DemocracyNews
Monthly Electronic Newsletter of the World Movement for Democracy

CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING
8. Building Bridges in Iraq

CONFLICT RESOLUTION
9. Promoting Women's Equal Participation in Peace & Security Processes

ECONOMIC REFORM AND THE BUSINESS SECTOR
10. "The Human Right to Water under the Conditions of Trade Liberalization and Privatization"

ELECTIONS
11. ARDA Assesses Pre-Election Environment in Hong Kong

HUMAN RIGHTS
12. Call for Nominations: 2005 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize
13. New E-Mail List: Arab Human Rights Education Electronic List
14. Call for Nominations: Human Rights Prize
15. New Publications: Funding Human Rights Work--Guide to Raising Money to Support Human Rights Organizations across the World
16. "Environmental Justice Bursting Bubbles"

LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENT AND ASSISTANCE
17. Conference: Strengthening Legislatures in Response to Globalization and International Security Issues

INTERNET, MEDIA, AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
18. Using SMS Technology to Promote Women's Rights in Africa
19. Reporting on the Information Society Awards

POLITICAL AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH
20. WMD's Youth Movement for Democracy Issues its Founding Statement
21. Young Politicians Forum Discuses Ethical Foundations for Elections
22. Global Summit of Young Politicians

WOMEN'S ISSUES
23. Conference Proceedings Available Online

24. WORLD MOVEMENT PARTICIPATING NETWORKS, ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

For more details about this position, go to: www.wmd.org/africa/adf_coordinator_announcement.html

2. The Transitional Justice Fellowship Program Accepts Applications
The Transitional Justice Fellowship Program, coordinated by the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) and the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), currently accepts applications for its 2005 program in Cape Town, South Africa. The program will introduce fellows to various strategies for building a more just, democratic, and peaceful society following a period of conflict or repressive rule and to provide opportunities for cross-regional and intra-regional collaboration. Candidates from select countries around the world - lawyers, journalists, teachers, human rights professionals, social workers, and other professionals who are committed to ensuring that their societies deal with the past in a just and responsible manner - will be selected though a rigorous application process. Deadline for applications is September 6, 2004.

For more information, go to: www.ictj.org/fellowship_program.asp or write to fellowships@ictj.org

3. Course on Participatory Processes
The Inter-American Democracy Network Executive Secretariat (IADNES) is organizing a course called Case Studies in the Participatory Process that will take place at the Centro Virtual de Capacitación para la Acción Colectiva (Virtual Training Center for Collective Action, www.accioncolectiva.net). Civil society organizations participating in the Transparency in Americas Program run by the IADN and Partners of the Americas and supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will take part in the course. The course aims to provide a new tool for overseeing and influencing public policies. Participants will learn about participatory budgets and will practice the tools necessary for implementing a participatory budget in their own communities.

For more information, go to: www.redinter.org/Default.aspx?section=924&contentId=1508 , or contact Julieta Arias at jarias@redinter.org

4. Call for Applications: Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellowships
The Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program at the Washington, DC-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED) welcomes fellowship applications for 2005-2006. The Fellows Program was established in 2001 to enable democracy activists, practitioners, scholars, and journalists from around the world to deepen their understanding of democracy and enhance their ability to promote democratic change. While the program is intended primarily to support activists, practitioners, and scholars from new and aspiring democracies, distinguished scholars from the United States and other established democracies are also eligible to apply. Projects may focus on the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural aspects of democratic development and include a range of methodologies and approaches. Please note that a working knowledge of English is an important prerequisite for participation in the program. The application deadline for fellowships in 2005-2006 is Monday, November 1, 2004.

For more information, visit: www.ned.org/forum/R-FApplication.pdf or contact: fellowships@ned.org

5. Alfred Friendly Press Fellowship
Alfred Friendly Press Fellowship is offered annually to non-U.S. print journalists from developing and transitional countries with an emerging free press. The six-month fellowship covers all program-related costs, international and domestic U.S. travel, and provides a monthly stipend. Deadline for applications is September 1, 2004

Go to: www.pressfellowships.org

6. International Policy Fellowships
The Central European University's Center for Policy Studies (CPS) accepts applications for its 2005-2006 International Policy Fellowship (IPF) program, which is affiliated with the CPS and the Open Society Institute-Budapest. The fellowships are intended to support the analytical policy research of civil society leaders of all ages and to connect these fellows with the professional policy networks and opportunities. The program aims to improve the quality of analysis in countries where the Soros foundations work by ensuring that these leaders are able to conduct research in their home region while maintaining local affiliations and a high degree of mobility and intellectual freedom. Application deadline is September 15, 2004

Go to: www.policy.hu/ipf/apply.html

7. World Movement Participants Featured in an IFES Publication
The July issue of ELECTIONS TODAY, a publication of the International Foundations for Election Systems (IFES), features interviews with several civil society activists, including World Movement participants Lyudmila Georgieva (Bulgaria), Anahit Bayandur (Armenia), Mohammed Al-Yahyai (Oman), and Muborak Tashpulatova (Uzbekistan). The issue also includes articles by two other World Movement participants: Miklos Marschall, Executive Director of Transparency International for Europe and Central Asia, and Chee Soon Juan, leading member of the Singapore Democratic Party. Georgieva, Bayandur, Al-Yahyai, Tashpulatova, and Chee are also Reagan Fascell Democracy Fellows at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). ELECTIONS TODAY, a three-issue-per-year magazine published by IFES that focuses on elections and democratic development, is available online.

Go to: www.ifes.org/research_comm/publications.html

8. Building Bridges in Iraq
The American Society for Kurds (ASK) recently completed a project titled "Building Bridges," which was implemented in coordination with two partner organization in Iraq, the Iraqi National Organization for Human Rights Coordination (INOHRC) in Baghdad and the Badlisy Cultural Center (BCC) in Sulaymania. The project intended to build the capacities of ten new Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Central and Southern Iraq. The project consisted of two workshops, which were conducted on June 15-19, in Sulaymania and on July 10-11 in Arbil. The selected CSOs spent a few days with their counterparts in Kurdistan-Iraq, which have more experience in developing and executing projects. The project was a new initiative that brought together CSOs from different parts of Iraq regardless of their ethnic and religious backgrounds. One of the clear outcomes of the project was the interest of the CSOs to work together to strengthen civil society in Iraq.

For more information, contact: askurds@yahoo.com

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

For application and detailed information on the conference, go to: peace.sandiego.edu/Application%20Information.shtml

ECONOMIC REFORM AND THE BUSINESS SECTOR

Go to: http://fesportal.fes.de/pls/portal30/docs/FOLDER/WORLDWIDE/GEWERKSCHAFTEN/BERICHTE/ROSEMANNENGLISCH.HTML

ELECTIONS

Go to: www.asiademocracy.org (report coming soon)

HUMAN RIGHTS

For nomination packets, go to: www.hiltonfoundation.org, or contact prize@hiltonfoundation.org

13. New E-Mail List: Arab Human Rights Education Electronic List
On July 4, 2004, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights launched the Arab Human Rights Education (HRE) listserv. The aim of the list is to electronically connect NGOs, educational institutions, and other organizations involved in education and training for human rights in North Africa and the Middle East. The working language of the list is Arabic. The HRE listserv is part of the Global Human Rights Education Network, an initiative of the Human Rights Education Association and its regional partners around the world to facilitate communication and networking among educators and activists in to strengthen the human rights.

Go to: www.hrea.org/hre-network

14. Call for Nominations: Human Rights Prize
The Peter Gruber Foundation currently accepts nominations for the 2005 Women's Right Prize. The prize is awarded annually to an individual or group that has made significant contributions, often at great risk, to furthering the rights of women and girls and advancing public awareness of the necessity of these rights in achieving a just world. It may honor achievement in any area, including but not limited to, human rights, social welfare, education, and the arts. The deadline for submitting nominations is September 30, 2004.

To learn more about the prize and the nomination process, go to: www.petergruberfoundation.org/Women%27s%20Rights/women_frameset.htm

To learn about the Peter Gruber Foundation, go to: www.petergruberfoundation.org

15. New Publication: Funding Human Rights Work--Guide to Raising Money to Support Human Rights Organizations across the World
Based on the knowledge of frontline grassroots human rights defenders all over the world, this handbook, published by Forefront (a global network of human rights defenders), is a comprehensive guide to securing international and local financial resources to support human rights work. Geared for activists and organizations, the handbook includes: tips on writing grant proposals; an exhaustive list of international foundations and donors; creative strategies for local fundraising (including events, campaigns, publications); and how to maximize limited resources through volunteers and alliances.

Go to: www.forefrontleaders.org/publications/handbooks.php#media

16. "Environmental Justice Bursting Bubbles"
The summer issue of the LOCAL GOVERNANCE BRIEF, the policy journal of the Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative of the Open Society Institute focuses on the issues of environmental justice, the fair distribution of environmental benefits and harms, in the Central Eastern Europe and Newly Independent States. The issue features articles, case studies, and news items that examine ways to make everyone-from global policymakers to local residents-aware of inequalities and to build stronger communities.

Go to: www.soros.org/resources/articles_publications/publications/lgi_20040805/LGB_summer_2004.pdf

LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENT AND ASSISTANCE

For registration information, agenda, and other conference details, go to: cld.org/2ndconference/

To learn about the Center for Legislative Development, go to: www.cld.org/

INTERNET, MEDIA, AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

To sign the petition from your mobile phone, send an SMS to +27-832-933934

For more information, and to read and sign the petition online, go to: www.pambazuka.org/petition

19.Reporting on the Information Society Awards
Panos and Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) are currently accepting submissions for the 2004 "Reporting on the Information Society" awards. The topic for this year is "Transparency, Good Governance and Democracy: Do Information and Communication Technologies Increase Accountability?" Four awards of $1,000 each will be made for the best journalism on this topic produced by journalists in developing and transition countries. Print, radio, TV and Web journalism are all eligible. The work submitted must have been published or broadcast between January 1 and October 15, 2004. The deadline for submissions is October 15, 2004. Panos works globally to promote open debate on global development, media and communication issues. The Global Knowledge Partnership is a worldwide network of organizations committed to harnessing the potentials of information and communication technologies (ICT) for sustainable development.

To submit work for consideration, send a clipping, audio or video-tape, transcript or Web reference by email to: award2004@panos.org.uk; or mail to: Murali Shanmugavelan, Panos Institute, 9 White Lion St, London N1 9PD, UK

For further details on submissions, go to: http://radioafrica.oneworld.net/article/view/76317/1/

POLITICAL AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH

Go to: www.wmd.org/youth/youth.html

POLITICAL PARTIES AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

For more details go to: www.caux.ch/en/news.php?id=138

22.Global Summit of Young Politicians
Two youth groups in Zambia, Renaissance Union Emerging Leaders (RULE) and the Young African Welfare Association (YAWA), are organizing a Global Summit of Young Politicians. It will convene in Lusaka, Zambia, on April 22-26, 2005, and will bring together young politicians, policy analysts, and human rights activists from around the world. The summit will provide opportunities for the exchange of best practices, innovative ideas, and experiences of the young leaders; identify obstacles to youth participation in political processes at all levels of leadership; advocate for increased attention to young people's voices in politics; create a Global Coalition of Young Politicians to reinforce and support young people's activity at the national and local levels; and to expand networking and cooperation with all actors supporting youth engagement. The summit organizing team has prepared a brochure that includes information on the Summit, the reasons behind organizing it, its objectives, topics to be covered, and organizational details. Any feedback, suggestions, and ideas on the Summit and reviews of the brochure itself are welcome.

To read the brochure, go to: www.wmd.org/documents/Global_Summit-08-04.doc

For questions and to send feedback, contact: emailrule@yahoo.com

WOMEN'S ISSUES

To read the papers and listen to the proceedings, go to: www.learningpartnership.org/events/2003/clashorconsensus/program.phtml

• Africa Democracy Forum -- www.wmd.org/africa/africa_democracy_forum.html
• Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia --www.asiademocracy.org
• American Society for Kurds -- www.askurds.org/
• Cairo Institute for Human Rights -- www.cihrs.org/HOME/Home.htm
• Institute for Justice and Reconciliation -- www.ijr.org.za/
• National Endowment for Democracy -- www.ned.org
• Partners of the Americas -- www.partners.net/
• Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace -- www.learningpartnership.org
• Youth Movement for Democracy -- www.wmd.org/youth/youth.html