One Just World Internship

As part of an ongoing strategy to advocate for best practice in the sector and increased public understanding about issues relating to gender and development, IWDA is partnering with World Vision Australia and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) on a national development dialogue, One Just World: Think, Talk, Act on Global Poverty and Development. Each forum will feature three key speakers discussing different topics relating to development and global poverty, and provide an opportunity for audience questions and discussion. IWDA will assist with ensuring that gender is integrated in each session.

IWDA seeks an Intern to assist with the administration and running of the One Just World lecture series throughout 2008. The position is unpaid and requires 1 day per week commitment, possibly increasing later in the year as the lecture series continues.

To apply please send a resume and cover letter to ojw_internship@iwda.org.au no later than 5pm on Wednesday 30 July 2008

Please click here to download  full position description One Just World Internship PDF

IWDA would like to invite you to a charity screening of Unfinished Sky at Kino Dendy cinemas on Tuesday 22nd July at 6pm.

The film is a story of a refugee and an Australian farmer who takes her in. She is badly injured and speaks no English; he is not inclined to welcome visitors and even less inclined to involve the police. An initially reluctant voyage of mutual discovery begins as these two strangers gradually learn to communicate and connect. As the layers of mistrust and hurt peel away, a love affair unfolds to reveal the beauty of freedom, hope and choice.*

Tickets cost $25 each and include sweets to snack on during the film.

All proceeds will support the establishment of a new women’s organisation in the Solomon Islands – Solomon Mere Kamap. Mere Kamap’s goal is to empower rural women with a focus on sustainable livelihoods through literacy and economic opportunities.

To purchase tickets contact IWDA at (03) 9650 5574 or download a copy of the booking form and fax the completed form to IWDA at (03) 9654 9877 (Please note the correction in the fax number. If you have already sent a fax requesting tickets please re-send your book form to 9654 9877).

The largest book grouping will win a hamper of Oxfam and Lonely Planet goodies.

*synopsis provided by Keno Dendy Cinemas

Literacy – a window into the future for women

Caitlin Ryan, Communication & Education Assistant

“Literacy unlocks the door to learning throughout life, is essential to development and health, and opens the way for democratic participation and active citizenship.”
Kofi Annan
Many of us take literacy for granted. We consider it to be a right not a privilege, but many women are denied this basic right.

Women who have no access to literacy are greatly disadvantaged, missing out on many opportunities that might otherwise be available to them. For these women, access to literacy is a means towards the elimination of poverty and injustice. It works by increasing women’s employment opportunities (by reducing women’s reliance on informal and un-waged employment), reducing occupational segregation, increasing participation in public life and awareness of human rights, and by improving access to political processes.

In Australia we are currently seeing a resurgence of awareness around gender issues and inequity. With Julia Gillard as our first woman Deputy Prime Minister, and Quentin Bryce filling the role of Governor General, women are becoming more visible in leadership roles and political life in Australia. There is a feeling of movement towards structural change, where women hold more decision-making positions and are more visibly engaged in political processes. Yet there is a long way to go – there is still no country in the world where women’s wages equal that of their male counterparts and women still own only 1% of the world’s property. A fundamental way of addressing this inequity is through literacy.

Also in this issue:

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This August relieve the chill of winter with a Winter Warmers event!

With the support of IWDA, you and your friends can stay in one cold night and raise awareness of and support for the work of IWDA’s project partners in Asia and the Pacific. By hosting a Winter Warmer event – be it a movie night, trivia night, wine and cheese night, or a luncheon – you can make a difference to the lives of many women in Asia and the Pacific.

For more information about organising your own Winter Warmers event or to register visit www.iwda.org.au/winterwarmers or contact IWDA on (03) 9650 5574.

Listen to Program Manager Erin McKinnon’s recent interview on 3RRR radio!

Program Manager, Erin McKinnon:

“On a recent trip to East Timor to visit IWDA project partners, I was able to spend time with a diverse range of passionate and inspiring women, and to visit the people involved in our current programs in the region. Life can be very difficult for women in particular, in remote regions of East Timor, given their role as primary care givers and food producers. Some villages are not accessible by road, and have very few basic services such as running water, electricity or telephone lines, let alone a school or health clinic. The programs IWDA funds in these areas focus on sustainable livelihoods, education and income generation.
Last week I had the chance to share the experiences of my trip on RRR radio, and IWDA will be conducting regular updates with RRR in the future.”

You can listen to the interview where Erin discusses the most recent work of IWDA in East Timor, as well as important ongoing literacy programs across Asia and the Pacific. 

Interview (16Mins)