myMADRE

Climate Change Conference in Cancún, Mexico Comes To A Close

The UN Conference on Climate Change in Cancún, Mexico began on November 29th and ended today. Following last year's highly anticipated but extremely disappointing conference in Copenhagen, this time around attendees were not only much fewer in number but also much less optimistic.

The bleak outcomes of last year's conference produced the Copenhagen Accord, a vague document that failed to legally bind any of its signatories to an effective agreement. Contrast that with the Kyoto Protocol, adopted at the climate change conference in 1997, which set binding targets for 37 industrialized countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012, adding urgency to this conference and next year's conference in South Africa.

But as international leaders and officials negotiate climate change within the walls of a luxury resort, members of grassroots organizations continued to protest outside, demanding policies that acknowledge those people most directly affected by climate change, including Indigenous Peoples.

MADRE and our partners have long advocated that Indigenous Peoples possess valuable knowledge about climate change and must be involved in the decision-making concerning climate change. MADRE's projects in Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama, address this link between Indigenous rights, climate change, and food sovereignty. Friends of MADRE, like Tarcila Rivera of our partner organization CHIRAPAQ and Victoria Tauli-Corpuz of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, were also in Cancún pressuring officials to recognize the central role Indigenous Peoples and women must play in the climate change conferences.

(For more information on the links between women's rights and climate change, see our resources entitled "Climate Change and Women's Human Rights: The MADRE Model" and "A Women's Rights-based Approach to Climate Change".)

Unfortunately, civil society and officials alike remain pessimistic about the outcomes of the Cancún conferences. Even as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon acknowledged that "nature will not wait while we negotiate", most acknowledge that no overarching, binding agreement to reduce greenhouse gases will come out of this year's conference. And as Tom Goldtooth, one of the most prominent North American Indigenous activists was barred from attending the conference on Wednesday, the UN's readiness to engage with Indigenous Peoples in the process has been called into question.

But you can support Indigenous rights and Indigenous participation in combating climate change by supporting MADRE's various projects on climate change and environmental justice by clicking here.

http://unfccc.int/home/items/5262.php

"Voices for Justice" in Peru: Indigenous Radio

In Peru, more than half of the population - and nearly 80% of Indigenous people and those of African descent - live in poverty. For the region around Ayacucho, a city in the South-Central Andes of Peru with a significant Indigenous population, poverty rates are almost double the national average.

Women and girls in Ayacucho face the additional challenge of gender discrimination. They are grossly underrepresented in local government, are victims of gender based violence, and lack access to basic health care. Like many underdeveloped regions in the world, maternal mortality remains high in Ayacucho, with 185 deaths per 100,000 live briths. Meanwhile, a major obstacle to women participating in local government, as well to receiving health care, is that many of these women speak only their native Indigenous languages, such as Quechua, Aymara, and Asháninka.

To provide these Indigenous men and women with an outlet through which to participate in their communities and exercise their rights, MADRE's sister organization in Peru, The Center for Indigenous Peoples' Cultures of Peru (CHIRAPAQ), has taken to the airways! The radio program, called Sapinchikmanta and based in Ayacucho, is broadcast in Spanish and Quechua (as well as other segments broadcast in Aymara and Asháninka). The program tackles a wide range of issues pertinent to women and Indigenous Peoples, such as malnutrition, climate change, development, domestic violence, government, education, and access to clean water. It currently reaches up to 60,000 people, who, thanks to the program, receive information on some of the most pressing issues confronting Peru's Indigenous population. With public leadership roles on the radio, Indigenous women have also begun to gain status within their homes and communities.

For you Spanish-speakers out there, here are a few clips from the radio program. The first discusses "comiendo sano" or "eating healthy", the second is about "cambio climatico" or "climate change", and the last concerns "violencia familiar" or "domestic violence".

For more information on MADRE's 'Voices for Justice' project, click here. And for more information and audio clips from CHIRAPAQ, click here.

Social Art Documentaries Responding to Conflict in Colombia and Peru

“This is a social art documentary project,” stated Miguel Macias, a MADRE volunteer and also an independent radio and video producer, sound designer, and musician based in Los Angeles. Miguel has worked with MADRE sister organizations many times over the years. Miguel created a radio documentary through CHIRAPAQ on the role that memory played in the 2004 presidential elections in Peru, twelve years after two decades of violent internal strife.

In 2006, Miguel volunteered through MADRE to teach youth from Taller de Vida affected by 40 years of armed conflict in Colombia how to use professional digital cameras and video editing systems to tell their stories. In 2009, Miguel returned to Colombia to teach students about multimedia production and journalism that could be published on the Youth Radio/Youth Media International Website.

Through these projects, Miguel realized the importance of capturing the memories of participants in ways that they wanted them to be presented, not in the ways that outsiders favored. Miguel reflected on his work with the Colombian youth, saying “it became apparent that the way they perceived these dramatic experiences was not as traumatic or disturbing but rather as a norm.” In Peru, “the memory of the atrocities of this conflict lived in the minds of the elderly who lived in these regions. I thought that those memories should be captured by someone.” He saw a way to connect the memories of the Colombian youth and the elderly Indigenous Peruvians through a video documentary research project. In order to avoid the possibility of diluting the messages of the participants, Miguel is advocating educational cross-pollination.

Starting this summer, the Colombian youth and Peruvian elders will educate each other via video and digital recordings, creating questions for the other group to answer, with Miguel acting as a witness, facilitator, and editor. “MADRE has been very supportive when it comes to me going to these places, and in trying to organize workshops and teach about how to use media to the non-youth,” Miguel said.  Towards the end of the project, Miguel hopes to organize a meeting between the Peruvian elders and Colombian youth. The final result would be a video documentary that records cross-generational, trans-national memories of conflict with participants who were active agents in the research and editing processes.

Updates from the Campaign against Racism in Peru

MADRE's partner organization in Peru, LUNDU, is dedicated to promoting respect for Peru’s populations of African descent and to combating racism and sexism. Last year, they launched a major media monitoring and anti-racism campaign, and MADRE has been working with LUNDU to mobilize against the reproduction of racist and sexist stereotypes on television.

This campaign was recently profiled on BBC radio, and you can listen to the segment by clicking here.

Although the racist "El Negro Mama" character was initially suspended by the television station, it has since been reinstated due to popular support on Facebook (numerous fan pages for the racist character cropped up following its removal). Rather than recognizing its power to shape entertainment and promote humorous characters without resorting to racist stereotypes, the television station has chosen to ignore human rights in favor of ratings.
 
Despite this setback, LUNDU and other social justice organizations are continuing their campaign against racism in the media. Recently, over 200 human rights activists gathered in Lima to protest the continued presence of the characters on the television program. The organizations and activists are now awaiting a response from the Grievance Committee of Peru's Society for Radio and Television.

Monica Carrillo of LUNDU said:

We have more than 50 organizations that are part of this cause, that are calling for humor without discrimination, a new way of doing television and a society that decides not to use programs with discriminatory content.

Take Action: Take Racist Characters Off the Air in Peru

Last week, we let you know about the overtly racist characters that have appeared on Peruvian television and about what one of our sister organizations LUNDU is doing to confront this.

Unfortunately, we recently discovered that one of the racist caricatures, the character known as "El Negro Mama," has made a re-appearance on the popular TV comedy show from which he had been temporarily suspended.  The other of the two characters, "La Paisana Jacinta," was never removed from the show in the first place. 

As we mentioned in our previous blog entry on this topic, the TV station tried to argue that the popularity of the characters -- as demonstrated by the number of fans they have accumulated on Facebook -- justified their continued presence on the show.  What's more, upon his return to the show, the actor who portrays "El Negro Mama" made sure to thank the fans on Facebook who had called for the character's return.

LUNDU has joined with a coalition of Peruvian social justice organizations in an anti-racist campaign to stand against these characters, and you can support their efforts.

Here's How You Can Take Action:

Send a Message to Decision-Makers in Peru:

Write to Mr. Jorge Baca-Alvarez Marroquín (President of the Complaints Committee of the Peruvian National Society of Radio and TV) and to Ms. Nidia Vilchez Yucra (Minister of Social Development and Women’s Affairs and Social Development).  Demand that they put an end to these TV portrayals that violate the human rights of the Indigenous and Afro-Peruvian population.

Activate Your Social Networks:

Help us spread the word about this campaign and counter racist messages -- on Facebook and Twitter -- by updating your status with this message.

Copy and paste either of these messages into your Facebook status:

English: "Fight racism on TV & support Peruvian social justice orgs - Take El Negro Mama & La Paisana Jacinta off the air. http://bit.ly/bLRvCs"

Español: ”Apúntate contra el racismo en la televisión y apoya a organizaciónes de justicia social del Perú – Eliminar los personajes El Negro Mama y La Paisana Jacinta. http://bit.ly/bLRvCs”

Make sure you are logged on to Twitter, and click on the links below to automatically update your status with this message.

• English
• Español

Cancel Racist Characters on Peruvian Television

(In the coming days, we will be posting more information about how you can take action to support Afro-Peruvian anti-racist efforts targeting media. The blog entry below provides background information about the issue.)

We all know that the story of representations of people of color on television is generally not a happy one. In countless examples, we are presented with images that fail utterly to reflect our realities. What’s worse, these images actively advance racist ideas that deny the humanity of the people they purport to represent.

Through our sister organization in Peru, LUNDU, we have seized upon a staggering example of racism in media.

LUNDU is dedicated to promoting respect for Peru’s populations of African descent and to combating racism and sexism. Recognizing the role of the media in propping up racist ideas, last year they launched a major media monitoring and anti-racist campaign. (Click here for a myMADRE blog entry about one element of that campaign.)

Their blog (in Spanish) reflects their efforts that mobilized over 5,000 people, bringing together different Afro-Peruvian organizations as well as artists, athletes, academics and more in support of the cause: to end the reproduction of racist and sexist stereotypes on television.

Those involved in this effort came up with a plan of action: to push for an agreement from major media outlets to self-regulate the racists images in their shows. In March 2010, they made a presentation of their media research findings and put forward proposals to work with universities to train media decision-makers in alternative approaches.

Days later, this character re-appeared on a highly-rated television comedy show:

The character “El Negro Mama” is not new to Peruvian television. Since 1995, he has been a popular character among the show’s audience. The actor who portrays him puts on black-face, adds false lips and a wig, and puts on hairy gloves to create the character. The character is said to be a dim-witted delinquent whose motto is “Seré negrito, pero tengo mi cerebrito.” (“I may be a little blackie, but I have my little brainy.”) The same actor also plays another character on the same television station called “La Paisana Jacinta,” an Indigenous woman who is shown as dirty and ill-mannered.

LUNDU has joined with other Peruvian social justice organizations to condemn these atrocious characters. They presented an official complaint to the television station, Frecuencia Latina, and to national associations including the Society of Radio and Television. In its defense, Frecuencia Latina cited the popularity of the characters and the high ratings of the program to argue that “El Negro Mama” and “La Paisana Jacinta” are not racist.

If these characters became popular, it is because they cater to racist ideas that persist in society. The fact that numerous Facebook pages have cropped up to defend the characters and to attack the Afro-Peruvian organizations does not demonstrate anything other than the strength of racist ideas among TV audiences in Peru and around the world.

The television station Frecuencia Latina has decided to suspend the “El Negro Mama” character, while “La Paisana Jacinta” remains on the air. LUNDU continues to work with Peruvian social justice organizations, including CHIRAPAQ (an Indigenous Peoples’ rights organization and also a MADRE sister organization) to demand that both characters be removed.

What’s more, they are calling for a legal framework that denounces racist portrayals in media and for a renewed effort by Peruvian media to end future racist language and depictions.

In the coming days, we will be posting information about how you can take action in support of this anti-racist effort.

Human Rights Radio in Peru: Voices for Justice

The following piece was excerpted from a report Natalia Caruso (MADRE Program Coordinator) and I wrote for 2009 edition of the publication Youth Media Reporter.  Natalia recently returned from visiting the human rights radio project led by our sister organization in Peru, CHIRAPAQ.

 “Our dream is to have our own radio for our organization in Huayllahuara,” explained Luz Moya, a youth leader and representative of the Association of Peasant Women of Huancavelica-ASMUC. She had traveled eight hours in order to participate in a training on communications and radio for Indigenous women.

Her dream emerges from a long history of silencing Indigenous Peoples’ voices in Peru. In a nation only beginning to recover from decades of political repression and violence, Indigenous Peoples in Peru have fought to survive. Between 1980 and 2000, in the years of civil conflict, over 69,000 people were killed. Over 600,000 people were displaced and 4,000 “disappeared.” Of these staggering numbers, some three-quarters of the victims were Indigenous.  Indigenous youth have particularly suffered the impacts of disenfranchisement and lack of opportunity.

These numbers may illustrate the scale of the suffering created by warfare, but they are inadequate to reflect the individual lives and stories behind the statistics.

The Peruvian Indigenous rights organization CHIRAPAQ was thus founded to ensure that the voices and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples would not be ignored. Towards that end, CHIRAPAQ launched the “Sapinchikmanta” or “Voices for Justice” radio series in 1993. It broadcasts daily programs in municipalities across the country to demand recognition and respect for Indigenous communities.

Based in Vilcashuamán, Ayacucho, the radio program is produced and conducted by 10 young women and men from the surrounding communities. The programs are transmitted in both Spanish and Quechua, an Indigenous language.

Crucially, youth radio producers affiliated with CHIRAPAQ conduct trainings to embed and further develop the skills necessary to produce this media. In workshops held in public spaces, Indigenous youth gather to learn to produce short-programs, which are then broadcast on Sapinchikmanta radio.

In geographically isolated areas where transportation is seldom available, the Sapinchikmanta program reaches hundreds of people who might otherwise be left without access to necessary services. It provides vital information on sexual and reproductive rights, family planning, prevention of sexual abuse and domestic violence, prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and other critical health information. Beyond issues of health, Sapinchikmanta fosters discussion on intercultural and bilingual education, climate change, racism, discrimination, youth rights, women’s rights, Indigenous Peoples collective rights and political participation.

Such radio programs are often accompanied by workshops—on sexual and reproductive health, human rights, and radio production techniques—conducted by the youth leadership of the Sapinchikmanta program in rural areas. This connection is invaluable: a person who hears a program is able to create a link with CHIRAPAQ as an organization, build a community with other Indigenous youth and reinforce the identity of Indigenous Peoples.

Based on the idea that “information is power,” young Indigenous people like Luz Moya in Peru are using this radio program to empower their communities and to undermine discrimination and invisibility. The Sapinchikmanta radio programs are a reflection of young Indigenous people assuming a powerful role in their communities. By using microphones and recorders to collect music and stories, and producing a program on a specific topic, they amplify their demands and contribute to build a movement of Indigenous Peoples in the country.

Natalia recorded this video while visiting the radio project:

MADRE Partner Tarcila Rivera Zea Speaks at CSW Session

Tarcila Rivera Zea, president of MADRE's partner organization in Peru, CHIRAPAQ, spoke during the morning session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) on March 3.

Tarcila, a Quechua activist, spoke about the importance of including the voices of Indigenous women at both local and international levels.

Watch the video (in Spanish): 

Combating Racism in Peru

Last November, the Peruvian government issued an apology to Afro-Peruvians for a history of “abuse, exclusion and discrimination” spanning centuries.  This announcement marked an important acknowledgement of past and current racially-motivated discrimination.  But Afro-Peruvian activists and leaders, aware of the need for more concrete political and cultural changes, have pushed for more.

LUNDU, a MADRE partner and an organization of Afro-Peruvian youth combating racism and sexism, has launched a campaign for the addition of Afro-Peruvian identities in the national census.  They have pointed to other policies in neighboring countries like Brazil and Colombia that provide space for the voices and leadership of women of African descent, and they have called for such inclusion in Peruvian policies.

The director of LUNDU, Mónica Carrillo, recently appeared on a web TV show to discuss the changes they are calling for.  The video in Spanish is included below.

Regular readers of this blog may recall that Mónica appeared in one of myMADRE’s very first blog entries!  She talked about the work of LUNDU and performed a spoken word piece.

To read more on LUNDU's blog (in Spanish), click here.

Stonewall 40 Years Later: Notes from a Global Perspective

This weekend marks forty years since the Stonewall riots, a major turning point in the movement to combat homophobia, transphobia and hatred and discrimination against LGBTI people.  It has been commemorated as the moment in which the modern movement for rights for LGBTI people was born in the US.

We at MADRE have rooted our work on sexual rights firmly in a human rights framework.  We have emphasized that the right to exercise and express sexuality, to be free from sexual violence and discrimination, and to make autonomous decisions about one’s body are human rights and are intrinsically linked with the full range of economic, social and political rights.  And, as we in the US honor the struggles of the LGBTI movement, it is important to make the linkages with global efforts and movements.

Around the world, the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender and intersex people are under constant threat.  In partnership with our sister organization Red Trans de Nicaragua (REDTRANS), MADRE has supported their work to create a strong and safe community.  REDTRANS is a network of transvestite, transsexual, and transgender activists combating discrimination and violence, and working for access to health care as a basic human right.  Together with REDTRANS, MADRE has distributed condoms, provided health consultations for women, and provided human rights trainings for activists.  You can read their blog here.

A couple of weeks ago, we also received a communication from Mulabi, the Latin American Working Group on Sexual Rights, based in Argentina.  They informed us that, after three years of advocacy by two dozen groups from seventeen countries, the Organization of American States (OAS) had approved a resolution on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity.

The coalition members fought to include a special focus on hate crimes and violence against people because of their sexual diversity.  There are many examples from around the world that prove how tragically necessary is such a focus.  The US occupation in Iraq has triggered an intensification of homophobic and transphobic attacks, with the Grand Ayatollah Sistani decreeing that anyone accused of "sodomy or lesbianism" should be killed "in the worst, most severe way possible."  In March, a representative of an LGBTI organization in Colombia, who had devoted his work to documenting such violence, was murdered.  In January, a travesti and her companion were caught by a “neighborhood watch group” in Peru and publicly physically humiliated—and the attack was featured on a TV news report.

So on this weekend, we honor the advances that have been made and commit ourselves to promote the rights of LGBTI people worldwide.