Ariadne’s Thread – November 2016

Ariadne’s Thread – November 2016
November 16, 2016 Lori Stanciu

November 2016

Ariadne’s Thread is a monthly update of events, briefings and research for social change and human rights funders. 

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Ariadne News & Events

crystalballs4wTAKE PART: 2017 ARIADNE FORECAST: Ariadne is creating its third Forecast for European Social Change and Human Rights Funders, and we are inviting all Ariadne participants to gaze into their crystal balls and answer six short questions. Your answers will help create the draft forecast report to be presented at roundtable meetings of funders in London, The Hague, Rome, Paris and Brussels in January and February, where there will be commentaries from senior forecasters. All this input will create the 2017 Ariadne Forecast the aim of which is to help funders and civil society discover new trends, see the big picture and plan ahead. Deadline for returning questionnaires to Hannah Stevens is December 7th 2016.

REGISTER NOW: ARIADNE PORTAL TUITION: An hour tuition to improve your skill in using the Ariadne Portal will be held on Wednesday, December 7th, 15:00 GMT. This is an online webinar you can participate in from your desk. To join, you will need a computer or tablet (iPad/Android) to watch the online demonstration. To register, please RSVP to Kenneth Hill.

SAVE THE DATE: TELE-BRIEFING: DEBRIEF ON THE LEARNING VISIT TO JORDAN AND NEXT STEPS: In mid-October, Ariadne and the International Human Rights Funders Group held a learning visit to Amman to help funders learn and strategise in response to the migration crisis. During this tele-briefing, we will hear from Hady Matar, Jordan Programme Manager at the International Refugee Assistance Project on the local responses. Michael Diedring, Director of the European Program for Integration and Migration will take a European perspective and Cathy Togher, Grants Manager at Comic Relief will focus on the UK. The tele-briefing will end with concrete examples of what funders can do next. The event will take place on December 12th, timing TBC. More information will be available on the Ariadne portal soon.

REGISTER NOW: 360GIVING SHOWCASE: OPEN DATA FOR MORE EFFECTIVE GRANTMAKING: Join us for a funder-only showcase on 360Giving, an initiative which supports organisations to publish their grants data in an open, standardised way and helps people to understand and use the data to support decision-making and learning across the charitable giving sector. The webinar will be an opportunity to learn about and discuss 360Giving and the 360Giving Data Standard being used by over 25 UK grantmakers to share their grants information in a comparable way. There will also be a demonstration of GrantNav, a search platform which brings together grants data published using the 360Giving Standard, making it possible to search, explore and download the details of who, where and how much. The webinar will be presented by Katherine Duerden from 360Giving and will take place on January 18th, 2017, 15:00 – 16.00 GMT. To register, please click here.

REGISTER NOW: 2017 ARIADNE FORECAST ROUNDTABLES: We invite you to join some of the best brains in the field to help us, as a community, create an Ariadne forecast for the year ahead. We will be holding meetings on January 26th in London, January 31st in Paris, February 1st in Brussels, February 7th or 8th in Rome (TBC) and February 3rd in The Hague (TBC), with refreshments, to help us think about major trends, in issues and in the field of philanthropy. To come to one of the 2017 Forecast locations, please click here.

SAVE THE DATE: ARIADNE 2017 POLICY BRIEFING – APRIL 5th-7th 2017:  Next year’s Ariadne Annual Policy Briefing and Networking Event will take place in Turin, Italy (as suggested by last year’s participants) between Wednesday April 5th and Friday April 7th. Please save the date. We will be opening the call for session proposals shortly. More details will follow on the Ariadne portal soon.

The next Thread will go out on Thursday, December 15th. We would love to hear from you! Please contact Lori Stanciu by December 13th if you would like to share announcements, events, or resources for the next issue. 

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New Research, Articles and Judgements

genderequalityThis is the big problem stalling Global Gender Equality: A new study of 144 countries published by the World Economic Forum found that measures of the overall gender gap, women’s health, education, economic participation and opportunity, and political advancement compared to men’s, improved in 68 nations, but worsened in 74, making 2016 “an ambiguous year for global gender parity, with uneven progress at best”.

International pressure on US human rights matters now more than ever: In this article for Open Global Rights, Kathryn Sikkink, Regents Professor Emerita at the University of Minnesota, argues that it has never been more important for domestic and international human rights advocates and scholars to collaborate in promoting human rights, guided by past successes and based on history and social science. She emphasises the need for even stronger domestic movements to protect vulnerable populations from hate and discrimination and to mobilise groups harmed by globalisation.

Russia pulls out of International Criminal Court: According to The Independent, Vladimir Putin has signed an order to have Russia withdrawn from the International Criminal Court amid calls for his military to be referred over air strikes backing President Bashar al-Assad in Syria. See also Closing space in Hungary with a Russian cookbook by Open Society Foundations.

Mercator Dialogue on Asylum and Migration: CEPS, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) and the Migration Policy Centre (MPC) have launched the Mercator Dialogue on Asylum and Migration (MEDAM), a large-scale project on pressing EU migration and asylum issues. Against the background of the current refugee crisis, the MEDAM project will support the design and refinement of appropriate asylum and immigration policies at the EU level as well as in EU member states. It aims to produce innovative policy options with a focus not only on direct, short-term effects, but also on long-term EU policy goals for the economic and social development of EU member states as well as immigrants’ countries of origin. See also Med migration under the microscope report by MEDMIG.

The economic underpinnings of social innovation: The aim of the SIMPACT project is to understand the economic underpinnings of social innovations that target vulnerable and marginalised people. Particularly after the global economic downturn, coupled with decreasing social spending as a result of austerity measures and failing delivery of public services, social innovation has, to a certain extent, been seen as one way to fill gaps and address societal challenges ranging from unemployment and migration to ageing and low female labour force participation. Research in the SIMPACT project provides both empirical and theoretical insights into the onset, development, evolution and diffusion of social innovation.

COPE launches children with imprisoned parents database: Children of Prisoners Europe has launched a new database of information on national and European initiatives, statistics and policy advances relating to children separated from a parent in prison. Users can browse by theme or location, using an interactive map. Initiatives are divided into those inside prison, those outside prison and online initiatives. The live version is a pilot project and will continually be updated. See also Criminal detention and alternatives: fundamental rights aspects in EU cross-border transfers by FRA.

Silencing the Messenger: Communication Apps Under Pressure: Internet freedom wanes with governments increasingly targeting instant messaging and calling platforms, the latest Freedom House Freedom of the Net report has found. WhatsApp emerged as the most-blocked app, facing restrictions in 12 of the 65 studied countries. Turkey saw “the most drastic five-year decline,” according to the report, following blocks and restrictions on social media, and widespread censorship of websites and Twitter accounts.

European Commission report on the case for LGBT diversity in the workplace: The European Commission published a report, ‘The Business Case for Diversity in the Workplace: sexual orientation and gender identity – Report on good practices’, in October 2016. The aim of the study is to provide examples of good practices adopted by companies in the EU that actively promote LGBTI inclusion, highlighting the social and economic benefits that this can bring.

CAF – Beyond Integrity: Beyond Integrity, a new report produced by CAF, in collaboration with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), examines how some companies are going above and beyond their traditional role to protect civic space.

Prosperity without poverty – A framework for action in Wales: This report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, written in partnership with the Bevan Foundation, makes key recommendations for the UK to set out a framework for action to be taken in Wales. It includes measures that should be taken by the government, to include local authorities as well as the Welsh Government, practices that should be adopted by businesses, trade unions, charities, social landlords, and the steps that should be taken by individuals to help lower their own risk of falling into poverty.

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Blogs and Other Sites of Interest

ben_jerrys_electionWatch: One Sweet World – Ben & Jerry’s EUROPE: The dominant message that comes across in society today is one of division. Whether it’s televised political debates or newspaper headlines, it’s sometimes easy to think the world is becoming increasingly divided. Ben & Jerry’s Europe has released a short clip with the aim of amplifying a message of unity and love using the thing they know best, ice cream.

Training for mobilisation/campaigns in the human/civic rights sector: The “Accélérateur” is a 3 month training course for mobilisations. The training helps individuals to professionalise (e.g. set up a strategy, integrate all necessary ingredients to succeed in a campaign) and includes volunteer experts/mentors for coaching as well as networking opportunities with other initiatives. More information is in French on the Accélérateur website. A first round of training courses started in October with 8 initiatives (selected from 102). There will be more rounds next year. Please share this with other funders or networks that might be interested in this initiative.

Inter Faith Week – 13th to 20th November 2016: Inter Faith Week 2016 will run from Sunday 13th November to Sunday 20th November in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The aims of the Week are to strengthen good inter faith relations at all levels, increase awareness of the different and distinct faith communities in the UK, in particular celebrating and building on the contributions their members make to their neighbourhoods and wider society, and to increase understanding between people of religious and non-religious beliefs.

Podcast: ECFR’s World In 30 Minutes – How should Europe respond to President Trump? In this podcast for The European Council on Foreign Relations, Mark Leonard speaks with Jeremy Shapiro, Asli Aydintasbas and Josef Janning about reactions to Trump’s electoral triumph from the UK, Germany and Turkey.

Watch: New video by Faros Adventures for children arriving alone in Greece: Unaccompanied and separated minors often feel overwhelmed when faced with life-changing decisions without a parent at their side. This video was created by Faros Adventures and supported by SolidarityNow to encourage refugee children to start thinking about their options and ask for guidance. It is not meant to substitute legal aid. Please share with anyone interested.

Guide about what to do if you see Islamophobia: Donald Trump’s election win appears to have driven Islamophobic sentiment even higher. Marie-Shirine Yener, a 22-year-old Parisian illustrator, created a guide to give people advice on how they can help people who are being harassed. She based her strategy on “non-complementary behaviour”, a concept in psychology which aims to disrupt an oppressive connection a potential attacker is attempting to establish with the target.

#StatelessKids – New campaign infographic: The European Network on Statelessness (ENS) has published its second #StatelessKids infographic. It explains how children get their nationality, why they become stateless and what states need to do to end childhood statelessness.

A Photo Exhibit Explores Life in the “Urban Now”: Urban Now: City Life in Congo is a collaboration between photographer Sammy Baloji and anthropologist Filip De Boeck. Together, they offer an exploration of different urban sites in the Congo through the media of photography and video. They define the “urban now” as a moment suspended between the broken dreams of a colonial past and the promises of neoliberal futures. The exhibition offers an artistic and ethnographic investigation of what living, and living together, might mean in Congo’s urban worlds.

Watch: For people with disabilities, the real obstacle is exclusion: In this video, Tiffany Yu, founder of Diversability, talks about how exclusion can be more disabling to a person than an actual disability and why employers should hire people with disabilities because of their strengths, not to meet a quota.

The teen-age brides of Georgia: An estimated seventeen per cent of Georgian women marry before the age of eighteen, a practice that has increased since the end of Soviet rule. Here is a collection of photos by Sophie Pinkham for the New Yorker illustrating teenage brides from Georgia.

Grant-Making

mark-freemanMeeting Mark Freeman of the Institute for Integrated Transitions: Friday 18th: Mark Freeman, Executive Director of the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT) is visiting the UK and has generously offered to meet Ariadne members for an interactive and informal discussion with funders. Most recently Mark has been closely involved in the Colombian peace building negotiations which led to last week’s signing of a new peace accord between the Colombian government and the FARC rebels.  The new agreement will bring an end to fifty years of conflict. In addition, IFIT has recently launched a major new publication: Navigating International Aid in Transitions: A Guide for Recipients. The guide seeks to explain the Western aid machine that lands in countries in periods of transition out of war or authoritarianism.

Learning Visit – Jordan Debriefing: On October 25th, the IHRFG/Ariadne Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Funders Working Group held a Learning Visit debriefing at the King Baudouin Foundation in New York, where participants shared key takeaways with other funders working to address the forced migration crisis across the region. Notes from the meeting have been shared via the MENA Funders Working Group mailing list. If you are interested in joining this, please email Danielle Stouck.

Rien van Gendt Lecture 2016 – Foundations and Society: Sliding Panels: Rien van Gendt, an international phenomenon in the funders world, has been given a biennial lecture, called the Rien Van Gendt lecture which took place at the end of October 2016. This lecture addressed the societal value of philanthropy in its broadest sense. His speech entitled “Sliding Panels”, in which the role but also the changes of the role of private foundations in society are examined, was attended by nearly 200 representatives of the funders and social change world.

Civil Society 2.0: This article, written for Open Democracy by Heba Al Nasser, the Deputy Director for the Gulf Programme at the British Council, explores the role of youth activists in the MENA region, and particularly in Jordan, in redefining civil society as a “mechanism of collective empowerment that enhances the ability of citizens to protect their interests and rights from arbitrary or capricious state power. The article provides concrete information regarding the growing restrictions in Jordan on civil society organisations, including information about the new mechanism for receiving foreign funding that was introduced on October 18th.

Baring Foundation funding round for 2016 open: The Baring Foundation announced in October 2016 the launch of a second round of funding in two open funds under their Strengthening the Voluntary Sector programme launched in 2015. This programme supports effective use of the law and human rights based approaches by the voluntary sector in the United Kingdom to tackle discrimination and disadvantage. It is a collaboration with The Legal Education Foundation and The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. It focuses on activity in all countries of the United Kingdom. It does not support international work.

Global Terrorism Index 2016: The Institute for Economics and Peace has released the Global Terrorism Index for 2016. The world’s most developed countries have suffered a dramatic increase in deaths as a result of terrorism in the last year, according to the new Global Terrorism Index, despite a drop in the global number of terrorism-related deaths. 2015 was the second-deadliest year since records began. It was surpassed only by 2001, when the 9/11 attacks accounted for 2,996 deaths.

The European Commission has published two new calls for proposals under the Rights, Equality and Citizenship programme: The European Commission releases over €1 billion in funding every year through calls for proposals and other forms of investment. This is to support dialogue and exchange of best practice in fostering tolerance and mutual respect and to support Member States’ authorities to ensure correct and full implementation of the EU Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law. The deadline to submit the applications for both calls is 5th January 2017. Please share this with anyone interested.

Civic Freedom Resources Portal and Global Trends in NGO Law: Trends Affecting Civic Space 2015-2016: The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) launched an improved version of its online thematic portals, containing resources on issues affecting civil society and civic freedom, ranging from foreign funding to the right to peaceful assembly. The latest issue of ICNL’s Global Trends in NGO Law examines key initiatives at the regional and international levels as well as some of the successes achieved by civil society at the national level.

Brexit means Brexit: but what does it mean for human rights, equality and social justice? The Thomas Paine Initiative has commissioned a report on the scope of protection for individual rights by EU law within the UK, and the potential impact of Brexit for the protection of these rights. The report’s author, Angela Patrick, looks at how the EU referendum has brought the nature of constitutional arrangements into sharp focus, and highlights that now is not a time for complacency.

Fund launched to support young people leaving care: The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation has launched a new £10 million fund for charities working with young people leaving care. The five-year programme ‘Young People Leaving Care’ will invest £2 million a year in projects focusing on care leavers making the transition to adulthood. Applications are now open.

New fund opens to support organisations with social investments: A new £4 million small grants scheme opened this month to test a new model for social investment readiness support.  The Reach Fund will run for two years and is funded by Access. Grants of up to £15,000 are available.

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Jobs and Tenders

BIG_E_BLU_WEB-350Head of International Funding – Big Lottery Fund  Big Lottery Fund is seeking a Head of International Funding. The successful candidate will play a key role in driving the implementation of the organisation’s new international funding approach, supporting the poorest communities to make use of their strengths and deliver the changes they want to see. They will work with experts and other funders; taking a focused and strategic approach, and targeting funding to support disabled people to develop better livelihoods in Tanzania and Uganda. The role will also involve working in partnership with other funders elsewhere around the world, and to contribute to major humanitarian responses following sudden onset crises. Location: London, United Kingdom. Deadline for applications is 20th November 2016.

Department Coordinator – Ford Foundation: Ford Foundation is seeking a Department Coordinator for its Office of Strategy and Learning. The objective of the unit is to facilitate strategy and development and its refinement through learning and evaluation. The Department Coordinator will support the Senior Manager and Director, fulfil communications, research and information collection needs, and support the team in an administrative capacity. Location: New York, United States of America. Deadline for applications is 21st November 2016.

Senior Officer for Philanthropic Partnerships – Mama Cash: Mama Cash is seeking a Senior Officer for Philanthropic Partnerships. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and overseeing Mama Cash’s strategies and policies for resource mobilisation from institutional donors. They will contribute to the organisation’s financial base and advise on the strategic direction of Mama Cash’s resource mobilisation and philanthropic partnerships. Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Deadline for applications is ongoing.

Senior Programme Officer, Natural Resource Rights – AJWS: AJWS is seeking a Senior Programme Officer for both its Natural Resource Rights issue area and its Civil and Political Rights issue area. The successful candidate will manage a portfolio in the Natural Resource Rights issue area, coordinate capacity-building and programmatic opportunities for grantees, and engage in strategic learning to document AJWS’ impact and improve grantmaking strategies in Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador. And, similarly, for the Civil and Political Rights issue area in Mexico and Guatemala. Location: New York, United States of America. Deadline for applications is ongoing.

Investment Officer x 2 and Investment Analyst – Open Society Foundations: Open Society Foundations is seeking two Investment Officers and an Investment Analyst for its Economic Advancement Programme (EAP). The EAP seeks aims to promote economic opportunity in ways that foster open, tolerant and prosperous societies. The EAP employs a range of tools including deploying investment capital, pursuing economic policy advocacy, making grants to support civil society actors, and engaging in discourses that shape decision-making. Location: London, United Kingdom. Deadline for applications is 30th November 2016.

Programme Officer – Open Society Foundations: Open Society Foundations’ East Asia Programme is seeking a Programme Officer, with expertise on the Korean peninsula. The Programme Officer will be part of the Asia Pacific Regional Office team and will report to the East Asia Programme Director with a focus on grant-making, strategy development, policy analysis, and advocacy efforts to promote the programme’s vision. Location: New York, United States of America. Deadline for applications is 29th November 2016.

Director – European Digital Rights Litigation Fund: Digital rights are under threat across Europe. Strategic litigation has proven to be a crucial lever to protect such rights but is currently underutilised by European civil society. Active litigators are few and far between, and they lack capacity, support, coordination and a coherent strategy to achieve maximum impact. The multi-donor European Digital Rights Litigation Fund will respond to these challenges. Open Society Foundations is seeking a Director for the Fund, who will be tasked with turning the idea of the Fund into reality. Funders interested in learning more about the Fund can contact Vera Franz. Location: TBC. Deadline for applications is 30th November 2016. Interested candidates should send a one-page letter of motivation and CV to vera.franz@opensocietyfoundations.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*For more jobs, see the ‘Career Opportunities’ section on the landing page of the Ariadne portal.

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Public Meetings

AMSTERDAM

November 27th – December 3rd
Confronting Violent Pasts and Historical (In)Justice: The legacy of genocide, gross human rights violations, mass political violence, and historical injustice has arguably been laid bare through a range of mechanisms, including official apologies, truth commissions and revising school history curricula. Each mechanism seeks to contribute to accountability, reconciliation, the historical record, victims’ rights, and competing ‘truths’. As the international ad-hoc trials wind down, we enter a new phase of evaluating the efficacy of these and other institutionalised means of confronting the violent past. This event will discuss: the societies that maintain official amnesia or actively repress the memory of violence, when the right time for addressing the violent past is, and if historians and historical dialogue could or should play a more instrumental role in these processes. The event will take place between 1st – 3rd December, 2016 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

 

BRISTOL, UNITED KINGDOM

November 20th – 26th
Charities Automatic Exchange of Information Seminar: HMRC has recently published new guidance about the UK’s Automatic Exchange of Information agreements with other countries. Businesses that are financial institutions have reporting obligations under the AEOI agreements that came into effect from January 2016. These rules form part of global strategies to combat offshore tax evasion. Financial institutions are not limited to banks and building societies – they also include insurers, wealth and investment managers, trusts and some charities. Affected charities will be those whose main income is from investments in financial assets, where the assets are managed by a fund manager. HMRC, with support from STEP, is running a seminar for charities and their advisers who are affected by AEOI reporting and would like more information. The event will take place on 23rd November, 2016 in Bristol, United Kingdom.

 

BRUSSELS

November 20th – 26th  
EUNITED against Crime: Digital Evidence, Privacy and Security in the European Union: Terrorist and criminal organisations increasingly rely on information and communication technologies. In the age of Big Data, intelligence and law enforcement agencies can exploit available data to buttress criminal investigations and help prevent violence. However, this must be balanced with the need to guarantee citizens’ privacy and safety on the internet. This seminar will explore: how EU countries obtain digital evidence to investigate crime and terrorism-related offences, the possibility for a harmonised approach at the EU level – given that EU and national frameworks protect privacy as a human right, and how we can ensure authorities can conduct investigations in cyberspace effectively, whilst guaranteeing that it remains a safe environment where people need have no fear of being spied upon. The event will take place on 23rd November, 2016 in Brussels, Belgium.

November 20th – 26th
Countering and Preventing Radicalisation – Reviewing Approaches in the MENA Region and the EU: As the international focus on preventative approaches to violent extremism and radicalisation grows, a wide range of initiatives and activities have been launched. While it is evident that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, it is important to draw on these existing experiences to identify best practices for effective interventions. The workshop aims to share experiences and best practices in the context of counter-radicalisation strategies in Europe and the MENA region. It also seeks to identify new avenues and develop innovative approaches to halt and reverse the spread of violent extremism, as well as build and strengthen networks that enable a continuous exchange among the key actors involved in the study and practice of de-radicalisation. The event will take place on 22nd November, 2016 in Brussels, Belgium.

November 27th – December 3rd
The European Refugee Crisis: Liberal Answers to Challenges in Migration: Migration will be one of the key challenges of the EU in years to come. A proper management of migration flows and the successful integration of refugees into our European societies is not only of strategic importance, it might prove to be the cornerstone of (re-)creating unity among the EU Member States. While the EU has tried to push for a common European asylum system to effectively deal with the crisis, Member States single-handedly closed borders. These dynamics have moved new players onstage the management of EU borders. This event will discuss: the impact of these new players on the current management of migration flows, how the EU can keep its obligations of the Geneva Convention on Refugees – especially in light of the EU-Turkey deal, and how we can ensure that these rights, as core liberal values, are not compromised in times of crisis. The event will take place on 29th November, 2016 in Brussels, Belgium.

 

HAMBURG, GERMANY

November 27th – December 3rd
Grantmakers East Forum: Philanthropic Response to Refugee Challenges: From Emergency to Policy: This year’s Grantmakers East Forum will seek to find out how funders across Europe and beyond, respecting the different subsets of issues in Central-Eastern and Western Europe, can cooperate to respond to the needs of refugees. It will also look beyond the emergency to explore what policy measures could help to avoid a crisis in the future. The event will take place between 30th November – 2nd December, 2016 in Hamburg, Germany.

 

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

November 27th – December 3rd
Global Summit on Community Philanthropy: The Global Summit on Community Philanthropy might interest those who: would like to see philanthropy and international aid re-oriented towards community strengthening; want to learn new approaches to building trusting relationships with community leaders, civil society, foundations, government and the private sector; and are looking to be inspired by leading thinkers and practitioners in community philanthropy from around the globe. The main purpose of the two days will be to build connections and foster conversations between participants towards a collective and linked up framework for people-led development. Community philanthropy – with its emphasis on local assets, strengthening communities and building trust – is one set of tools and principles that can help achieve this. The event will take place between 1st – 2nd December, 2016 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

 

LEEDS, UNITED KINGDOM

November 20th – 26th
Europe and the People: Examining the EU’s Democratic Legacy: Following the result of the EU referendum, this conference will examine concerns regarding the democratic legitimacy of EU institutions and the European project. It will look at how the debate concerning EU democratic legitimacy across member states might fit within the context of a crisis of trust in institutions at all levels in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis. The conference will explore the mechanisms through which EU institutions have sought to gain democratic legitimacy, and will look at the potential democratic basis for a post-Brexit UK-EU relationship. To register email: events@fpc.org.uk. The event will take place on November 25th, 2016 in Leeds, United Kingdom.

 

LONDON

November 13th – 19th
Gender Matters in International Peace-making: We are living through an unprecedented time of upheaval and uncertainty. Social and political violence is surging, and there are more displaced people than ever before. Increasingly it is civil society pressing for peaceful change. The decades of ongoing violence have shown that the current approaches don’t work. Male-dominated political systems are unable to provide the gender-balanced expertise and approaches needed for peace-making. Organised by Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom UK, participants will join experts on gender, peace and security; learning from their experiences and discussing how this knowledge can be translated into action from home. The event will take place on November 19th, 2016 in London, United Kingdom.

November 20th – 26th
No Shelter: The Harassment of Activists Abroad by Intelligence Services of the Former Soviet Union: This seminar will examine the experiences of a range of civil society activists, opposition politicians, religious leaders and others who have been forced to leave their former Society country of origin due to the risk of persecution, but who are unable to escape the pressures of their country’s security services in exile. It will discuss the experiences of activists being monitored, followed, harassed, attacked, kidnapped and killed across the former Soviet Union and beyond. The seminar will also debate the impact of the United States ‘Spectrum’ surveillance system, the UK Investigatory Powers Bill, and the role of Western countries in the export of technology and consultancy services. To register email: events@fpc.org.uk. The event will take place on November 22nd, 2016 in London, United Kingdom.

November 20th – 26th
Welfare Reform and the Impact upon the Individuals You Fund: Welfare reform has been at the centre of much discussion around government policy. This half-day seminar will provide an analysis and update on: the ‘bedroom tax’ and new Housing Benefit cap thresholds; other changes to Housing Benefit that will affect claimants, including the end of automatic Housing Benefit for 18 to 21 year olds; the change from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payments; increased levels of sanctioning and benefit delays by the Department of Work and Pensions, and the arrival of Universal Credit. The event will take place on November 22nd, 2016 in London, United Kingdom.

November 20th – 26th
‘What’s Wrong with Human Rights?’ Joshua Rozenberg QC (hon): For years, successive UK governments have tried to limit their obligations under the human rights convention. Today, reform or even repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998 is back on the political agenda. Joshua Rozenberg QC (hon) asks if anything will change, and questions what is wrong with human rights. The event will take place on November 22nd, 2016 in London, United Kingdom.

November 20th – 26th
Sexuality and Disability Film Screening: To close the Disability and Sex/uality project 2016 Sisters of Frida is organising a film screening, with two films on disability, sex and sexuality, as well as a discussion and refreshments. The films will be ‘Margarita with a Straw’ and ‘Sins Invalid’. The event will take place on November 26th, 2016 in London, United Kingdom.

November 27th – 3rd December
Using Data to Advance Dignity: A New Approach to Measuring the Human Rights Performance of Countries and How You can Use it in Your Work: There is debate in academic and other circles about the merits of quantitative measures of human rights at the country-level and how they are best used. Dr K. Chad Clay and Anne-Marie Brook will lead a discussion on the potential reinvention of the way country-level Human Rights data is produced and used, to inspire more ethical behaviour by states and other actors. This seminar will introduce the Human Rights Measurement Initiative, seek feedback on its emerging methodology, and engage participants in a discussion about how these new measures of human rights might be beneficial for their own work. To register email: human.rights@lse.ac.uk. The event will take place on November 29th, 2016 in London, United Kingdom.

December 4th – 10th
Global Witness Breakfast: Hostile Takeover Cambodia: At this Breakfast Briefing Global Witness will discuss its Cambodia campaign, its recent report Hostile Takeover and the use of open data as a tool to expose corruption and push for greater transparency. The briefing will be led by Global Witness’ Senior Campaigner for Land and Cambodia, Josie Cohen, and Data Advisor, Sam Leon, who will discuss how their investigation and use of open source data exposed the economic dimensions of the Hun Sen regime in Cambodia, shedding light on a huge network of secret deal-making and nepotism that emanates from the Hun family and underpins the Cambodian economy. The event will take place on 7th December, 2016 in London, United Kingdom.

 

MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM

November 12th – 19th
Spirit of Women Conference: The Spirit of Women Conference is part of a wider Spirit of Women initiative to mark and celebrate the iconic moment in 1918 when women first won the right to vote, and will focus on the power of women and men to drive forward change in their communities, their workplaces or in their own lives with particular emphasis on the voluntary, cultural, sporting and physical activity sectors. The conference will have three themes, which will be explored through a mixture of presentations, panel discussions, interactive workshops, networking and art: women’s health and wellbeing, women in the economy, and women in public life and political representation. The event will take place on 19th November, 2016 in Manchester, United Kingdom.

 

MEXICO CITY

February 19th – 25th
WINGSForum 2017 – Critical Philanthropy: Addressing Complexity, Challenging Ourselves: WINGSForum 2017 intends to provide an opportunity for reflection on the field, and on the dynamics of power, money and participation. The opening plenary will address the complexity, diversity and contractions within philanthropy and challenge participants to discover the potential for connection and synergy. Themes to be explored include: philanthropy’s influence on public policy: efforts to protect and strengthen local and cross-border enabling environments; the significance in philanthropy of emerging business solution model approaches to impact social problems; and assessment of the quantitative and qualitative approaches to philanthropy development and the impact on quality of life. The event will take place between February 22nd and 24th, 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico.

 

ONLINE

November 20th – 26th
EU Funding Update for VP/SI Practitioners: Providing at least €150m to social enterprises and sector social organisations which are located or active in EU Member States, EFSI Equity will directly target financial intermediaries linked to incubators, business angels and payment-by-results schemes. Together with some key initiatives launched under the European Programme for Employment and Social Innovation, such as the EaSI Guarantee Financial Instrument, the Social Impact Accelerator or the European Social Innovation Competition, EFSI Equity is said to be a sign of the commitment of the EU to support social entrepreneurship. This event will look at: how EFSI Equity will work in practice; how VP/SI practitioners can apply; the eligibility criteria; and how these equity instruments complement the other funding instruments currently available to support their work. The event will take place on November 23rd, 2016 online.

November 20th – 26th  
Online/Offline: How Technology Can Empower Local Refugee Communities: This webinar with Alan Vernon, Project Lead – Connectivity for Refugees, UNHCR and Joséphine Goube, Chief Operating Officer, Techfugees will unpack UNHCR’s report ‘Connecting Refugees: How Internet and Mobile Connectivity Can Improve Refugee Well-Being and Transform Humanitarian Action.’ The focus will be on the critical role that information and communications technology plays in improving the lives of refugees from city to city. From the lifeline of mobile connectivity to internet basics for e-registering health and other services, ICT and online platforms are providing scalable tech solutions that facilitate refugee connection and inclusion and driving enduring social innovation offline. The event will take place on November 23rd, 2016 online.

 

THE HAGUE

December 4th – 10th
A Global Perspective on Migration: Resilience, Human Security, and Governance: At this event participants will discuss the deficiencies of the current international system and propose policies for improving global governance in the field of global migration governance. The aim of the GGRI Global Migration Governance project is to facilitate policy-relevant research and action-oriented dialogue that generates innovative, multi-stakeholder solutions for global, regional, and local challenges concerning the effective management of the movement and settlement of vulnerable migrants. Issues, some of which are highly contested and stand in tension with each other, to be discussed include: the resilience, security and stability of receiving countries, transit countries and originating countries, both in political, economic and social terms in view of massive migration flows, as well as the protection and promotion of the human security for especially vulnerable migrants. The event will take place on 8th December, 2016 in The Hague, The Netherlands.

December 4th – 10th  
Freedom Lecture: Zhanna Nemtsova: This year’s Humanity House Freedom Lecture will be held by Russian journalist and activist Zhanna Nemtsova. She will speak about her life, her aspirations, and her vision on freedom. She will speak about how she is battling the Kremlin, how the mechanisms from the Russian propaganda apparatus work, and if she able to act against it from her residence Bonn. Following the lecture attendees will hear from Russia expert Huberts Smeets and others about propaganda and activism in Russia. Before and after the programme there will also be an opportunity to join the Amnesty Writing Marathon. The event will take place on 8th December, 2016 in The Hague, The Netherlands.

 

VIENNA

November 27th – December 3rd
Aktionstage: Refugees – Migration – Democracy: While European states have not been able to create humane conditions for those who have fled war zones in recent years, the dedication of Europe’s civil society proves that solidarity is alive and that the vision of a democratic Europe will not be abandoned. Community action – whether in smaller communities or in larger cities – is becoming a guiding principle for many. Thus, actions and organisations from civil society strongly influence European democracies, changing and reshaping them. This conference will explore this through a theoretical and practical perspective and attempt to understand the current situation through historical and geographical comparisons. The event will take place between November 29th and December 2nd, 2016 in Vienna, Austria.

February 19th – 25th
Zero Project Conference: Save the date for the Zero Project Conference 2017 on Employment, Work, and Vocational Education and Training: Innovative Policies and Practices for Persons with Disabilities. This sixth Zero Project Conference hopes to gather 500 decision makers and opinion leaders worldwide; highlight more than 50 innovative policies and innovative practices concerning employment, work and vocational education and training from around the world; and involve leading experts in the discussion of the most relevant solutions for the implementation of the UN CRPD. The event will take place between February 22nd and 24th, 2017 in Vienna, Austria.

  

WASHINGTON

December 4th – 10th
2016 AIDS Philanthropy Summit: At this event Funders Concerned About AIDS will release its report ‘Philanthropic Support to Address HIV/AIDS in 2015’ – outlining who is funding what, where, and how within the HIV landscape. Gathering shortly after the 2016 elections, participants will also explore how the results will impact their work going forward. The summit will also focus on intersectional approaches to building health equity, featuring both U.S. domestic and international content. The challenges of overcoming disparities and building true health are too big a challenge for any funder, or even any funders’ network to face alone. True progress will require concerted efforts, bringing funders – and their networks – out of their silos. The event will take place between December 5th and 6th, 2016 in Washington, The United States of America.

 April 30th – May 6th
Peace and Security Funders Group Annual Meeting & Federal Policy Briefing: The Peace and Security Funders’ Group is seeking ideas for its Annual Meeting and Federal Policy Briefing. To suggest workshops, roundtables or speakers please fill in the short survey by clicking the above link. The event will take place between 2nd and 5th May, 2017 in Washington DC, The United States of America.

Ariadne is supported by the American Jewish World Service, Ford Foundation, McArthur Foundation, Oak Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Sigrid Rausing Trust and Zennstrom Philanthropies.

Ariadne is also supported by voluntary contributions from its participants

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