Announcement: Selection for Feminist Participatory Action Research for Change– Support to Rural, Indigenous, Migrant, Urban Poor Women’s Organisations

The following 8 organisations were selected for the upcoming Feminist Participatory Action Research for Change– Support to Rural, Indigenous, Migrant, Urban Poor Women’s Organisations 2015-2017.

If you have any queries with regards to the selection process please contact rina@apwld.org or trimita@apwld.org

SL. Name of organisation Country Organisation profile Objectives & Focus Issue of the Documentation Research theme
South Asia
1 RITES India Regional Initiative for Tribal Empowerment and Solidarity (RITES) is a consortium of community based organisations led by dalit and tribal youths and registered under Sociary registration Act, 1860 in Malkangiri district of Odisha in 2010. Its mission is to strengthen tribal people’s organisations and issue-based networks and enable tribal groups to fight for rights of socially, economically and physically disadvantaged and discriminated groups and empower them to exercise their rights for tribal self-governance. It aims to enhance tribal people’s access to and control over natural resources, common property resources and decision making in Panchayatiraj, enabling them to protect and promote their tribal identity, culture, traditions and dignity. Issue: Human rights violations of dalit and tribal women in migration and bondage systems. Decent work and a living wage
2 GMSP Nepal Gramin Mahila Sriajanshil Pariwar (GMSP), in English Rural Women Creative Forum (RWCF)  is a community based not profit and non government  women lead organisation. It was established by the rural women of local community groups in 1992 to campaign for human rights and to combat the existing abuse of women and children, at the grassroots level in Nepal and to eradicate all kinds of trafficking, slavery and gender based violence. Issue: Focus on the participation of women in land, property and other institutions such as community forests, school, water service sectors and business and the challenges they face. The research will be conducted in the 25 VDCs of  Sindhupalchok district where marginalized, indigenous people and migrant workers reside. Access to land and resources/ Decent work and a living wage/ Peace and security
3 Naripokkho Bangladesh Naripokkho is a membership-based, women’s activist organisation working for the advancement of women’s rights and entitlements and building resistance against violence, discrimination and injustice. Since its founding in 1983, Naripokkho has met every Tuesday to discuss problems, issues and strategies related to these concerns.  These discussions form the basis for Naripokkho’s programmes and activities, which include campaigns, cultural events, training, research, lobbying and advocacy, and the maintenance of a regular participatory discussion forum. Occasionally this leads to a specific project, which is carried out with grant funding. However, most of Naripokkho’s activities are voluntary and financed through resources that are earned by the membership. Founder of Doorbar netowork which has 530 local women’s organisations as members. Has 110 members and 3 staff members. Issue: To work more closely on development justice for a particular minority and vulnerable community, which is the Urdu-speaking “refugee” women in Dhaka. This community is subject to communal violence and the women are restricted in their movements by the community itself and isolated from national development, the Bengali community and the women’s movement in general.  Naripokkho would like to be able to work with this community in order for them to be able to articulate their demands for development justice and citizenship rights. Priority issues will include right to shelter, security of livelihoods and housing and also state protection against land grabbers. Access to land and resources
South East Asia
4 MAP Foundation Thailand MAP Foundation (MAP) is a Thai non-governmental organization (NGO) that is firmly based in the Burmese migrant community, is a part of Thai civil society, and has linkages to regional and international networks. MAP’s vision is that migrant workers will have full access to information during the whole migration process and will be able to access services and exercise their rights fully. In addition, MAP works towards the goal that people from Burma (Myanmar) will be able to make informed, free choices about staying or migrating. Issue: Wage disparities that migrant women face compared to the legal minimum wage, compared to male migrants and to Thai women in certain categories as appropriate. Decent work and a living wage
5 GSBI Pusat Indonesia Federation of independent trade union (GSBI) was established in1999 in Jakarta as a centre for workers’ struggles. Its mission is to unite workers and strengthen trade unions on a common platform through affiliation of trade unions from different sectors. The main goal of GSBI is to defend, protect and fight for workers’ basic rights and interests; for decent jobs and decent wages, decent and humane working conditions, social security, and the right to organise, including the right to organise strikes and collective bargaining agreement. GSBI has 20,000 members 80% of whom are women. Its work area is West and East Java of Indonesia. Issue: The basic rights to get reproductive health for women worker who work in garment industry, textile and footwear, especially in the area of Sukabumi, west Java. Decent work and living wage (Reproductive health rights of women workers)
6 Tanggol Bayi Philippines Tanggol Bayi (Defend Women) – Philippines is a national association of women human rights defenders in the Philippines. Established in 2008, at the height of the state-perpetrated attacks against women human rights defenders, the organization conducts advocacy, legislative lobbying and education among WHRDs, and conducts monitoring and documentation of violations against WHRDs. Its members who compose the General Assembly mainly come from farming and indigenous communities, trade unions, artists, lawyers, professionals, progressive church workers, political and human rights activists. There are 5 regular staff members. Issue: Gendered impact of forced eviction due to Public-Private Partnership programs of the government and the lack of livelihood and employment opportunities for women in the informal sector in the urban poor communities in Manila, the political capital of the Philippines. Land and resources/ Voice/Peace and Justice
7 SODA Lao The main objective of SODA is to promote social equity and the rights of poor, women and vulnerable groups in Lao PDR are recognized and supported by the policies and practices of the Lao government and development partners, and by the wider community. Our target groups are Vulnerable groups, Government staff, staff of NGOs and civil society organisations, and development partners with the vision to Free of poverty, social equity, and gender equality for Lao PDR. At the present time, there are 33 members of SODA. Issue: Women workers have fewer opportunities compared to their male counterparts in Lao PDR. The linkages between employment, poverty and gender inequality are complex and require an understanding of how household dynamics and labour market processes interact. Decent work and a living wage
East Asia
8 TransAsia Sisters Association Taiwan The origin of TASAT dates back to the “Foreign Brides Chinese Literacy Program,” founded at Meinung, Kaohsiung, 1995. As the “Meinung Foreign Brides Chinese Literacy Programs” developed a more systematic curriculum, it started to offer various training workshops for volunteer teachers and work with other community organisations. From September, 2002, we expanded the Chinese programs to several communities in Taipei County, which became other bases for grassroots organizing for immigrant women. TASAT has two office with 3-4 staff members in each office. Issue: Promote government, communities and families’ realization of immigrant women’s rights. In 2012, the Executive Yuan has submitted its amendment of Nationality Act to the Legislative Yuan. Due to the cases we have collected over the years, we found the Nationality Act is problematic. Its flawed regulations continue producing stateless women, heart-broken mothers, and rights-deprived immigrants. Voice