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CARAM eNews |
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EMPOWERING MIGRANTS AGAINST HIV/AIDS |
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World Social Forum 2007 From January 20th-25th 2007, activists, social movements, networks, coalitions, and other progressive forces from the Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean, North America, Europe, and Africa converged at the Moi International Sports Center Kasarani, Nairobi for the 7th World Social Forum (WSF). This year’s WSF, with the theme "People’s Struggles, People’s Alternatives" provides democratic spaces for various social movements to discuss and debate on strategies of resistance and sustainable alternatives to imperialism and its associated neo-liberal policies that have, over the years, imposed colonialism and neo-colonialism around the world. View pictures from WSF 2007 here. Seminar: “Human Rights, Mobility and Citizenship Gap” CARAM Asia's Regional Coordinator, Cynthia Gabriel spoke about the issues facing migrant workers in Asia at the seminar. The seminar, organized by the Kenya Human Rights Network (K-Hurinet) was focused on the emergent twin challenge of protection of human rights and amelioration of citizenship gap, in the age of migration and globalization of mobility of people. More information on WSF 2007 here. |
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State of the Indian Migrants 2005 Arunodhaya Migrant Initiatives (AMI) has released its "State of the Indian Migrants 2005" year book for the second year in succession. Mrs Irene Fernandez of Tenaganita attended the launching of the book in early December, 2006. It is a status report for the year 2005 on migrant workers and domestic workers in the host countries, particularly in the Gulf and in the South-East Asian countries. For more information, please contact Dr Bernard D'Sami at Arunodhaya Migrant Initiatives (AMI), 103, Jayam Block, Chitra Avenue, Choolaimendu, Chennai - 600 094, Republic of India. Tel: +91-44-23746450. Email: amiginin@yahoo.co.in |
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Toolkit of HIV Prevention Programmes for Migrant Workers In a collaborative effort between GFATM-AIDS Project, PNGOC and ACHIEVE, a toolkit entitled “On the Move: Toolkit of HIV Prevention Programmes for Migrant Workers” has been produced in 2006. The toolkit serve as a guide to organizations and other entities involved in or implementing migration and HIV/AIDS programmes. For more information, please contact ACHIEVE, Inc., 162-A Scout Fuentebella Extension, Barangay Sacred Heart, Quezon City, The Philippines. Telefaxes: +02-426-6147 / 414-6130. Email: achieve_caram@yahoo.com / achieve@achieve.org.ph |
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Addressing Women Migrants through CEDAW The UNIFEM "Regional NGO Workshop: Addressing Women Migrants Rights through CEDAW" was held in Bangkok, Thailand, from the 27th-29th of November, 2006. Non-governmental organizations and women migrant workers from Asia and the Middle East met to discuss ways to address women migrant workers rights through using an international treaty, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Ms Kopila Rai of Nepal, presented a paper based on her own experience as a returnee migrant women worker from Kuwait. Read the paper here. |
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CARAM eNews. January 15 - February 15, 2007. |
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ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers Armed with the theme "One Caring and Sharing Community", heads of state/government of member-countries were present at the 12th ASEAN Summit in Cebu City, Philippines and examined issues relating to migrant workers, which brought to the signing of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers on January 13, 2007. The Declaration highlighted the responsibilities of both the ASEAN sending and receiving states for the protection of the rights of migrant workers. Read contents of the Declaration here. In response to the Declaration, the CARAM Secretariat gave its response. Read the Response Statement here. |
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Trainer’s Guide and Handbook Pathfinder International has announced the publication of a new, comprehensive trainer's guide and participant's manual for community health workers, Community Home-Based Care for People and Communities Living with HIV/AIDS: * Trainers Guide: Covers topics such as HIV basics, communication skills, nursing care, nutrition, positive living, family planning, HIV prevention, antiretroviral therapy, and community mobilization among many others. * Handbook: The companion handbook can be used as a reference during care and as an aid in training clients and primary caregivers. The publications can be found here. |
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International Migrants Day 2006 Member Partners of CARAM Asia observed International Migrants Day (IMD) 2006: Cambodia - CARAM Cambodia CARAM Cambodia held events leading up to IMD on the 18th of December, 2006. The events were: * Round Table Discussion on "Safe Migration" (December 13, 2006 at Khmer Television Channel 9) * Press Conference [December 15, 2006. Organised by CARAM Cambodia in cooperation with National AIDS Authority (NAA) at Cambodiana Hotel] * IMD 2006 Parade [December 18, 2006 from Wat Langka to Wat Botum. Organised by CARAM Cambodia in cooperation with National AIDS Authority (NAA)] Read details of the events here. Nepal - Nepal Institute of Development Studies (NIDS) International Migrants Day, 18th of December 2006 in Nepal was marked with an Advocacy Parade. NIDS was the co-organizer of the IMD Celebration Committee. IMD was celebrated for the first time in the capital city and 33 organizations came under one umbrella and participated in the advocacy parade for the rights of the migrant workers. This is a great achievement since only two years ago, only few organizations knew about IMD. NIDS and General Federation of Trade Union were the only two organizations who started celebrating IMD from the year 2004. In the year 2004 and 2005 IMD was celebrated with the spouses and the migrant communities but this year, there were representatives from NGOs, Youths, Trade Unions, UNIFEM, Media, and Government along with the migrant workers. Following the IMD, there was an ad-hoc Migration Network formed under the leadership of Mr. Ganesh Gurung. Sri Lanka - Congress of Migrant Workers Associations (MWA) The Congress held a Commemoration of IMD 2006 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall. The principal objective of the meeting was to discuss and explore a Work Plan for year 2007 on the theme of "Prevention of Trafficking of Human Persons through Safe Migration". Details of the event can be found here. Sri Lanka - Migrant Services Centre (MSC) MSC released a media statement in conjunction with International Migrants Day 2006. Read the statement here. |
Upcoming Events:
Forum-Asia: Regional Consultation on the Human Rights Council Hong Kong: “State of Health of Migrants" Forum 2nd State of Health - Mandatory Testing Data Analysis Workshop (3rd - 5th March. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) |
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2nd ASEAN Civil Society Conference CARAM Asia participated in the 2nd ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC) held on the 10th-12th of December 2006 in Cebu City, the Philippines, urged leaders of ASEAN to adopt an alternative regionalism in the drafting of the ASEAN Charter. In its press statement, the ACSC said that "this alternative regionalism should be anchored on upholding the people's participation at all times aside from truly representing a community of people of diverse faiths and culture, with different political and economic systems and historical backgrounds, but bound by an undivided commitment to the universal principles of human rights, justice, peace, democracy, tolerance and solidarity. Read the full Statement here. |
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The International Guidelines on HIVAIDS and Human Rights OHCHR and UNAIDS published the International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights in 1998, which provides the framework for a rights-based response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic by outlining how human rights standards apply in the context of HIV/AIDS and translating them into practical measures that should be undertaken at the national level. In light of developments in addressing the epidemic, a Third International Consultation in 2002 revised Guideline 6 on access to prevention, treatment, care and support. A consolidated version of the Guidelines was launched in August 2006 to coincide with the XVIth International AIDS Conference and the tenth anniversary of the Guidelines themselves. Read the Guidelines here. |
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To become a member of CARAM Asia, please email to caraminfo@caramasia.org |