NIPSA Global Solidarity Newsletter Conference Special 2017

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Special

Conference 2017 DWF Poster Edition

Promoting Solidarity, Equality and Social Justice

Developing Lives

Thank You for 24 years of Solidarity NIPSA members have donated over £640,000 to projects in the developing world since the union’s Developing World Fund was established in 1993. NIPSA’s Global Solidarity Committee, who manage the NIPSA Developing World Fund, have responsibility for assessing all applications and all grants are given at the discretion of the General Council on the recommendation of the Committee. All recipients must give the Union audited accounts or verification that the funds have been spent as agreed. They must also provide the Union with regular progress reports on the project. Most of the money goes to short and medium term projects with a strong trade union ethos. They aim to educate and organise workers in the developing world, particularly public sector workers. Other projects support human and trade union rights and the development of democratic, independent trade unions. We also support projects which educate and empower marginalised groups in the developing world including women, children, the disabled and AIDS sufferers. This show of solidarity is possible because of the regular contributions we receive from our members on a monthly basis through Give As You Earn (GAYE). To date less than one per cent of members contribute to GAYE which only goes to show how much we could do if more members agreed to contribute to this charitable fund.


A Special Message of Thanks and En

A Lifeline for Ethiopia!

After a further violent change of government in 1991, a pro-Western government emerged that allowed foreign investments and even large foreign land Neil Alldred, holdings, creating many jobs and developing much infrastructure but not really helping ordinary people Disability Aid Abroad to job security in peace and freedom. Currently, alas, When NIPSA’s Global Solidarity Committee agreed there is an extended state of emergency… to fund a project helping trade unions in Ethiopia The Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU) to defend and develop the employment rights of is working hard to deliver decent trade union benefits workers with disabilities, they started something to hundreds of thousands of members in every type with huge repercussions, going right round the of activity but is hampered by a government that world! concentrates on ‘the bigger picture’ of encouraging investments from China Ethiopia is a large country (1.1 million and India and doesn’t really see the kms2 or about 13 times the size of need for workers’ protections. the whole island of Ireland) with a population of about 100 million, In this context, the Belfast-based NGO but its development progress Disability Aid Abroad approached started from a very low base and NIPSA about helping CETU to target is encountering huge difficulties. workers with disabilities. The project As recently as the 1980s, Ethiopia is designed to train trade union was ruled by an Emperor – Haile officers and members in the tried Selassie – who oversaw slavery, and tested Disabilities Champions serfdom, ethnic discrimination model. Last September, very senior and huge exploitation of the poor by a tiny elite decision-makers from across the upper levels of of massively wealthy landowners. A Communist several trade union federations were invited to an revolution in 1984 promised to end that but simply awareness-raising workshop and familiarised with exchanged one set of oppressors for another. the difficulties faced by workers with disabilities and with the results of Disability Champions work in other countries - in African countries such as Uganda and Tanzania, and in Ireland and the UK. This year, a senior figure in the CETU structure – Mr Mesay - is visiting Uganda to see for himself how such work is carried out, in businesses, factories, offices, retail premises, farmland and other workplaces. On his return, he will then conduct training for specific Disability Champions from about a dozen trade unions in Ethiopia. Next year will see further support, including designing and printing materials, legal support, training, network development for already trained Disability Champions, and for developing links to trade unions here in Ireland and the UK.

Our good friend Mr Mesay, Project Coordinator for the Disability Champions work of CETU

Given the low level of awareness of the particular difficulties faced by workers with disabilities in Africa, and the even lower level of support to them to help them address discriminations against such workers, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has become particularly interested in NIPSA’s project in Ethiopia.


ndorsement from our Principal Partners Disability Aid Abroad has been invited – in midMay – to a workshop in Geneva to discuss ways of embedding disability rights more effectively in everyday trade union activities, especially (but not only!) in developing countries. The ILO department organising this Workshop singled out NIPSA’s Ethiopia project as follows: “Before any work can be done meaningfully to help workers with disabilities, the trade union officers themselves have to be made aware of the magnitude of the problem, and to be encouraged to ‘buy into’ the idea, offering continuing support. The Disability Champions model appears to be a unique and very helpful way of developing awareness of, and commitment to, the rights of workers with disabilities. And the pioneering work of NIPSA and Disability Aid Abroad with CETU in Ethiopia appears to offer exciting prospects for the ILO’s work with workers with disabilities in many other countries.” Mr Mesay himself is really keen to develop an area

June 2017

of trade union rights that is clearly ignored and underappreciated in Ethiopia at this time. In a recent e-mail to Disability Aid Abroad, he commented: “So far, we have been keen to ensure that workers who are lucky enough to get jobs manage to stay in them wherever possible, but this new Disability Champions model will help us address even those who are outside formal employment: we will be able to help the poorest of the poor to begin to access employment opportunities and we will eventually help them to develop their capabilities within their workplaces. It is so exciting for us to be able to make a huge difference to ordinary peoples’ lives! Thanks to NIPSA and its Developing World Fund for helping us to really re-shape trade unionism in this neglected part of the world!” Sometimes, even very small contributions can when aggregated with those of others and built up over time – can make a massive difference to those who need it most. This really is solidarity in action!

Stephen Wood, Tools for Solidarity Tools For Solidarity works in some of the poorest countries in the world providing material support and training to working women and men in a variety of trades. Tools for Solidarity received funds through the NIPSA Developing World Fund for 4 years to deliver our programme of support for artisans living in East Africa to help them grow their income generating capacity, improve the quality of their services and to increase employment opportunities. Without the Fund we would not have been able to run our programme and over 1000 artisans, their families and communities would not have benefited from our support. We are indebted to NIPSA not just for the money the Fund provided but for the publicity we received through the Global Solidarity Newsletter – an excellent informative and well produced publication – and for the solidarity and warmth shown by NIPSA members to our organisation. There is very limited avenues for funding for smaller NGOs working in development and the NIPSA Fund is a vital resource for such groups. We hope that the Fund continues its great work.


June 2017

Giving Hope to the Children of Gaza Stephen McCloskey, Director, Centre for Global Education The Centre for Global Education has been in receipt of grants from the NIPSA Developing World Fund since 2012 to provide educational and psychosocial support services to children in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Thousands of children in Gaza have benefited from these programmes which have two main aims. The first is to supplement the education of children in Gaza who attend school for half a day because of a shortage of school buildings. More than 90% of schools in Gaza have to double-shift, meaning that they accommodate two school populations each day. The Centre’s projects enable community centres in Gaza to provide education and structured play activities for children when they are not at school. These activities complement the content of the school curriculum and strengthen children’s knowledge and understanding in key learning areas such as literacy and numeracy. The second main aim of the projects funded by NIPSA is to provide psycho-social support to children scarred by poverty and conflict in Gaza. Since 2011, Gaza has been subjected to three Israeli wars that have killed and maimed thousands of children and left many more traumatised. Following the most Views expressed in this Newsletter are not, unless otherwise stated, the views of NIPSA.

recent war in Gaza in 2014, UNICEF found that more than 370,000 children were in need of psycho-social first aid. UNICEF said at the time “There isn’t a single family in Gaza who hasn’t experienced personally death, injury, the loss of their home, extensive damage, displacement”. The symptoms of trauma include: fear and tension, becoming withdrawn, aggression and violence, bedwetting and difficulty concentrating in school. The Centre’s projects in Gaza provide psycho-social support to children through counselling, workshops and play activities that enable young people to express and discuss their trauma and emotions. 2017 is the tenth anniversary of the imposition of an Israeli siege on Gaza that has impoverished the entire territory and imposed collective punishment on 1.8 million Gazans, most of whom are refugees. NIPSA’s support has helped to improve the lives of children impacted by poverty and conflict. By supporting education and counselling programmes in Gaza, NIPSA members are making a real difference to young people’s lives, strengthening their education and helping them manage the effects of trauma. Above all, NIPSA’s support is an act of solidarity with the people of Gaza at a time when Israel is attempting to ensure their isolation from the world. With this kind of support, the siege of Gaza will be lifted and Palestinians enabled to live their lives free of poverty and conflict.



Developing World Fund How can you help? Sign up to receive regular information

Would you like to sign up to receive regular information about the work of the Global Solidarity Committee and its many campaigns to strengthen justice, peace, equality and freedom throughout the world? If so send your details to Geraldine Alexander at geraldine.alexander@nipsa.org.uk or by post at the address below.

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Donating NIPSA’s Developing World Fund was set up in June 1993 and aims to relieve in any part of the world persons suffering from poverty, sickness or distress, to advance for the public benefit the education of the inhabitants of impoverished countries so that their conditions of life may be improved. Projects supported by the Fund must be sustainable. Details of some of the projects supported by the Fund can be found on the NIPSA website at: www.nipsa.org.uk/globalsolidarity

The Fund is unique because 100% of all money contributed by members goes directly towards the specific self-help projects. No money goes towards administration costs. If you would like more information about the Fund please contact your Branch Secretary or NIPSA Headquarters. We encourage members to donate regularly by either taking out a covenant or authorising a Give-As-YouEarn (GAYE) payroll deduction. If you would like to contribute to NIPSA’s Developing World Fund please complete the form below and forward it to NIPSA Headquarters.

Developing World Fund Payroll Donation Form Developing World Fund

I would like to donate to the NIPSA Developing World Fund, direct from my salary the following amounts per month

£5 £10

cost in take home pay £4 cost in take home pay £8

£15

cost in take home pay £12

£20

cost in take home pay £16 Figures are based on standard tax rates

or alternatively you may indicate your own amount per week

£

per month

Minimum donation £1.30. Cost in take home pay £1.00

You can make a one-off donation to the Fund either by cheque made payable to NIPSA Developing World Fund or by bank transfer to: Account Name: NIPSA Developing World Fund  Account Number: 54000548  Sort Code: 608301 Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms

Name:

(circle as applicable)

Address: Postcode: Staff/Employer No:

Employer:

Work Location:

National Insurance No:

Signature:............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Date:............................ Please tick if you already use GAYE

Return to: Developing World Fund, NIPSA, 54 Wellington Park, Belfast. BT9 6DP


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