Gender Justice
YMCA is a world-wide Christian, ecumenical, voluntary movement for women and men with special emphasis on the genuine involvement of young people. It seeks to share the Christian ideal of building a human community of justice with love, peace and reconciliation for the fullness of life for all creation.
Each member YMCA is therefore called to focus on certain challenges which will be prioritised according to its own contexts- that includes:
• Empowering all, especially young people and women to take increased responsibilities and assume leadership at all levels and working towards an equitable society.
• Advocating for and promoting the rights of women and upholding the rights of children
(Excerpts from Challenge 21)
The APAY adheres to the guiding principle of Challenge 21; hence commitment for the Gender Justice remains an integral part and a mandate in the YMCA, especially in the Asia and Pacific region. APAY initiates the promotion of Gender Equity in all levels with a community-specific approach. It affirms that the quest for the elimination of discrimination of gender-based violence and promotion of an inclusive society requires a collaborative undertaking irrespective of sex and gender. The YMCAs will continue to establish an inclusive environment by creating awareness and policies that promote and reflect gender justice and develop a mechanism that addresses gender issues, including sexual harassment. Through the Gender Justice initiatives, APAY increases dialogue and discussions on various perspectives, including the non-binary perspectives of gender.
Gender Justice is one of the main focus of the Quadrennial Program Plan (QPP) of the APAY with the following objectives:
- To cultivate a culture of gender equity and empowerment of women and girls at all levels through the creation of platforms of learning, reflection and exchanges of experiences
- To ensure the development of leadership skills, organizing and advocacy capacities of YMCA constituencies that promote reforms for equal opportunities for all at all levels
YMCA is a world-wide Christian, ecumenical, voluntary movement for women and men with special emphasis on the genuine involvement of young people. It seeks to share the Christian ideal of building a human community of justice with love, peace and reconciliation for the fullness of life for all creation.
Each member YMCA is therefore called to focus on certain challenges which will be prioritised according to its own contexts- that includes:
• Empowering all, especially young people and women to take increased responsibilities and assume leadership at all levels and working towards an equitable society.
• Advocating for and promoting the rights of women and upholding the rights of children
(Excerpts from Challenge 21)
The APAY adheres to the guiding principle of Challenge 21; hence commitment for the Gender Justice remains an integral part and a mandate in the YMCA, especially in the Asia and Pacific region. APAY initiates the promotion of Gender Equity in all levels with a community-specific approach. It affirms that the quest for the elimination of discrimination of gender-based violence and promotion of an inclusive society requires a collaborative undertaking irrespective of sex and gender. The YMCAs will continue to establish an inclusive environment by creating awareness and policies that promote and reflect gender justice and develop a mechanism that addresses gender issues, including sexual harassment. Through the Gender Justice initiatives, APAY increases dialogue and discussions on various perspectives, including the non-binary perspectives of gender.
Gender Justice is one of the main focus of the Quadrennial Program Plan (QPP) of the APAY with the following objectives:
1 To cultivate a culture of gender equity and empowerment of women and girls at all levels through the creation of platforms of learning, reflection and exchanges of experiences
2 To ensure the development of leadership skills, organizing and advocacy capacities of YMCA constituencies that promote reforms for equal opportunities for all at all levels
APAY invites the members of YMCAs to participate in the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence
Last Updated (Wednesday, 27 January 2021 23:42)
|
|
| December 10 is International Human Rights Day. Cecilia, a member of the gender equity committee of APAY from MACAU YMCA says, “Gender-based violence is one of the most notable human rights violations within all communities and deeply rooted in gender. This will happen to whoever you are, male or female, men or women, boys or girls. People may suffer from physical, sexual, psychological or emotional violence. It’s common in different parts of the World, including in Macau. We raise concerns for our youths to promote gender sensitivity and gender justice in order to move towards a peaceful world”. |
 |
| Ms. Nagako Okado, former chairperson and member of the Gender Equity Committee of the APAY raises concerns for women and girls in Japan during the COVID19 pandemic and talks about safe space during the 16 days of activism against sexual and gender-based violence. |
The Gender Equity Committee (GEC) meeting was held virtually on November 25, at 4 PM HKT, attended by nine members, including the General Secretary of APAY. The meeting was presided by the newly elected chairperson Dr. Meerha Hahn.
It was planned to hold the meeting on the 25th of November to symbolically launch the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, which starts on November 25 and runs until December 10, International Human Rights Day. The meeting started with opening worship based on gender justice on the theme Together We Stand against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. A reflection was shared by the chairperson on the bible text Galatians 3:28.
GEC members discussed the Quadrennial Program Plan (QPP) on gender justice and the proposed programs/ activities to implement under the gender justice programs in 2020-2021. The proposed programs of 2021 are face to face programs, and that might be difficult to implement due to the continuous concerns on COVID19 pandemic. Therefore, the members discussed how to convert the face to face programs to virtual programs/ workshops/webinars? The GEC members will meet again on December 8 to continue to discuss and decide on the virtual programs for 2021.
 |
| ↑ Gender Equity Commttee members during the virtual meeting |
16 Days of Activism Against Gender – Based Violence November 25 – December 10
Last Updated (Thursday, 26 November 2020 11:20)
Read more: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender – Based Violence November 25 – December 10
APAY Gender Equity Committee (GEC) Meeting held via Zoom
Last Updated (Wednesday, 18 November 2020 15:54)
APAY Gender Equity Committee (GEC) Meeting held via Zoom
- Dr. Meerha Hahn elected as Chair –
The GE Committee meeting was held virtually on November 4, at 3 PM HKT. The members, including invitees and APAY staff, attended the meeting.
The main agenda of the meeting was to elect the new Chairperson for the GEC, for the current quadrennium (2020-2023), and discuss the upcoming gender justice programs and activities.
The election of the Chair was postponed due to the COVID19 pandemic and the possibility of a face to face meeting is grim in the present situation, that led us to organize this virtual meeting. We are happy to inform that the members elected Dr Meerha Hahn as the new chairperson of the GEC for the next quadrennium to lead the GEC and advance the work of the gender justice programs in the Asia and Pacific region through the APAY.
The members are thankful to Ms Nagako Okado, the former Chairperson, for her excellent work with passion and commitment towards gender justice for the past four years. The members appreciated Ms Cristina Miranda, who was the staff in charge of the gender justice program for her hard works to implement all the proposed programs and recommendations of the GEC in the Asia and Pacific region.
The members also discussed the immediate upcoming gender justice programs and planned to meet again to develop the gender justice program strategy for the next quadrennium.
Read more: APAY Gender Equity Committee (GEC) Meeting held via Zoom
East Asia Gender Justice and Social Transformation Workshop
Last Updated (Saturday, 08 July 2017 12:56)
The three-day East Asia Gender Justice and Social Transformation Workshop was participated by twelve staff and lay leaders both young and senior members of YMCAs of Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Macau, Taiwan and Australia. The group that met on June 7-11, 2017 at Salisbury YMCA in Hong Kong strongly believes that the YMCAs in the region are not “gender blind.” However, the level of awareness and actions engaged in by the various movements in relation to advancing the rights of women and other sexual minorities need to keep moving forward. Thus, the concluding call for action is to continuously and consciously educate, organize and mobilize local and national movements to work together towards developing communities through their programs in which no one particularly women and other sexual minorities are excluded, marginalized or discriminated against because of their gender.
|
Way Forward Recommendations: • use of gender neutral/sensitiv language • conduct gender sensitivity workshop among staff and lay leader • conduct of cross generation training • accelerate formation and strengthening of gender justice committee on the national level • strengthen networking and partnership • Inclusion of other sexual minorities in programming • Collect data base on Gender-work in the Region • Publication of resource materials on gender justice • Expand advocacy on social media |
Read more: East Asia Gender Justice and Social Transformation Workshop
South Asia Gender Justice and Social Transformation
Last Updated (Thursday, 11 May 2017 12:11)
Gender. Sex. Justice. Transformation. Understanding of these key concepts and doing practical actions to achieve gender justice both on personal and organizational level are highlighted by the 14 staff and lay leader participants from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka as their take away learning from the recently concluded APAY South Asia Gender Justice and Social Transformation Workshop held in New Delhi, India last April 29- May 3, 2017 with the National Council of YMCAs of India as the local host.
The three-day workshop that was inaugurated by APAY President Babu Markus Gomez, APAY Committee on Gender Equity Vice Chairperson Kumari Kuriakisoe, NCY India President Dr. Lebi Philip Mathews, NCY India NGS Ch. R.P. Manikumar, Keynote Speaker Dr. Jyotsna Chatterji along other guests emphasized the importance of working together, as a movement, towards developing communities in which no one particularly women and other sexual minorities are excluded, marginalized or discriminated against because of their gender. As part of a wider social movement working for social transformation, the regional movement has the responsibility to promote the protection of a person’s rights.
The keynote speech of Dr. Jyotsna Chatterji, Founder & Secretary–Joint Women’s Programme and the various workshop sessions and input presentations of other resource persons such as Aanchal Kapur and Anandana Kapur stressed that stereotype identities and roles played by women and men are mere social constructs. And that the gender relations that existed within the families, communities, churches, government, organizations and institutions undeniably perpetuate conformity to the norms imposed by patriarchal system.
Actual experience of women under such circumstances was witnessed by the participants during the exposure visits to the YMCA of New Delhi program on children, girls and women in the slum areas. The program includes day care centers for children whose mothers are working and livelihood trainings for girls and women in communities. With the knowledge and community exposure, the participants were challenged to transform their mindsets, values and practices that internalize the idea that women are inferior to men. More importantly, it was collectively expressed that YMCAs in their context still has a long way to go to achieve gender justice. Thus, the participants proposed the involvement of more men in education and capacity building in order to facilitate organizational and societal transformation.
Read more: South Asia Gender Justice and Social Transformation
Read more...
Page 5 of 8