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The “Information Center of the Independent Women’s
Forum” (ICIWF) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation registered
in 1994. In the beginning, the goals of the organisation were: support
of regional women’s initiatives; development of educational programs for
women; development of the information exchange between women’s organisations
and the institutionalization of the women’s movement. However, during the
last few years new aims were added, such as the inclusion of women in the
development of local self-governance; development of local communities,
partnership on the territories and engendering municipal and local policies.
Today, one of the main aims of the ICIWF is organising its activities
as a new social institution for empowering women and developing the women’s
movement.
One of the strategic directions of the ICIWF's activities for the last
few years has been the development of partnership between social activists
from different social movements in order to strengthen their understanding
of the fact that reaching gender equality is one of the most important
aims in forming the Russia’s civil society.
In order to reach these aims the ICIWF has developed four interrelated
programs:
- innovative approaches to empowering women in frame of feminist practice
- women’s participation in urban and local policies
- informational and publishing activities
- international activity
Innovative approaches to empowering women
Within that program we are developing new and deepening existing innovative
practices in the field of women’s education promoting women’s personal
and social empowerment.
One of the tasks of the program is to prove, test and use effective
practices of women's empowerment existing in Russia and abroad and develop
methods for transferring them to other social movements and groups.
Another task is to help women’s groups realize the necessity of changing
the educational principle itself by moving the emphasis from an abstract-intellectual
approach to a socially- oriented activity .
In more details about some aspects of educational activity of ICIWF it is possible to read in the Journal "Vestnik" #23 (in russian), as well as ICIWF Leaflet "Information and publishing activity"".
Women’s participation in urban and local policies
Today, the ICIWF pays special attention to women working in local bodies,
neighbours’ groups, communities of dwelling owners or at the newly created
local managerial level, which is being developed as a result of forming
new relationships between citizens and municipal self-governance bodies
in the course of conducting the housing and public service reform and the
formation of local self-governance.
Today, women who actively take part in the reforms already have new
opportunities to influence the character of the power itself and to develop
a dialogue at the local organisations’ level – a dialogue between different
bodies of local politics (communities of dwelling owners, local self-government
council, neighbour groups, police, educational institutions, social centers,
hospitals, social organisations etc.).
It is necessary that social organisations, including women’s organisations
that have already acquired practical experience, also take active part
in forming local communities and improving living conditions. In order
to reach that, the conditions for improving the economics, administrative
and juridical knowledge have to be created as well as conditions for an
effective working partnership with municipal structures and city dwellers.
During the last seven years the activities of the ICIWF was associated
with the city policy. Within that period of time the Center realised some
projects resulting in the publication of four special editions of the newsletter
“Vestnik” ¹ 18, 20, 21, 22. "Vestnik" No.18 "City Policy
and the Status of Women” told about the experience of Veliki Novgorod-city
gained during conducting the housing and public service reform and the
women participation in that process (the project had the same title). Newsletter
“City Policy and the Status of Women” (“Vestnik" No. 20) was about
the experience of Saratov city gained while organising councils of local
self-governance, were financed from the municipal budget. The role of women
in that process was described (the project was named “Women in Urban Governance”.
Newsletter “Engendering city and local self-governance policy” (“Vestnik"
No. 21) was about the working ICIWF experience gained in four cities: Cheljabinsk,
Snezhinsk, Dubna and Tarussa. There was the attempt to comprehend the methods
and mechanisms of introducing a gender-based approach into city policy
(the project had the same title). There is not only the unique experience
in creating neighbour groups during the competition for getting the municipal
money for repairing and keeping in good condition common space, the entrances
of buildings in the Petrozavodsk city in “Vestnik ICIWF” No. 22 “Development
of Sustainable Local Communities”. The women role in that process was described
also.
The main goal of the program “City Policy” - the participation of women
and women’s groups in forming the policy at a local level needs special
educational programs. The program is aimed at transforming the social initiatives
of women into political ones providing the formation of the policy "from
down below".
Since the problem of gender equality can only be solved with using an
integrated approach, the city policy should be aimed at avoiding the administrative
approach in solving problems at the urban level (including the problem
of the “status of women”), as well as at forming relations in the fields
of health care, education and social sphere. Unfortunately, in the 3-rd
sector of economics there is no understanding of the importance of the
integrated approach to solving these problems. The result is that social
organizations with different objectives do not develop complementary relations.
One of the aims of the ICIWF in realising the program “City Policy”
is to inform social organisations that it is important for them to develop
relationships between each other. This is the reason why representatives
from all cities of the developing network (Petrozavodsk, Saint Petersburg,
Velikiy Novgorod, Voronezh, Saratov, Tarus [Kaluzh region], Cheljabinsk,
Snezhinsk [Cheljabinsk region], cities of the Moscow region) also take
part in the events of a partner region.
Information and publishing activities
One of the long-term kinds of the communicative and information activities
of the ICIWF publishing
the information bulletin “Vestnichka of ICIWF”. Today, it is the only edition
in Russia and the CIS having an electronic (send to a minimum of 179 addresses)
as well as a printed (send to 170 addresses in the Russian regions) versions.
The problems of women, women’s organisations, the development of partnership
and cooperation as well as the cultivation of dialogue with representatives
of different parts of the local and regional officials were reflected in
this bulletin.
The information about events in the women’s movement, social-political
life in Russia and the CIS-states, international and regional activities,
new publications, documents on women’s rights were published in “Vestnichka
of ICIWF”. Results of gender studies, statistic data, advertisements as
well as announcements for donation competitions are published regularly.
Furthermore, the information not directly connected with the activity of
women’s organisations, but arousing interest for subscribers (social, ecological
information, information about the activity of other civil rights groups
[local self-governance, community service as alternative to military service
etc.]) is published.
The internet version of the “Vestnichka”, which is plased on the portal
“Women and Society” (Regional organisation
“East-West”), has been an archive of the activities of women’s organisations
of the Russia and the CIS for more than ten years. This archive is a unique
information resource within the CIS. A reference to “Vestnichka” is found
on the main page of the portal. The site “Women and Society” is one of
the most popular Russian-language resources for women in the internet.
That is why the internet-version of “Vestnichka” is getting more and more
emphasis in disseminating information about the women’s movement within
the internet community.
The ICIWF has been publishing the Journal “Vestnik” (registered in the
State Committee for Publishing Affairs, TV-radio broadcasting, and mass
communications) since 1995. Within that period of time 22 numbers have
been published, among them reviews about the women’s movement, reports
devoted to current problems, such as domestic violence, woman and culture,
participation of women in city policy etc. The four last editions were
about women and city policy.
Activities of the ICIWF at the regional and international levels
The ICIWF is a resource, documentation and consultation center for women’s
NGOs, female researchers, teachers, post-graduates and students from the
Russia and the CIS studying gender equality and human rights. “Vestnichka”
creates common informational space for communication between women’s organisations
of Russia and the CIS-countries. It assists in cooperation, and sharing
of experience among them.
The ICIWF is member of the following international organisations:
- KARAT Coalition (union of women’s
organisations from the Central and Eastern European Countries)
- Huairou Commission (the network of women's organizations from USA,
Canada, India, Costa-Rica, and others) – the strategic partner of UN Program
for Human Rights Settlement (Habitat)
- Partnership network “Stockholm Partnership for Sustainable Cities”
The ICIWF is included into the reference book of women’s information
agencies and networks “Women’s Information Services and Networks” (1999).
The activity of the ICIWF as an independent women’s information agency
got the title of “good practice” in the international competition in Dubai
in 2000 and was included into the list of 472" Good and Best Practices"
(The list of 472 Good and Best Practices to be included in the Best Practices
Database, 2000.
In 2002 the ICIWF project “Information Centers as New Social Institutes
for the Empowerment of Women and Habitat Agenda Promotion” was qualified
as “best practice.”
For the successful realization of the project “Engendering local and
city policies” the ICIWF was included into the list of “Stockholm Partnerships
for Sustainable Cities”.
In 2004 the ICIWF project “Building a Safer City Together” has been
selected as a good international project for the Women's Safety Awards
2004. International winners were honoured during the II International Seminar
on Safer Cities for Women and Girls held in Bogota, Columbia from November
22-25. You can find results here: http://www.owl.ru/win/women/org001/International
Winners of the Women's Safety Awards 2004.htm
In 2010 ICIWF activity on the initiative "Building Safe Cities and Decreasing Violence against Women Requires Women's Participation and Cooperation" was selected as a Good Practice in the international competition UN Habitat among 198 "Good Practices".
You can find the certification here: http://www.owl.ru/win/women/org001/rus309_10.pdf
PROJECT'S ACTIVITY
since 1994 to 2011
- "Support of the Institutional Women's Movement in Russia"
(01.09.94 - 01.09.96).
The number of partner organizations - 3 (St. Petersburg, Moscow). Geography
- Russia.
- The number of educational seminars and contests for the NGOs to
get small grants "Defense of Civil rights of Women. Social Lobbing"
(01.09.95 - 31.08.96).
The number of partner organizations - 2 (Irkutsk, Moscow).
Geography - Tomsk, Irkutsk.
- Interregional seminar holding "Advocacy of Women" (01.03.96
- 31.05.96).
Geography - 33 organizations from 21 regions (Association of the Independent
Women's Organizations).
- "Support of the Institutionalization of the Women's Movement
in Russia. New Possibilities for Women" (01.11.96 - 01.11.97).
Continuation of the activity, connected with the creation the network of
the information and education centers for women in Russia.
The number of organizations-subgrantees - 5 (Karelian Center for Gender
Studies, Petrozavodsk; Independent Women's Social Center of the Pskov oblast,
Pskov; Independent Women's democratic Initiative NeZhDI, Voronezh; "Women
from ZATO", Snezhinsk); Association of Humanitarian Initiatives, Mirnyi).
Geography - Republic Karelia, Pskov, Pskov oblast, Central and Tsentralno-Chernozemny
region, Snezhink and Chelyabinsk, Mirnyi (Sakha-Yakutia).
- Holding a conference of the Association of the Independent Women's
Organizations (AIWO) and publishing the booklet "About Ourselves"
(01.07.97 - 31.02.98).
Geography - 33 organizations from 21 regions (Association of the Independent
Women's Organizations).
- "Interregional Network of information and education centers
for women. School of Leadership and Development for Women" (01.01.98
- 31.05.2000).
The number of organizations-subgrantees - 9 (Karelian Center for Gender
Studies, Independent Women's Social Center of the Pskov oblast, Independent
Women's democratic Initiative NeZhDI, "Women from ZATO", "Angara",
"Sodeystvie", Business Lady Club, "Townswoman and House",
"Stimula").
Geography - Karelia Republic, Pskov, Pskov oblast, Central and Tsentralno-Chernozemny
region, Chelyabinsk, Chelyabinskaya oblast, Moscow Region, Irkutsk.
- Preparing and publication the booklet of Beijing Platform for Action
(resume). as a part of post Beijing activity of the Network of organizations
of Russia and Eastern Europe (28.02.98 - 15.07.98).
Geography - post socialistic countries of Eastern Europe.
- Holding round tables, radio broadcasts, articles publications in
mass media on the topic "Reproductive Women's Rights" (26.10.98
- 31.07.99).
Geography - Moscow.
- Preparing the National report on Institutional Mechanism for the
Advancement of Women (at national level), as a part of post-Beijing activity
of organizations of Russia and Eastern Europe (23.11.98 - 23.12.98).
Geography - post socialistic countries of Eastern Europe.
- "Women's Movement in the Context of Russian History".
Support of regional leaders of women's NGOs participation" (25.11.98
- 10.02.99).
Geography - Russia.
- Participation of a representative of ICIWF in 43rd session of UN
Commission on the Status of Women (28.02.99 - 10.03.99).
- Holding an international educational seminar "Gender Mainstreaming"
for federal and regional authority bodies, supported of the Department
for Equal Rights for Women and Men of the Council of Europe.
Geography - Russia.
- Holding a conference of the Association of the Independent Women's
Organizations (AIWO) "The Role of Women's NGO's in Up-to-date Russian
Society Formation", commemorated to the 5th anniversary of ICIWF (01.01.00
- 01.07.00).
Geography - Russia, CIS.
- "Local Policy and the Status of Women" (01.09.99 - 30.06.00).
Geography Voronezh, Snezhinsk, Chelyabinsk, Petrozavodsk, Saratov,V. Novgorod.
- Travel grants for UN Regional PrepCom for Economic Commission for
Europe (ECE), Geneva, January 17-21, 2000.
Special Session of the UN General Assembly for Beijing Plus Five. Women
2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the 21st Century. New
York, June 5 - 9, 2000.
- Holding an International conference in the framework of Beijing
Plus Five Process (20.03.00 - 20.06.00).
Geography - Russia.
- Holding a conference of the Association of the Independent Women's
Organizations (AIWO) for women from Closed Administrational and Territorial
District (ZATO) (01.02.00 - 31.07.00).
Geography - towns of Closed Administrational and Territorial District (Snezhinsk,
Ozersk, Zheleznogorsk, Sarov).
- The project "Women in Urban Governance"
Granted by the Women's Network Program, Open Society Institute-Russia
(Soros Foundation), 01.12.00 - 30.04.01).
The goal of the project: increase of the status of women and the women
organizations. Cities-partners: Voronezh, Snezhinsk, Chelyabinsk, Petrozavodsk,
V.Novgorod, Saratov.
The project is directed on achievement of gender equality in management
of cities, increase of the status of women, the women organizations and
especially women-leaders of territorial public self-management. Its realization
promoted development of gender formation of representatives of institutions
of local government, women-leaders of territorial public self-management
and inhabitants of self-coping territories. The project passed in the form
of School of an exchange of experience of activity that will develop and
strengthen
- The project "Development of women's network social mass-media
"
Granted by the Women's Network Program, Open Society Institute-Russia
(Soros Foundation), (01.10.00 - 30.09.01).
The goal of the project: development of a supply with information of the
women organizations
Geography of the project: Russia, the CIS.
The goal of the project: the further development of a supply with information
of a women's movement, expansion of access of the remote regions to the
social and gender information, formation of requirement for this information,
development of communications between the women organizations through an
information exchange.
- The project " Application of the gender approach in the city
policy "
Granted by the Canadian Gender Fund for Women (28.06.01 - 28.06.02)
Geography of the project: Moscow, Chelyabinsk, Snezhinsk, Tarusa, Dubna.
The goals of the project:
- Spread of knowledge about the rights of women;
- Expansion of access of the remote regions to the social and gender
information, formation of need for this information, development of communications
between the women's organizations through an information exchange;
- Creation of conditions for realization of a principle of the equal
rights and equal opportunities for women and men in various areas of ability
to live;
- Overcoming of barriers in a way of achievement of equality between
men and women;
- Development of interaction of the women nongovernment organizations
with the state structures, universities, research establishments in promotion
of gender equality;
- Increase of the women status through new approaches at formation
of city policy;
- creation of conditions for development of local mechanisms of improvement
of position of women and creation of mechanisms of transfer of successful
local experience in other regions.
- The project " Development of dialogue among local communities
".
Project of ICIWF " Development of dialogue among local communities
" in the framework of the project " From local to local, from
local to global " at financial support of the Program of United Nations
HABITAT is directed to the international coalition of women organizations
GROOTS on training of the organization of dialogue in local territories.
It is carried out in five countries: Russia, Czechia, Germany, Uganda,
Argentina.
The goal of the project - expansion of opportunities of influence of
local women's initiatives on management of territories; the organization
of dialogues between various subjects of city policy, as constant process
and as tool of the decision of local questions.
The basic goal of the project in Russia was creation in local territories
(in particular, in STOS - subjects of territorial public self-management
of Saratov citiy ) favorable conditions for the decision of local problems
by means of meaningful dialogue between subjects of local policy and the
responsible attitude to the decisions.
- The project " Information center as new social institute of
support of women"
Granted by the Women's Network Program, Open Society Institute-Russia
(Soros Foundation), (01.06.02 - 31.05.03).
The goal of the project was the further development of a supply with
information of a women's movement, expansion of access of the remote regions
to the social and gender information, formation of need for this information,
development of communications between the women organizations through an
information exchange, and also creation of a positive image of women and
women's activity, development of not state socially directed women mass
media.
- The project "Information center as new social institute of
support of women"
Granted by the G.Bielle Foundation, (01.07.02 - 31.12.05; 01.01.06
- 31.12.06)
The basic goal of the given project - support and development of complex
activity of Information Center of an Independent Women Forum (ICIWF) and
its becoming as new social institute for women's support and development
of a women's movement.
One of strategic directions of ICIWF activity per 2002-2003 - an establishment
of partner attitudes between social activists from various social movements
(ecological, human rights, trade-union, etc.) for formation at them understanding,
that gender equality is the major component of construction of a civil
society in Russia.
One of complexities of this work is that idea of gender equality, problems
of discrimination on the basis of gender and age till now not only are
not in sphere of attention of the majority of the Russian public organizations,
but also are regarded as little significant in comparison with "universal".
For today only among the women's organizations work on overcoming discrimination
on the basis of gender and age is conducted.
At the same time, not all the women organizations understand deep interrelation
of a problem " positions of women " with other social problems,
and work basically in strategy of protection of the rights of women, not
leaving on a level of comprehension of roots of discrimination and violence
which cannot be eradicated only by methods of the right. Therefore activity
of ICIWF in the framework of the given project puts before itself two interconnected
goals:
- Strengthening of women and the women organizations (i.e. the decision
of internal problems of a women's movement);
- Formation of steady partner attitudes with other public organizations
and movements. For achievement of objects in view activity will be carried
out under three interconnected programs: innovative approaches to strengthening
women; the city policy; information-publishing activity.
- The project "Development of Local to Local Dialogue. The second
round". Granted by CORD-AID (1.11.2004 – 31,10.2005)
Project of ICIWF " Development of Local to Local Dialogue. The second
round " in the framework of the global project " From local to
local, from local to global " of international coalition of women's
organizations Huarou Commission at intermediary GROOTS at financial support
of Dutch fund CORD-AID is directed on continuation of the work begun in
the first round, training of the organization of dialogue in local territories.
The given part of the global project is carried out in three countries:
Russia, Czechia, Kenya
The goal of the project - expansion of opportunities of influence of local
women initiatives on management of territories; the organization of dialogues
between various subjects of city policy, as constant process and as tool
of the decision of local questions.
The basic goal of the project in Russia - creation in local territories
(this time in subjects of territorial public self-management in the cities
of Petrozavodsk and Putchino, the Moscow area) favorable conditions for
the decision of local problems by means of meaningful dialogue between
subjects of local policy and the responsible attitude to the decisions
- Project "Complex Social Help to Women and Children from Boarding
Schools"
May 2006 – March 2007
Project is financed by Moscow Government and realized with the Center of
the psychological help "Art and health".
The goal of a project: carrying out complex social and psychological help
in boarding schools including special help to women-teachers and children,
educators and administration of Special boarding school N 105 VIII type
UVAO of Moscow and foster children in primary education.
This project is developing collaboration between the municipal boarding
schools and public organizations.
- Project "Weaving the information Society: a Gender and Multicultural
Perspective”
August 2006 – March 2007
Project is financed by MAMA CASH Fund, this support is a grant for participation
in International Know How Conference "Weaving the information Society:
a Gender and Multicultural Perspective" (21-26 August 2006), Mexico
and creation of web-site about Conference in Russian and English.
The goal of a project: is to advance gender justice, and respect for every
nation’s cultural diversity within the information society, and promote
access to information and communication as a fundamental women’s and human
right.
- Project "Collaboration"
January 2006 – April 2009.
The goal of the project:
The main goals of the project "Collaboration" devoted to partnership between
ICIWF, H.Boelle Foundation and others nongovernmental organizations, are
strengthening of the structures of civil society in Russia, assistance
of integration Russia in Europe and international cultural and political
space, support and development of activity ICIWF as social institute for
supporting of women and development of women’s movement.
We are planning in this project: to expand the boards of our partnership;
to develop the previous and to create new contacts between women’s organizations
and grassroots women initiatives, city Administrations, youth organizations,
social initiatives, academics, police, doctors, entrepreneurs, human rights
organizations and others; to organize interregional exchange of experience;
to expand the net of interregional collaboration between female teachers
and girls students by engaging in participants from new regions; to enlarge
a participation of inhabitants in the decision making process on local
problems.
- Project "Project "Gender Inclusive Cities: Increasing women's safety by identifying and disseminating effective and promising approaches that promote women's equal access to public spaces"
January 2009 – December 2011.
The project is funded by the United Nations Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence against women.
The project is being carried out in four cities around the world - International Centre and Network for Information on Crime (Dar es Salaam in Tanzania), Jagori (Delhi in India), Red Mujer y Habitat de America Latina (Rosario in Argentina), and Information Centre of the Independent Women’s Forum (Moscow, Petrozavodsk in Russia) – to understand the factors that cause and lead to exclusion in order to address them.
The project is administered by: Women in Cities International (Canada)
We are sincerely thankful to all who contribued greatly to
realization of our ideas:
- Heinrich Buelle Foundation
- Ford Foundation;
- Save the Children;
- Embassy of Great Britain;
- InterAction;
- CHANGE;
- AWID;
- Counsil of Europe;
- Women's Network Programme-Russia (Soros Foundation);
- Eurasia Foundation;
- Cedpa;
- IREX.
- Mama Cach;
- Moscow Government
 Address:
p/b 230, 119019 MoscowTel./fax:
(095)366-92-74
E-mail: iciwf@okb-telecom.net
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