INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY REGIONAL VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM

Last Updated (Saturday, 03 April 2021 12:16)

Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world

The Gender Equity Committee of the APAY organized a regional Symposium on Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in COVID-19 world to commemorate and celebrate together the international women’s day on 8th March. World YMCA President Patricia Pelton, Dr Aruna Gnanadasan, Convener of the Indian Christian Women’s Movement, General Secretary Nam Boo Won were the speakers on various topics. President Chen chin-Seng, Secretary-General Carlos Sanvee shared solidarity greetings in journeying together in achieving an equal world! Dr Hahn Meerha, Chair of the GEC, gave the welcome greetings, and Ms Sunita Suna, executive secretary for programs and responsible for Gender Justice Program in APAY, delivered the symposium's introductory remarks. Ms Siu Law, Mr Asher Leo, and Ms Cecilia Lou moderated the symposium. Around 45 members joined the Symposium from Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan.

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APAY’S PARALLEL EVENT DURING THE UN CSW65

Last Updated (Saturday, 03 April 2021 12:09)

Towards a Safe, Just and Inclusive World: Women’s Participation in Decision Making

This year the United Nations Commission on Status of Women (UN CSW 65) organized virtually, from March 15-26, 2021, which is an opportunity for many of us to participate online. Thanks to the World YMCA leadership for coordinating the regions and bringing a delegation from different parts of the world to join the Virtual UN CSW 65 this year. Eleven members from APAY, mainly the Gender Equity Committee (GEC) members, attended the UN CSW 65. The UN CSW 65 invited us to initiate discourse and dialogue on an overarching theme “Women's full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.”

Perhaps this is the first time the Gender Equity Committee of the Asia & Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY) organized a CSW Parallel Event during the UN CSW65 on March 25, from 13:00-15:00 GMT. The Parallel Event theme: “Towards a Safe, Just and Inclusive World: Women’s Participation in Decision Making” to advocate for a safe, just and inclusive world in solidarity with women worldwide. Around 45 participants attended from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America.

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Green Ambassadors in a Post-COVID19 Society

Last Updated (Tuesday, 30 November 1999 08:00)

Green Ambassadors Training 2021

After the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 13, 2020 declared novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) a pandemic, humankind are pushed into an ongoing global crisis that presents substantial challenges to different socio-ecological systems, with clear impacts on many aspects of the environment. As the pandemic continues to unfold, the direct and indirect effects to human lives and the global economy are also affecting the environment and climate. Thus, the Green Ambassadors Training held last 17-22 March 2021 focused on the theme, ‘Green Ambassadors in a Post-COVID19 Society’.

The training which was participated by around 70 YMCA staff, leaders, volunteers and youth from the YMCAs of China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand is part of the region’s continued efforts to combat climate change. Interested networks like schools related to YMCA work on Climate Change and Environment also joined the training. In the current context of COVID19 and as preparation to the post-pandemic society, the training was specifically designed to reflect on the personal and organizational practices that contribute either to the positive or negative impacts of the crisis to environment and climate. It also looked into potential ways to contribute in rebuilding resilient societies with nature-based solutions.

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Religion Does Not Exist In Isolation

Last Updated (Wednesday, 31 March 2021 15:07)

Uncovering Patriarchy, Androcentrism, and Misogyny in the Sacred Texts

ICF is currently observing women’s month with a series of virtual sessions once a week on Patriarchy, Androcentrism, and Misogyny in the Sacred Texts. Each session focuses and examines the sacred texts of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, respectively. So far, the first three sessions took place with a respective follow-up discussion the week after.

The first of the four sessions took place on March 4th with a follow-up discussion on Monday 8th on International Women’s Day. During the first session, ICFs very own Dr. Muriel Orevillo-Montenegro took the participants on a journey to explore the texts of terror in the Bible. After introducing the participants to the words Patriarchy, Androcentrism, and Misogyny, Dr. Muriel Orevillo-Montenegro gave insights on the circumstance of the bible arguing that it is crucial to understand the broader context to understand the sacred text. Or as she puts it: “We must interrogate the text, ask the text. Men wrote the text. It did not suddenly appear out of nowhere. It comes to us from the perspective of the writer. Writing is a political act, whether we like it or not. In any story, you will take the angle, depending on what your interest is. To make sense of the text: interrogate it! Why was it written? When and by whom?” Taking these questions into account the participants had the opportunity to listen to some texts of terror in the bible and discuss with their peers the implications those have on our current societies. What shall we take away from these texts of terror? According to Dr. Orevillo-Montenegro, it is up to each one to take a deeper look into their sacred texts, acknowledge the texts of terror with their enslaving and marginalizing dimensions and not take them as authoritative. Moreover, she asked the participants to identify those aspects that are liberating and lift them. The bible can be read and interpreted differently by different people and there is not one single truth.

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