Forward together, working together

Dear friends,

I remember with great pleasure my visit to Isis and meeting all of you. I was very impressed with the work being done and the wonderful working atmosphere.

I am enclosing a photocopy of the GROOTS newsletter. It will provide information for your data base on women's groups and news.

I look foiAvard to visiting you all on my next trip and to strengthening the relationship between Isis and UUSC. It is through mechanisms like Isis that we find a positive direction for the future! Keep up the excellent work.

With warm regards to everyone there,

USA

Thank you for the words of inspiration and encouragement. It is through women like you who support our work that make us move forward with determination. We look forward to continued networking with you. --Editors.

 

Indian sisters fight Norplant and enjoin all to organize and mobilize

Dear friends.

We have been receiving your publications. We hope your work is progressing well and that you keep in constant touch with us as always.

Saheli has been actively involved in the campaign against the long-acting hormonal contraceptive Norplant and the work has been very hectic in the last few months. It is very encouraging that so many organizations have come together on this issue. We would like you to publish this pamphlet in your magazine and use other means if possible, to distribute it as widely as you can.

While fighting against the coercive policies of the population control establishment, it becomes imperative for us to inform women's groups all over about the work we are doing and our position, perspectives, etc. It is sincerely hoped that you will cooperate in our efforts.

With best wishes,

India

The pamphlet is available at our Resource Center and we are sending it to women's networks through e-mail. Keep up the good work! - Editors.

 

Getting the green message across with visuals in India

Dear madam,

The Centre for Science and Environment is a public interest research organization working in the area of environmental policy research. We have published a number of books like the State of India's Environment, Citizen's Reports, which have been widely received.

The Centre also has a large documentation cell which collects and classifies information in the field of environment. As part of this effort the Centre is currently working on the development of a video and film resource centre. The Centre gets requests from different voluntary agencies, schools and training institutes for resource materials. Given the demand the Centre's documentation unit is collecting films on various environmental and conservation issues. We have developed a system to respond to this need.

We have already collected around 140 video films of which around 60 have been included in a catalogue which is available to groups across the country. The films will be loaned to groups and individuals for non broadcast use.

We are writing to request you to send us a complimentary copy of your video cassette Carrying a Heavy Load which we saw mentioned in Women in Action.

We hope that you will be able to send us a copy of your film.

Looking forward to a favorable reply.

Yours cordially.

India

We are interested in the issue of women and environment and would like to exchange materials with your group. The video. Carrying a Heavy Load, which we featured in Women in Action 4/91 is available from the Association of Development Agencies, 14 South Avenue, Kingston 10, Jamaica, You can contact them directly for a copy of the film.- Editors.

 

Tourism activists receive boost with new network

Dear friends at Isis,

Greetings from ANTENNA, the newly-formed Asian Tourism Action Network. We are writing to seek your support for and collaboration with the Network.

The Asia-Pacific region is today the fastest growth area for international mass tourism. As such, many of the issues emerging from tourism have been debated and confronted for nearly two decades by churches, academics, NGOs and others concerned with such issues within the region.

Given the increasing importance of tourism in the region, Asian activists have increasingly felt the need for a common platform from which to articulate their concerns, address the industry and decision-makers, and agree upon collective agendas for action. ANTENNA, the Asian Tourism Action Network, formally launched at a meeting of some Thai and Indian tourism activists in March 1992, now provides such a forum.

Among the initial tasks that we have outlined for ourselves are the following:

• to seek a broader range of membership from among tourism activists in Asia;
• to seek the support of concerned groups and individuals elsewhere, especially from the sending countries; and,
• to seek the involvement of people involved in tourism related issues, whether directly active in tourism or not, both within Asia and elsewhere.

Since tourism, as a global issue, has linkages with concerns such as those of the environment, human rights, neocolonialism, women, children, indigenous people, land rights and so on, we are keen to establish bilateral relationships with people working on such issues as well.

We would appreciate your assistance in publicizing ANTENNA. If you publish a newsletter, journal or other regular publication., please include a news item on ANTENNA, and let us know. If not, do refer ANTENNA to your friends and constituencies who you feel might be interested in our efforts. We would, of course, especially welcome information on groups and individuals in Asia who could join ANTENNA as members.

Thank you in anticipation of your support, and with all good wishes.

In solidarity.

Thailand

We have a wide network of women's groups who read Women in Action. We are sure that those interested in ANTENNA will get in touch directly with you. Good luck in your work! --Editors.

 

Development activists in India

Dear sisters,

People's Action for People in Need (PAPN) is a small group of developmental activists committed to the development of people in general and women and children in particular in the hilly and rural areas of Himachal Pradesh since June 1985.

Some of our present programs are - organization of village level women's groups to ensure their participation in developmental process, awareness generation projects for rural and poor women, development of girl children projects, non formal education for children of elementary age groups and environmental awareness camps and training of social animators at the grassroots level.

May we request you to please send us copies of the films entitled "The Debt Crisis-An Un-Natural Disaster" and "Carrying a Heavy Load" directed by Cynthia Wilmot. We intend to use these films as resource materials for training, staff development and awareness generating activities.

Thank you and we hope to hear from you soon.

All the best,

India

Thank you for sharing with us the activities of your organization. We only have one copy of "The Debt Crisis" video in our Resource Center and do not carry the other title so we cannot send you copies, However, you may wish to inquire at the Association of Development Agencies - 14 South Ave., Kingston 10, Jamaica. Both videos are available there.  --Editors.

 

Communication strategies for reducing occupational segregation by sex

Dear sisters.

The Training Policy and Program Development Branch is currently undertaking a review of experiences in using media and communication strategies and programs to broaden the training and employment options of women. This would include products or programs aimed at influencing employers, training institution directors, trainers and supervisors, vocational counsellors and placement officers, and women and their family members.

We would greatly appreciate your assistance in this endeavor. 1 would appreciate any information or examples of programs you may provide. If you have prepared materials, these would be of great interest to us. Just advice us of the cost, if any. We are particularly interested in information coming from the Asia-Pacific region.

One of the major factors limiting the entry of women to a narrow range of occupational areas is the persistence of stereotypes and biases regarding their capabilities, career-life motivations and their "appropriate" roles.

Research and programs in vocational, technical and management training clearly demonstrate that the opportunities of women in education, training and employment are influenced to a great extent by others: training institution directors, supervisors, trainers, vocational counsellors, placement officers, employers, and parents. These gate-keepers may effectively discourage or even prevent the entry of women to the full range of occupational areas and levels open to men.

While the conditions under which gender stereotypes and biases decline and women's entry into non-traditional occupations (including higher, managerial levels) are not fully understood, steps maybe taken to bring about change. In particular, mass media and communication techniques have been used effectively to raise awareness and to reach, inform and influence a wider public so as to facilitate women's access to critical resources and promote their entry and participation in key development processes.

We are not aware of the extent to which media and communication techniques have been used specifically to change attitudes and to promote women's entry into training and employment in non-traditional occupations. Yet we do know the implications of occupational segregation by sex. the ways in which training contributes to it, and the urgent need to redress the situation if equality of opportunity objectives in employment are to be achieved.

We look forward to your assistance.

Sincerely,

Geneve 22 Switzerland

We are interested in the research on gender stereotypes and their relationship to the different occupational areas. We will send you information on the topic. Please keep us updated on the project. - Editors

 

Center focuses on development issues

Dear Isis network.

We would appreciate very much receiving a copy of Women in Action for sharing with Individuals and organizations Interested in development Issues in Egypt.

Center for Development Services (CDS) is a nonprofit organization offering development assistance in the fields of small enterprise development, community health, agriculture, management and organizational development, training, development communication and environment. The main aim of the center is to strengthen the development community's capacity to foster self-determined and self-sustaining change in Egypt and the region. This assistance focuses on training, project support materials, resources development, and seminar facilitation.

Our Learning Resources Library is developing a large collection of references and practice-related materials, both printed and audiovisual, which are available to interested persons, including staff and trainees in our professional development programs, local university staff and students and local development practitioners from a wide variety of agencies and fields of practice.

We look forward to networking with you.

Warm regards,

Cairo, Egypt

We will send you a copy of Women in Action. We hope that you will find the material useful. We are interested in the development work that you do in the area of women. Please send us information that we can share with our readers in the coming issues. - Editor