4 April 2011

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Thoughts for our Japanese Members

After the terrible earthquake and tsunami, I know I speak for IFUW members everywhere when I say that our thoughts continue to be with our Japanese members, their families and friends. When the time is right and the Japanese Association has let us know how we can be most helpful, I am certain that we will all contribute generously in response to their call.
Marianne Haslegrave, IFUW President

Launch of "The Multi-faceted Right to Education: A Guide to Implementation and Monitoring"

IFUW has developed and published a Handbook to assist national federations and associations in implementing and monitoring the right to education, particularly for girls. The Right to Education, defined in a variety of conventions, treaties and covenants described in this Handbook, is enshrined in law. It commits governments who have ratified the conventions, to develop sustainable national strategies and programmes that will ensure the provision of the institutions, personnel, curricula and resources for quality education for all people, especially traditionally marginalized groups including girls and women, regardless of age, race, belief, language, location and disability. The Right to Education also calls for the mobilization of all sectors of society to support and implement programmes that play a role in fostering respect, participation, equality and non-discrimination in society in an appropriate, safe and non-threatening learning environment.

The Handbook is now available on the IFUW website - www.ifuw.org/priorities/eahandbook/. We hope that you will use it to expand on the suggestions for action it includes, and to develop new initiatives and partnerships for action on and monitoring of the rights to education. The realization of the Right to Education is a common responsibility to which each of us should be contributing.
Dorothy Meyer, Convener
IFUW Working Group for Education Advocacy

IFUW Discussion on Women and Financial Literacy to Start on 11 April 2011

IFUW recognises financial literacy as an essential life-skill that is every human being’s basic right. It is accepted worldwide that women play a vital role in family and community life, yet their access to financial education has often been limited due to various social, cultural, and economic factors. It is important to understand that effective community and national development cannot be achieved without the full participation of women. Local, regional and national strategies are required to enable women to gain the financial knowledge and skills necessary for them to make their contribution to such development. The 30th IFUW Conference in Mexico adopted two resolutions making this a priority. Starting on 11 April IFUW's Discussion Network will look at different aspects of Women and Financial Literacy.
Week1: Financial Knowledge and Understanding
Week 2: Financial Skills and Competence
Week 3: Financial Responsibility
Rae Duff (New Zealand) and Ranjana Banerjee (India) will moderate the discussion. If you are not already a member of the IFUW Discussion Network, you can join by sending a message to discussions-sub@ifuw.org. The background paper for the discussion is available at www.ifuw.org/docs/2011-financial-literacy.pdf.

IFUW to Partner with CFUW/Montreal Club in Financial Literacy Project

IFUW has agreed to be a non-financial partner in a project on financial literacy organized by the Canadian Federation club in Montreal (UWCM). The project "Studies for Women's Financial Literacy: Conversations to Begin Anywhere", will create case study materials for use by women 45 and over to begin conversations about finances. UWCM plans to make the materials available for free use for discussion groups in CFUW and hopes also to make them available for all IFUW NFAs and local groups for beginning grass-roots conversations that lead to better problem solving and confidence in personal finances. The project has been fully funded ($35,000) from a Canadian foundation, Good Governance Fund of the Authorité des marchés financiers (AMF).

Coming Events:

• Annual General Meeting and Conference of the University Women of Europe (UWE), Antalya, Turkey, 23-27 June 2011 - "Women and Poverty in the Concept of Women's Human Rights"
  The Turkish Association of University Women invites IFUW members to discuss issues for the advancement of gender equality and to enjoy a wonderful Mediterranean holiday, tasting Turkish cuisine and exploring ancient Roman and Greek cities. For more information see: www.ifuw.org/uwe.
• Join IFUW at the UN, 5-7 July 2011
  IFUW is planning a series of consultations in conjunction with the Annual Ministerial Review of ECOSOC. IFUW members are invited to participate in a three-day event, that is planned to include briefings at the Office of the Higher Commissioner for Human Rights and the World Health Organization. More details will be available soon.
• Friendship Visit in Romania, 8-12 September 2011
  The Romanian Association is organizing a five-day friendship tour to Sibiu and surrounding areas. The preliminary programme can be downloaded from www.ifuw.org/uwe/docs/2011-ANFDUR-sibiu-visit.pdf.