DECLARATION OF EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL, 25 NOVEMBER 2011

Every person has the right to live free of coercion, discrimination and fear of violence.
Every girl and woman has the right to live free of coercion, discrimination and fear of violence

Every girl and woman has the right to education. Without education to empower economic, social and political participation, solutions to global problems of poverty, conflict and violence are beyond reach.

Yet, for hundreds of millions of girls and women worldwide, these human rights are denied. Education International works to ensure that women’s rights are protected. Further, EI recognizes that gender based violence is not a woman’s issue-it is an issue that concerns all of mankind.

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, marked every year on 25 November, acknowledges injustice and encourages change. EI calls upon teacher organisations to raise awareness of the scope of the phenomenon of violence against girls and women, and to organise prevention measures to eliminate violence against women in the union, in the workplace and in the community. Schools must be safe spaces for all, learners and teachers, if they are to full fill their promise of truly being places where people learn and grow together.

EI advocates for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), especially Article 10, which calls for all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of education and the elimination of stereotyped concepts of roles of men and women at all levels and in all forms of education. Non-discriminatory education benefits both girls and boys and thus ultimately contributes to more equal relationships between women and men.

EI seeks to build commitment to non-violence and peace in the minds of men and women education workers through gender-sensitive trade union and human rights education and non-violent approaches to conflict resolution.

On this 25 November, EI calls on governments to guarantee the provision of quality universal public services, in particular quality education and vocational training free of charge and with adequate facilities, qualified teachers, gender-sensitive relevant curricula, safe transportation, and sanitation. It is through these measures that girls and women with have the chance to achieve not only literacy but empowerment and the right to lead their lives free of the fear of violence and discrimination.



For further information go to

· EI Congress resolution on Gender Equality
http://download.ei-ie.org/Docs/WebDepot/2.4.1E_Gender_Equality.doc

· ITUC Trade unions say no to violence against women and girls
http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/ITUC-violence-pageGB.pdf

· UN Women Virtual Knowledge Centre to end Violence against Women and Girls
http://www.endvawnow.org/

· UN Women 16 Steps to End Violence against Women
http://www.unwomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/EN-16-Steps.pdf

Forum Kebebasan Akademik di Malaysia

Masa: Selasa, 1 November 2011 mulai 8.30 malam
Tempat: Bilik Wau, Rumah Universiti, Universiti Malaya

Anjuran Bersama:
Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK)
International Islamic Univesity Malaysia Academic Staff Association (IIUMASA)
Persatuan Kakitangan Akademik Universiti Malaya (PKAUM)

Aturcara:
1) Pengenalan kepada kebebasan akademik - Prof Madya Rosli H Mahat
2) Forum Kebebasan Akademik di Malaysia

Ahli Panel:
Prof Wan Manan Wan Muda (USM)
Dato Dr Denison Jayasooria (UKM)
Prof Madya Zaharom Naim (Nottingham U)
Mohd Zaki Sukery (GAMIS)

Academic Freedom Without Fear or Favour

Sharifah Hapsah Shahabudin
Vice Chancellor
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia


http://www.ukm.my/news/index.php/en/extras/881

MEDIA STATEMENT

MOVE would like to draw attention to the recent allegations and undue pressures impressed upon our fellow academic Professor Abdul Aziz Bari.

We are concerned and troubled by the negative remarks and personal attacks towards Prof Abdul Aziz. He is well qualified to make his stand clear over matters within his field of expertise. Threats and personal attacks are inappropriate and unprofessional. If anyone disagrees with him, they should be engaging him in a rational and professional discourse.

As an academic renowned for his contribution to the academia, Prof Aziz has the right to express his professional views freely and without prejudice as upheld by the notion of academic freedom. Academic freedom is a basic right of every academic, and must be respected and preserved.

The various principles of academic rights and academic freedom are enshrined in a UNESCO document, “Recommendations Concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel”, which was conceded by the UNESCO General Assembly on the 11th of November 1997; among others, Article 26 and 27 have stated clearly that academics’ freedom involves “the right to contribute to social change through freely expressing their opinion of state policies and of policies affecting higher education”. It further emphasizes “they should not suffer any penalties simply because of the exercise of such rights”. The recent provocative actions directed towards Prof Aziz shows a clear violation of the said articles.

MOVE/GERAK once again invites all concerned to reflect on the basics of academic rights and freedom. As we envision Malaysia to be a developed nation, may this nation be not left behind in its fundamentals of upholding the sovereignty of academic institutions and that of academic freedom. Let us be hopeful to shape a country that provides world class education; excellent in all its ways, yet has not sacrificed its soul to get there. All stakeholders must be in compliance with the Recommendation for Malaysia to be a hub for higher education on par with world class universities.

KENYATAAN MEDIA GERAK

19 October 2011

GERAK ingin menarik perhatian terhadap tohmahan dan tekanan didalam media terhadap tokoh akademik Profesor Abdul Aziz Bari.

GERAK merasa terkilan atas celaan berbentuk peribadi yang telah dikenakan terhadap beliau. Prof Abdul Aziz adalah seorang yang berwibawa dan berkelayakan untuk membuat kenyataan ilmiah dan rasional dalam bidang kepakaran beliau. Mana-mana pihak yang tidak bersetuju dengan pandangan beliau sepatutnya menghujah balas secara rasional dan profesional tanpa sebarang ugutan atau celaan pribadi.

Sebagai seorang ahli akademik, Prof Abdul Aziz berhak menyatakan pendapat seperti yang telah dilakukannya. Ini adalah sebahagian dari kebebasan akademik yang dipunyai oleh setiap ahli akademik. Mana-mana negara yang mahukan universiti mereka disanjungi dan dihormati sebagai universiti bertaraf dunia pasti menyokong, menghormati dan melindungi kebebasan akademik ini.

Kebebasan akademik ini telah disaran oleh UNESCO melalui satu dokumen bertajuk Recommedation Concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel. Dokumen ini telah diluluskan oleh perhimpunan agung UNESCO pada 11 November 1997. Kebebasan akademik ada termaktub dalam artikel 26 dan 27 Recommendation tersebut. Antara hak yang dinyatakan dalam Recommendation tersebut ialah:

“hak untuk menyumbang kepada perubahan sosial melalui kebebasan menyatakan pendapat mereka terhadap dasar-dasar negara dan dasar-dasar yang memberi kesan kepada pendidikan tinggi. Mereka tidak seharusnya dikenakan apa-apa penalti semata-mata kerana mengguna hak tersebut”

GERAK menyeru semua pihak supaya menghayati dan menghormati kebebasan akademik. Semua pihak hendaklah akur terhadap Recommendation tersebut pada bila-bila masa. Keperihatinan pihak-pihak yang berkepentingan (stakeholders) dalam perkara ini amat perlu untuk memertabatkan Malaysia sebagai hub pendidikan tinggi antarabangsa dengan universiti-universitinya bertaraf dunia.




Diedarkan bagi pihak GERAK oleh


Rosli H Mahat
Setiausaha Agung
Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK)

World Bank: Race quotas, politics led to falling UM standards

Race quotas, politics led to falling UM standards, says World Bank study

By Leslie Lau
Executive Editor
Malaysian Insider, October 17, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — A World Bank publication has found that standards at Universiti Malaya have fallen and the institution has been kept at a disadvantage because of race-based admission quotas and political interference in university management.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/race-quotas-politics-led-to-falling-um-standards-says-world-bank-study/

http://issuu.com/world.bank.publications/docs/9780821388051?mode=embed&layout=http://skin.issuu.com/v/light/layout.xml&showFlipBtn=true

The lost idealism of Malaysian universities

Professor Dr Mohamad Tajuddin Mohamad Rasdi
Malaysiakini Oct 10, 2011

http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/178248