Women Redefining Democracy

JASS was proud to collaborate with the Nobel Women’s Initiative on a three-day conference – “Women Redefining Democracy for Peace, Justice and Equality” – in Antigua, Guatemala in May, along with many key allies, including the Petateras and Feminist International Radio Endeavor (FIRE). Over 100 women from across the globe gathered to critique democracy’s failed promises to women, and to spotlight women’s leadership, organizing and action to shape a more inclusive democracy. An extraordinary engine for trans-border networking and learning, the meeting linked women's creative and courageous efforts within and outside the halls of formal politics. For a full array of the events, voices and outcomes, read the coverage on JASS' Facebook fan page and listen to interviews and features on FIRE’s website

JASS women from Africa, Asia and Mesoamerica made up nearly 20% of participants and presenters, while a JASS team played a key role in designing the conference, developing the provocative conceptual framework and moderating panels. JASS board members Srilatha Batliwala and Malena de Montis led the conference in drafting a press statement to be read by the Laureates, and JASS collaborated with the NWI media team to film participants’ reflections and to produce short video pieces every day.

Spotlight on Guatemala

With Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta Menchú Tum as official host, Patricia Ardón of JASS Mesoamerica/Sinergia No’j worked closely with the Petateras in Guatemala to anchor this global event in grim local realities and to draw attention to women’s courageous change efforts. A panel of activists discussed what women face: a level of violence so high as to merit the term “femicide” (defined as “the sexual and physical torture of women, political violence against women who struggle for women’s rights, violence against indigenous women.”) JASS produced a short documentary on violence in Guatemala and, before and after the conference, participated in an international fact-finding mission – see JASS' forthcoming Guatemala Action Alert for more information.

Building in Southern Africa

In April, six JMBs (JASS movement-builders) attended “The Art and Heart of Training,” a six-day course on feminist popular education held by Shirley Walters at the famous Grail Centre near Cape Town (founded and run by Training for Transformation authors Anne Hope and Sally Timmel.)

Martha Tholanah, JASS Southern Africa Regional Coordinator since May, is already busy advancing our ambitious plan for 2009 in the region, together with the core team. In an intensive planning meeting in Nairobi in June – a step in the three-year strategy to build and consolidate JASS Southern Africa – the team laid the groundwork for movement-building in Zambia and for the next phase of the JASS process in Malawi.

Building in Southeast Asia

The numbers of young, Indonesian JASS movement-builders swelled in June, as 24 young women from 22 provinces – including several from worker organizations – gathered to analyze power from the personal to the national, track the history of Indonesian women’s organizing, and frame an action agenda. “Feminist is no longer a scary word for most of these young women, as they claim their identity and role in the women’s rights movement.” said Nani Zulminarni, JASS Southeast Asia’s co-director.

An intergenerational dialogue followed, including young women from previous JASS activities, along with established feminist leaders. In teams by age, women identified the wisdom and challenges of their own decade. The results were hilarious, inspiring and invaluable for expanding collective power. National-level workshops coming up later in the year – in the Philippines, Malaysia and Cambodia – will include this focus on intergenerational organizing, noting along with JASS-SEA co-director Dina Lumbantobing that “Age in the movement is another factor.”

Who's New at JASS!

Charlotta "Lottie" Beavers, Communications & Outreach Associate, brings more than 15 years of information and alternative media expertise to JASS. Already known to the Southern Africans as uLottie, Charlotta holds a BA in Comparative Literature and Africana, Latin American and Caribbean Studies; is studying for a Masters degree at St. John’s College Graduate Institute in Annapolis, Maryland; and wears numerous other hats as an activist, photographer, writer, handywoman and really good cook.