DAWN Training Institute for young feminists

The DAWN Training Institute (DTI) is an intensive training programme for young feminist activists and advocates. DTIs are held for three weeks, where young feminists are exposed to theory, discussions and inter-active processes related to feminism, feminist movements, women’s rights, and local and global strategies to achieve social justice.

BACKGROUND

The DAWN Training Institute (DTI) was launched in 2002. Since then, DAWN has held five DTIs: in Bangalore, India (2003); Montevideo, Uruguay (2005); Cape Town, South Africa (2007); Siem Reap, Cambodia (2011); and Negombo, Sri Lanka (2016).

The three-week programme draws on DAWN’s feminist analysis, which interlinks issues under the themes of Political Economy of Globalisation (PEG), Political Ecology and Sustainability (PEAS), Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and Political Restructuring and Social Transformation (PRST). This 6th edition will also address DAWN’s new areas of analysis and advocacy in relation to Public Accountability, Corporate Power and Women’s Human Rights; Reclaiming the Body, Deep Democracy and Women’s Agency; Political Economy of Conflict and Violence Against Women; and Digital Justice and Gender Equality.

This 6th DTI is happening at a time when the fierce world of modern financialised globalisation is marked by sky-rocketing inequality, soaring numbers of refugees and migrants, women’s increasing struggles for livelihoods and survival, ever more visible devastations of climate change and corporate capture of states and public policy. At the same time, the language of women’s empowerment (or its oddly-named surrogate, gender empowerment) is everywhere, from the expressed concerns of the leadership of the IMF and Work Bank to a growing number of Northern Governments that explicitly proclaim themselves and their development policies to be feminist.

DAWN has described the first decade of the 21st century as the painful birthing of a “fierce new world” in light of the paradigmatic shifts induced by a run-away neoliberal globalisation; the unchecked growth of Digital monopolies; a militarised and financialised political economy; a crisis in climate and other natural systems like the Oceans; a deepening food crisis; an energy crisis from fossil-fuel dependence; the decline of the nation-state and the reconfiguration of the geopolitical context. These crises have generated heated debates on the restructuring of global governance. Pressures to respond to these challenges in all their complexities have come to preoccupy sovereign nations and the peoples they govern. At the same time, these nations and peoples struggle to uphold values associated with sustainable livelihoods, poverty eradication, human rights promotion, freedom of expression and mobility, respect for identity and sexuality.

DAWN recognises this developing multilateral terrain as part of a fierce new world that is replete with complicated contradictions, serious fractures, severe backlash, broken promises, and uncertain outcomes for the world’s women, especially women from the economic South. There is an urgent need for women’s and civil society organisations to critically engage with these debates and advocate strongly for a world where economic, political and ecological justice are firmly embedded in gender justice.

OBJECTIVES

The DTI is capacity building and a knowledge sharing space where DAWN’s women share with younger feminists from the South the accumulated knowledge, analyses, debates and experiences of DAWN. Its main objectives are:

• to build the capacity of young feminist activists from the Global South, especially in understanding linkages between different issues and advocacy agendas, particularly those concerned with gender justice in its multiple and inter-linked dimensions – economic, political, ecological, social and personal.
• to strengthen feminist advocacy work at global, regional and national level; and to deepen analysis in some complex areas.
• to prepare young feminists for the challenges entailed in working for gender justice in the present global geopolitical and economic context.

DURATION

The training Institute will be held over a period of almost three weeks. Participants should be prepared for an intensive training programme, involving prior and regular reading during the programme, journal writing, and participation in group exercises.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• Only applications from the economic South will be considered.
• This training programme is intended for young women, including young trans-women.
• Preference will be given to those who are/will be working with civil society organisations and social movements promoting gender justice.
• The applicant’s activist, professional, work experience, as well as future plans will be considered during selection.
• Applicants must be able to communicate fluently in written and spoken English.
• Applicants must be between the ages of 25 to 35 years.

DEADLINE

Applications must be received by DAWN by 1^st December, 2019.

NOTIFICATION

Only successful applicants will be notified. If you have been selected as part of the first selection list, you will hear from us by April 2020.

LANGUAGE

The language of instruction and discussion will be English.

PARTICIPANTS’ INSURANCE

Participants are responsible for their own luggage, accident and medical insurance as DAWN will not be responsible for these costs. Participants will be expected to have adequate health insurance coverage and, if selected, provide a copy of the insurance certificate.