Monday, February 27, 2012
WCA International Caucus has new website and blog
2012 has brought much excitement and new possibilities now that the WCA International Committee has become the International Caucus. Please check out the WCA International Caucus website at www.wcainternationalcaucus.weebly.com at which you can find the new International blog, information about membership and much more.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
WCA Art & Activism Database Entry Form
Art & Activism Database Entry Form
Event/Project Title:
WCA Chapter or Committee or Member or National or International Event:
Event/Project Contact person(s) and contact information:
Person submitting this data (if different from Event/Project contact person):
Event/Project Type:
Exhibition, Installation, Workshop, Performance, Display, Panel Discussion, Training, Media Event…
Event/Project Theme/Issue(s) Addressed:
UN related (Poverty, Hunger, Universal Education, Gender Equality, Child Health, Maternal Health, HIV/AIDS
Environmental Sustainability, Global Partnerships, Violence Against Women, Peace/Security, Women’s Leadership & Participation, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Human Rights, Public Services & Policies
Event/Project Summary:
Date(s), Location, Collaborators, Number of Participants, Event/Project Target Audience/Reach, Publication
Circulation
Digitized Documentation/Web Links:
Photos, publications, media, reviews, websites, blogs, videos…
Please send data to Sherri Cornett at sherricornett@gmail.com
If more convenient, the data may be sent in another format.
WCA International Caucus connection to the UN
International Caucus/UN Connection
The International Caucus, as a UN accredited NGO (non-governmental organization) represents WCA as delegates to the UN DPI (Department of Public Information)/NGO section of the United Nations.
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a not-for-profit, voluntary citizens’ group, which is organized on a local, national or international level to address issues in support
of the public good and UN initiatives, such as the UN Millennium Goals and UN Women Focus Areas. Some NGOS are organized around specific issues, such as human rights, the environment or health. Their relationship with offices and agencies of the UN system differs on their location and mandate. WCA is organized around women’s issues.
Through associated NGOs, UN’s Department of Public Information (DPI) seeks to reach
People around the world and help them better understand the work and aims of the
United Nations. The DPI/NGO section is a liaison between the United Nations and NGOs
and other civil society (not government or private sector) organizations. DPI organizes
NGO briefings, communication workshops, an NGO conference held each year in September in a different world city, and an annual orientation program for newly NGOs
and/or their delegates.
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is responsible for coordinating the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies.
The Council consults with civil society groups – including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, and is the main body that recommends consultative status to NGO whose work covers issues on the agenda of ECOSOC. NGOs with consultative status (WCA does not currently have this) are allowed to participate, present written contribution and make statements to the Council and its subsidiary bodies, in other words, have
more input in decision making processes.
*The NGO must be of recognized national or international standing
*The NGO should operate solely on a not-for-profit basis and have tax-exempt
status.
*The NGO must have the commitment and means to conduct effective information
programs with its constituents and to a broader audience about UN activities by
publishing newsletters, bulletins and pamphlets; organizing conferences, seminars
and round tables; or enlisting the attention of media
*The NGO should have statutes/bylaws providing for a transparent process of
making decisions, elections of officers and members of the Board of Directors.
Evaluation, review and accreditation process
NGOs undergo an annual evaluation, review and accreditation process data. In the WCA, the data for this process comes partly from the Art & Activism database of related national
and/or chapter WCA projects. The International Caucus maintains and updates this database annually.
In order to remain in good standing, NGOS associated with the DPI must fulfill
each of the following requirements:
*complete the evaluation and review form annually. It is important to update
contact information (WCA office, WCA president, WCA International Caucus
Chair and WCA International Caucus UN alternate representative)
*promote knowledge of the Untied Nations
*disseminate information about the principles and activities of the United Nations
*receive NGO Relations’ emails which are sent out to inform NGOs about United
Nations activities. These are sent to the WCA International Caucus Chair.
*We will ensure WCA will remain an NGO in good standing with the UN DPI/NGO
by filing the annual evaluation/review/accreditation form and meeting other stated
requirements.
*We will represent WCA at NGO briefings (when appropriate) and the annual
DPI/NGO conference.
*We will seek opportunities to expand WCA’s voice and presence with other
DPI/NGO members from around the world by participating in workshops, panels
and/or exhibitions at the United Nations and/or the annual DPI/NGO conference.
Accredited WCA representatives to the UN
Up to four members of an NGO may be named as accredited representatives and receive annual passes to participate in UN activities such as briefings and workshops. These names must be submitted during the annual evaluation, review and accreditation process.
The persons eligible are: the President/Chief Administrative Office of the NGO, the
Main Representative (WCA International Caucus Chair) and two alternate representatives (members from the WCA International Caucus chosen by the WCA International Caucus Chair). The alternate representative roles may rotate each calendar year; however it is desirable to have someone who can go to meetings at the UN when the subject matter to be discussed is relevant to WCA. An individual attending a UN meeting is expected to
write a report on the meeting to brief the rest of the committee and to submit to the WCA newsletter, Facebook page, WCA International Blog and/or WCA International website.
Expenses to attend and travel to the UN are borne by the individual.
WCA representatives to the UN DPI/NGO Annual Conference
Up to six adults plus two youth representatives (must be ages 18-24) may attend the annual DPI/NGO conference in early September. These generally include the WCA
President and the WCA International Caucus Chair. However, any WCA International
Caucus member may attend up to the maximum number. These are chosen by the
WCA International Caucus Chair and may rotate annually. If WCA is presenting a
Workshop, we may be able to bring an additional member. Expenses to attend and
Travel to the UN DPI/NGO Conference are borne entirely by the attending individuals.
International Caucus 2012 Annual Meeting Agenda
International Caucus 2012 Annual Meeting
I. Introductions
II. Brief Overview of Orientation Materials
III. Goals for 2012
A. Attendance at UN Briefings/Events
Provisional briefings/events calendar
*2/27-3/9 UN Commission on the Status of Women
*3/1 UN CSW Panel: Need for a UN 5th World Conference on Women
(open to the public)
*3/8 Empower Rural Women (International Women’s Day)
*4/12 Communciations Workshop
*4/19 Human Rights for Vulnerable People
*4/30-31 Orientation
B. Explore involvement with the UN 5th World Conference on Women
C. Attend DPI/NGO Conference in NYC in September
*explore ideas for side event, collaborating with other NGOs
D. Apply for ECOSOC status in Spring
E. Explore relationships/exhibitions with other NGOs and
International women’s artist groups
*Portland WCA Chapter?
E. WCA Art & Activism Database
*maintain and collect new projects from newsletter, facebook, etc
*identify three top projects for UN accreditation form in October
F. Set up International Caucus website to link to WCA website
G. Communication (articles/links/photos) about international
exhibitions, UN events, Art & Activism projects, opportunities
*WCA print & e-newsletters, Facebook page, Int’l caucus website & blog
H. Set up Google Group and or Webex for International Caucus?
I. Complete and submit UN accreditation form in December
J. Other ideas??
WCA International Caucus Orientation Materials
As the new Chair of the International Caucus, I welcome you to its membership and invite you to familiarize yourself with the orientation materials I have attached below and consider how you
may wish to get involved.
Purpose of the International Caucus
Further information is below, but, in general, the International Caucus maintains WCA's involvement with the United Nations, develops art exhibitions related to the UN Goals, develops
collaborative projects with other global organizations, collects data about art & activism projects and shares this information with the larger WCA membership.
This year, the International Caucus will also be creating ways to be more effective at these tasks.
Annual International Caucus Meeting
We will be having our Annual International Caucus Meeting during the WCA Annual Conference in LA, Thursday, February 23rd, 4-5 p.m., Suite 1907, Kyoto Hotel.
Here is the tentative Agenda for the Meeting during which most of our brief hour will be spent on the 2012 goals and matching members with the work for each goal.
(see International Caucus 2012 Annual Meeting Agenda in another blog post)
I would appreciate any RSVPs for the meeting, so I can have enough hard copies of necessary materials. If you cannot attend, you may still ask questions, comment on the agenda
and/or volunteer to assist in any of the goals by contacting me directly at sherricornett@gmail.com
We need one person to volunteer to take notes at this meeting so all members can be kept informed as to our progress. Thank you ahead of time to whoever volunteers!
Membership and List
If you know of others who wished to join, they need to update their own member profiles on the WCA website. Here is how: Go to the website http://www.nationalwca.org/index.php.
Login at the upper right with her email she used to when she became a WCA member. If she has created her own password, use that. If not, she was sent one in the membership acceptance
letter she initially received from the WCA office. Once in the directory, she can create her own password. Go to Member Directory. Search for her name. View her profile. In her profile, she should
look to the right. Under Internal Caucus, check International Caucus. While on that page, check to see if profile information is up to date. Save at the bottom of the page. We will be checking
the database periodically for new members, who will be added to our communications list.
Members who actively contribute to accomplishing the goals of the caucus will be considered as delegates to the annual United Nations DPI/NGO Conference
which, this year, will be held in New York City in September. They will also be considered for the rotating position of Alternate Representative to the United Nations, which gives the member a
UN Grounds Pass enabling her to attend UN briefings and trainings. They receive all International Caucus communications and may attend all International Caucus meetings/events and will have
a bigger influence on the direction of the caucus.
Connection to the United Nations
Women's Caucus for Art is an United Nations recognized NGO (non-governmental organization). The International Caucus is the liaison between WCA and the United Nations.
Look at the WCA Artwaves International blog for some stories of past UN related work. http://wcaartwavesinternational.blogspot.com/
See blog post for WCA International Caucus Connection to the UN
Art & Activism Database
Each year WCA is required to file a report to the UN to renew its NGO status. To demonstrate our "worthiness", WCA needs to document art & activism projects that support UN goals.
Debra Claffey, an International Caucus member set up a database that is maintained by her and by me. The data is also used for grant writing and for stories for WCA newsletters, facebook and blogs.
Members of the International Caucus are charged with the responsibility of collecting the documentation during the year. See blog post for Art & Activism Database Entry Form
Again, if you cannot attend the annual meeting in Los Angeles this month, I welcome suggestions, questions and comments via email at sherricornett@gmail.com
It would be helpful if you begin the subject line with WCA/Int'l Caucus so it won't be lost amidst my other emails.
I will be sending out notes from this meeting in early March. I look forward to seeing what we can create together!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Rio+20 Women's Major Group Submission Document
The UN Rio+20 Women's Major Group has submitted its input for the zero-draft document - a focused political document that will be the outcome of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development that will take place in Brazil in June 2012. The submission was developed over the last 6 months by over 70 women's organizations from over 40 countries worldwide. Women's Caucus for Art is one of these organizations. Here is the link to see the Women's Major Group's submission document. http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/index.php?page=view&nr=574&type=230&menu=38
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Sustainable Societies Responsive Citizens
Delegates from all over the world gather in Bonn, Germany
Opening session of the 64th Annual UN Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organizations Conference in Bonn
Sherri Cornett and a delegate from China
WCA after the UN DPI/NGO Conference
Priscilla and I see expansion of WCA involvement with the United Nations.
We talked with UN staff about how to apply for consultative status, which would give us more access to ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council, which facilitates international cooperation on standards-making and problem solving in economic and social issues), to the planning of conferences and invitations to further events organized by the President of the General Assembly.
We talked with Sascha Gabizon, Women in Europe for a Common Future, and Dr. Sabina Anokye Mensah, Voices of African Women, who are the organizing partners for The Women's Rio 2012 steering committee, the coordination and decision making body of the Women's Major Group for Rio 2012. WCA could choose to be one of the networks/NGOs involved in Rio.
I talked with Anna Golubovska-Onisimova, of MAMA-86, about collaborating with Ukrainian women at Rio+20.
The annual gathering for the UN Commission on the Status of Women, held in New York, overlaps with the WCA annual conference. When our conference is held in New York, we could participate further in this UN event. It is the organ that is working for a 5th UN sponsored World Conference on Women. The last one was held in Beijing in 1995. At least two of our members attended that conference. We could work toward a larger participation if/when a 5th conference is determined.
The 64th Annual United Nations DPI/NGO Conference: Sustainable Societies, Responsive Citizens, Bonn, Germany, 3-5 September 2011
Priscillla Otani, president-elect for our Women's Caucus for Art, and I attended as representatives of our NGO. Below are some of my impressions from the conference.
Conference Overview
The happy sounds of many languages filled the six floors of the Maritim Hotel atrium as the conference began. At the Opening Ceremony, I found myself surrounded by businesswomen from China, a woman in a niqab, saris, caftans, youth, and many nuns (Catholic, Buddhist, Hindi) some of the representatives of more than 400 NGOs in attendance. We quickly coalesced into the "we the peoples" that starts the Charter of the United Nations. Preamble to the Charter of the United Nations
Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, via, video, set the tone for the conference. "We have to be prepared to make major changes…in our lifestyles, our economic models, our social organization, and our political life." He talked about "tearing down the walls between the development agenda and the climate agenda."
The call to action for this conference was: COMMIT! ENCOURAGE! VOLUNTEER!
I soon had a sense of both the messiness and wonder of civil society and how years of UN conferences have distilled a method for collecting the varied perspectives, views and recommendations asked for, in this case, by the General Assembly in preparation for the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development scheduled for June 2012 in Brazil. At each of the Roundtables, to which all were invited, high-level experts spoke on the topics after which respondents from government reflected back or challenged them on their thoughts. Four to five questions at a time were then taken from the audience and the panel responded. UN staff recorded each of these discussions. The same process, minus the respondents, occurred in the many workshops. Side events gave even more intimate discussion opportunities as did the exhibits, both of which WCA was a part. UN Conference board members worked tirelessly throughout the three days to add to, edit and condense all of this information into the final declaration that reflected the expectations of NGO participants and civil society leaders for the governments attending Rio+20. The declaration was openly discussed for a final time at the closing. Individuals were able to come to the mike, ask for word changes, minor deletions and additions, before the assembly was asked, by show of applause, to accept or reject the declaration before it was given to the German government for presentation to the U.N. General Assembly.
The two key foci of Rio+20 are green economy and poverty reduction with the aims of increasing corporate social responsibility, abolishing perverse subsidies (nuclear, oil), financing local sustainable development, and increasing transparency, accountability and opportunities for redress.
Key Concepts From the Conference
Sustainable development is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Our EMPHASIS needs to be on these FUTURE GENERATIONS and preparing them to be responsive citizens as they will have no choice but to transition to sustainability.
Sustainable lifestyle means efficient infrastructures, minimizing use of natural resources/emisisions/waste/pollution, supporting socio-economic development, and better quality of life for all.
We need to TEACH PEOPLE FLEXIBILITY - how they can do best with current knowledge and how to change as new information arises, how to deal with a tomorrow that is so different from today without getting lost and fearful.
We no longer have TIME to polarize. We need to end cynicism. We need to celebrate courage and innovation.
Felix Dodds, Chair, 64th DPI/NGO Conference - "THE FUTURE IS NOT A GIFT, it is an achievement. The future does not belong to those who are content with today or to those who lack the courage to force change that is needed." Everyone needs to mobilize, volunteer and take action. At closing ceremony, Flavia Pansieri, Head of the Consultative Forum of the Heads of UN Agencies in Germany, asked everyone who has engaged in a cause without expectation of payment to stand - 100% stood. The spirit of voluntarism in participants from developing and developed countries alike was huge. "Of course we volunteer, why wouldn't we do our part for the future of the world."
With each dollar we spend, we are deciding what kind of world we are creating for our children, whether we are destroying it or sustaining it.
We need to celebrate courage and innovation.
Not everything is worse. Many positive accomplishments are not picked up by the world's media.
Examples of Positive News
The eco village concept - conscious design for long-term sustainability and resilience - is rapidly expanding with over 600 established eco villages around the world and 100+ in the U.S. The country of Senegal is committing a large portion of its budget to transforming struggling traditional villages into ecovillages. Here is the story about Senegal's eco villages
Fair Trade Towns - communities in which people and organizations use their everyday choices to increase sales of Fairtrade products and bring about positive change for farmers and workers in developing countries - are also expanding with over 1000 internationally and 23 in the U.S. as of April. http://www.fairtradetowns.org
To combat the serious lack of drinking water in areas of western China, the Water Cellars for Mothers Project developed and built water collecting devices, each holding a year's worth of rain water for one family. Over 1 million people benefited from this project in 2010 Water Cellars for Mothers Project
Daniel Bena - director of sustainability for Pepsico. showed how a major corporation, with its global presence, can easily support sustainability by: 1) directing funds to projects, 2) sharing knowledge and technology to projects, 3) sharing communication and awareness tools, 4) expanding reach through leveraging global logistics and supply chains, 5) activating employees to volunteer. One example, through Pepsico's social media, 2 million people were made aware of NGOs, which resulted in more money to NGOs.
Victoria Wyszynski Thoresen, of PERL( Partnership of Education and Research for Responsible Living), shared the current discussion in Norway about the bombings. Even though they are told they may be naïve, that their police should carry guns, most have chosen to reconfirm the way of life prevalent in their country - trustworthiness, respect, standing up against bigotry and hate, cooperation, accountability, and peaceful conflict resolution
Farah Cherif d'Ouezzen, of the Thaqafat Association, spoke of working with the Moroccan government to establish a voluntary service year as a way to contribute to the development of the missing skills that young people did not get from formal education and restore the broken trust between the Government and civil society. (During the Arab Spring, a totally new cry was heard - "the people want."). Making volunteerism a more structured part of society would allow people to be more involved in democracy and prepare youth to be more active in building their countries.
The Lessons
After the recent disasters, the Japanese people had to make choices, particularly with energy usage. They chose to run the hugely popular youth baseball games earlier in the day to avoid night lights and peak time TV coverage. But we must not wait for disasters to make such decisions. - Kiyo Akasaka, UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information
The separation, that has come through the ages, between the earth and humanity, needs to be reconnected. Economy and ecology both come form the word oikos (Greek for family, household)..The more we protect nature, the more she provides for our needs…Human rights flow out of the rights of the earth…Engineered solutions, without consideration for the bigger picture, cause problems (super bugs, super weeds) Whatever actions we take, we MUST look at the consequences. [Vandana received much applause] Polluters can't be volunteers. They must be regulated. It is not "of the corporation, by the corporation, for the corporation" - Vandana Shiva, Navdanya International, physicist, philosopher, author, eco-feminist
The importance of teaching children about volunteerism is being threatened by the challenges parents have meeting their basic needs. Volunteerism - contributing to the betterment of those beyond whom one is obliged to support. Teaching them to consider self in relation to others. Peace workers can only be successful if they themselves have inner peace. How can we not use our education in service to the world? - Grace H. Aquiling-Dalisay, VSO Bahaginan, psychologist, Phillipines
We are constantly being told there is no other way. Do Your Homework - there are prove alternatives. Do not be silenced by those who try to make you cower by saying "you don't understand power and the economy." There are those who have successfully challenged conventional wisdom. We should celebrate courage, innovation. We should ban the term "trade off", especially when one group is deciding the trade offs for others. - Achim Steiner, Executive Director, UNEP (UN Environmental Program)
Poverty has a female face. Women make up 70% of the world's poor. Work outside the market forms the bedrock of our human well-being, yet care is invisible. In our "care-less" economies, most cuts are made to this bedrock. -Sascha Gabizon - Director, Women in Europe for a Common Future, and co-coordinator of the Rio+20 Women Major Group
Good local governance must have CARE - credibility, accountability, responsibility and empowerment - Geri Lau, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
If everyone lived as Europeans, we would currently need 3 planets to support us. If everyone lived as US citizens, it would be 5 planets. As Greenpeace is fond of saying, there is no Plan(et) B. -Sue Middleton, BioRegional Development Group
Closing Comment
Elizabeth Thompson, Executive Co-Coordinator of Rio+20, called us to share the information from the conference with as many others as possible, to influence individuals, local governments on up, academia and business to use their words, work, actions and behaviors in service to a sustainable world.
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