Guidelines for our Work as we Build Towards the 3rd Assembly
To: All interested organizations and individuals and to national preparatory committees
From: Regional Executive Committee and the Secretariat
Friends,
The REC had a successful two day meeting in Cap Haitian, Haiti April 18-20th, 2003. We were joined by the members of the Haitian National Executive Committee. KORENOR,…. This was our final planning meeting for the Assembly which is to be held August 2oth-24th, 2003, in Cap Haitian.
At our meeting we took a number of important decisions including that of the guidelines for our work as we build towards the 3rd Assembly. These guidelines are based on the philosophy of the Assembly, namely that the Assembly should be an inclusive, participatory process. We therefore urge that every country utilize the following methodology:
1) Create a national committee which is diverse, inclusive of all sectors and social movements and is responsible for:
a. diffusing information provided by the Secretariat
b. coordinating the national assembly process
c. for maintaining communication with the secretariat
2) Preparation to participate in the Assembly
a. Program: The program for the Assembly is (INCLUDE FINAL VERSION OF PROGRAM HERE)
b. Organize a delegation for Youth Forum
i. After first assembly there was an assembly of Caribbean youth (96), the view has been strongly expressed that given the impact of globalization, HIV/Aids, amongst other issues that the assembly need to create a special space for youth of the region to discuss pertinent issues and identify potential courses of action. Each country should therefore work with the national youth organization (where it exists) and mobilize youth organizations, students organizations, young workers, rural and urban youth, young women, young artists, and youth working on pressing social issues such as HIV/AIDS, and all other interested youth.
ii. The objective of this mobilization is two-fold. It is to ensure that the each youth delegation is balanced and includes youth from different sectors, has a gender balance, and is representative of each countries diversity. The second objective of the mobilization is to enable the delegation to have a country report on the status youth.
iii. More information on the agenda of the youth forum will be sent to you soon.
iv. Youth will participate fully in the 3rd Assembly itself and the outcomes of the youth forum will inform the deliberations of the assembly.
v. Young women who attend the youth forum should also be encouraged to participate in the women’s forum.
vi. Secretariat and Federation of youth are responsible for planning the youth forum
c. Organize a delegation for Women’s Forum
i. Requires diversity (Same as above)
ii. Country report on Women’s issues (focus on agenda issues)
iii. (Find out if women agreed on agenda, if so include here)
iv. Women’s Forum is coming from Women’s committee include SOFA, CONAMUCA, FMC, and CAFRA
d. Prepare a country report. The analysis and information in each report will be synthesized in a single document that will analyze the current situation in the region. The country report should be no longer than six pages typed in word font.
i. Content
1. Report should be guided by the main theme: “Let’s build…”. You should look at the impact of: globalization (FTAA and WTO) militarization of the region, war against Iraq, implementation of economic and social policies, structure and function of governance on the creation of a sovereign, equitable, equal, just and peaceful society.
ii. Process
1. The country report should be developed through a process that involves the different sectors and social movements in your country. There should be a national assembly proceeding the finalization of the report so that the report has the input and approval of broadest sectors as possible
2. There is a drafting committee responsible for the preparation of the synthesis report. The committee comprises of a representative from CAFRA, DR, Curacao, and Haiti, with Haiti being the coordinator
iii. Timelines
1. Each country report must be submitted to the Secretariat by the end of June in country language (English, Spanish, or Creole). Each country is also requested to translate their country report into the other languages by the end of July and submit these to the secretariat so that they can be made available to all participants.
2. The synthesis report must be completed by the end of July. It will be translated by the secretariat and made available.
e. Prepare the Delegation to participate in the thematic discussions
i. There will be a working paper (12 pages) on each theme prepared by those responsible for each theme (see agenda). This working paper will be completed by mid-June. Secretariat will translate the document and make it available by mid-July so that it can assist each country’s delegation to participate fully in the Assembly’s thematic workshops
ii. If your country has suggestions on issues they wish to be included within the working papers, you are asked to submit your suggestion along with the content of what you would like to see reflected in the thematic paper to the county that has responsibility (REC country rep) for the theme by mid-May.
iii. With specific reference to the theme “Social Movements’, the country responsible, the DR, has prepared a questionnaire to assist them in preparing thorough analysis. The questionnaire is attached. Each country should submit this to Pedro by mid-May.