– 9 October 2014 IFUW In Focus

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IFUW In Focus – 9 October 2014
This monthly communication provides an overview of IFUW’s activities, and
opportunities to be involved, for all national federation and association (NFA), and
branch, Presidents, Coordinators of International Relations (CIRs), Membership
Coordinators, and members who would like to be more involved in IFUW. In Focus
briefs you on IFUW training, advocacy, social media, member activities, and NFA
news, so that you are fully informed and can, in turn, brief your members. Please
do pass it on to as many members in your NFA as possible.
Training
Webinar: Introduction to the Human Rights Council, 30 October 2014
This webinar, for members only, will provide an introduction to the United Nations
(UN) Human Rights Council (HRC), with an overview of its structure, function and
opportunities for engagement. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR), one of the
main features of the HRC, will be outlined with insights on its significance to human
rights globally. The webinar will include time for questions and discussion.
Date and time: 30 October at 09:00 and repeated at 18:00 Central European Time
(CET). Please check your local time here:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html.
Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Who should participate? All members.
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How do I register? Register online for the 09:00 CET webinar here and for the
18:00 CET webinar here.
Advocacy
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
What are Special Procedures?
The Special Procedures system is part of the United Nations (UN) human rights
machinery, implemented under the auspices of the United Nations Human Rights
Council (HRC). The system is carried out by a body of independent experts –
mandate holders – who are tasked with undertaking fact-finding missions and
reporting on human rights situations across all countries and regions. Special
procedures is a universal system. Mandate holders undertake their work unpaid and
on a part-time basis. Though they receive support from the United Nations Office of
the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Mandate holders work closely
with governments, civil society, UN bodies, National Human Rights Institutions
(NHRIs), individual victims and other key actors in the human rights world.
How can my NFA get involved with Special Procedures?
Civil society groups provide critical on-the-ground insight for the experts when they
are engaged in fact-finding missions. Where NFAs have specific knowledge of the
issues underlying the mandate (e.g. education, violence against women, gender
discrimination etc.), they may seek to arrange a meeting with the mandate holder
during a country visit. The OHCHR provides a directory of all current and former
mandate holders, including contact information. Furthermore, special procedures
often hold consultations and seminars with civil society, which also offers an
opportunity for NFAs to meet first-hand with the human rights experts. Read more
here.
#Social Media
If not you, then who? If not now, then when? It’s time to get involved with social
media and join the discussions on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, to see current
trends in the discussion on access to education for girls’ and women. If you are not
sure where to start… Here are some guidelines to get you started on Facebook.
Here is our top tip for this month:
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Tell a story
Use stories to capture your audience’s attention and engage them in your work.
Remember to keep it short as people are often on the go. On Facebook you can
create milestones with a timeline and tell a story such as the history of your
organisation, or the history of a particular campaign. A powerful story has to be
bigger than your organisation and be about your fans and the cause. Social
networks are at their best when people are passing content around and they will only
pass yours around if it is creative and appeals to their interests. Think about the
stories that you most often read on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or other social
media sites, and scope what will appeal to you audience.
Share posts from IFUW’s Facebook account on your NFA’s page, retweet IFUW’s
tweets and comment on the discussions in IFUW’s LinkedIn group. Remember to
mention @IFUWomen.
This month’s Twitter #
#edpost2015
#post2015
#EducationForAll
#BringBackOurGirls
#investingirls
#GirlsinSTEM
#GirlsEducation
#womenseducation
#RespectforTeachers
#EducationTransforms
Member News
How to Create a Newsletter for Members
Sending a regular newsletter to your members can be a great communication
method to inform them about upcoming activities and opportunities, share news on
what you have achieved together, and outline how members can be more involved
in your association. Have clear objectives for your newsletter, a good plan, and keep
it short to help ensure that your newsletter will be read by your members and keep
them interested in your association or federation. Follow these 10 steps to create an
effective member newsletter.
Are you ready to respond?
IFUW is attracting the interest of women around the world who write to us to ask
how they can become a member. In countries where we have a national association
or federation (NFA) we refer this person to that NFA and ask them to get in contact.
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It is vital that your NFA has a membership system in place so that you are ready to
respond to these potential members. Please ensure that you have an answer to
each of these questions:
 Is there one member, or staff member, assigned to respond to all membership
enquiries within 48 hours?
 Do you have a membership application form in place with clear details on how to
apply and who to send it to?
 Upon receipt of a new membership application is there a person assigned to
process this and send a response?
 Do you have a welcome email or letter, pack of information and step by step
guide to send to new members when their membership is confirmed?
If you answer no to any of the questions above, we can help you. Email Caroline
Staffell: [email protected].
Latin America Workshop & Seminar, 19-20 September 2014, Mexico
Last month twenty-two members from Mexico, El Salvador, Panama and Costa Rica
gathered in Mexico City for a workshop on “Building Membership & Visibility”. In this
two day interactive event, the members explored the needs of women across the
generations and how their associations can meet these needs through events and
services. The workshop culminated in the development of an action plan for
activities that will attract new members and make their group stronger and more
appealing to young women. On 19 September IFUW held a seminar entitled,
Educación de Calidad: Transformando la vida de las mujeres y las niñas en América
Latina (Quality Education: Transforming the lives of women and girls in Latin
America), in partnership with UN Women, the Mexican Federation of University
Women, and the Women’s Museum. Participants from civil society, business,
government and the media came together to discuss quality education for girls and
women in Latin America. Read more.
Coming up
Peace is Loud Screenings, Geneva, Switzerland
IFUW, in partnership with Association genevoise de femmes diplômées des
universités (AGFDU), will host an open film screening of the Women, War & Peace
films: “Peace Unveiled” on 9 October 2014 and “Pray the Devil Back to Hell” on 16
October 2014, at the University of Geneva. Further information.
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We want to hear from you!
To share current news from your NFA, or if you need help accessing the IFUW
Members Corner, our members only section of the IFUW website, or if you
have any other questions, please email Caroline Staffell: [email protected].
Follow IFUW on our social media outlets! Join the discussions on LinkedIn.
Copyright © 2014 International Federation of University Women, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this message because you are a President or a Coordinator of International Relations (CIR) of
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