PGA Asia and Gender Conference Call:  http://ga.so36.net/2004/04/679.shtml

Journal for Debate on Agriculture and Alternatives:
 http://ga.so36.net/2004/04/728.shtml


URGENT SOS FROM PGA ASIAN PROCESS

Below: list of grassroot movements participants and the agenda
of the conference, together with other details.

GRASSROOT MOVEMENTS OF PGA ASIAN REGION NEEDS SOLIDARITY, URGENTLY.

One of the funders has changed its opinion on granting 10.000 euros to the
conference in last minute and now we are facing not having enough money.
Before that we were already afraid of deficit. So we need to get a
minimum of 10.000 euros from a miracle in less than 7 days. And this time,
many of organizations are doing a big effort and are paying part of the
travel cost of delegates; even some organizations are covering all travel
cost of all its delegates. We are not covering visa expenditures. The
commitment of the organizations is amazing good. Indian delegations, for
example, will travel by land, which takes a minimum of three days. But
even then, we are now in a very complicated situation.

PLEASE, THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF ASIA IS DEPENDING SERIOUSLY ON THIS
CONFERENCE. And it is amazing good process here. Organizations are waiting
more than one year for this conference. It would be a big disaster if,
after all the process, things will fail because of lack of funds.

See below all details regarding the conference, and please, this is a SOS
from Asia PGA region. Please, support the process in Asia. This could be
the wake up of the global process of PGA. We serious need the solidarity
of European PGA region. Don't forget that we are part of the same
struggle.

Any money, 5, 10, 20, 25, 200 euros.anything will be more than welcome.
Please, make your transference to the following account in the
Netherlands:



Giro-account 587097
Postbank
Arnhem Branch,
the Netherlands.

Account held by
Bangladesh People's Solidarity Centre
P.O.Box 92066
1090 AB Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Codes:
IBAN: NL31 PSTB 0000 587097
BIC: PSTBNL21




PARTICIPANTS:

The expectations of the conference are huge. From the maximum 100
participants that we thought in a beginning, we are expecting now 150
delegates. Hereby I copy the list of organizations out of Bangladesh. We
are still waiting for the confirmation of other countries as South Korea
and Japan and more organizations.

Most organizations are sending two delegates, one woman and one man. All
delegations are gender balance. Political parties are not allowed. Only 2
NGOs will take part on the conference. They are covering its travel cost
and visa.

1) INDIA. 28 delegates.
Andhra Pradesh Vyavaysa Vruthidarula Union (A federation of Agricultural
workers and marginal workers forum in Andhra Pradesh) Pedestrian Pictures
(Karnataka)
Kera Karshaka Samithi/ Kerala State Coconut Farmers' Association
Karnataka Rajya Ryota Sangha/ Karnataka State Farmers' Association (KRRS)
Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU)
Federation of Adivasi Associations (Andhra Pradesh)

2) INDONESIA. 2 delegates.
West Java Peasant Union/Serikat Petani Jawa Barat

3) MALAYSIA. 2 delegates.
Borneo Indigenous and Peasant Movement (Panggau)

4) NEPAL. 16 delegates.
Agricultural Labor's Association in Nepal
All Nepal Peasants' Association (ANPA)
Nepal Milk producer's Association
Nepal National Fish Farmer's Association
South Asian Peasants' Coalition (SAPC), Nepal Chapter
South Asian Peasants' Coalition (SAPC)
Peasant Women's Association in Nepal
Peasant Youth Federation in Nepal
All Nepal Women Association

5. PHILIPPINES. 5 delegates.
Sumpay Mindanao
GABRIELA National Alliance of Women's Organization
Focus on the Global South

6. THAILAND. 3 delegates.
Thai Labour Campaign
Assembly of the Poor

7. VIETNAM. 2 delegates.
Vietnam Farmers' Union

8) BANGLADESH. 70 delegates.
More than 27 organizations will come from all over the country.


TOTAL TRAVEL BUDGET until the moment: 13980 EUROS

(Without counting the Japan, Hong Kong, South Korean and Sri Lanka, and
delegations, among others, which still have to confirm their
participation)


CONFERENCE DETAILS:

VENUE: ACOMMODATION AND FOOD

We have to change the venue, because the first one is not big enough for 150 people. Tomorrow we will receive the confirmation of a big NGO, whether they will allow us to hold the conference in their installations for free or for a symbolic donation. This installation has accommodation for more than 250 people and spaces for simultaneous workshops and big
plenary room. It is in a very green area one hour away from Dhaka. Food will be organic with local varieties and vegetarian. Eggs and milk will be served separately.

READER.
We are preparing a reader for the conference, which we expect to be also distributed in the European PGA regional conference and in the meeting of Via Campesina in Brasil. Later we want to translate it into Spanish. The reader will consist in a short description of all organizations, which are participating in the conference, and articles sending by them or by supporters of the conference. We think it will be around 200 pages. We want to print 500 copies. This will cost us 600 euros. Donations for this are welcome.

AGENDA.

Arrival participants: 19th May
Conference: 20th May till 25th May.
Public program in a village: 26th May.

The conference will be divided in three blocks of two days each one, specially thought for introducing a strong role of gender issues.
1. Personal awareness on gender.
2. Exchange information and experience, analyse problematic and propose
alternatives. Campaigns. 3. Time to organize

1) First Block: personal awareness on gender.
20th and 21st May.

These two days people will work from their personal experience, their
lives. Gender is inside the skin. Before you are an indigenous, a migrant,
a Hindu.you are a woman or a man. From the first moment of the birth, a
person is teach to move, to act, to dream in a concrete way depending on
the values his/her society has chosen for her/him depending on the sex.=20
Delegates will analyses from their personal lives, the oppression and
power structures in the patriarchal system. Expertise trainers with
experience in working with rural realities will facilitate these two days.
Masculinity will be introduced in only men workshops. It will be raised
the discussion on what is and why is necessary gender perspective in the
organizations, and how to implement it.

The main issues will be:
Violence against women and sexual harassment.
Power structures on patriarchy.
Deconstructing masculinity identities.
Empowerment of women.

During these two days, the awareness on sexism and patriarchy oppression
will be got. We expect also to get a sensible atmosphere on gender issues,
enough to make a reality the inclusion of gender perspective in all issues
discussing in the conference. It will also make open eyes for sexism
behaviour during the cohabitation of 6 days. Videos after dinner.

2) Second Block. Exchange information and experience, analyse problematic
and propose alternatives. 22nd and 23rd May

This is the time for exchange information among the organizations. 4
lectures and around 20 workshops will take place these two days. Workshops
are proposed by the organizations. Till the moment these are:
1. Women emancipation
2. Violence against women
3. Impact globalisation on women and agriculture
4. Reproductive Rights.
5. War and militarism (specially mention to abuse of women)
6. Indigenous Women (onlywomen participants)
7. Gender and Trade
8. Privatisation on common recourses and industry: water, energy, minerals, land...
9. Peasant rights
10. Food Soberanity
11. WTO and free trade agreement
12. Situation of Indigenous People in Asia
13. Art. 169. Self-determination of Indigenous People
14. Biodiversity and bio piracy. Genetic recourses and TRIPs
15. Alternatives models to the so called "development" and capitalist.
16. Decentralization on control of recourses, like water
17. Labour conditions in Asia
18. Cast, Racism, xenophobia, sexism...social systems of discrimination.
19. Migrant workers

The last afternoon evening of these two days, the PGA campaigns and three
more already proposed, will be discussed:

1. Campaign against state militarism and para-militarism
2. Campaign for defence and recognition of self-determination and land
sovereignty of all people 3. Campaign against all privatisation
4. Campaign on construction of alternative models to the capitalist
system, based on education and formation 5. Campaign on mining.
6. Campaign against violence against women
7. Campaign on reproductive rights

Every day on the morning, from 8:30 to 9:30, there will be a space for women to discuss on whether gender perspective is being correctly implementing in the workshops, how the cohabitation is going, relating power structures based in gender and sexism behaviours and important points to be included in the workshops of that day.

Videos after dinner.

3) Third Block. Time to organize.
24th and 25th May

After discussing and recognize the problems, including the presentation of campaigns, we need to create and consolidate a tool to coordinate ourselves. During the last days, delegates will gather by region and by sectors to discuss regarding the strategies to struggle together. Here actions days, communications tools, regional structure of the coordination, etc, will be decided. One entire morning will be dedicated to discuss on creating a strong coordination on gender issues, not only
women organization, but including farmers or trade unions. Again methodology will be gathering by region and by sector. For example the necessity of global day of action in the International day of women, called by all the movements. Just an example.

24th May videos after dinner
25th May cultural program after dinner.

On 26th May, Krishok Fedetion and Kisani Shaba have prepared a public
event in a village, relative close to Dhaka.