Monday, January 28, 2008

Women's Leadership Scholarship Program

Women's Leadership Scholarship

The Women's Leadership Scholarship program creates educational opportunities for women activists, grassroots leaders and organizers from the Global South and/or from indigenous groups. This scholarship supports study, research and leadership training to assist women in their pursuit of solutions to the critical social, environmental, health and economic problems facing their countries and communities.The selection committee awards four to eight scholarships a year and recipients may enroll in programs of study at accredited institutions worldwide that cover a range of human rights and development issues at the non-doctoral graduate level including gender, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, child exploitation, human trafficking, infant and maternal mortality, conflict resolution, environmental justice, global fair trade, agro-ecology and sustainable development. Scholarship recipients are awarded $25,000 per academic year for a maximum of two years, helping recipients meet the costs of tuition, fees, books, educational supplies, housing, maintenance and travel to and from the home country and the educational institution.
Eligible candidates include women leaders from the Global South and/or from indigenous groups who also meet the following criteria:Commitment to grassroots organizing and the needs of their communities Proof of a bachelor's degree or equivalent or a higher degree Three years work experience dealing with critical human rights concerns or other social, educational or health conditions negatively affecting their communities Acceptance into a non-doctoral graduate program at an accredited university for full-time study/research related to their work experience in human rights, sustainable development and/or public health Evidence of financial need for educational support Intention to return to their home countries to work, utilizing training and research acquired in the study program Pre-applications for the 2008-2009 academic year will be available from January 1, 2008 through March 14, 2008 on the WLS website or by request from info@nativeleaders.org.
Visit the Women's Leadership Scholarship website to learn more and apply: http://www.nativeleaders.org/how.html------ End of Forwarded Message -- -- Commission on the Status of Women1303 J St Ste 400Sacramento CA 95814-2900916-445-3173916-322-9466 Faxwww.women.ca.gov

Invitation to Apply for the 2008 Integrated Water Resources Management International Training Programme

"2008 Integrated Water Resources Management Advanced International Training Programme"

In Sweden, August 11 - September 2, 2008In Lao PDR, November 17 - 28, 2008
Eligible countries include Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
Deadline for application: March 17, 2008

The objective of the training programme is to support and stimulate the development of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the participants’ home countries, and to encourage the participants to involve in and contribute to networking on IWRM. The programme consists of 5.5 weeks of scheduled training distributed in two different phases, 3.5 weeks training in Stockholm, Sweden, from August 11–September 2, 2008, and 2 weeks training in Lao PDR, from November 17–28, 2008. In addition to the scheduled training, participants will undertake an Individual Project, on a part time basis in their home organisations, starting 6 weeks before the training in Sweden and to be completed within 8 weeks after the regional training. Please see the attached documentation for more information or visit www.siwi.org or www.rambollnatura.se. On behalf of Ramboll Natura AB, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the International Water Management Institute, and SIWI, please accept our kind regards! David TroubaCommunications DirectorStockholm International Water InstituteDrottninggatan 3311151 Stockholm SWEDEN Tel: +46 8 522 139 89Text: +46 73 914 39 89Skype: davetroubawww.siwi.org www.swedishwaterhouse.sewww.watergovernance.org www.worldwaterweek.org SIWI mailing list: http://80.252.174.240/siwi/

Press Statement by Revenue Watch Institute and PWYP Coalition Indonesia

INDONESIAN GROUPS AND OIL REVENUE EXPERTS PRESS FOR TRANSPARENCY STANDARDS IN INTERNATIONAL FIGHT ON CORRUPTION
At UN's Bali Gathering, Forty-Five NGOs Urge Leaders to Implement Good Governance Rules in Oil Rich Nations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Ridaya Laode Ngkowe
29 January, 2006 +62812037964, ridaya.lon@gmail.com
DENPASAR – As the UN Convention against Corruption meets in Bali, the Revenue Watch Institute and Publish What You Pay-Indonesia call on the members gathered from 140 states to recognize the urgent and particular need to eliminate corruption in countries rich in oil, gas and minerals. The leaders convening to ensure the Convention's ratification and widespread compliance should emphasize transparency and monitoring measures in these resource rich nations in line with the UNCAC's requirement for mechanisms to combat and prevent corruption. Accountable governance mechanisms such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) can prevent the theft of citizen resources and empower communities to realize the benefits of their local industries. "With prices rising, huge windfalls are headed into the coffers of resource rich governments. This opportunity must not be wasted and the international community committed to fighting corruption must act quickly to help reverse the trend in developing countries and assist them in joining the EITI," said Ridaya Laode Ngkowe of PWYP-Indonesia. Corruption is egregious and disproportionately prevalent in resource rich countries, which account for nearly two thirds of the 40 most corrupt states in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index. As Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea become increasingly resource dependent, they will face the economic and governance challenges that accompany oil, gas and mining revenues, including high poverty levels as well as corruption. The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (www.eitransparency.org) is an internationally recognized mechanism to create transparency and participation in revenue transfers. Led by stakeholders from government, civil society and industry, this voluntary initiative calls for countries to publish their revenues and for companies to publish their payments. "The fight against corruption begins by revealing where money goes before it ends up in the wrong hands," said Karin Lissakers, Director of the Revenue Watch Institute. "The EITI gives citizens, governments and companies a powerful tool to mitigate corruption in the places where it's most endemic, and to help keep money flowing to its intended destination." Publish What You Pay–Indonesia consists of 45 Indonesian NGOs from resource rich regions that are promoting transparency in the extractive industries sector, to ensure better economic growth and public service delivery, as well as higher social and environmental standards in the sector. The Revenue Watch Institute promotes the responsible management of oil, gas and mineral resources for the public good. With effective revenue management, increased citizen engagement and real government accountability, natural resource wealth will drive a nation's growth and development. RWI provides the expertise, funding and technical assistance to help countries realize these benefits. To learn more, please go to www.revenuewatch.org.