Development Cooperation

Transcription

1 Development Cooperation Development is much more than the transition from poverty to wealth. Certainly economic improvement is one goal, but equally important are the enhancement of human dignity and security, as well as social justice and equity of opportunities. Quality education is the key to development, and strong, independent and democratic teacher trade unions are among the most powerful promoters of quality education for all. EI helps teacher trade unions become full partners in the educational debate in their countries, and to become effective defenders of the rights and best interests of their members. The principle of gender equity is consistently incorporated into EI s programmes. Trade union education is fundamental. Leaders and activists need a great range of skills to run national organizations with democratic structures, to organize and mobilize their members, to engage in successful collective bargaining, etc. These programmes are developed in collaboration with member unions in order to meet local needs and challenges. Professional development is another key aspect. We focus on teacher training, curriculum development, research, creation of teaching materials, and education reform in lowincome countries. EI also helps improve union infrastructure: ensuring that union offices are properly supplied and equipped with communications technology, for example.

2 Solidarity Assistance EI s solidarity assistance offers support to unions and their members where they are victims of repression, particularly violations of human and trade union rights. This support takes many forms. Sometimes EI helps provide legal defence for trade unionists facing court proceedings, or support for prosecution of rights violators. EI also offers financial help to imprisoned union members and their families. When trade unionists are at risk in their home countries, EI may help them to flee, seek asylum, and settle in a safe haven. Recently assistance has been provided to trade union activists in Colombia, Ethiopia, Palestine and the Balkan countries. Solidarity assistance and disaster relief work are financed through EI s Solidarity Fund. EI allocates 0.7% of its annual budget to the Fund, and invites contributions from member organizations, NGOs, and others. Individual teachers, parents, students and concerned citizens worldwide have contributed generously to the Fund in response to urgent appeals, such as the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia. Education International

3 Disaster Relief EI helps educators and their families facing emergency situations, whether they are due to natural disasters, violent conflict, terrorist acts or other events. In EI s experience, between 1.5 % and 2% of people affected by any disaster are teachers. EI s disaster relief work is initiated at the request of member organizations in the affected countries. The local teacher trade unionists define the needs and play a central role in the implementation of the relief programme. Humanitarian assistance is directed at individual teachers, union members and their families, to help compensate for loss of life, injury, or damage. EI provides financial aid, but also much-needed supplies, such as medicine, shelter or a combination of these. Rehabilitation programmes are aimed at helping restore teachers livelihoods and rebuild the infrastructure that is of vital importance to education unions and their members. For example, EI has helped to repair and rebuild teachers housing, schools and union buildings. School reconstruction, classroom materials, teacher training, schooling in refugee camps, student scholarships: all these are primarily the responsibility of governments. However, when a disaster has diminished, or undermined completely, the capacity of the public authorities to respond, EI does engage in such work. In recent years, a number of catastrophes have required EI relief efforts: 2004 Terrorists attack in Beslan, Russia Tsunami devastated parts of Southeast Asia Hurricanes hit Grenada, Jamaica, Haiti and Bahamas 2005 Floods inundated parts of India Hurricanes hit Grenada and Southern USA Earthquake in Pakistan 2006 War in Lebanon and Israel Earthquake hit Indonesia 2007 Tsunami struck the Solomon Islands Floods inundated parts of India In all these places, EI and its member organisations offered relief to tens of thousands of teachers and their family members suffering from these natural and man-made disasters.

4 Solidarity in action around the EI Solidarity programmes are at work in almost 100 different countries, in partnership with more than 200 unions. Education International Africa Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Congo Congo (Dem. Rep.) Cote d Ivoire Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea Bissau Kenya Lesotho Liberia Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda Senegal Sierra Leone South Africa Swaziland Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe

5 world Asia-Pacific Afghanistan Burma Cambodia China East Timor India Indonesia Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Malaysia Mongolia Nepal Philippines Sri Lanka Thailand Uzbekistan Vietnam Caribbean Dominica Grenada Guyana Haiti St.Vincent Eastern Europe Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Georgia Kosovo Lithuania Macedonia Russia Latin America Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Costa Rica Curacao Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru Uruguay Venezuela Middle East Iraq Lebanon Palestine Yemen EI Assistance Programmes Unit: Nicolás Richards, Coordinator Juliane Rethorst, Professional Assistant Education International 5, Bd du Roi Albert II 1210 Brussels, Belgium Tel Fax headoffice@ei-ie.org

6 Education International Solidarity in Action Around the World Union to Union - Teacher to Teacher Education International s Solidarity Programmes As teachers and trade unionists, the members of Education International care deeply about their colleagues and students around the world. We express our concern by acting in solidarity with others in need, whether they face poverty, repression, natural disasters, war or other catastrophic situations. Education International, the largest global union federation, was founded in Today it represents 30 million teachers and education workers in 171 countries and territories around the world. Ever since its inception, EI has placed a high priority on its international solidarity work, which is organized into three areas: D e v e l o p m e n t c o o p e r a t i o n S o l i d a r i t y a s s i s t a n c e D i s a s t e r r e l i e f Solidarity is not charity. EI, member unions, and cooperating partners work to develop authentic partnerships based on mutual respect and shared learning. Together we contribute about 3 million a year to international solidarity. These funds are used in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, the Caribbean and the emerging democracies in Central and Eastern Europe. Coordinators and staff in EI s regional offices in Lomé, Kuala Lumpur, San Jose and St. Lucia are central to the success of this work.