HOW WE TRAINFOR
SOCIALCHANGE
Global Platform El Salvador E-mail: sebastian.chatham@training4change.org Web: www.globalplatforms.org/es/el-salvador
Fol l ow u s www.facebook.com/PlataformaGlobalES S ubscrib e to o ur C hannel
www.youtube.com/plataformaglobal
!
INDEX
GLOBAL PLATFORM EL SALVADOR. WHO WE ARE.
Pg. 3-4
SOME ACHIEVEMENTS. OUR CAMPAIGNS.
Pg. 5-13
FOLLOWING UP. ACTIVISTA EL SALVADOR.
Pg. 14
WHO WE ARE GLOBAL PLATFORMS We ar e gl obal t r ai ni ng h u bs f or e mpow e r men t and act i vi sm
WHERE ARE WE
3
WHO WE ARE
2011-14
Gl obal Pl at f or m El Sal vador has 5 ye ar s of expe r i e nce i n bu i l di n g capaci t i e s f or act i vi sm, vol u n t ee r i n g an d e mpow e rme n t. In these years we have worked with different organizations and institutions that send young volunteers and staff members to participate in the different trainings we offer. We have been able to understand, reflect and elaborate alternatives the regional situation of youth worries and After five years of foundation Golbal Platform El Salvador has recieved participants from Denmark, The United States, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Chile. The Global Platform in Central American context Even if the majority of the population in Central American countries is young people, very often the spaces to participate in decision making processes are very limited, rare and yet adult centred. This is one of the principal challenges we face and that is why we are interested in delivering concrete tools and skills to empower youth. Activista El Salvador Network is perhpaps one of the most concrete achivements in this sense since the main part of its members have participated in our trainings and forming processes.
4
SOME ACHIEVEMENTS 2011-14 NETWORKING
Linking and networking We have been able to set alliances and develop projects in conjuction with national and regional institutions and newtorks of organizations that work specific issues related to the protection of environment and Central American countries integration. Campaigns, workshops, forums, meetings and other activities are organized and implemented together while we promote as much as possible the participation of the beneficiaries of our programs.
5
SOME ACHIEVEMENTS 2011
CAMPAIGNING
NI UNA MINA MÁS
NOT ONE MORE MINE THE CASE The Cyanide-leach mining process proposed by North American mining companies in El Salvador uses exorbitant amounts of the already extremely scarce water and also leave behind only 2% of their profits in tax. Due to general non favorable public opinion about the mining industry in 2009, the Salvadorean government decided to halt all mining projects which triggered two millionaire lawsuitts to be followed in a tribunal part of the World Bank. THE RESULTS A campaign strategy was developed to get more young people involved and bring the struggle into the capital in other areas were the consquences of the mining have not been felt directly. Inicial mobilization efforts included visits to several local communities, workshops with youth leaders, high school and community organizers. A weekly radio was hosted and other tactics as media activity, guerrilla style public, participations
RESULTS At the yearly Ecolocigal March - with more than 7 thousand participants- the campaign completely stoled the limelight by handing out hundreds of green signs with the campaign slogan. Participants were subsequently invited to give a presentation inside the parliament for the Environmental Comitee that are looking into the mining legislation. and The National Committee Against Metallic Mining coined inmediately the catchprhase of the campaign using it for radiospots, stickers, posters and banners. Some of these organizations have afterwards contacted the Global Platform to seek advice on the development of campaign strategies.
6
Â
Â
SOME ACHIEVEMENTS2011 TRAINING & CAMPAIGNING
STOP CERRO BLANCO THE CASE 15 Kms. into Guatemala from the Salvadorean border the Canadian Mining Company Goldcorp constructs a gold mine inside a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve This mine -Cerro Blanco- will be using about 6 tons of cyanide per day, and is located right next to the main sources of sources of the Lempa River from which 3 million salvadoreans get their water .
STOP CERRO BLANCO
THE CAMPAIGN After visiting the mine and the nearby communities participants launched their campaign. The event matched with a shift in the Guatemalan Government so some activities aimed consequently the Embassy of Guatemala in El Salvador. Murals, ecological bike rides and workshops all over the country also took place during the campaign.
RESULTS The campaign launch at the Guatemalan embassy was covered by five national tv-stations, and was broadcasted live on three radio stations. Afterwards participants were invited to the most popular tv program on youth culture. The National Coalition Against Metallic Mining directly adopted the slogans of the campaign. Afterwards many of the young people and organizations participatin in the workshops have continued to engage in activities to stop the mine. The campaign contribute to convert the Cerro Blanco issue in a public problem not only among organizations but also journalists. 7
SOME ACHIEVEMENTS 2012 TRAINING & CAMPAIGNING
ETIQUETA LO TRANSGÉNICO
LABEL THE GMO THE CASE It is estimated that up to 75% of products sold in the Central American supermarkets contains Genetically Modified Organisms. El Salvador has a Consumer Rights Law stating that any product containing GMO should have a clear label on the package. But so far the law has been completely ignored and no product has ben labeled. THE CAMPAIGN Inspired by Batman and other famous vigilante superheroes the participants thought that it's time for an informed and brave citizenry to rise to the challenge against GMO. Dressed in yellow masks and mantles with te campaign logo on the back, they took the issue to the point of consumption and performed several Flashmobs inside Central Americas biggest mall as Wallmart and other supermarkets. During the campaign they also did theatrical pop-up happenings at different public scenarios.
RESULTS Through viral videos of the campaign events on youtube and Facebook the campaign quickly gathered a solid following, and the participants were featured in an extensive 8mm interview on national live TV in full campaign costume. Other participants were interviewed for TV channels in the US and Venezuela. And Finally they were granted an official meeting with the highest authority regarding consumer rights and sparked nation wide recognition among environmental organizations for their creative campaign approach-completely new in a Salvadorean context. 8
SOME ACHIEVEMENTS 2012 TRAINING & CAMPAIGNING
NO MÁS REPRESAS EN EL SALVADOR
NO MORE DAMS THE CASE The proposed Dam El Cimarron (The Runaway) has been underway for 15 years, but has recently been brought back on the table redesigned and with a new name. If it is carried through it will mean flooding several farming villages and the displacement of hundreds of families fromsome of the most fertile land in the country.
RESULTS
THE CAMPAIGN The participants lived for three days in the small village to know the reality of the people living in the area were de dam is. With the inputs they designed a campaign strategy that took participants to the high level official ceremonies where they could rise awareness about the issue. The campaign also included public demonstrations
The final event got massive coverage (TV, radio and newspapers)- even the police officers that arrived to help redirect the traffic asked for stickers. After two hours the ministry invited us inside. Two Global Change participants and two representatives from the affected communities then had a meeting with the Viceminister of Environment who did acknowledge that they had not included the communities in the decision making process and agreed to pay a visit to Llano de la Virgen to explain the position of the ministry and answer any questions. The 17th of November 2012 the viceminister pay her very first visit to the villages that will disappear if the project is not cancelled. 9
SOME ACHIEVEMENTS2013 TRAINING & CAMPAIGNING
TODOS SOMOS AGUA
WE ARE ALL WATER THE CASE El Salvador is facing one of the worst water scarcity scenarios in the whole world. While in Belize, a neihgbor country, there is about 75, 000 liters of water person/year in El Salvador there is only 1,600 liters per person a year. 97% of El Salvador’s water is contaminated while mining projects, hydric dams and an uncontrolled urban growth continue to threaten the current feeble envionmental conditions. THE CAMPAIGN After visiting local communities which water is threatened by several mining projects, the participants activated a campaign oriented to have a Water Law aproved that could also preventprivatization of institutions that administrates this vital liquid. The campaign includeded massive demonstraions, workshops and other public events for rise awareness of the importance of recognizing water as a human right. Several flashmobs were designed and implemented
to spread the campaign message throught flyers, banners and press comuniqués that also aimed media and online platforms of many youth and environmentalist organizations in El Salvador and regionally.
RESULTS The campaign was succesfully adopted and later on continued by organizations as OXFAM and the National Forum for Water in El Salvador. Different events were broadcasted live in national and international media. The participants also delivered a letter to the Environmental Comission of the Salvadorean Congress where they also requested the protection by law of some territories that could be severely affected by a water crisis. 10
SOME ACHIEVEMENTS2013 TRAINING & TRAINING & CAMPAIGNING
CAMPAIGNING
AQUÍ NO HAY BRUTAS
HERE ARE NO BIMBOS THE CASE El Salvador has one of the highest rates of violence violence against women in the world. Several national and international regulations tend to reduce agressions and discrimination against women but sexual harrassement and the commonlyaccepted use of sexist language highlighs the needed to visibilize and rise awareness about the diferent types of violence that women suffer on behalf of institutions and media. Local radio program called “The Bimbo” is a very popular one hour show in El Salvador, also because the content and language used has been left in the spotlight by different feminist organizations. THE CAMPAIGN Conducted by Salvador Alias (La Cholly), the program presents a comical version of a woman called “The Bimbo”. The campaign was oriented to use social media as a motor for rising awareness about the content of the. Graphic design, video making and networking were the principal tools implemented together with public action in flashmobs, artistic festivals and demonstrations. The message thrown to the public was “Program The Dum of La Cholly disrespects my rights. Don’t call me dum” and was shared principally to having young people of urban áreas and universities using the hashtag #AquiNoHayBrutas.
RESULTS The campaing completely highlighted the tendency of Media in El Salvador to use discriminatory language against women. The participants achieved to interact with the host of the targeted program who stated in public that the campaign was relevant. Eventually the program was taken out of the air. Feminists organizations as CEMUJER showed a strong online support to the campaign that also rereceived media coverage on from online newspapers and national radio. Afther the course Activista El Salvador has incorporated strongly social media as a tool for mobilization, international solidarity and public education. 11
SOME ACHIEVEMENTS 2014 TRAINING & CAMPAIGNING
HEY, CON TU RESPETO NO HAY ACOSO
HEY, WITH RESPECT THERE’S NO SEXUAL HARRASSMENT THE CASE Street sexual harrasment is one of the most important issues that salvadorean women identify as violence. Official studies show that 9 of each 10 women suffer harrassment in work, but also in public spaces and at home. Different studies have shown that psychological and emotional violence are also a common factor among cases these cases. Even if ther are laws that recognize sexual harrassement and any gender discrimination practice as crime, El Salvador has one of the hightest rates of agressions and violence against women. A shift in sexual rolles and a new understanding of masculinity is urgent. THE CAMPAIGN After meetting different feminist organizations in the Departments of San Vicente and Usulután, the participants proposed a Campaign to promote a new social understanding of respect that could help to reduce sexual harrassement. The campaign included several workshops in local schools of Suchitoto, visits to forums and public events related to gender issues, flashmobs, artistic festivals and public happenings for selling in a symbolic way Respect in public buses, radio production and social media networking.
RESULTS
Through this campaign it was possible to coordinate efforts with salvadorean feminist organizations among which there are some that have more than 20 years of existence. It was also possible to arrange an important commitment with the Municipality of Suchitoto which is the highest local authority. This agreement setled that the participants would develop a Methologic Proposal for workshops about masculinity and gender equity that should be delivered in schools and institutions. Also the participants should develop a draft that would be used to state a municipal by-law related to reduce sexual harrassment against women. At the end of the campaign, the team has received the proposal to broaden the reach of the workshops on 9 schools more. The team has also received an invitation on behalf of one of the most succesfull programs of the Ministry of Culture to install a stand for a few weeks in different national museums. 13
ACTIVISTA EL SALVADOR TRAINING & CAMPAIGNING
STATUS Activista El Salvador is part of a worldwide network of activism and youth organization, with values of solidarity, commitment, companionship, support global initiatives. The principal aim is to influence decisions implemented by the State through public policies and legislation using creative activism, campaigning, public action in flashmobs and demonstrations etc. Recently Activista El Salvador has been recognized by other colectives with the the “Black Sheep” award, as a symbol of the identity that comes along with the different initiatives here the organization is involved.
FOLLOW UP Activista El Salvador is working on 2 axis or areas: Land grabbing and social exclusion, supporting other political initiatives related to human rights violations in the past during the Civil War principally. Activista is currently in a process of legalization and reengineering to better develop as an organization. Meanwhile there are also importa nt efforts to broaden rela tions and the reach of projects that we are developing with institutions regional as the Integration System of Central America (SICA).
14
www.globalplatforms.org/es/el-salvador
15
2a Avenida Norte. # 39. Barrio El Calvario. Suchitoto, Cuscatlán. El Salvador. En la América Central. Tel: (503) 2340-6301