1st Gender Equity Forum of the 21st General Assembly of APAY

Last Updated (Friday, 02 June 2023 17:24)

1st Gender Equity Forum of the 21st General Assembly of APAY
September 13-15, 2023
YWCA International Guest House, Chennai, India 

Theme: “Journeying Together as a Resilient Community: Transforming Lives through Vision 2030.”

Concept Note

Introduction

The APAY adheres to the guiding principle of Challenge 21; hence the commitment to Gender Justice remains an integral part and a mandate of the YMCA, especially in the Asia and Pacific region. APAY intends to promote Gender Equity at all levels with a community-specific approach. It affirms the YMCA Values Statement on Inclusion that “diversity and inclusion are core to the YMCA movement. Therefore – the YMCA movement is open and inclusive of all people regardless of their ability, age, culture, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic background. Hence, to realize an inclusive YMCA and society requires a collaborative undertaking to translate the motto of the YMCA “That They All May Be One.”

Gender Justice objectives in the Quadrennial Program Plan (QPP) of the APAY

1 To cultivate a culture of gender equity and empowerment of women and girls at all levels by creating platforms of learning, reflection, and exchange 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. 

The APAY Gender Equity Committee, through the Gender Justice Programs, continues its efforts to achieve the objectives and to translate the vision into reality. The members are committed to establishing an inclusive environment through education, creating awareness, and policies that promote and reflect gender justice in work, dialogue, and discussions, including the non-binary views of gender identity and sexuality. 

1st Gender Equity Forum (GEF)

In the previous General Assemblies of APAY, there were workshops organised on gender justice as one of the thematic workshops. But this is the 1st time the Gender Equity Forum (GEF) will be a parallel event with the youth assembly before the 21st GA. The GEF will bring women and men participants of the 21st GA to create a common platform to discuss gender issues, gender equity, women's participation and women's leadership within the YMCA. The forum will develop the gender justice program direction for the next quadrennium and prepare the GEF delegates to participate at the GA. 

Objectives

The followings are specific objectives: 

• Create a space for women, men, gender diverse groups through the GEF to come together and discuss gender issues and gender equity in YMCAs
• Share and listen to the gender concerns and voices in sub-regional contexts to identify the problems and challenges to address them through various initiatives
• Develop Biblical and theological reflections from gender perspectives
• Re-imagine a gender-inclusive YMCA by linking the pillars of Vision 2030
• Come up with Gender Justice program direction for the next quadrennium for the QLR, and develop collective recommendations on gender justice policy to the GA
• Coordinate a joint session with the youth assembly to work towards common goals.
• Orient and prepare the GEF delegates to participate in the GA Develop networks and celebrate the fellowship and diversity. 

Theme:

The gender equity committee chose the same theme of the 21st GA for the 1st GEF: “Journeying Together as a Resilient Community: Transforming Lives through Vision 2030.” However, the GEF will discuss the theme from the gender, inclusivity and just world perspectives. 

Participants of GEF

Around 75 participants (women and men) are expected to join the Forum from different YMCAs of Asia Pacific region. 

Dates: September 13-15, 2023 ( 13th Arrival). After the GEF, the participants are expected to continue joining the 21st GA 

Venue: YWCA International Guest House, Chennai, India 

Participation Fees: US$60

Accommodation Fees: US$33 (double room, including breakfast) 

The participation fees will cover lunches and dinners during the GEF and all other costs directly related to the participants, such as the Forum materials, T-shirts, badges etc. 

Subsidy: Interested participants who cannot pay the accommodation and participation fees can request a subsidy to the APAY. They can send their request at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Registration: We expect all the GEF participants to continue participating in the 21st GA from September 15-20. The Subsidised participants must attend the 21st GA. 

To fill out the Assembly Registration Form, please click here

All registration forms should be sent to Ms. Irene Chan, Administrative Assistant of APAY email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

If you have any other queries, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Sunita Suna, Executive Secretary of APAY and related secretary for the 21st GA of APAY, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Tentative Program of the 1st GEF

Conclusion

The Gender Equity Forum will be prepared and organized by the related executive secretary and the gender equity committee. We look forward to a meaningful, joyful and vibrant GEF with your participation! We hope the 1st GEF will inspire and empower us to continue our journey towards creating a gender just inclusive YMCA!

  

By Sunita Suna
Executive Secretary for Programs

 

Gender Equity Committee Felicitated the writers of the International Essay Contest

Last Updated (Thursday, 05 May 2022 15:48)

The felicitation ceremony of the International Essay Contest on “Towards a Better World for Women and Girls: Gender Justice by 2030” as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence was organised virtually on April 29, 2022. Around 25 participants joined the meeting, including members of the gender equity committee (GEC).

MC of the ceremony, Cecilia Lou, a member of the GEC, opened the meeting by welcoming the participants and guests. Sunita Suna, executive secretary of APAY, briefly introduced the international essay contest, its objectives, significance, etc. She also explained in detail the process and criteria of the said contest. She informed the following judges were selected to review the essays are:

Dr. Marie Aubrey J. Villaceran, professor at the Department of English and Comparative Literature at the University of the Philippines, Diliman.

Dr. D. Dominic, Professor & Director, Dept of Kannada Studies, Bangalore University, Karnataka, India

APAY General Secretary Nam Boo Won gave congratulatory remarks to the achievers. He expressed his deep appreciation for the work done by the GEC and congratulated the achievers of the essay contest. GS Nam said it would be interesting and meaningful to know this generation's perspectives concerning gender equity, and he is very much looking forward to reading those essays. He also acknowledged that only the APAY region has the gender equity committee and affirmed to continue to work on achieving a gender-just world, and said the essay contest would be an ongoing activity of the APAY.

Read more: Gender Equity Committee Felicitated the writers of the International Essay Contest

BreakTheBias: Listen to HER Story -Women’s Voices from the Asia Pacific

Last Updated (Wednesday, 30 March 2022 20:39)

#BreakTheBias: Listen to HER Story -Women’s Voices from the Asia Pacific

Every year we observe or celebrate the International Women’s Day differently. This year the gender equity committee (GEC) of the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs plans to celebrate IWD in a meaningful way by listening to “HER Story”. This project intends to bring women’s issues, stories, struggles, challenges and hopes from different parts of Asia and the Pacific and dedicate the entire month to women, as March is also remembered as “Women’s History Month”. For this purpose, on the International Women’s Day on 8th March, the GEC decided to launch a YouTube channel called Gender Justice APAY to share women’s issues and stories with its networks. The GEC will use the YouTube channel for “Women’s History Month” and as a medium to connect with its members and community in the coming days, especially during the COVID19 pandemic, as many countries continue to face challenges of the pandemic travel restrictions, social distancing etc. We hope you will take some time to listen to “HER” stories and experiences and find them meaningful.