FAQ
Is JASS a grant-making orgnization?
Where is JASS’ head office? What is JASS’ structure?
Is JASS a membership organization? How do I join?
Why do you call yourselves JASS?
Can I apply to attend your workshops?
Can I use or adapt JASS' publications and activist and training materials?
How do I get a hardcopy of the publications?
Do you work with men and boys?
Is JASS a feminist organization?
How can my organization partner with JASS?
What countries does JASS work in?
Where does JASS get its funding?
I am a student or new to feminism and organizing for social change. Where should I start?
Is JASS a grant-making organization?
JASS does not make grants. JASS raises funds for our movement-building initiatives with many partners and allies. For more information on where you can find resources for women’s rights, click here.
Where is JASS’ head office? What is JASS’ structure?
JASS does not have one head office. JASS’ structure is comprised of three regional operations in Mesoamerica, Southern Africa, and Southeast Asia that are interconnected for learning, communication, and international action by a crossregional operation. Our teams are based in many different home-countries within each region and connect virtually, and are coordinated from offices in 5 different cities worldwide. JASS Southern Africa’s office is in Cape Town, South Africa; JASS Southeast Asia’s offices are in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Jakarta, Indonesia; JASS Mesoamerica’s office is Mexico City; and the Crossregional office in Washington DC, USA.
Is JASS a membership organization? How do I join?
JASS is not a membership organization, but there are many ways to connect with us! Sign up to receive JASS newsletters, and you will be notified of public events, new resources, and relevant news and updates. Get involved by “liking” us on Facebook, following our blog, or making a contribution to support our efforts. We also invite you to explore our website and use our resources (see “Can I use or adapt JASS’ publications and activist and training materials?” below).
Why do you call yourselves JASS?
JASS stands for Just Associates, the name we chose when we started as a “community of practice” that provided fee-for-service strategic advice and advocacy capacity-building to international NGOs which enabled us to cross-subsidize our work with movements, and economic and social justice groups around the world. The founding associates – a mix of scholars, activists and practitioners linked to movements and institutions in 13 different countries – functioned as a learning community, using our resources to convene discussions with others and generate new thinking from practice and produce publications. After our decision to refocus on women’s movement-building in 2006 and our direct involvement in many places with different languages, we chose JASS (pronounced “jazz”), our acronym, because the word is short, easy and recognizable in any language. We take pride in the musical associations with jazz, which has its roots in Africa and African American’s resistance to slavery and oppression in the United States, and represents a fusion of cultures and contributions from around the world, a product of egalitarian creativity, spontaneity and synergy. Read more about JASS’ history.
Can I apply to attend your workshops?
JASS workshops are by invitation only, because they are usually connected to long-term political organizing processes with allies and communities in the regions where we work. Participants are selected with local partners and allies. Occasionally, JASS organizes international courses, such as our collaboration with the Women’s Human Rights Institute at the University of Toronto. Some of these accept applications. The materials from our workshops are available on our web site (see “Can I use or adapt JASS’ publications and activist and training materials?”), and we encourage you to get involved (see “How do I get involved with JASS?”). Read more about what JASS does.
Can I use or adapt JASS’ publications and activist and training materials?
We encourage the use and dissemination of our publications for non-commercial, educational and organizing purposes. Portions may be reproduced with acknowledgement to the authors and JASS. For questions, please contact us.
How do I get a hard copy of the publications?
See our Resources for how or contact us. A New Weave of Power, People and Politics: The Action Guide to Advocacy and Citizen Participation can be ordered through Stylus Publishing (USA) or Practical Action Publishing (UK).
Do you work with men and boys?
JASS’ mission is to build women’s collective power to make a better world for everyone. Though we are confident that gender justice benefits everyone, the complex process of women’s individual and collective empowerment demands women-only spaces so that women can be at ease to share, without shame, their struggles in their intimate, personal and public lives. We believe that women must lead the fight for a more just and equal world (like workers must lead the fight for labor justice), but we have many cherished male allies and supporters, a few male staff and board members, and we work with many mixed organizations and movements. Read more about JASS Theory of Change.
Is JASS a feminist organization?
Yes. Though we are aware that there are many different interpretations of feminism, and that backlash by those opposed to women’s equality has created some myths (like feminists hate men and babies) and negative connotations, we embrace our feminist philosophy and values. We do not require members of our community or our allies to identify or label themselves as “feminists,” just that we share a commitment to eradicating all forms of oppression and believe in the values of solidarity, equality, and justice. Learn more about our feminist approach to movement-building.
Who does JASS work with?
In the regions where JASS works, we partner with local organizations, informal networks, and individual activists that share our commitment to building democratic movements for equality ( based on race, class, gender, ability, nationality, location, or otherwise.) Women activists with whom JASS works are linked to different communities, movements, and organizations in addition to feminist organization, including trade unions; indigenous women; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities; sex workers; sexual and reproductive rights activists; land rights and environmental justice activists; women living with HIV; rural women, and women-headed households.
How can my organization partner with JASS?
Organizational partnerships are formed only after JASS has worked with the organization for at least 2 years on an ongoing basis, and who share our values and commitment to building democratic movements for justice and equality. Most of JASS’ current organizational partnerships have been established through the local and regional connections and affiliations of the JASS women who run or advise our programs. Potential partners in the regions and countries where we are, or working at international level, should visit our web site where you can find a wide range of resources, sign up for e-mail communications, and learn about current activities and projects. If you would like more information or would like to share your resources with us, please send a note to contact us, and we will reply as soon as possible.
What countries does JASS work in?
JASS’ regional and international initiatives are directly supporting allies and partners in Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, the Philippines, Burma , Malaysia, Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala; we also have occasional activities with allies in the USA, the Netherlands, Thailand, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Costa Rica. In addition, we have a stand-alone organizational capacity-building program with feminist and citizen groups in Uganda and Kenya. See where JASS is.
Where is JASS’ located?
JASS’ board of directors, staff, partners, and advisors are based in 22 countries. JASS’ teams operate virtually with offices in Cape Town, Mexico City, Phnom Phen, Jakarta, and Washington, DC. JASS is legally registered in the United States of America as a 501 (c) (3) organization and is classified as a public charity under section 509 (a) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code, and are currently registering in South Africa and in Mexico.
Is JASS an NGO?
Yes, JASS is international NGO, and legally registered as a not-for-profit organization.
Where does JASS get its funding?
JASS relies on the generous support of private foundations, international NGOs, select governments and individuals who share our commitment to building movements to advance women’s rights and address the root causes of inequality and injustice. Almost half of our funding comes from European governments and NGOs, especially from the Netherlands. Read more about JASS’ allies and donors.
I am a student or new to feminism and organizing for social change. Where should I start?
The best place to start is with JASS’ Feminist Movement Builders’ Dictionary and check out our other how-tos, including A New Weave of Power, People and Politics. These are “living” documents that serve as a vehicle for engaging new activists and building our movements through a common language and understanding about women’s equality, injustice and how social change happens.
Can I work for JASS?
Available positions are posted here. JASS has a limited number of internships. If you are interested in applying, please send a message to contact us.
If you have a different question about JASS, please submit them using the form below:
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