To: All National Movements

       Standing Comm. Members, Women’s Comm. Members

       Inter Regional Office

From: AP Regional Office

Re: A Schedule of 2002 Regional Programs

Date : Dec. 9, 2001

Cc: WSCF Regional Offices(Africa, Europe, Middle-East, Latin America and North America)  

       CCA-Youth Desk(Cynthia Yuen)

 

 

Dear friends,

 

 

Warm greetings from the WSCF-AP regional office.

 

We deeply appreciate for your support and concerns that you have shown us this year.

 

The AP office organized several crucial programs this year in order to respond to the needs of SCMs in Asia-Pacific region.  These programs include ‘School for Ecumenical Leadership Formation’(July to August, Chiangmai), ‘Human Rights and Solidarity Workshop’(September, Dhaka), ‘Ecology Workshop’(October, Taiwan), ‘Partnership Workshop’(November, Hong Kong).  

 

Besides those programs, the AP region organized Regional Comm. Meeting in Chiangmai.  The WSCF-CCA Joint Consultations were also organized in Seoul and Bangalore respectively.  This year, we continued to send one SCM leader to the WCC Bossey Studies Course.

 

Now the  regional office is preparing  the 2002 activities, therefore, I would like to share with you the following general information of the 2002 regional programs. The basic concept of 2002 programs was discussed in the last 15th  Regional Comm. Meeting, and some of Standing Comm. members and regional office articulated further.   The regional office will send you more detailed guidelines and instructions 3-4 months before every program is implemented.  

 

The regional office is looking froward to working more closely with you next year.

 

Finally, I wish you a Merry Christmas and happy new year with a new vision and hope.

 

 

1.      Student Empowerment for Transformation (SET) 2002  

 

Rationale

Student Empowerment for Transformation(SET) is a leadership formation  program of the WSCF-AP that aims to train student leaders of national Student Christian Movements(SCMs).  SET’s most important concern is the empowerment of students to participate more actively in the life of the movements, churches and society as a whole, through developing their creative skills for personal growth and for the transformation of society as well.

 

The ideology of Globalization has been in fashion for a long time and is still a trendy catch-phrase till this day. It is often presented as both desirable and inevitable as it promises a transformation of the world into a global village: where the borders of inter-relationship that includes culturally, economically, technologically, demographically and so on, are erased from hostility and are thrown wide opened for active exchanges as it is felt in a way that these inter-relationships would facilitate inter-dependency that helps nations to work towards the benefit of everyone.   It is thus deem as a peremptory to establishing this global village if the human race wants to be progressive and prosperous.

 

The adoption of globalization is perhaps speedier than it should have been, creating a world full of labels : 1st World and 3rd World, Developed Country and Developing or Under Developed Country, Have and Have-not, and presently the one of Know and Know-not in terms of Information Technology knowledge, development and expertise.  The labeling does not stop here, it extends to defining the power positions and domination of the nations. Hence the strongest and weakest links in the game of globalization is created : the strongest link dominates and the weakest link to be dominated.  

 

The dominant forces of globalization began actively and aggressively sought to influence, shape and dictate economics, political and social policies, cultural, consumption patterns, value/belief-systems and life-styles impositions on nations all over the world. This is being done often unmindful of the far-reaching consequences on people’s lives and the devastating environmental and social havoc which such policies and practices create. In economic domination, globalization forces weaker nations to break down trade barriers and restrictions, imposing Structural Adjustment Programs, and allowing an unbridle flow of capital for the quick profits of international speculators.  These economic dictations in turn create devastating social implications as the nations became marginalized with reduction of employment and livelihood opportunities forcing an en masse to seek employment in other countries, risking family upheavals and other negative social outcomes.  The dominant forces could also impose an unfavorable mode of production on the nations, restricting them to produce goods that limit the natural production by the lands.    In the long-run, environmental damages are made and precipitate the destruction of subsistence production and sustenance activities. As much as there is economic, social and production domination, cultural impacts are also felt as a heavy influence by the dominant forces. Many native and local art, traditions, value-system, consumption patterns, and life-styles are overpowered by the domineering emphasis of pop culture, trendy consumption behaviors and fashionable life-styles. All these portrayed a “better, more comfortable, trendy and prosperous” life that leaves a deceiving impression that all nations should turn to this direction in order to achieve progress and prosperity.   Globalization also has a great impact on women. In many instances of economic marginalization, women are forced to work in sweatshops, become migrant workers, or even turning to the sex industry to supplement the family’s income.  Women thus become objects that can be wantonly exploited and abused.   The commodification of women is also obviously felt as most pop cultures and the fashionable life-styles subtly yet actually portrayed women as the ultimate sexual image in advertisement, music, and media. The patriarchal system is not much reduced although it was much touted to be so in the wake of progress and prosperity of globalization, instead reinforces a new form of patriarchy and gender insensitivity.

 

The impact of globalization on nations and people can be simply listed as:

Ø      Denial or curtailment of assess to land and other natural resources and collective property;

Ø      Reduction of employment and livelihood opportunities;

Ø      Destruction of subsistence production and sustenance activities;

Ø      Withdrawal or scarcity of free/subsidized social welfare and security measures like food, essential supplies, health care, civic amenities, shelter and education;

Ø      Displacement and dislocation of lives;

Ø      Erosion of living standards and intensification of poverty and destitution;

Ø      Restrictions of human and democratic rights;

Ø      Assaults on the principles of collective bargaining and labor rights;

Ø      Further marginalization of women (new forms and mechanisms of patriarchy);

Ø      Pollution of soil, water and air.

 

Not only do all these displace and disrupt humanity and a just living standard for the many people, it also contradicts our Christian values of peace, justice, equality and freedom.  As Christians we are called to commit ourselves to share, care, respect all forms of life and non-exploitations where we would build God’s Reign on earth.  Hence as a Christian community, we have the need to struggle against all these contradictions to humanity as well as to our Christian values.   It is thus our task to seek alternatives to globalization and create options to demonstrate that we have a choice to reject an unjust social order.

 

Some principles that we could consider in the alternative mode are:

Ø      Emphasis should be placed on the production of basic needs of the local population. Societies that are basically self-sufficient in the production of basic needs can stand up against external impositions;

Ø      There should be a narrowing of the gap between producers and consumers and more autonomy on decision-making should be given to small producers;

Ø      Priority should be put on domestic markets – prices should be affordable;

Ø      An “alternative society” should be based on and promote participatory, grassroots or consensual democracy. And the approach should be multi-dimensional and holistic problem-solving, and should realize that problems cannot be solved by technological fixes. The problems of alienation, poverty, unequal gender relations, etc. should be solved together with environmental problems;

Ø      There should be a shifting of paradigms of science and technology – away from reductionism and utilitarianism towards a holistic science. This means that there should be a re-evaluation and valuation of older survival wisdom and indigenous knowledge;

Ø      It should resist all efforts to privatize and commercialize the commons – water, air, soil, knowledge, etc.;

Ø      It should put priority to local producers such as family-based, community or co-operative based enterprises;

Ø      All economic activity should be passed through the screen of ecological soundness, social justice, social equity, cultural and gender sensitivity.

 

Thus the theme chosen for this SET 2002, ‘Searching for Alternatives in the midst of Globalization’  focuses on the need to seek to critique the true meaning of globalization and find for ourselves alternatives which could be arranged in our own social, political and economic order.

 

Objectives

·         To raise the level of consciousness of the effects and manipulations of globalization

·         To seek alternatives to globalization in the form of a more humane, just, equal and free social, political and economic order that could be demonstrated in alternative living arrangements such as ‘alternative community’, and ‘alternative education’ etc

·         To address the Christian faith and values in relation to the effects of globalization in order to create a religious and spiritual critique of globalization, empowering our Christian students to re-evaluate intelligently the clashing values of Christianity and globalization.

·         To build alliance of SCMs, students, churches and social movements at grass-roots, local, national and regional as well as global levels.

·         To share and celebrate the plurality of our spirituality, as spirituality is the capacity for encouragement to construct new alternatives and paradigms, and also the energy to transform.

·         To share the ecumenical spirituality with different denominational groups

·         To self-critique and assess the life of our national movements and our personal lifestyle so as to enable ourselves and our movements to contribute to a new community of affirming justice, peace and the integrity of Creation

 

Date: June 30th(arrival) to July 15th(departure), 2002

 

Venue: Seoul, Korea

 

Participants : one undergraduate student from all movements in the AP region and  regional staff and officers

 

The 1st Information Packages Mailing Date: February, 2001

 

 

 

2.    Human Rights and Solidarity Program – ‘Human Rights and Peace Internship’

 

Rationale

The liberalization of economy in Asia Pacific region, otherwise known as globalization has greatly affected the educational systems of countries in this region.  Education continues to be integrated into the "globalized system", re-orienting it into a mere tool for economic development, thus, making it more commercialized and privatized.  Since the market and profit oriented ideology has driven out other competing alternatives or academic subjects from the curriculum of education, one of the important role of education as an indispensable tool in developing peace, justice and human rights has been endangered.  Because of this, most students, even among the so-called progressive and alternative student groups, have very few chances to involve themselves in justice, peace and human rights- promoting activities.

In the era of globalization, it should not be overlooked the traditional role of the youth and students as catalyst for change and as front liners in the struggle to bring about peace, justice and human rights in the society.   In this respect, the ecumenical student movements such as the Student Christian Movements (SCMs) need to revive this tradition to challenge the growing number of churches and church related institution that are becoming more and more insensitive to justice, peace and human rights issues in their societies.

 

For last few years, the WSCF-AP region has dealt with several important human rights and peace issues through the Human Rights and Solidarity Program(HRSP).  It includes the issue of ;  National Security and People’s Rights, Labor Migration, Impunity and Justice, Militarization and People’s Rights, Religious Fanaticism and Human Rights, Rights of Minorities, Rights of Women and Children, etc.  Even the HRSP workshops have been well organized in terms of participation, the WSCF-AP evaluated that the recommendations of action plans of the HRSP to local level have not well implemented because of lack of structure and human resources in the local SCMs that can support continuous human rights and peace advocacy works.  Therefore there has been a need for the WSCF-AP to develop a more intensive and well organized project to provide a certain people of SCMs with deeper understanding and practice of human rights advocacy works so that they can help their SCMs develop a mechanism for continuous human rights and peace works systematically. 

 

In this sense, internship programs have proven to be an effective method of developing qualified human resources, because of the idea of "praxis" and learning through actual experience.  The prolonged length of time for an internship program is also advantageous as it verifies the concepts and ideas of issues which remains as such without the actual experience.

The internship programs currently available for the SCM members are very limited and competitive. For example, the Frontier Internship in Mission(FIM) has provided a great opportunity to SCMers to be involved in justice and peace issues.   However, because of high competition and qualification and the length of the internship duration – three years’ term has been a really challenge to the SCMers –, few SCMers could benefit from the FIM internship. 

 

This project is therefore being proposed to respond to the more short-term and transitional needs, which can be connected to the long-term and more intensified internships such as the FIM.   The following three “SCM internship projects for human rights and peace” will be prepared by the WSCF-AP through Human Rights and Solidarity Program Project for the year of 2002.

 

1)      Issue of human rights of  minorities- particularly Dalit issue in India

a)      Host Organization – India SCM Dalit Desk

b)      Sending SCM – Open to all SCMs, preferably to South Asia SCMs

 

2)      Issue of militarization and human rights particularly in Burma

a)      Host  Organization – Burma Issue in Thailand

b)      Sending SCM – Open to all SCMs, preferably to South East Asia SCMs

 

3)   Human Rights Documentation 

a)      Host organization – Documentation for the Action Groups in Asia

b)      Sending SCM –  Open to all SCMs

 

Objectives

The overall objective of the proposed project is to provide the second-line leaders of SCMs in Asia-Pacific region with a venue to enhance their commitment towards human rights and peace works.  Specifically it aims to:

1.       Work for human rights and peace issues in developing countries and gather support in campaigning these issues in the SCMs and churches in the Asia-Pacific region

2.       Acquire and develop skills in the human rights and peace works from the SCMs, church groups, Non Government Organization(NGO) and Peace Organization(PO) in Asia Pacific

3.       Establish and strengthen human rights and peace networking between the SCMs, churches and various NGOs in Asia Pacific region

4.       Encourage to establish a human rights desk in the SCMs   

 

The Internships are open to all movements

 

The 1st Information Package Mailing Date: October, 2001

 

 

3.      Women Empowerment for Transformation  (WET) : Trafficking of Women in Northeast Asia (sub-regional program)

 

Date : 1 – 9 March 2002

Venue : Taipei, Taiwan

Participants : 10 women students and senior friends from Northeast Asia movements

Information Package Mailing Date : December 2001

 

Rationale

In highly capitalistic societies such as North East Asia, sex has become an easily accessible commodity for consumption, whether in the mass media or in the sex industry. The concern on women’s sexuality has become controversial in the women’s movement, particularly on the issue of sex workers. Some feminists reaffirm sex work as women’s autonomous use of her own body, while others remind us that women and girls are the objects of many forms of violence in the sex trade and forced prostitution, happen particularly in poorer Asian countries like Philippines, Thailand and Indo-China. While consensual sex workers do raise a controversy where judgement is a difficult line to draw, forced prostitution or Trafficking of Women is by no means, an act whereby innocent women fell prey to misleading sources of job opportunities abroad. These women are coerced into doing something against their wish for the pleasure and profit of the manipulators. This is definitely a clear-cut atrocity of manipulation, exploitation, abuse and violation of human rights. The culprits of this atrocity mostly derived from wealthy countries and many countries in North East Asia are a part of this scheme, giving reality to the mockery of human lives are cheaper in poorer countries. 

 

In recent human rights reports, some 100,000 (or more) of trafficked women from the Philippines are working in the sex industries in Japan alone. The figure perhaps does not pale in comparison in other North East Asian countries like Korea and Taiwan where women from Thailand and Indo-China are also involved. This estimated figure has not stopped where it is, instead, it is still ballooning every year. 

 

As SCMers and as young women who are actively involved in the empowerment of women and the struggle for peace and justice, the Regional Women’s Programme sees a grave need to take on this challenge to help our SCMs develop a clearer and balance perspective on this issue. We need to understand the wider social and economic implications on the whole business of trafficked women. We need to challenge these systems which violates human lives, particularly the lives of these women. Hence, this programme is developed to empower the young women in WSCF/SCM to harness a concrete knowledge base on this issue as well as to work in solidarity against this exploitative act. This will aim at transforming themselves to transform those around. North East Asia is chosen as the region for this programme as there is a need to initiate the discussion from where the violation starts and from where the demand is. It is thus hoped that this challenge would deliver us to work for true peace, justice, and that all lives are important and valued in the eyes of God.

 

Objectives

·         To enable participants to cultivate critical social analysis in this particular issue especially in societies in North east Asia;

·         To equip participants with skills that will enable them to carry out contextual, social and organizational critiquing and campaigning against “Trafficking of Women”;

·         To assist and support young women in SCMs in formulating national women’s programmes and campaigns plans for advocating the issue against the “Trafficking of Women”;

·         To facilitate a learning process which participants learn using Biblical Texts and Spirituality to critique on women struggling with injustices

·         To enable the participants to strengthen their leadership roles, skills, participation and involvement in their own SCMs.

 

Components/Activities:

·         Social and Gender Analysis Sessions on the origins, effects and consequences of Trafficking of Women

·         Bible Studies on issues relating to violence against women (sexual & physical abuses, exploitation, slavery, lost of identity, discrimination), as well as the strengths of women to overcome violence;

·         Exposure to groups working on women struggling with injustices related to the theme

·         Country Reports presentation and discussion

·         Skills Training Sessions for Monitoring and Campaigning

 

 

4.      Women Doing Theology

 

Date : 1 – 10 September 2002

Venue : New Zealand/Aotearoa

Participants :  1 female student or senior friend from all National Movements in Asia Pacific

Information Package Mailing Date : June 2002

 

Rationale

Since the start of WSCF AP Regional Women’s Programme in 1986, it has always made a conscious focus in the emphasis of reading and studying the Bible from the female’s perspective as well rather than follow the conventions of doing theology. Our regular programme, Women Doing Theology (WDT), has enabled many young women to acquire extensive knowledge in understanding the essence of women in the Bible and the various Feminist Theologies, enabling them to learn the true meaning of an inclusive and holistic way of Christianity. They are able to see with new eyes of the Bible and the society as young Christian women.

 

While these programmes serve as a basic foundation for women, WSCF AP Regional Women’s Programme need to start looking at organizing programmes that will empower young women to a more advanced level in women’s biblical knowledge and skills. In other words, while keeping the basics, there is also a need to move beyond to a greater challenge, creating future leaders in the process.  To fulfil this task, the Federation needs to impart knowledge and most importantly, relevant skills to these young women leaders. Not only will this encourage them to be better challenged, it will also help to prepare their contribution of their knowledge, energy and enthusiasm to the women’s work in making the Federation as well as the ecumenical movement more dynamic and spirited. Thus, the Regional Women’s Programme of the Federation, decides to widen the curriculum of this essential programme. From this WDT onwards, we plan to include modules on skills training relating to conducting Bible Studies, facilitating inputs on women doing theology, and writing Biblical Meditations.

 

Objectives :

·         To develop and explore resources in feminist bible study, women doing theology, women’s stories, songs and liturgies;

·         To equip young women leaders with necessary skills training for the above;

·         To enable the young women leaders contribute their knowledge and inspiration to their own National Movements and to the Federation;

·         To motivate these leaders to continue their active involvement in their own movements as well as in the whole ecumenical movement;

·         To provide a regular resource and a study course for potential young women leaders to equip themselves adequately in anticipating movement involvement.

 

Components/Activities

·         Sessions of the Bible and Women in Church history

·         Inputs on Feminist Theologies and  Feminist Hermeneutics

·         Sessions on Conducting Creative Worship and Liturgies From the Experience of Women

·         Skills Training on Conducting Bible Study and Writing Meditations From the Experience of Women

·         Discussions on plans for standardizing the Women Doing Theology Resource Guide

 

 

 

5.      Standing Committee(SC) Meeting and Regional Women’s Committee Meeting

 

The main objective of the SC Meeting is to review the progress and facilitate the implementation of decisions made by the Regional Committee.

 

Date : January 12nd (arrival) to 9th(departure), 2002

 

Venue: Jakarta, Indonesia

 

 

 

6.      The 3rd National Coordinator’s Meeting

 

The main objective of the NC Meeting is to find out concrete strategy to strengthen the national movements.

 

Date : Around October, 2002

 

Venue : need to be confirmed

 

7.      Ecumenical Asia /Pacific Student and Youth Network – National Coordinator’s Meeting

 

This is a joint activity of 6 regional student and youth organizations(YMCA, CCA, IMCS, IYCS,WSCF, YWCA) which organized the Asia Students and Youth Gathering 2002.    The objectives of this programme will be to facilitate:

 

1.       The knowledge on ecumenism, regional realities and justice and peace issues,

2.       The skills on networking, advocacy and organizing,

3.       The attitude of a willingness to organise and cooperate, and of a ecumenical activist.

 

In this meeting, EASY Net will provide sessions to learn the historical perspective of Ecumenism, a workshop on Asian realities and planning workshop for Asia Pacific Youth Week, the role of EASY Net National coordinator, as well as community and movement building.  This meeting, the national coordinators are also expected to come up with an EASY Net handbook to serve as a guide in building a local ecumenical movement.

 

Date : May 2nd (arrival) to 10th (departure), 2002

 

Venue: Bangkok, Thailand

 

Participants : EASY Net Coordinators in Asia-Pacific countires

 

The 1st Information Package Mailing Date: January, 2002