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Network Newsletter  Rights and Democracy Network Number 11 Summer 2007 Newsletter Sections |
Wednesdays at the Network
The Network team took advantage of the summer period to become better acquainted with its new members and strengthen the existing ties between active members, young professionals (members who have already graduated at this time) and Network partners. On Wednesdays, we invite them to join us at one of the numerous cultural events held in the greater Montreal area. The menu of activities is varied and includes shows, festivals, films, exhibits, etc. pertaining to issues of human rights and democracy around the world.
The first activities held so far were:
- Wednesday, June 13, Montreal's First Peoples' Festival 2007, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.: The Network invited its members to a screening of a series of short films at the National Film Board’s CinéRobothèque/Cinéma, held as part of the events organized during Montreal's First Peoples' Festival 2007:http://www.nativelynx.qc.ca/07/en/horaire.html
Wednesday, June 20 – World Refugee Day: We invited members of the Network to come meet us during the “Refugee STRENGTH” event held last June 20 by the Canadian office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Mireille Ouellet, Network Liaison Officer – International, Marie-Anne Amadieu, Network Consultant, and Marion Viau, Summer Network Assistant, set up an innovative, eye-catching “information tent” concering the project entitled “On the Refugees’ Path.”
Do you have any suggestions for future Wednesday activities? Would you like to hold Network Wednesday activities in your region? Please feel to contact us with your ideas and projects by emailing us at: reseau@dd-rd.ca. Be sure to write NETWORK WEDNESDAYS in the subject field of your email.
Participants in Equitas' 2007 International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP)
For a 3rd year running, in partnership with Equitas (The International Centre for Human Rights Education), the Network enabled its members to take part in the International Human Rights Training Program provided by Equitas.
This year, we hosted Wilfried Bako, a young professional hailing from the Delegation of Université de Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso.
Network Picnic 2007
On the same occasion last year, the Network held a social activity that provided an opportunity for our Network Delegates from abroad to meet other Rights and Democracy delegates from the greater Montreal area. This year, the Network held its Picnic on Saturday, June 30, 2007, from 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Montreal’s Old Port. To this gathering we also invited a number of participants currently receiving training under the Equitas program and who hail from countries where the Network has launched twinning initiatives: Thailand, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Kenya and Haiti. Rights and Democracy President Jean-Louis Roy, along with other members of the Rights and Democracy staff joined members of the Network team at this activity – a first in its kind – which brought together upwards of 25 picnickers. For their part, the participants said they enjoyed having the chance to share information and views about various programs and organizations in this informal setting.
For additional information about the IHRTP offered by Equitas: http://www.equitas.org/index_en.php
What Were You Up To?
We Want to Hear From You!
The Rights & Democracy Network had a great summer. We want to know what you did! Did you partake in development work or intern at a human rights organization? Or did you simply travel to somewhere fascinating? Please share your story with us and with the rest of the Network Delegates. Your brief account will be featured in the next edition of the Network News. Send us no more than three sentences maximum by no later than Sept 1st, 2007 at network@dd-rd.ca. Thank you! And enjoy the rest of your summer!
-The Network Team
Participation at the Rights & Democracy annual conference, and development of twinning project with Morocco
Casablanca, Morocco (June 8 and 9, 2007)
Five students and one professor from the Rights and Democracy Delegation of Université Mohamed V Agdal, in Rabat, were invited by the Network to attend the Rights and Democracy Annual Conference going under the theme of “Democracy, a universal value?” held in Casablanca, Morocco, on June 8 and 9, 2007. One student from the Université de Sherbrooke, which is twinned with the Rabat-based Delegation, accompanied the Network’s Coordinator.
The purpose of this mission was to enable Moroccan and Canadian delegates to take part in this important Rights and Democracy activity and to provide them with an opportunity to become acquainted with one another and to strengthen their existing bonds.
On Monday, June 11, thanks to the support of the Faculté des sciences de l’éducation (FSE – Education Faculty) of Université Mohamed V-Souissi, Moroccan and Canadian students made a presentation at the Faculty, with the faculty’s dean in attendance. They summarized the stakes discussed during the four round tables of the conference, each having a particular theme or focus:
- Democracy, a universal value?
- Democratic values and the plurality of political systems;
- Democracy and securalization;
- Democracy, citizenshop and civil society.
My summer of CSR
A story by John Wires, Glendon College, York University
John Wires in El Salvador
John Wires started a work term with the Rights and Democracy Network last summer to aid in the development of some of the Network's projects for the upcoming year. As a regional facilitator for Ontario, John’s job largely dealt with organizing this years upcoming regional “Mingler” on corporate social responsibility (CSR). Nearing the end of the summer, John was presented the opportunity to further explore some of the major issues surrounding CSR with a trip to El Salvador where he visited a Starbucks coffee processing plantation, a textile manufacturing plant, and met with the local Canadian Embassy’s Trade Commissioner Romeo Calderon.
Rights & Democracy announces new four year commitment to women’s rights in Afghanistan
MONTREAL – July 12, 2007 – Rights & Democracy today announced a new four-year, $5-million project in support of Afghan-led efforts to put the rights of women and girls into practical use throughout the country.
Funded primarily by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the new project will focus specifically on four main initiatives:
- Support for Afghan legislators, jurists, religious authorities and civil society organizations working on the progressive reform of family law in order to see it brought in line with Afghanistan’s Constitution and its obligations under international human rights law;
- Support for Afghans promoting the use of a national marriage contract;
- Assistance to Afghans working to ensure greater respect for women’s rights at the community level, including support for legal aid and counselling for families;
- Assistance to Afghan civil society organizations and networks interested in developing effective advocacy tools, techniques and strategies for legislative reform.
The project will be implemented in Kabul, Kandahar and the four northern provinces of Balk, Herat, Kunduz and Ningarhar by Rights & Democracy’s office in Kabul.
‘This project will enable Afghans to put into practice their rights through legal reforms and community activism,’ said Jean-Louis Roy, President of Rights & Democracy.
The new project builds on the successes of Rights & Democracy’s Kabul-based Women’s Rights in Afghanistan Fund (WRAF), which was initiated with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency in 2002. Over the course of its four year lifespan, WRAF supported more than 55 Afghan-led projects throughout Afghanistan.
For more information, please contact Steve Smith at Rights & Democracy, 514-283-6073, #255.
Indigenous peoples’ concerns must be tackled with urgency – Ban Ki-moon
9 August 2007 – The world’s 370 million indigenous people continue to suffer discrimination, marginalization, extreme poverty and conflict, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, calling for urgent action to deal with their pressing concern. http://www.un.org/News/
August 23, 2007 is International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition More information : http://www.un.org/events/index.html
The Network’s on-line forum announces job and internship opportunities in Canada and around the world.
To access the forum, you must be a member of the Rights & Democracy Network. Become a member by signing up here: http://www.rightsdemocracy.net/en/membres/devenez_membre.htm
If you are already a member, visit the Forum’s jobs and internships section by clicking here: http://www.droitsdemocratie.net/network-forum/index.php?login_lang=en
Network News is a newsletter published
by the Rights & Democracy Network.
The Network Team:
Coordinator: Cynthia Gervais
Liaison Officer – international : Mireille Ouellet
Webmaster: Sylvain Aubé
Administrative Assistant: Diane Migneault
Consultant, Communications : Laura Arlabosse-Stewart
Consultant, On the Refugees' Path : Marie-Anne Amadieu
Summer internships : Jean-Sébastien Marier, Marion Viau
Rights & Democracy Network
1001, boul. de Maisonneuve E., Suite 1100
Montréal, Québec H2L 4P9 CANADA
Phone: (514) 283-6073
Fax: (514) 283-3792
Available issues :
Issue 31 (June 1st, 2010)
Issue 30 (March 16, 2010)
Issue 29 (November 9,2009)
Issue 28 (September 25, 2009)
Issue 27 (July 28, 2009)
Issue 26 (March 27, 2009)
Issue 25 (January 29, 2009)
Issue 24 (December 9, 2008)
Issue 23 (October 29, 2008)
Issue 22 (August 27, 2008)
Issue 21 (July 23, 2008)
Issue 20 (April 24, 2008)
Issue 19 (March 27, 2008)
Issue 18 (January 24, 2008)
Issue 17 (December 20, 2007)
Issue 16 (November 27, 2007)
Issue 15 (November 6, 2007)
Issue 14 (October 18, 2007)
Issue 13 (September 25, 2007)
Issue 12 (September 11, 2007)
Issue 11 (Summer 2007)
Issue 10 (April 13, 2007)
Issue 9 (November 2006)
Issue 8 (August 2006)
Issue 7 (May 4, 2006)
Issue 6 (April 12, 2006)
Issue 5 (March 21, 2006)
Issue 4 (March 1, 2006)
Issue 3 (February 16, 2006)
Issue 2 (January 31, 2006)
Issue 1 (January 17, 2006)
