[women-rights] Regional Women's Leadership Institute (Warsaw, 21 Oct-1 Nov. 2002)

THE REGIONAL WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FOR EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE

October 21st - November 1st 2002

Major changes are taking place in Central and Eastern Europe very rapidly. 
The social, economic and political position of women is worsening, and the 
level of their political representation is decreasing. The development of a 
feminist constituency among the next generation of
CEE women leaders is essential to the future of the women's movement in the 
region. Strategies are needed to lobby governments to implement policy 
shifts, along with networking and strategizing across national
lines to ensure that governments, international organizations and other 
global actors fulfill their commitments to women's rights. To do this 
effectively, women need to continue developing leadership skills and gain a 
better understanding of the various mechanisms from the local, regional and 
global level that can be utilized to advance of women's human rights.

Specific training for women's activists from the CEE is critical to their 
continued development and to their role in the future of the region. The 
vision of this initiatives is to develop an ongoing institutional response 
to this need: annual women's leadership institute. The graduates
of the Institute will be in a unique position to encourage and develop 
regional cooperation, as well as to involve the countries of the region in 
international lobbying and advocacy for women's rights.

The First Regional Women's Leadership Institute will explore the concepts, 
strategies and practices by which the understanding of human rights has 
been expanded to more comprehensively incorporate women's lives and gender 
differences. It will analyze and build upon the methods by which women have 
taken leadership to increase awareness of the promises made by governments 
to end human rights abuses of women and will explore ways to utilize a 
women's human rights framework in diverse communities. The Institute will 
strategize about critical areas of action for the decades ahead.

This first Institute will bring together women who have been working on 
issues of women's human rights including local and national organizers, 
public officials, policy makers, researchers, and activists working on 
varying aspects of the topic. We welcome women from all countries of the 
Region of Central and Eastern Europe and Newly Independent States who have 
taken leadership in various fields to make the abuse of female human rights 
visible and unacceptable.

The Regional Women's Leadership Institute is a two-week intensive working 
session of approximately 25 women representing diverse countries, and 
interests. Participants will spend time sharing their reflections on the
fundamental feminist values that inform the movement and strengthening the 
skills needed to carry out the work of women's human rights. They will work 
on collaboration and plans for influencing local, national, regional and 
international community approaches to these issues. They
will also learn and exchange leadership skills and organizing techniques.

Participants will meet with resource people from the UN and European Union, 
non-governmental organizations, and foundations operating in Eastern 
Europe. Some of the Central and Eastern European Countries are applying for 
membership in European Union and we will try to show that the Regional 
perspective is still needed and actual by working out new strategies.

Participants must stay for the entire two week period. No exceptions will 
be accepted. They should bring materials, resources, and documents from 
their region. They should have worked on these issues or related concerns 
for at least two years in either professional or volunteer capacities.
Applicants should have clear plans to take the skills and contacts gained 
at the Institute back to their own projects, networks, governments or 
regions. The sessions will be conducted in English only, and fluency is a 
must for effective participation.

The three project organizers: OSKa - The National Women's Information 
Center from Warsaw, CRCEES - Center for Central and East European Studies 
from Rutgers University and the Center for Women's Global Leadership have 
been actively involved in leadership development and women's human rights 
advocacy. The Global Center has held eight women's global leadership
institutes for almost women from all regions of the world. The program of 
the Institute and the selection of the participants is done jointly with 
women's organizations from the region: KARAT Coalition, B.a.b.e. from
Zagreb, Gender Studies Center from Prague, Center for Gender Studies at 
European Humanities University in Minsk, Women's Information Network from 
Moscow, and Women's Alliance for Development from Sofia.

Due to the high volume of applications anticipated, early application is 
encouraged. Applicants are encouraged to submit letters of endorsement from 
their organization and/or networks if their participation is on behalf of 
the groups. For more information or to request an application,
please contact: Barbara Godlewska, Institute coordinator, The National 
Women's Information Center - OŠKA, 02-534 Warsaw, Falata 2/48, Poland, 
phone: 48-22 849 79 43, fax 48-22 849 51 79, e-mail: bgodlewska@oska.org.pl

Application Deadline: June 30th, 2002

Anticipated Notification of Selection: end of July, 2002