International: Isis-WICCE's International Exchange Programme Institute (October 2007)

The 2007/8 International Exchange Programme Institute is an activity of Isis-Women’s International Cross-Cultural Exchange (Isis-WICCE: www.isis.or.ug), held in collaboration with the West African Network for Peacebuilding / Women in Peace Building Network (WANEP/WIPNET: www.wanep.org), and the Ministry of Gender and Development (MoGD: www.mogd.gov.lr) in Liberia.

2. ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMME INSTITUTE

Isis-WICCE’s has been running annual Exchange Programme Institutes since 1984. It has involved over 1200 women leaders and human rights activists from over 25 countries globally, who have learnt from one another, exchanged ideas, and acquired cross-cultural strategies and solidarity actions for addressing a diverse range of women’s issues, from the human rights perspective. The institutes offer women activists working in the area of human rights, armed conflict and peace building issues, an opportunity to spend time working on specific themes, and developing skills in using the human rights framework for advocacy and peace building purposes.

The trained women have acquired skills that enabled them to be more effective change agents in their communities. Being an action-oriented training, where the replication of skills has been embedded as part of the learning process, the Institute participants have been able to reach out to others through: documenting specific experiences of women in situations of armed conflict; conducting solidarity actions; conducting sensitisations seminars, performing theatre for development; carrying out fact-finding and peace missions; presentation of position papers and engaging in advocacy events.

Alumnae Voices about the Institute

Isis-WICCE is one of the strongly committed human rights organizations. The work that I carried out in the refugee camps, supporting vulnerable women as a result of Isis’ training should be appreciated. Isis-WICCE has played a significant role in bringing together human rights activists around the world from conflict areas to motivate them by improving their skills. It is also a rare experience when the organization continues to keep links with its alumni, which is important in continuing to carry out the Isis-WICCE mission….
--Tunzala Aydamirova, Azerbaijan

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of the institutes. The training was excellent, the exposure woke me up to the harsh realities of the lives of women of Africa and most importantly inspired me to rise up and act….
--Mary Okioma, Kenya.

I find Isis-WICCE’s human rights work and the way it operates outstanding. Now that I am a donor, I recommend the Isis-WICCE model to all of our recipients and civil society partners.
--Roshmi Goswami, India

I would like to thank Isis-WICCE for empowering me, I am now playing a role in peace building in my country. I was elected to be a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly in Khartoum, Sudan. I still need your support at all levels.
--Agnes Nyoka, Sudan

3. THE 2007/2008 EXCHANGE PRGRAMME INSTITUTE

The theme for the 2007/2008 Institute is: Human Rights, Human Security and Participation: Documenting Women’s Experiences of Armed Conflict.

The Institute aims at building a vanguard of women with knowledge and skills of investigating and documenting violations of women’s human rights in armed conflict situations for effective advocacy, for justice, sustainable peace, human security and development. The 2007/2008 Institute will bring together 44 women from Anglo and Franco-phone speaking countries that are and have experienced armed conflict situations in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. The women should be nominated by a sending group/organisation, whose focus is in line with the theme of the institute. The Sending Group should demonstrate commitment to work with the participant on the documentation and advocacy, and be able to support the institute where necessary.

The 2007/2008 Exchange Programme Institute is being made possible with contributions from: EED-Germany, Global Fund for Human Rights, Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, HIVOS, ICCO en Kerk In Actie, NORAD/NCA, and the Sigrid Rausing Trust.

4. IMPLEMENTATION METHODOLOGY

The Exchange Programme Institute runs in three phases.

a) The First Phase will take place in Monrovia, Liberia in West Africa for two weeks in October 2007. During this period, participants will receive training in Gender, Conflict Analysis, International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law and documentation of human rights violations. Plans of action will be drawn at the end of the training to enable participants to apply the skills learnt.

b) The Second Phase is for the Implementation of plans, and takes place in the participants’ home countries. The action plans relate to documenting or investigating a specific human rights violation experienced by women in a situation of armed conflict. Isis-WICCE makes a modest contribution towards the activity and collaborates with the sending organizations to carry out further fundraising for the task.

c) The Third Phase runs for two weeks and will take place in Liberia, Monrovia, in September 2008. The participants come together to share reports of their documentation. Participants are helped to sharpen their skills, and lay new strategies on how they can use the findings to seek accountability and lobby for the end of impunity, for sustainable peace and development. Participants will acquire further skills in Conflict Transformation & Peace Building; Advocacy, Lobbying and Networking; and Resource Mobilisation for Human Rights and Peace building Work.

CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION:

i. The applicants should be conversant with either English or French languages, as they are the languages in which the Institute is run.

ii. The applicant should be nominated by the Head of the Sending Group/ Organisation. The Sending Group / Organisation must be based in an area that has experienced or is experiencing armed conflict.

iii. The sending group should be prepared to monitor and support the participant in the implementation of her Plan of Action. It is therefore advised that the participant’s Plan of Action is integrated into the organisation’s activities.

iv. The participants must be prepared to adjust to a different culture, way of life, food and weather.

v. The selected participants should be women at programme/leadership level within the organisations.

vi. The participant will have at least a diploma in any of the social sciences. She should also have analytical and writing skills, and demonstrate the ability to utilize and apply the skills acquired from the institute.

vii. The sending organisation should have an outreach of 10 organisations / groups, who can benefit from the utilisation of the skills acquired from the institute.

6. FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Isis-WICCE will be responsible for:

a) A round trip economy-class air ticket
b) Accommodation and meals
c) Airport transfer to the venue of the institute.
d) Modest start-off funds for the plan of action drawn during the Training Phase.
e) Medical insurance during the first and third Phases. Regrettably, because of the terms and conditions of the insurance cover, Isis-WICCE is unable to cover expenses related to pregnancy beyond six months, dental care, and provision of spectacles.

The Sending Group/Organisation is responsible for:

a) Expenses of the nominee within her country related to obtaining passports, visa, vaccinations, transportation and communication within the country of origin.
b) Extra personal expenses of the participant including laundry and telephone costs.

7. APPLICATION

Applications, along with relevant information should reach Isis-WICCE by Monday 30th July 2007. Please return the Filled Application Form, along with:
i. 1 reference letter from a women's group your organisation networks with.
ii. Medical certificate.
iii. A recent passport size photograph.
iv. The 2005 or 2006 Annual Report of the Sending Group/Organisation.

The forms should be sent to:

The Exchange Programme Coordinator,
Isis-WICCE, Plot 32, Bukoto Street, Kamwokya
P.O. Box 4934, Kampala, UGANDA. Tel:000 256 41 543 953
Fax: 000256-41-543954; e-mail: isis@starcom.co.ug, program@isis.or.ug
URL: www.isis.or.ug