Jallalla

: Jallalla IBIS SAM Quarterly Bulletin Nยบ 22 - 2010, November

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: Index The political training schools for the indigenous nations and peoples of Ecuador: an experience of equal access to political leadership

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Completion of curricular development for the School For Political Training Of Mama T`Allas And Women Leaders From CONAMAQ - Bolivia

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Training School for Indigenous Women Leaders and Youths in Peru

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Indigenous women free from violence

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Systematization of the gender work

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Gender equity continues to be a challenge for the indigenous peoples and nations

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LAPI - IBIS' New Regional Programme in Latin America

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The approval of the framework Law "Andres Ibañez" for Autonomies and Decentralisation ratifying the indigenous native autonomous process in bolivia

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IBIS and TEKO project becomes official education policy in Bolivia

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The women from the Mayangna Nation demand influence and education

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Saving Ghana from the Resource Course

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No more staying in the background

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Ibis Sudamérica

12th Street, Nº 10, 3rd. floor Calacoto, South Zone ibis@ibisur.org (+591) 2-2773523 http://www.ibisur.org

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: The political training schools for the indigenous nations and peoples of Ecuador: an experience of equal access to political leadership

Text & Photo by: Matilde Camacho Vรกsquez

"The training in the school has enabled me to dialogue at home, in the community and on a public level. To be able to express myself before authorities, before the police during marches, confrontations with the government such as that of Lucio, over water, over mines, to know about laws and the rights that we have in general. We must learn, with faith, in order to defend our territory".

(Ex women's leader from ECUARUNARI) In Ecuador, the Schools for Political Training were created by demand from the indigenous women themselves, as a response to their situation of exclusion with respect to political representation, both in their own organisations and before national society. Despite the fact that historically women have been extensively participating in congresses, assemblies, protests, marches, uprisings, etc., their low participation has been evident in leadership teams within their organisations, especially at the highest levels; similarly within spaces for political representation on a local, regional and national level.

pag4 Manta- and Wankavilka-peoples; and three schools in CONFENIAE with 170 students from the Kichwa-, Shuar-, Waorani-, Zรกpara- and Andoa-nations.

Faced with this reality, in 1997, women from ECUARUNARI (Highland indigenous organization) created of the "Dolores Cacuango" School for women's political leadership, with the main purpose of reversing this limiting and exclusive reality, through the political training of women leaders who from their cultural identity and gender, would consolidate the organisational processes and political project of their organisations. IBIS, together with APN (Ayuda Popular Noruega), has been the main support for this women's initiative.

This training process has taken many years and from these true women leaders, local, regional and national women leaders have emerged; it is a process that has allowed women to be trained and to gain access to organizational and political spaces from which they were previously excluded. One of its main characteristics is that the students come directly from the organizational structures and possess different levels of formal education: from illiterate to university educated, youths and adults from 16 Kichwa peoples from the highlands and coastal regions of Ecuador.

Since the middle of 2006, with financial support from HIVOS and IBIS, this system of political training has extended from the highlands to the indigenous nations and peoples from the organisations CONAICE (Coastal region) and CONFENIAE (Amazon region), under the leadership of CONAIE. As part of this phase, two schools have been opened in CONAICE with 70 students from the Epera-, Chachi-, Awa-nations and

This process of political training has allowed the women to be strengthened in political and organisational aspects, to develop their capacities, to have greater presence in different national and international platforms and to participate in political decision making spaces. The indigenous women created their own political agenda to take a position within the indigenous movement, they have advocated and have contributed to the preparation of law proposals and in the creation of alternatives for the construction of the Plurinational State, which reflect the indigenous women's vision in the understanding and realization of a coherent institutionalism within the State.

By 2008, 400 women had been trained in the "Dolores Cacuango" school, and several of them have been elected as leaders and hold public and political positions. In the class of 2010, 180 women will graduate.

As a result of political training in the coastal region, despite being a recent process, there is a good presence of women in leadership positions: three women hold leadership positions in CONAICE, likewise three women are leaders in the Epera nation, and two women are leaders in the Chachi nation. Although these women do not hold positions within their organisations, they are always mobilising, participating, learning, caring for their children, strengthening their organisations, fighting for their family, for their people, for their organisations, for their rights, for their territories, for PACHAMAMA (Mother Earth) and for SUMAK KAWSAY (Living Well).

IBIS has supported all these initiatives since 2000, understanding that these training spaces provide the best strategy for political and organisational learning in order that the women reaffirm their collective and individual rights.

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: Completion of curricular development for the School For Political Training Of Mama T`Allas And Women Leaders From CONAMAQ - Bolivia Text & Photo by: Jasmin Leticia Salinas/Consultant Ibis Denmark

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After a comprehensive process of reflection and discussion, the Mama T`allas (traditional indigenous women leaders) and women leaders from the National Council for Ayllus and Markas from Qulllasuyu (Consejo Nacional de Ayllus y Markas del Qulllasuyu - CONAMAQ), have finished preparing their curricular proposal for their political training, which includes their main training demands, based on their communities, experiences and learning.

based on a curricular design of ten modules that will be developed over a period of ten months with classroom sessions three days each month.

In the words of the CONAMAQ-authorities this is a project "that is adapted to what we want, it is not imposed by NGOs, or institutions but rather it is how CONAMAQ and the Mama T`allas want it, in order to strengthen our process of reconstituting indigenous territory and our political project". The proposal is

The proposal is included within the implementation process for the Political Training Schools for Native Indigenous Women that IBIS Denmark is promoting, in favour of the creation of an equitable democracy in the context of the transcendental changes occurring in Bolivia.

Among the work themes identified by the Mama T`allas and women leaders are modules on public speaking, leadership, conflict handling and resolution, indigenous peoples' rights, Political Constitution of the State, autonomies and legislative development.

The proposal is based on a curricular design of ten modules that will be developed over a period of ten months with classroom sessions three days each month.

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: Training School for Indigenous Women Leaders and Youths in Peru Text by: Katerine Zagarra Buitr贸n Photo: Ibis Per煤

In May 2009 in the city of Puno - Peru, the First Continental Summit for Indigenous Women was held, an event that allowed a reinforcement of confidence and mutual respect among women leaders from diverse countries.

The work of the indigenous Peruvian women during this summit included national proposals on diverse issues which were formulated and discussed by them; some of which have actually already been disseminated and presented to civil society and State institutions.

pag8 With this experience, IBIS Peru recognises the great importance of continuing to support the strengthening of capacities and initiatives that come from the women themselves towards sustainable work on issues of interest to them. For this reason, IBIS Peru supported the initiative presented by the AIDESEP women's programme "Training School for Indigenous Women and Youths", which seeks to train 25 men and women leaders from the regional organisations to contribute to the strengthening of an inclusive and intercultural democracy in Peru and to the strengthening of the capacities for proposal and participation of indigenous women and youths from the Amazon region.

The first module, developed in December 2009, addressed issues such as: the political participation of indigenous women, history of the indigenous movement and communication and public advocacy.

During the second module, developed in May 2010 and the third and final workshop held in the August 2010, continuity was given to some modules such as the issue of the indigenous movement not only on a national level but recuperating local historical processes in the provinces, among others such as the right to territory and Buen Vivir (Living Well), the legal

framework for collective rights and women's rights, leadership and political participation, violence against indigenous women and communication and public advocacy.

Based on this process of systematic reflections, and especially with respect to the treatment of violence against women, important progress was made: Identification of situations of violence against women and situations of the good life with respect to women.

Recognition of the types of violence and knowledge of the international and national laws that protect women from violence.

Analysis of the issue of violence from a gender and intercultural perspective.

Consolidation of commitments to the protection and the defence of women in their regions.

Analysis of the Law Against Domestic Violence.

Preparation of a basic communication plan for a campaign against violence on the 25th November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Preparation of scripts and filming of radio spots on violence against women that will be disseminated in their regions.

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With this experience, IBIS Peru recognises the great importance of continuing to support the strengthening of capacities and initiatives that come from the women themselves...

From now on the women have information on participation mechanisms that were identified in the context of decentralisation and the identification of spaces and participation mechanisms on a regional level.

IBIS and HIVOS have supported AIDESEP's Women's Programme by providing technical advice to the regional Women's Programmes and follow-up for their plans to replicate with their participants in this School.

This module on Violence Against Women was also aimed at Andean indigenous women through a training workshop, which was held from the 15th to the 17th of June with the participation of women leaders from CONACAMI, ONAMIAP, UCSICEP and FEDECMA who: Identified the concept of violence from an intercultural perspective.

Reflected on the relationships between indigenous men and women from the Andean area.

Discussed the situation of violence against women in their regions, identified State entities that provide

protection for women and evaluated the effectiveness of the plan "Fight against Violence" proposed by the State to be reached by 2015.

Prepared a roadmap for attention for women that suffer from violence in the rural areas and discussed a response from the community to be presented before the Community Ombudsmen.

Prepared scripts and filmed radio spots on violence against women that will be disseminated in their regions, in addition to preparing a strategy to disseminate these spots.

In general, the Amazonian and Andean participants considered this process to be important and made observations and suggestions on as to the training processes on the issue of violence against women which should be permanent and extensive, not only for women leaders from the indigenous organisations, but also that the information should be disseminated to women from the communities so that they are familiar with their rights and the entities that protect them through ordinary justice or community justice.

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: Indigenous women free from violence Text by: Martha Villa Photo: Anna Gunkowska

Native indigenous women do not exercise their rights in the same way as their male counterparts, and as such they are a vulnerable population. The contributing factors are diverse and have created a type of vicious circle that does not allow them true political participation, for example: the overburden of responsibilities, illiteracy, maternal mortality, unpaid work, discrimination, violence and extreme poverty to which they are subjected, do not allow for an effective political participation within their organisations and other spheres of power.

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IBIS Denmark, in its work and commitment and towards the exercise of collective and individual rights of the indigenous peoples, has created awareness and knowledge surrounding intercultural gender, jointly reflecting and identifying with the native indigenous women that violence is a factor that impedes the true exercise of rights and political participation in decision making, with specific consideration of both collective and individual rights, where generally indigenous women are ignored and/or renounce their own rights in their struggle for the collective rights of indigenous peoples.

It is precisely on the basis of these identification processes that the project "Indigenous Women Free from Violence" is being developed on a regional level in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia with an active participation of native indigenous women authorities and leaders, who, within the framework of nation and international legislation, and very specifically within the context of their community laws, are reflecting on their situation of discrimination and violence, and the need to create proposals that will allow them to have prevention or response mechanisms in order to lessen intra-family, political, organisational and cultural violence.

Although progress has been made with respect to national legislation on intra-family violence in the three countries, there are still no specific separate data on violence against native indigenous women.

However, according to the CEDAW report; in Bolivia 7 out of 10 women suffer some type of violence and 54% are victims of their partners; in Ecuador, around 40% of women between the ages of 15 and 49 have suffered some kind of violence, 39% of married women or women living with partners were victims of violence at the hands of their partner, 40.7% suffered psychological violence and 11.5% suffered sexual violence; in Peru, of more than 86,000 cases of domestic violence, 66% were victims of physical violence and 29% of psychological violence; 71% of the aggressors were husbands or partners.

Indigenous women in the three countries identify violence against women as an important factor that does not allow them effective political participation...

pag12 Indigenous women in the three countries identify violence against women as an important factor that does not allow them effective political participation, and they consider that it must be addressed in a collective way starting with their own communities and organisations, within the context of their own forms of justice, that is to say, community justice, in addition to looking for links with ordinary justice, aspects that were very difficult to address only a few years ago.

Within this context, they are creating mechanism for the prevention, treatment and visualisation of violence from their own experiences and needs, seeking the eradication of this evil that affects the majority of women both indigenous and non-indigenous.

Likewise in Ecuador, women from indigenous organisations are working on an eradication plan for violence that addresses three levels; one for followup and observation of public policies and legislation that will link parliament and government entities with indigenous organisations; at another intermediate and more operational justice level; and on a community level, where men and women leaders will exercise control, follow-up and treatment of violence against women based on good practices of community justice.

In Peru, a process of reflection and treatment of this problem has been initiated within the context of the first leadership school in AIDESEP, with replicates and control carried out by women leaders in their communities. Based on this pilot experience, it is hoped to prepare a proposal that will allow greater advocacy for indigenous women on the treatment of violence from their own practices and to determine the cases that deserve to be handed over to the Peruvian legal system.

Bolivia has initiated a process for reflection with the indigenous organisation within the context of the New Political Constitution of the State, which recognises community justice, and the women consider it to be an opportunity to work on a strategy for the treatment and eradication of violence, both intrafamily violence and political-organisational and cultural violence.

Reflections and processes have begun and there is no turning back, however, the challenge is to specifically influence public opinion from the national and local authorities and above all the native indigenous leaders and authorities, in order that a process of awareness is proposed and also to have an impact on the treatment of cases of violence, especially within the context of community justice.

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: Systematization of Gender Work Text & Photo by: Lise Josefsen Hermann/Regional Communication Advisor, IBIS in South America

Currently, IBIS South America is carrying out a systematization of the work on gender in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, countries in which we have worked for many years. The consultant Bettina Durocher has just visited IBIS' projects and partners in the three countries with the objective of gathering information for the systematization.

pag14 In Lima - Peru she met with two focus groups - one with Andean women (CONACAMI) and the other with Amazonian women (AIDESEP). She then travelled to Huancayo and Puerto Maldonado to examine the participation of women in several IBIS Peru projects and to leard about the experiences of the women in Amazonian communities.

In Quito, Ecuador she visited the Dolores Cacuango School and interviewed some ex-students, such as one of the leaders of ECUARUNARI. Later she travelled to Puyo with the aim of interviewing women from seven indigenous nations from the Amazon. The consultant mentioned the following as a significant achievement of the women: "Having managed to get rid of the Colombian timber merchants from their territory (Amazon Rainforest) who were cutting the trees without permission". In Latacunga, a town located south of Quito, she met with several delegates from FOICH (Federation of Indigenous Organisations from Chimborazo) where the women commented on a solidarity bank proyect (micro credit) which allowed them to carry out agricultural projects, creating income for the organisation's self-sustainability.

In Bolivia she met with women from CONAMAQ in La Paz and then with women from CNAMIB and CIDOB in Santa Cruz. The majority of these women are beneficiaries of the regional gender programme, PRIEG and the project "Indigenous Women Free from Violence".

In the countries and organisations visited the consultant noted de following: "The women leaders that managed to get training and some political participation did not do so to empower themselves but rather to contribute to the consolidation of their indigenous organisation. The result of this process was not only an increase in their self-esteem as women but also the recuperation of self-esteem and pride in their indigenous culture and identity. This is contrary to the negative voices that say that you should not give indigenous women an education or let them participate in public spaces, because they will lose their cultural identity. The reality and the experiences of these women shows quite the opposite .

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: Gender equity continues to be a challenge for the indigenous peoples and nations Text by: David Choqueticlla Photo: Lise Josefsen Hermann

We are in a phase of structural changes that in turn question economic and class inequalities, searching for our roots and the definition of cultural identities and proposals to create agendas for gender equity.

The need arises for a profound analysis of the current situation from a gender perspective.

This perspective must be addressed as a political instrument and as a tool to strengthen democratic systems, towards these being more participatory and inclusive, recognising diversity, plurality and overcoming the minority situation of native-indigenous women and afro-descendents, and aimed at the full exercise of citizenship and indigenous peoples' rights.

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Undoubtedly, it has not been easy to create an agenda to address equality between men and women, much time has passed since verifying the inequity, exclusion and marginalisation of women to confirm the double and triple marginalisation and exclusion of indigenous women. There are some achievements in the legal area (recognition in the Bolivian and Ecuadorian constitutions) and institutional and socio-economic aspects, and especially in the political participation of women in local, regional and national decision making spaces, within the context of the consolidation of plurinationality and interculturality. However, the structural problems remain intact, poverty and inequity persist and economic policies continue to be neoliberal based on extractive industries with excessive exploitation of natural resources that particularly affect women.

Within the described context, the indigenous women's organisations are promoting the consolidation of a school for political training in Ecuador, and the development of similar spaces in Peru and Bolivia, based on their own interests, needs and visions, aimed at strengthening their political participation and improving the negotiation processes of women leaders with the State, and with local and national governments, and also aimed at training for carrying out public duties, in such a way that from these entities they can then address the demands and aspirations of the indigenous women in addition to the indigenous movement. These initiatives have been and continue to be supported by IBIS, within the context of its policies, with the assignment of 10% of its total budget. The organisations assign a budget to specific activities on the equality issue within the context of participatory planning to incorporate national and regional meetings, technical committees, exchange of experiences, workshops and courses to analyse the current situation or issues from a gender focus (land, territory, rights, intra-family violence, political participation).

The wish to create spaces for political training arose as a result of the national women's encounters, international exchanges between similar organisations and the participation in events such as the 1st Continental Summit for Indigenous Women held in Puno, Peru or the direct representation of women leaders in the Summit for Climate Change in Copenhagen. The experiences and lessons shared have allowed them to strengthen their knowledge and advocacy which in turn results in replication in their own countries.

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: LAPI - IBIS' New Regional Programme in Latin America Text by: Lise Josefsen Hermann/Regional Communication Advisor, IBIS in South America Photo: Toke Nyborg y Lise Josefsen Hermann

For more than 30 years IBIS has been working in Latin America; in 2009, IBIS' board in Denmark decided to close the Programme Offices in Ecuador, Honduras and Peru and formulate a new regional programme called Latin America Against Poverty and Inequality (LAPI). IBIS' activities in Latin America in the future will therefore consist of three national programmes in Bolivia, Guatemala and Nicaragua, and the new regional programme LAPI will be both regional and global.

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The goal of LAPI is on the one hand to support the partners in Latin America in their struggle for rights in national, regional and international scenarios. On the other hand it seeks to contribute to increase awareness and debate in Denmark and Europe on the development process in Latin America.

LAPI will have two main themes - climate change and extractive industries. In addition, it will include a component of political advocacy, which has still not been discussed in detail with the partners and alliances in the region.

IBIS is focussed on the special role that the indigenous peoples play due to their vulnerability to climate change and as guardians of the climate in the sustainable management of natural resources that can provide a strong focus for regional and international activities. Extractive industries are an important issue for indigenous peoples. Over the last few years, IBIS has had numerous programmes supporting indigenous peoples in their struggle against the extractive industries.

Currently, IBIS does not have specific thematic programmes on extractive industries or climate change.

What IBIS does have are many activities on these issues within the actual thematic programmes.

Climate change is a problem that has received greater attention over the last two years. IBIS in Central America has had a very important programme on climate change since 2008 and in operation until the middle of 2011. For many years, IBIS has supported the SusWatch Network, which is especially strong in Central America and provides a network for the organisation of activities with a view to COP16 in Mexico at the end of 2010. From 2010, Suswatch will expand to become a network in all of Latin America, including organizations in South America, and in this way it will have regional coverage with new opportunities. The special role and vulnerability of the indigenous peoples with respect to climate change and as guardians of climate in the sustainable management of natural resources assumes a strong focus for regional and international activities. We hope that LAPI will contribute to strengthen regional and international initiatives and at the same time support national and local activities on the issues of adaptation to and mitigation of climate changes.

Extractive industries is an important issue for the indigenous peoples and over the last few years IBIS has had numerous projects supporting the indigenous peoples in their relations with extractive industries.

In the existing thematic programmes some projects already have elements related to extractive industries.

IBIS hopes that LAPI will contribute to regional and international advocacy on extractive industries, and increase awareness and advocacy, above all in Denmark.

In addition, LAPI could also support national and local activities on extractive industries.

The budget for LAPI is 9 million Danish Crowns for a period of three years, provided by Danida Frame Funds. Hopefully some additional funds from other donors can be included during the programme.

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: The approval of the framework Law "Andres Iba単ez" for Autonomies and Decentralisation ratifying the indigenous native autonomous process in bolivia Text by: Jasmin Leticia Salinas/Consultant IBIS Denmark Photo: Lise Josefsen Hermann

On the 19th of July 2010, Evo Morales Ayma, the President of Bolivia, promulgated Framework Law No. 031 for Autonomies and Decentralisation, and in doing so closed a historic cycle in the struggles of the native indigenous movement for the rights to free determination and self-governance. This law is considered to be one of the most conflictive in the post-constituent process, as it not only mobilised conservative right-wing sectors, reduced to few departmental (regional) governments, but more importantly it alerted the native indigenous peoples from eastern Bolivia who, affiliated with the Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia (CIDOB), initiated a march from Santa Cruz towards

pag20 the seat of Government in La Paz, demanding that their proposals with respect to the strengthening of the indigenous autonomous process be included.

After walking for more than 30 days, and after several attempts at dialogue, failed to reach consensus, CIDOB called off the latest of its five historic marches1, after finally having achieved the inclusion of a good part of their demands.

In general terms, the law establishes the foundation of the State Territorial Organisation, developing four types or forms of autonomies (departmental, regional, municipal and native indigenous peasant), describing the procedures for gaining access to autonomy and the preparation of the Autonomous Statutes or Organic Charters, jurisdiction and economic and financial aspects, in addition to establishing the political and technical institutionalism that will facilitate the autonomous process.

With respect to native/indigenous/peasant Autonomy and Decentralisation establishes that this is regulated according to the new Political Constitution of the State, ILO Convention 169 of the ILO and the United Nation's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It recognizes the principle of the pre-existence of the indigenous native peoples and peasants before the colonial invasion, by virtue of which it recognizes their right to free determination, autonomy, selfgovernance and the recognition of their institutions and the consolidation of their territorial entities.

According to the Constitution, it recognises three ways towards native indigenous peasant autonomy, the first has a territorial unit - the native indigenous peasant territories (today known as Communal Native Lands - TCOs), the second has the municipalities and the last has the diverse group of these territories that make up the native indigenous peasant region, establishing the requirements and forms of access for each one.

The importance of the approval of the Framework Law for Autonomies and Decentralisation for the native indigenous nations and peoples of Bolivia lies in the fact that this and all derived regulations must be consistent with the pluralist character of the State, even more so if we consider that the political foundation of the Plurinational State lies within the Indigenous Autonomies, where the Plurinational State is configured, shaped and created with the emancipating and decolonising characteristics that strengthen the Bolivian process for change.

1 In 1990, CIDOB led the march for "Territory and Dignity", this was then followed by marches in 2000 and 2002 for Indigenous Territory and the Constituent Assembly, all within the framework of the autonomous demands, not with the same name, but with the same utopian project towards being peoples with full rights, territories, natural resources, ways and customs.

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: IBIS and TEKO project becomes official education policy in Bolivia Text by: Lise Josefsen Hermann/Regional Communication Advisor, IBIS in South America Photo: TEKO GuaranĂ­ & Lise Josefsen Hermann

Education in the mother tongue and with alternative teaching-methods towards freeing the Bolivian GuaranĂ­ peoples from slavery is showing results. For the first time, the Ministry of Education in Bolivia has committed to support the implementation of intercultural bilingual education for an indigenous people

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What in the last few decades only has been a dream for the Guaraní people in Bolivia, has just taken an important step towards becoming a reality - the dream of having an education in their own indigenous language, Guaraní, an education that is based on the reality of Guaraní children.

Education creates freedom from slavery Since 2008, IBIS has been contributing to the implementation of a project on intercultural bilingual education in the Bolivian Chaco-region, with the specific focus of educating the Guaraní children based on and with respect for their own culture.

The project is undertaken in cooperation with the NGO of young Danish people called Operation One Days Work. The project is being implemented in cooperation with the organisation Assembly of the Guaraní People (APG) and its education branch TEKO Guaraní. The general objective of the project is to free the Guaraní people who for centuries have being living as slaves of the owners of the large estates

in the Chaco. The project has significantly raised the education level of Guaraní children in Bolivia.

The Ministry approves the methods of IBIS/TEKO Now that this work is beginning to bring important results, IBIS's partners - APG and TEKO Guaraní have carried out advocacy on the Ministry for Education in order that it supports and participates in the diffusion of intercultural bilingual education for the Guaraní people in Bolivia. Recently, the Minister of Education in Bolivia, Roberto Aguilar Gómez, visited the Municipality of Camiri to assist in the official release of more than 5,000 textbooks for use in intercultural bilingual education by the Guaraní boys and girls. These are language and mathematics textbooks for the pre-school level and 1st, 2nd and 3rd year of primary school. The books are prepared and financed by the IBIS and APG/TEKO Guaraní project. This will benefit the Guaraní boys and girls in five education districts in the Department of Chuquisaca.

pag23 Historical recognition for the Guaraní people The Ministry has promised to implement public policies in intercultural bilingual education throughout the territory of the Guaraní people. To do this, it has promised to look for funds to reprint the materials produced by the project technicians for their subsequent use in 16 municipalities within the Guaraní territory. Based on this announcement, the Bolivian Government has established that, starting from February 2011, intercultural bilingual education for the Guaraní peoples will form part of Bolivian public policy and will be legislated.

Intercultural bilingual education throughout the whole Guaraní territory Emerging from Time of change -project activities was considered by TEKO Guaraní as an extremely important political achievement in the 21 years of existence of the APG. It is the first time in Bolivian history that indigenous peoples have achieved such recognition by the State with respect to education in an indigenous language. The Guaraní language is the main language in the Bolivian lowlands and the third most spoken indigenous language in Bolivia. The Bolivian Constitution of 2009 recognizes 36 indigenous languages in Bolivia.

Read more about the project here: http://www.ibisur.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=67&Itemid=69&lang=en FACTS The project "Time of change: putting an end to slavery in Bolivia" began in 2008 and will end in 2011.

The general objective consists of freeing the Guaraní from the many years that they have lived as slaves of the estate owners in the Chaco Region.

There are around 6,000 children who will benefit from an intercultural bilingual education during the projectperiod.

In the first courses, the project technicians work with new pedagogic approaches for teaching in the mother tongue and intercultural bilingual education. New textbooks for languages and mathematics have been prepared and produced for the pre-school level, 1st, 2nd and 3rd year of primary school.

As part of the project, work has also been carried out on life projects with the boys and girls. This means working on the future dreams of the boys and girls, so that they have an idea of other possibilities in life apart from working for the estate owners.

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: IBIS in the world IBIS is Danish civil society organization working in Latin America and Africa.

With the following articles we invite you to get to know some of IBIS activities elsewhere in the world, hoping that this exchange of information may serve as inspiration.

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: The women from the Mayangna Nation demand influence and education Text & Photo by: Per Bergholdt Jensen

In Central America, many indigenous women do not enjoy personal freedom, economic independence or access to education. However, a group of Mayangna women in Nicaragua want to educate themselves in order to gain their emancipation.

"We, the women from the indigenous peoples often feel that we are inferior to men and that we are worth less than they are," explains Kiatrina David Benitez, leader of the organisation MAYAKAT for indigenous women from the area Tunghki Mayakat in northeastern Nicaragua.

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According to Kiatrina David Benitez many indigenous women work as housewives, but their husbands do not allow them to go out alone or to have an opinion of their own.

A study carried out by IBIS concluded that some Mayangna women work between 18 and 19 hours a day; they get up earlier than the men and go to bed later. They do a double day's work, dedicating work hours both at home and in the fields, and consequently they only rest between five and six hours. The men in contrast work less hours, they dedicate time to have fun with friends and rest more than the women.

"As women we feel that we are very limited. There are almost no initiatives to improve our opportunities in life," adds Marisa Marciel Thomson who is spokesperson for the Territorial Government of Mayangna Sauni Arungka (MATUMBAK).

Kiatrina and Marisa belong to the Mayangna Nation, an ethnic group of 15,000 people that forms part of the nine indigenous peoples in Nicaragua. The Mayangnas mainly live in the Autonomous Region of the Northern Atlantic (RAAN) and in the Department of Jinotega. The principal activities they carry out for their self-subsistence are hunting, fishing and agriculture.

Indigenous women - less rights than mestiza women Addressing the issue of the discrimination of the Mayangna women is a delicate subject, as the organisations and territorial governments of the indigenous peoples in Central America are often dominated by men. Although these ethnic groups perceive themselves as oppressed or persecuted, there is sometimes a certain lack of an introspective and critical analysis of their own ways; especially when talking about the oppression of women.

"In our opinion the indigenous women have less rights and less opportunities that the mestizo women. Our customs make it difficult for the women to free themselves and move forward, although recently things are changing a bit", adds Kiatrina David Benitez.

pag27 For a long time, the indigenous peoples have been among the most impoverished groups in Central America. At the same time, women in the region are on average poorer than the men, and they are also the main supporters of single parent families. These factors leave the indigenous women doubly discriminated; firstly because they are women and secondly because they belong to the indigenous population.

daughters to study away from home because they think they will get pregnant," says Kiatrina David Benitez.

To address this problem, IBIS carried out a study to strengthen the Territorial Government of Mayangna Sauni Arungka with the incorporation of a gender focus and also to analyse the roles of men and women.

The study came to the conclusion that it is necessary to raise awareness among men on the importance of women participating in the organisational processes, advocacy and administration within the territorial government.

Luz Marina Juwith is Public Prosecutor for the Territorial Government of Mayangna Sauni Arungka and as such is one of the few women who hold a relatively high position. Juwith explains that the literacy process in the area of the Mayangnas did not begin until the year 1986 and initially education was only for adults.

In 1990, primary level education began, and in 2003 the first primary schools were built. Secondary education arrived in 2006 to three communities in the Mayangna Sauni Arungka territory.

The study also concluded that it is very important to strengthen the capacities of the women to improve their lives. IBIS has carried out a series of workshops on gender, both with men and women, and at the same time it has tried to strengthen the Mayangna women's organisation, MAYAKAT. The girls do not study One of the fundamental issues when addressing freedom of women is access to education for indigenous girls and women. The fact that very few women from the indigenous peoples in Central America - including the Mayangnas - receive a higher education contributes to keeping these women in a state of ignorance, poverty and with a lack of influence.

"Most of the students that go to university in our territory are men. The fathers do not allow their

However, the Mayangnas women are determined to change this mentality, although higher studies have not formed an integral part of their traditional culture, since the Mayangnas have only had access to formal education within the last 20-25 years.

"In the past, the government did not help us, but during the last few years this has improved. There is progress. Some families can send their children to study outside the territory and some youths from here have gone to university. With the current economic system and the cultural changes it is necessary that both boys and girls study to be able to get an income, and work for our development and rights," adds Luz Marina Juwith.

"Education can change peoples' lives, and I would like my own daughters to study outside the territory. For example, they could study how to protect our natural resources. We need women to study at university level so that they can work within our territorial government or have influence in the Nicaraguan national government," stresses Kiatrina David Benitez.

FACTS: IBIS and the Territorial Government of Mayangna Sauni Arungka (MUTAMBAK) The Mayangna Sauni Arungka territory has an area of 485 km2 and is inhabited by 386 Mayangnas families - a total of 4,625 people. The territory is partially located in the Bosawรกs Reserve in the Autonomous Region of the North Atlantic (RAAN) and in the Department of Jinotega. Bosawรกs is the largest forest reserve in Central America and has a core area of 8,065 km2. The reserve is one of the richest areas in the world in terms of species of plants and animals, but colonization of farmers and illegal deforestation is a big problem.

IBIS has supported the Territorial Government of Mayangna Sauni Arungka in, among other things, building a government building with solar panels where computers can be used in an area without electricity. In addition, IBIS facilitates the Territorial Government MUTAMBAK in order to improve their capacity for selfgovernance, both in relation to the demarcation and official certification of their territory, as well as conflict resolution with intruding mestizo farmers.

pag28

: Saving Ghana from the Resource Course Text by: Lotte Ærsøe/Communication Advisor, IBIS in Eastern Africa & Anne Sofie Hansen Photo: Lotte Ærsøe

A new player has entered on Ghana's oil and gas scene: It is a group of organisations and individuals who wish to ensure that the revenue from Ghana's great oil bonanza will benefit the Ghanaian population, and not only the coffers of the oil companies bringing the oil to the surface.

The group calls itself 'Civil Society Platform on Oil and Gas in Ghana'. The Platform was launched at a meeting in March 2010 in Accra and now counts more than 110 organisations and individuals working with issues arising from the discovery of oil and gas of the coast of the West African country.

pag29 They stand together behind the demand for proper management of the oil and gas resources, so that Ghana and its population retain a fair share of the profits, and that oil and gas is extracted and produced in a secure, sustainable and environmentally correct manner.

management of oil extraction, production, environment protection, taxation and revenue sharing. After receiving the latest submission from the Platform in August 2010 the Select Committee on Energy has asked the Platform to elaborate on its position before the Committee.

The group has used their expertise in the development and revision of the legal framework that lays the foundation for the contracts with the multinational oil companies and the regulation of the oil industry.

"The last time we submitted recommendations concerning revenue management the government included almost 90% of our suggestions in the new framework. Naturally, we hope to see this happen again," says Mohammed Amin. He is the coordinator of the Platform and one of the key contributors to its success.

Avoid the Curse The Ghanaian government has encouraged its population to participate in this process, in order to ensure that the oil-find sparks development and does not become a curse for Ghana. The Platform is as such civil society's response to this invitation and is already called upon as a respected actor. " The CSO Platform on Oil and Gas has been invited by the Parliamentary Committee on Energy to submit memos on the draft bills which will affect the regulation of the oil industry and the management of revenue from the oil and gas production. We are very proud that the Platform, after only 6 months, is recognised to this extent by the government," says Nana Asantewa Afadzinu, IBIS' Policy Advisor for West Africa.

Powerful Opponents A strong civil society in this time of Ghana's development is important because on the other side of the stage the country is faced with some extremely powerful corporate actors with strong interests in the future of Ghana's oil production.

Ghana is on the right path towards getting the required legislative framework in place, and it will be critical to also ensure enforcement. Here, the Platform is an important player in holding both the government and large multinationals accountable to complying with legislation, when oil extraction takes off. Commercial oil production will start in December 2010 from the Jubilee Field 60 miles of Ghana's coast. It is one of the largest offshore oil-finds to date along the coast of Africa.

The work of a young but strong partner The Platform, which IBIS in West Africa gives technical and institutional support, has already made itself heard and seen on the oil and gas stage in Ghana.

The latest achievement is the invitation from the Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy. The Platform, ministries, the oil and gas industry, lawyers and other actors have submitted their recommendations to the government on the reviews of legislation around oil and gas exploration,

Strengthening the Watchdog The foremost tasks of the Platform - besides being the watchdog vis-a-vis the large national and international corporate players - are to support the activities of its members.

Some of the downfalls felt by the population of other oil producing developing countries such as Angola and Nigeria have been serious human rights offences, irrevocable environmental damages and secret negotiations between the oil industry and the governments of the countries. These are some of the disastrous scenarios that the members of the Platform wish Ghana to stay clear of.

As such the Platform provides a common ground and a channel for the Ghanaian organisations who are working towards proper management of natural resource revenues to assist the development of the democracy, a health economy for the country and environmental sustainability and protection of human rights in local regions affected by the operations of the oil extraction.

pag30

: No more staying in the background

It is high time that women's influence becomes real influence. By way of a new project, IBIS in Mozambique pretends to strengthen women's role in politics Text by: Irene Nørgaard Photo: IBIS Mozambique

pag31 organisations for many years now, so I'm used to speaking in large meetings", she says.

She sees the Ibis project as a possibility to learn more, for instance about gender realities in Mozambique, where the situation is such that women have far less access to education and, thereby, to the job market, to earning an income and to influence than men.

Through her position as a politician, she can use the new knowledge to change the situation. But in today's Mozambique there is, in the opinion of Inês José Mauricios, nothing that holds back women. They can and should do just as much as men.

"Traditionally, in Mozambique women were standing behind the men, but today things are different. Even our laws tell us that we are equal, and that's what I want to live by. We are just as worthy as men. Who knows - maybe I become the next president", says Inês with a big smile.

EQUALITY - NOT ONLY BEFORE THE LAW The meeting under the mango-tree continues. A woman wants to know, why the long expected water project was started in areas 4 and 5 in Cuamba, when During most of the meeting, she has been very calm it was supposed to have started in area 1 - that is and soft-spoken, but now all the words are queuing here in Mademo. Could this be because all the up inside her. We are at a citizen's meeting under a politicians and officials live over there? The other big mango-tree in the town of Cuamba, where the participants loudly cheer the question. However, Inês female town councillor, Inês José Mauricios, is visiting ignores the obvious provocation and in stead writes the part of town called Mademo. down the questions that have directly to do with the town council, which will then give its answers at the "Finally, you have caught the thieves that have been next citizen's meeting. tormenting us for so long. Why are they just going to prison for a bit of rest and recreation? Why don't you Inês sees her job in the town council as a natural kill them? They deserve that", a very agitated woman extension of her involvement in the local community, is shouting. and she knows that, as a woman in politics, she is a role-model.

This is the question that got Inês out of her seat. She speaks, sometimes harshly, for a long time in the local "For the women that work at home, I represent the language, Mácua, about punishment, the laws of the fact that women can definitely be in the centre of country, human rights and international conventions things, and they can be the ones to get the good that Mozambique, among many other countries, has ideas. If there were no women in the political organs, we would probably be much more discriminated against acceded to. Things then calm down again. than we are today".

THE COMING PRESIDENT But women's influence in town and district councils and in the provincial parliaments around Mozambique The 37-year-old woman only started her political career in 2009, and is one of the women, who already is not very prominent. Often, they are not represented now know that she wants to participate in the IBIS- in the committees and commissions, where real decisions are made. It takes a certain amount of routine course "Women in Politics". This is a project that, and negotiation techniques to position one self in a more than anything, aims to strengthen the role of town council, and without being able to play the game women elected for local politics, so that they will become really influential and so that they will be able Inês José Mauricios will probably not go as far, as she would otherwise have. to have gender questions included in the decision making processes. Even though she may need to know As a participant in the IBIS-project, she will learn more about this or that issue, this doesn't seem to hold her back as she is sitting here among a hundred about negotiation techniques as well as relevant legislation, budgeting, understanding accounts and loud citizens on a Saturday afternoon answering the principles of local administration and good questions, some of them more rude than others. governance. Another important aspect of the programme is to train the women to be able to have "I'm neither afraid nor shy, even though I'm new in gender policy and equality issues included in decision local politics. I have been working with different making processes.

pag32 A VOCATION There are many questions at today's meeting. Some want to know, if streetlights will soon be installed, others whether the streets will soon be repaired as there are potholes everywhere, and still others want to speak about the many HIV/AIDS infected children.

Inês diligently writes down all the questions.

"I think this is one area, in which I have already made a big difference - loyally conveying the worries of the local population to the town council and makes it relating to them. We are not able to solve all problems at once, but based on the information we get at meetings like this, we can evaluate, where the needs are the greatest", she says.

Like so many other women, Inês has responsibilities as a politician as well as at home. With six children and studies at night to conclude 10th grade, her political work in the town council is an extra burden for the family.

"But above all it is a vocation. It was a big day for me, when the new council met for the first time and was constituted. It is clear in my mind - it was on the 4th of February 2009. I was very happy and satisfied, because now I could finally start working on the different issues that I find we need to focus on here in our town".

In Inês' opinion, these issues include access to clean drinking water for all, improvements at the town's schools and stopping crime in the town, which is on the rise.

When her political work takes up most of her time, and the chores around the house tend to get ignored, it is a good thing that even Mozambique has taken the first steps in the direction of gender equality: "Then I'm lucky to have my husband, who can lend a hand with the cleaning", says Inês José Mauricios with a happy smile.

FAKTABOX: MOZAMBIQUE RATES WELL, WHEN IT COMES TO THE NUMBER OF FEMALE POLITICIANS n Mozambique, 39.2% of the National Parliament delegates are women, that is a higher than in Denmark, with only 38%. As it is not possible to vote for individuals in Mozambican elections, the parliament delegates are appointed by the respective political parties, which obviously also goes for women and for how many they are. However, in local and provincial parliaments the number of female delegates is much smaller.

FAKTABOX: THE "WOMEN IN POLITICS"-PROJECT The project was launched this year and will go on until 2012. Approximately 200 women, elected for the political organs in three Northern provinces in Mozambique, are to be trained and to learn about their roles as publicly elected persons and their possibilities for exerting influence. IBIS in West Africa is working with the Mozambican national women's umbrella-organisation FORUM MULHER. The budget for the project is 5.5 million Danish Kroner.

: Jallalla Editorial Staff

Lise Hermann Martha Villa David Choqueticlla Martín Laurent Dickler

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