networks I will and they have to give respect to them. Freire and feminism. For some ten years publicize your organization and Voices This is because of illiteracy and I worked in the international development Rising, particularly with Kooris (aborigin- innocence. We have to be collectively network in Australia conducting workshops al Australians), women's networks and solving the problems of women, but all on racism, sexism, world trade, nuclear solidarity groups. the organizations in the Fcd--,tion are issues, etc. The transition to women's health, very poor in implementing the women's some two years ago, has been exciting. In solidarity programs. The following are tie organiza- Women's health has become a very tions: Speak India, Masses, ONSSSS, significant issue here in Victoria and Marian Bohan, Healthshating Aeros, Jagrithi and others. We are all col- women are becoming very organized and Fifth Floor, Information Victoria Centre lectively decided to get some training to determined about having their concerns 318 Little Bourke Street women organizers and the SEARCH, a heard and needs met. One of the main fo- Melbourne 3000 women's organization in Bangalore, is cusses of our education and training work Victoria, AUSTRALIA prepared to give training. Through our adult education women's centres we are encouraging our village women - working class - tn demand equal fromHealthsharing Women's wages with men for the same work in Education and Training Philosophy agriculture. We are also encouraging our women to discuss their problems with groups and get solutions. We are basically A number of principles inform our work in Education and Trainingin helping our women to get more aware- workshop, seminars, training and resource development. We believe ness and to understand the society by that: adult education. We are trying to get more contact with 1. Education is never value-free. The values and beliefs we have affect other organizations. We have opened five our work. We work from a commitment to feministprinciples and from adult education centres for women exclu- a class analysis. sively in villages and plan to start another 2. As women, we have different experiences of health and the health 20 shortly. Our secretary is going to par- system. Our different experiences are created by such things as our ticipate in a statewide seminar on culture, our ethnicity, our socio-economic class, our age, our physical women's issues in the next month. We are abilities, geographic location and sexual preference. trying our best to strengthen ourselves by 3. Political education promotes change. Our purpose is to sensitize participating in the women's movement in women to the social, political, and economic factorswhich underlie the country. We will be happy if we our social structure. We encourage them to create new systems.We receive more information. Today is our are working towards the redistribution of power, skills and resources. new Year (ligadi) a famous festival for 4. The learning process is as important as the content. Women need Teluges people. Wishing you with Telugu the opportunity to participate in education that is practical, creative, new year greetings. varied and enjoyable - in fact fun! We can share and acknowledge the value of our own knowledge and experience, using experts as an Rural Aids Service Organization added resource when needed. BuOyasarthik 5. Learning needs to take place within a comfortable setting and Sri Devi Nikiyam promote an environment of trust, acceptance, s;3aring, vulnerability L4ke View Colony and challenge. This gives women the opportunities to build new Podalakur Road friendships and networks. Nellore 4, INDIA

IIS VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 Canada Opening of the Latin American Women's House in Toronto

We would like to announce the opening Please send us materials that you have of La Casa de &a Juana, a Latin Ameri- produced, in exchange for information can Women's House in Toronto. and material from feminist organizations As a minority group in a "developed" and women in Canada.

society, Latin American women face M any of you know me from ( 0411 triple oppression: as a class,as a ram and correspondence you may have had with as a gender. We are obliged to work in the ICAE Women's Program and Voices low-paying jobs with exploitative condi- Rising. You can now contact me and the tions. No matter where we are, we are other women involved with the Women's continually having to deal with racist atti- House at: tudes. As women, we are subjected toa double workday made all themore diffi- Ruth Lara cult without the support of the extended La Casa de Sla Juana / Juana's Place orp, 4 family, which in our countries of origin is 1363 Queen St. East, Unit 20 always close by. In addition to this triple Toronto, Ontario 61.464, 1 oppression, we suffer from culture shock, CANADA M4L 1X7 which profoundly affects our livesas well as those of our families. L--_:, A group of Latin American women L from one of the poorest neighborhoods in Toronto came together to try to find solu- tions to these problems. We have decided to open a centre which can be used to generate ideas, develop and carry out projects, and respond to the concerns of women. For example: Spanish literacy courses, a Spanish documentation centre Thank you for sending me copies of about women, cultural activities, self-help Voices Rising. I regret that I had much groups, workshops about violence, sup- work that hindered my answering your port activities for women living in shel- questionnaire immediately. ters, and the creation of a cooperative I found the Voices Rising bulletin to which generates work through the sale of have valuable experiences taken from all God bless women's groups; God bless handicrafts made by women in Latin nooks and corners of the world. The bul- Voices Rising. By putting and sharing America and Toronto. letin is a great weapon used for initiating efforts for our freedom God will surely We would like to invite women's women and democratic educators and lead us through. So let's all stand up and groups which produce articles for sale activists to struggle for the betterment of' fight for freedom all the way. Thank you (textiles, ceramics, leather goods, silver women's world and make conducive social for including me in your mailing list. With work, wall hangings, etc.) to contactus to surroundings. best wishes for your success. discuss the possibility of having their My friends and colleagues were very, goods sold through the centre. very impressed with Voices Rising after In solidarity, We are also interested in establishing reading it from page to page without skip links with other organizations and begin- ping over any of the articles. And they Tina Marie Adarnu ning a dialogue. We would like to promised helping me so we can Centre for Aduit Education and Exten- exchange publications and other types of contribute by sending letters and short sion Service.; educational material (in Spanish) in order articles on our work, though we do not Ahmadu Bello University to develop our documentation centre. have a specific women's program. Zaria Kaduna State, NIGERIA

VOICES RISING OCTOSER/NOVEMBER 1990 59 25 ,) BUILDING THE NETWORK Caribbean Region The Caribbean Association for Feminist regionally and internationally. inforniation about CAFRA and CAFRA Research and Action (CAFRA) was for- Asmall neo'sletter team works on its News, contact: mally founded on April 2, 1985 at an all- production, which has gone from a 12- day meeting in Barbados of fon), femi- page stencilled version in 1987 to 32 CAFRA nists and women activists from the region. pages in 1990 produced in-house in two P.O. Box 442,TunapunaPost Office It emerged as an autonomous umbrel- language versions (Spanish and English) Tunapuna , TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO la association out of the increasing realiza- using desk-top publishing. For more TeL (809)663-8670 Fax (809) 662-4414, Attention CAFRA tion among individual women and women's organizations of the need for regional cooperation and networking. Membership in CAFRA- which has con- tinued to grow from year to year- now spans the Dutch, English, French and Spanish-speaking Caribbean. There are North America National Representatives in almost all ter- ritories where there are members. A month has passed since our meetings in on our own work, as well as a larger net- Members of CAFRA are committed Bangkok- a month and many miles. It has work through which folks we've been to understanding the relationship been challenging to come back from the working with could maintain a process of between the oppression of women and mountaintop and figure out how to use follow-up. These turbulent times make other forms of exploitation in the society, what was seen, heard & felt there. I've spaces for deep and lively reflection and to working actively for change. We been anxious to be back in touch with you together with folks from a variety of define feminist politics as a matter of both all to see what you're thinking about in movenients more necessary than ever. consciousness and action. Membership terms of developing our own network of What we could do in support is: open to women living in the Caribbean popular educators in North America. get the word to the women we've been and Caribbean women living outside who I've 1. iught back our discussions to working with, who are primarily involved support CAFRA's aims and objectives. the group of Mexican and North Ameri- in urban, labour, anti-violenm & lesbian Current research/action projects being can women here that I'm a part of. We've organizing undertaken include "Women in Caribbean been doing women's and popular Mexico- participate in the development of the Agriculture" (in St. Vincent and the U.S. connecting since 1983 - first in the methodology of conferences or workshops Grenadines, the Commonwealth of Domi- context of feminist and grassroots participate in periodic meetings to keep nica mod Belize); "Women's History and women's organizations, then in the con- the process moving Creative Expression" (regional); 'Women text of building relationships between make phone calls or send bulk mailings and the Law" (regional); and the compila- specific urban, labour, indigenous and work with others towards getting funding tion and co-publishing of Creation Fire: A lesbian organizations on both sides. Now (i.e., proposal-writing, though we ourselves CAFRA Anthology of Caribbean Women's we are entering a phase in which we are aren't in touch with likely prospects) Poetry with SisterVision Press in Toronto. working to be more conscious about inter- promote women's networking - a gender The Association also produces a quar- national exchange as a "popular educa- and international perspective as an terly newsletter, CAFRA News. Its main tion" experience - in which activists con- integral part of building the North purposes are to: inform members and front their own context, objectives and American region. other interested persons about the activi- utivities with activists living out a similar Our little group is committed to sup- ties and programs of the Association; pro- eommitment in a different contextpro- porting the building of this network -how- vide a forum for discussions and debate viding a needed chance for reflection, and ever, we need to be thrifty in our use of on key issues of concern to women in the for developing a vision of the international resources, attending regional meetings regions; promote the sharing of experi- context in which we do our local work. when necessary, and keeping in touch in ences and foster links among individual All that to say that we as a group are other ways when we can't make it. feminists, activists and women's organiza- very interested in working towards the tions; assist in breaking down language further developing of an active network of Elaine Burns barriers in the region; stimulate women's popular educators in North America. It Correspondencia/Mujer a Mujer creative expression; and contribute to the would provide a space in which to reflect A.P. 24-553, Colonia Roma development of the women's movement 06701 Mexico, D,F MEXICO SO VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 0 ' iv RESOURCES R-marces Women and Peace Hopeful Openings:

totANev.+ Equality, Participation, A Study of Five Women's Develop- Economic DA Development ment Organizations in Latin Global America and the Caribbean JUNIC/NGO Programme Group on Women Factory By Sally W. Yudelman This is the fifth of a series of kitson the International Center for Research on Women theme "Advancement of Women... The Overseas Development Council Women and Peace kit isa study kit Kumanan Press, 1987, 127 pp. intended to facilitate education and action towards the creation ofa secure world. It The woman-centred organizations studied 41110111.1. deals with the interdependence between in this book are: Centro de Orientación the promotion of peace and the advance- de la Mujer Obrera, Mexico; F'ederación .we4et latit ment of women, and the interrelation- Hondureiia de Mujeres Campesinas, tonsoilies ships between these and the major global Honduras; Federación de Organizaciones Amorken Moods issues which affect the struggle for world Voluntarias, Costa Rica; Mujeresen Service Committee security and human rights. Desarrollo Dominicana, Inc., Dominican Other kits available in the seriesare: Republic; Women and Development Women and Disability; Women, Health Unit, Extra-Mural Department, Universi- The Global Factory ty of the West Indies, Barbados. Two of and Development; The Key to Develop- Analysis and Action for a New ment: Women's Social Role; and Women these groups are grassroots movements, and Shelter. two are service organizations run by Economic Era women professionals and one is a univer- Available in English, French and Spanish sity-based organization that provides by Rachel Kamel, 94 pp. from: United Nations Non-Governmental some services but mainly works to influ- Liaison Service (NGLS), Palais des Nations, ence government policy on women in As a practical guide to the international CH-1211 Geneva, 10, Switzerland development planning. economy, The Global Factory explores The study analyzes the history, work the worldwide movement of jobs, and structure of the five organizations, focussing on the impact these changes noting strengths and weaknesses, particu- have on ordinary working people in both larly in relation to problems and the United States and the Third World, in constraints. The significant role of donor particular Mexico and the Philippines. agencies is examined; the book ends with The Globd Factory was jointly devel- an appendix, "ANote to Donors," that oped by two AFSA programs, the summarizes consistent funding problems Maquiladora Project and the Women and and makes strong recommendations Global Corporations Project. It is about the ldnds of support that would be designed as a resource f.lr education and most helpful to women's organizations. action, and is directed to labour activists and educators, teachers, community Available from: Kumarian Press, 630 Oak- groups and women's organizations. woodAvenue, Suite119, West Hartford, Con- It includes a resource list (with ordering necticut, 06110-1505,USA. US$15.95. information) as well as contact informa- tion for groups whose work is described in the book.

Available from; American Friends Service Committee, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19102-1479, USA. 26i VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 el RESOURCES

Participatory TrainingWomen and Strategies and for Women Development: Innovations in The Effects of Militarization Nonformal Education Edited by Mona Daswani, Mimi Chatterjee, for Women Suneeta Dhar and Atreyee Cordelro, 151 pp. Sponsored by the Labrador Native Women's Association, Sheshatshiu Women's Group, ASPBAECourier No. 46 In December 1987 a group of women and Mokami Status of Women Council, 48 pp. trainers from14different organizations in This edition of the Courier contains India met for a thrce-day workshop in This is a detailed report of a conference papers which werepresented at a confer- Delhi to explore the issues involved in held in Labrador, Canada in May 1989. by ASPBAE in November training poor illiterate and semi-literate The Native peoples of Labrador are ence organized 1988 that brought together women women at the grassroots level. The case opposed to the Canadian government's involved in nonformal education through- studies and analyses presented in this plan to allow a NATO base to be built in out Asia and the Pacific. The paperslook book grew out of that workshop and are that region. This conference brought at the situation of women'seducation in part of the ongoing search for a gender- together local activists and international China, Thailand, the Phil,ppines, Korea, sensitive framework for Participatory guests to discuss the cffects of militarized Singapore, Sri Lanka, and IIong Kong. Training, an approach that aims at development on communities and espe- The Courier is produced three times a empowernmut through a collective learn- cially women, to analyze the situation in year by the Asian SouthPacific Bureau of ing process, but which has not generally Labrador and to strategize/develop an Adult Education. Subscriptions arc distinguished women from the broad cat- alternate vision of development. The con- US$10.00 (individuals) andUSS40.00 egory of "learners."Agender-sensitive ference report will be useful to people (institutions) for residents ofASPBAE framework and method addresses itself interested in the issue of militarization, countries, and US$20.00 (individuals) and not only to women's realities but also their but also to anyone planning a patticipato. US$60.00 (institutions) for everyone else. particular learning styles and perceptions. ty workshop/conference. Itprovides con- It may be possible to obtain single copies crete details about the agenda andwork- of this issue on women. Availoble from: The Society for Participatonj shop process, and includes all the com- Research in Asia, 45 Sainik Farm, Khanpur, ments brainstormed by participants dur- Available from: ASPBAE, GPO Box 1225, New Delhi-110062, India, ing evaluations and group strategy Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia, sessions. This is a conference rcport through which the participants' voices speak, in all their diversity. Abused? Available from: St. John's - Oxfam, PO. Box We have the keys 18000, St. John's, Newfoundland, MC 6C2, Tenemos las llaves Canada. $5.00.

For ten years, the Women's Program at the Centre for Spanish-Speaking People in Toronto, Canada, has beenwIrking on the issue of violence against women. Based on this experience and due to the lack of public educational materials in Spanish, they have now developed a kit for the use of community workers. The materials, which have been published in both Spanish and English, include a guide for counsellors, a booklet for women "survivors" of wife assault, a poster and four fact sheets with legal information (relevant to Canadian law).

Available from: Centre for Spanish-Speaking People, 1004 Bathurst St, , Toronto, Ontario, CanadaM51(3G7. $5.00.

02 VOICES RISINGOCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 RESOURCES

In the Shadows Colecciön de of the Sun THE TRIBUNE A WOMI N AND DFNELOPMLNT QuANfi RI 1' Metodologias Caribbean Development silk Participativas Alternatives and U.S. Policy "pow 4201.0 (Collection of Participatory Methodologies) Coordinated by Carmen Diana Deere %MIMI Policy Alternatives for the Caribbean and Central America (PACCA) Produced by Taller Piret with the support of Westview Press, 1990 the Program of Education for Participation (PEP) of OEF International This book is the product of two years' AY, This series has been written for Spanish- work by a PACCA team of Caribbean It t A, speaking educators, social workers and scholars and U.S. expertson the region. AiII I grassroots leaders interested in PACCA is an association which aims to tli I I: 11 developing a more participatory approach promote humane and democratic alterna- to their educational work. The collection tives to present U.S. policy toward Cen- IONA. V:(0,117.t, 5 IlI u4k includes six easy-to-understand booklets, tral America and the Caribbean. In the each with between 15 to 20 pages, Shadows of the Sun pays special attention containing information related to to the experience of women, as a way of The Tribune: A Women participatory education arid its application linking international policies to theircon- and Development within the community. The pamphlets, sequences at the level of the poorest Quarterly which progressively build upon each household. The book includes facts, fig- other, include information related to ures and analysis on a variety of issues, NRwsletter #44: Women and New carrying out an analysis of the and recommends development strategies chnologies An Organizing community's needs, developing educatio- and an alternative U.S. policy. Manual nal materials and organizing educational PACCA has also producedan eight encounters. page summary of the book in tabloid by Joanne Sandler Much of the groundwork for this form. It presents the key findings andrec- Jointly produced by International Women's series was carried out by Anne Hope and ommendations to a broad audience. Tribune Centre and World YWCA Sally Tim mel in their book Training for Transformation: A Handbook for Both the book and thetabloid summary The Tribune is a quarterly newsletter Community Organizers (Zimbabwe: available from: Central American which reports on women and Mambo Press, 1984), which was Resourve Center, PO Box 2327, Austin, development issues. Issues are based on published in English only. Texas, USA 78768, themes such as "Women and Water: Who Decides?" (#43), "Making Connections: Economics and Women's Lives" (#42), Available in Spanish only from: OEF and "Women and Housing" (#39). International, 1815 H Street NW, Washington This issue is the outgrowth of an D.C., USA. For more infortnotion contact: Taller Piret, Casilla 1107, Correo 22, Santiago, international meeting, "Women and New Chile. Technologies", held September 18-29, 1989 in the Netherlands. The manual reports on the issues explored during the 10 days, which include appropriate technology, biotechnology, communications technology, nuclear technology, office technology and reproductive technology. It has been designed as a resource guide for organizing, and aims to stimulate interest and action.

Availablefrom; Internati. idWomen's Tribune Centre (IWTC), 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA Individual Issues: US$3.00.

263 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 112 RESOURCES Publications from OEF International OEF International is a non-profit organization which focuses on creatingeconomic opportunities for women in the Third World and expanding theircontribution to the development of their communities and imuntly.

The first two books, from a series entitled Appropriate Business Skillsfor Thini World Women, draw on years of field experience in Third World countriesand include participatory educaticnal activities at the basic literacy level for womenwho wish to start a small business or increase profits. They are available in English, Spanish and French, and are soon to be published in Arabic.

Doing a Feasibility Study Learning to Teach Training Activities for Starting or Training of Trainers for Reviewing a Small Business Community Development

Edited by Suzanne itindervatter, 1987, 172 pp. by Jane Vella, 1989, 80 pp.

Written for women interested in starting This is a step-by-step guide to designing or changing a business, this book contains and leading a training of trainers activities which teach the steps involved in workshop. The 25 sessions outlined here carrying out a feasibility study, and consol- enable workshop participants to learn and idates them by actually conducting one. use the concepts and techniquesof partic- Notes for the facilitator on how to best ipatory training for community develop- use the manual are included. ment. Topics covered include HowAdults Learn; Using Pictures, Sociodrarnas, Sto- English US$16.00, Spanish or French US$17.00. ries and Found Objects; Feedback; and Evaluation of Learning.

Marketing Strategy US$12.50 + $2.5C shipping and handling. Training Activities for Entrepreneurs All books available from: OEF by Suzanne KindervAter with Maggie International, Publications, 1815 Range, 1986, 96 pp. H St., NW 11th Floor, Washington, Designed for women with existing busi- D.C. 20006, USA. nesses, this publication aims at providing ways to solve problems and increase prof- its. Its numerous activities include an innovative board game introducing the key aspects of marketing: product, distri- bution, promotioa and price. Playing "Marketing Mix" requires few literacy skills and teaches principles which are then applied through examining their own businesses. r

English US$13.50, Spanish or French US$15.50.

14 VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 2r).1 RESOURCES

Moving On: EducationMaterials about Community-Based in Organising Bolivian Women MinersEducation Two Special Issues of Harvard Committee for Asian Women (CAW), Centro de Promoclem Minera (CEPROMIN - Educational Review 1990, 59 pp. Centre for the Promotion of Mining)

Part I: Volume 59, No. 4 (November, 1989) In June 1989, an 8-day regional workshop An important part of CEPROM IN's work Part Volume 60, No.1 (February, 1990) held in Seoul, Korea, brought together 40 is the production of educational materials organizers of women workers from 11 for and about Bolivian miners, especially These two recent issues of the Harvard Asian countries with the purpose of shar- materials which help to promote the par- Educational Review contain a number of ing organizing and educational methodol- ticipation of women miners. articles of interest. Most of the articles ogy. The women came from a variety of "Cornite de Arnas de Casa" (I louse- look at community education initiatives backgrounds, both in terms of work con- wives' Committee) is part of a series of within the USA: education among native text and cultural-linguistic background. educational materials entitled Cuadernos Americans,workplace literacy within Moving On: Education in Organising is a Populares (Popular Notebooks) designed unions, and community involvement in summary of this meeting and its for use at the grassroots level. Thi pam- specific issues. One article, by Eva Young highlights which includes information phlet, written in comic book style, has and Mariwilda Padilla (Part II), discusses about the work presently being carried been written with the aim of informing the formation and operation of the Mas- out as well as ideas and suggestions for its women miners about the housewives' sachusetts-based group "Mujeres Unidas further development. committee, its histoty, its purpose, its en Accion" (Women United in Action), The Committee for Asian Women also structure and its relationship with the which offers educational programs to low- publishes a quarterly- Asian Women union. income Latina women in the community. Workers Newsletter which reportson There is also an international focus, the struggles of Asian women industrial This and other publication.s are available in found in articles about education prog- workers; as well,CAWdistributes several Spanish only from: CEPROMIN,Casilla 783Z rams that have developed in South Africa, other publications about issues concern- La Paz, Bolivia. El Salvador, and in Palestinian cxnnmuni- ing women workers in Asian countries. ties in response to the intifadeh. Part II has a special section on popular education Available from: Committee for Asian Women, in Chile. Some articles are in Spanish. 57 Peking Road 4/E Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Single copies available from: Harvard Educa- tional Review,GutmanLibrary, Suite 349, 6 Environment and Pacific Women Appian Way, , Cambridge, Massathu.setts From the Globe to the Village 02138-3752 USA.

Edited by Leatuailevao Ruby Va'a and Joan Martin Teama, 41 pp.

The Second Biennial Conference of the Fiji Association of Women Graduates (FAWG) was organized around the issue of the effect of the changing environment on the lives of women. This book is based primarily on the presentations of six women who participated in the conference and who work in fields related to rural development, healthcare, energy tesources, the legal system and sociology. The issues described include the effectson women of male-dominated agricultural development programs, health risks posed bya changing environment, the effects of social and environmental changes on the lives of urbanwomen, violence against women and its social effects, appropriate technology and the effect of global environmental changes on the region.

Available from: The Fiji Association of Women Graduates,PO 13oz 13495, Suva, Fin

265 Call for Solidarity

The Women's Program stands in This statement is a declaration of Cana- solidarity with the indigenous da's intent to keep Native Nations, peo- peoples of the Americas in ples, and their territories in a perpetual their struggles for self-determi- state of colonialism and dornination. This nation and against colonialism in all its position leaves us all with but one course present-day forins. Major colonizer gov- IS ALL of actionthe liberatioet of our nations ernments (such as Spain, France, Eng- and peoples. land, Canada, the U.S.) are gearing up to celebrate the 500th anniversary of The siege [at Oka] has been only one bat- Columbus' "discovery" of "America" in tle in the long struggle that lies before us. 1492. What we should all be celebrating is Rather than a defeat it has been a victory not 500 years of domination but 500 years OUR on many fronts. First, we havethe victory of resistance and survival. of the unity of Native people across this Recently in Canada we have witnessed vast land. From coast to coast our peoples a clear indication of our government's have been inspired by the heroic stand at unwillingness to break with its shameful [ Oka] and have been moved to action in tradition of colonialism; and at the same support. Secondly we have moved the inter- time we have witnessed the refusal of national community to recognize the hypo- Native peoples to suffer the daily indigni- crisy of Canada, and rethink its image as a ties of domination. defender of democnicy and minority At dawn on July 11, 1990 police rights. Canada has been a "settler state" attacked a barricade erected by Mohawk not unlike South Africa in its repression of people on their traditional land near Oka, indigenous rights and peoples. Quebec. The Mohawks were defending their land base against development inter- [The stand at Oka]...is the beginning, not ests. They refuse to recognize the jurisdic- the end. Now, more than ever, we need to tion of either the state of Canada or the reaffirm our unity and our commitment province of Quebec over themselves as a to move forward to the day when our nat ion. nations regain their righYiil place in the Despite the police attack, the Mohawk world community. barricade held, as did another barricade Haudenosaunee Crisis Committee erected in sympathy by a neighbouring Mohawk community. The police, support- The Women's Program staff call on our ed by local white racists, laid seige to the network of women popular educators and barricades. Although the Mohawks were in negotiations and the possibility of the organizers to learn and share with others victorious in stopping the land develop deaths of Mohawk people, the Mohawk this truth about Canada's continuing colo- ment, the government refused to negoti- Warriors, Women and Children declared nial relation to the indigenous peoples of ate around sovereignty and demanded the a unilateral termination of hostilities on this land. We call for solidarity with the unconditional surrender of the Mohawk September 26. Mohawk people and other First Nations. Warriors who were maintaining the barri- And we urge network members in coun- cades. Eventually the government of On September 25, 1990 Canadian Prime tries that are organizing these 500th Quebec called in the Canadian Army Minister Brian Mulmney declared: anniversary celebrations to raise an tanks, helicopters, searchlights and allto `...Native self-government does not now opposing voice. continue the siege, which lasted for more and cannot ever mean sovereign indepen- Celebrate Survival not Domination; than two months. Faced with a deadlock dence.' call for Recovery, not Discovery.

etict(l

IS VOICES RISING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1990 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Ar I would like to subscribe 11 to Voices Rising!

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Enclosed is a cheque or money order for:

7.:$20 Institutions $10 Individuals/Groups L' Free to Third World women's and popular education groups :1Single issues $5.00. Please send me issue Please make payment toICAE Women's Program. Send international money orders. postal money orders or cheques drawn on Canadian or American banks.

Until further notice, send to:

1CAE Women's Program c/o1CAE Secretariat 720 Bathurst Street, 5th floor Toronto, Ontario Canada M5S 2R4

26 7 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Oka is all of us.

Indigenous strugglesfor self-determination: 500 years of resistance and survival

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