Archive

2004 News

16/11/2004 - International Service To Screen "Missing Young Women"

International Service would like to invite you to join us for a screening of extracts from the film 'Missing Young Women', in which filmmaker Lourdes Portillo investigates the murders of the women of Juarez. 
The film will be introduced by Esther Chavez, who is in the UK to receive an International Service Human Rights Award.
The film is being shown tonight at City Screen in York. It starts at 6.30pm and all 70 tickets are free. Tickets are available by calling 01904 54 11 44 or from the City Screen box office.

14/10/2004 - York Minster Concert Sold Out

We are pleased to announce that all 400 tickets for The Yards at York Minster tomorrow night have been sold, there will be no tickets available on the door.

01/10/2004 - Human Rights Awards Winners Announced

We are proud to announce the winners of the 2004 International Service Human Rights Awards.

Grass-Roots Human Rights Campaigner
Esther Chavez – More than 260 young women have been found murdered and mutilated in and around Ciudad Juarez over the last ten years; very little has been done by the Mexican authorities to solve these cases. In 1999, Esther Chavez founded Casa Amiga to provide services to the families of the victims and survivors of similar abuse. With an annual budget of just $4,500 it offers a wide range of services, primarily psychological, medical, and legal to survivors of violence, abuse, sexual assault, rape, incest, and sexual harassment. It functions as a rape-crisis centre and safety zone for battered women. Esther Chavez has won this award for great courage in a very dangerous situation, for the imagination and vision to create the centre and for dedication to the cause. This award will give international support to a small organisation as well as the possibility of greater protection and enhanced influence.

International Volunteer Human Rights Defender
Audrey Bomse - throughout her time at the Jerusalem Centre for Human Rights, Audrey has used her knowledge, experience and network from twenty-five years of civil rights legal representation in the US to help establish training programs for attorneys representing prisoners in Israeli military courts and to produce ground-breaking public documents, most significantly a report published in conjunction with the Mandela Institute for Human Rights on the status of Palestinian prisoners. The judges felt that Audrey had “clearly shown real personal commitment and used her skills and experience to precise and fruitful effect. She is a real role model for other development workers in this difficult region”.

Partner Organisation Achievement
Action on Disability and Development (ADD) West Africa – Disabled people in West Africa are often excluded from the social, educational, economic and political systems. They are thus denied their fundamental rights. ADD West Africa has won this award for defending the rights of disabled people in the area and for its excellent work in the fight against HIV/AIDS, facilitating physical access and influencing partners to include disabled people at all stages of development.

Global Human Rights Defender
Joint Winners
Sigrid Rausing – for her strong commitment to women’s rights. The judges said, “Her determination to provide for the cause of women’s rights is outstanding. She has shown huge dedication and vision in her work to help women escape from violence and poverty”.
Mark Thomas – for using his skills and talent so intelligently to raise public awareness of human rights abuses at home and abroad. One of the judges commented that, “Something I have always believed in is ‘do what you can to make a difference’ – and he has done that brilliantly”.

International Service wishes to thank Bryan Sanderson and Galliard Healthcare Communications for their kind support of these awards.

The presentation ceremony will be held at the House of Commons on Wednesday 10th November and be hosted by Jon Snow.  For more information about the awards click here or contact Charlotte

20/09/2004 – Tickets On Sale For York Minster Concert

Tickets for The Yards' acoustic concert at York Minster are now on sale. The concert will raise money to enable International Service to help Street Children in Brazil. To find out more about the concert click here. To buy tickets call 01904 647799 or email Charlotte.

06/08/2004 - Brazil: Past Partner Organisation Wins Award

COIAB (The Brazilian Amazon´s Council of Indigenous Organisations) was awarded the Brazilian Landless Movement´s "Fight for Land" award on Monday 26th July for their contribution to the fight for land rights.  Congratulations to COIAB from everyone at International Service.

05/08/2004 - Chief Executive Nominated For UK Award

Jane Carter, Chief Executive of International Service, has been short-listed at the UK Charity Awards 2004 in the Charity Principal of the Year Category. She is hoping to pick up the award at a star-studded awards ceremony in London on Thursday 23rd September.

Jane has been Chief Executive since 1987. She saw it separate from the United Nations Association in 1998 to become a charity in it’s own right and relocate to York in 1990 where it has gone from strength to strength.

28/07/2004 - Latin America: Brazilian Partner Commended by President

Dona Raimunda Gomes da Silva - Director of the Women's Secretariat of the National Rubber Tappers Council, one of International Service's partner organisations in Brazil, was one of 12 women commended by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during the First National Conference for Women’s Rights which took place in Brasília between 15-17 July 2004.

12/07/2004 - Nominations For Human Rights Awards Closed

Nominations for the International Service Human Rights Awards have now closed.  Entry forms are being passed to the judges and the winners will be announced on Monday 4th October before the awards ceremony on Wednesday 10th November 2004.

25/06/2004 - Closing Date For Human Rights Awards Nominations Two Weeks Away

The closing date for the International Service Human Rights Awards nominations is Friday 9th July. This year’s ceremony will be on Wednesday 10th November and we are pleased to announce that Jon Snow has agreed to present the awards again. For an entry form or to find out more about the awards click here.

18/06/2004 - International Service Highly Commended at Charity Awards

International Service has been Highly Commended at The Charity Awards 2004. The Charity Awards judges have recognised the excellent work International Service has undertaken in working for the inclusion of disabled people in overseas development programmes – this has included lobbying, organising two international conferences and setting up projects with our partner organisations in Africa. Jane Carter, Chief Executive of International Service said: “Through our contact with disabled peoples’ organisations internationally, we have learned that unless the issue of disability is brought into the mainstream, the exclusion of disabled people will continue. This is why the project is so exciting; it provides a model of good practice and an example for others to follow. Disability is a human rights issue and the problems of world poverty cannot be solved until disabled peoples’ rights are prioritised and disabled people themselves lead that process”.

11/06/2004 - International Service on York TV

Jane Carter, International Service's Chief Executive, has been interviewed on York Today about our nomination for the Charity Awards, the programme will be aired early next week ahead of the awards ceremony on Thursday 17th June.
For more information about the awards see below.

28/05/2004 - International Service Nominated For National Award

International Service has been nominated for a major national prize at The Charity Awards 2004, the UK charity sector’s most prestigious award scheme. We have been short-listed in the International Aid and Development category and are hoping to pick up the coveted award at a star-studded awards ceremony in London on 17th June.
The annual Charity Awards ceremony is the most high profile event in the charity world calendar. The awards recognise excellence in the management of charities, acknowledging the outstanding work and achievements of all charities, big or small, from across the UK and the tireless commitment of the people behind them.
This is the fifth year that the awards have taken place and International Service is in illustrious company on the shortlist alongside some of the UK's most high profile charities including WWF, Barnardos, VSO and Crisis.
The Charity Awards judges have recognised the excellent work International Service has undertaken in working for the inclusion of disabled people in overseas development programmes. If we win in our category, we will then be in the running to pick up the Overall Award for Excellence in Charity Management – a prestigious award given to the best of the category winners, won last year by The Leonard Cheshire Foundation.
The Charity Awards 2004 is organised by Charity Finance magazine, the leading business publication for the voluntary sector. The distinguished panel of judges includes Sir Nicholas Young, Chief Executive of the Red Cross, Ian Allsop, Editor of Charity Finance magazine and Judith Hill, Head of Community and Charity at leading law firm Farrer and Co. Daniel Phelan, organiser of The Charity Awards 2004 said: This year, more than ever, The Charity Awards are recognising initiatives implemented by many of the UK’s national and regional charities on the ground in communities in need. This is the cutting edge of the work of the voluntary sector where excellent management makes all the difference. At a time when the charity sector is facing the challenging and exciting prospect of taking a much larger role in the provision of public sector services through the Government's recently announced proposals in the draft Charities Bill, acknowledging exceptional work and management achievement helps to spread good practice throughout the sector and draws attention to the talent and leading expertise that will deliver these services. By being short-listed, International Service has already demonstrated that they are among the best run charities in the UK and I wish them luck on the night."
For more information please email Charlotte

22/05/2004 - International Service in The Independent

Jane Carter, Chief Executive of International Service, has signed a joint letter to The Independent newspaper on the situation in Rafah this week. To read the letter click here.

10/05/2004 - International Service Awarded Large Comic Relief Grant

International Service has received £535,460 from Comic Relief for one of our African partners, Jeunesse et Developpement, a Malian organisation which is working to help young people develop their potential.

The grant will help to improve the lives of many disadvantaged young people living in the towns and cities of Togo, Burkina Faso and Mali by supporting small business ventures that promote social and economic integration. Principal objectives of the project are to:
· Enable young people to establish their own small business ventures by providing funding, support and advice.
· Develop leadership capacity and self-confidence among the young people concerned. · Provide basic education and training to young people who may have missed out on schooling.
· Give young people experience of decision-making and management by enhancing their capacities to develop creative solutions to the social and economic difficulties they face.
· Promote a child-centred and gender sensitive approach to working with young people in organisations in the countries concerned.

Founded in 1993, the work of Jeunesse et Developpment is desperately needed in a society where poverty forces young people onto the streets to earn money from an early age. The organisation has been strengthened with the help of International Service development worker, Sue Upton, who has been working with us in Mali since 1994.

Edward Wilson, Africa Programme Manager at International Service said: “Young people are at the centre of every stage of the project. They initiate applications; they select which projects will be funded; they manage their own funds; they are involved in monitoring, evaluation and future planning. In this way, the project has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life of those concerned. We are delighted to have received this grant.”

22/04/2004 - Susan Bertoni Appointed Palestine Field Director

Susan Bertoni has begun work as International Service's Palestine Field Director.  Formerly Women and Youth Development Specialist at American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), Susan will be responsible for managing our partnerships and development workers in Palestine.

13/04/2004 - Nominations Open for International Service Human Rights Awards

Nominations are now open for the International Service Human Rights Awards 2004. For more information please click here.

15/03/2004 - Partner Organisations in Brazil Win Chico Mendes Prize

Two of IS' partners have been awarded the Chico Mendes prize from the Ministry for the Environment. Dona Raimunda Gomes, the president of the women's secretariat of the Conselho Nacional dos Seringueiros (CNS) was awarded for her work in favour of the preservation of the environment. Vytycaty with whom we have a 3 way partnership through CTI (Centro de Trabalho Indigenista) were awarded the prize in the community organisation category.

03/03/2004 - International Service in The Guardian

International Service development workers speak to The Guardian about the shooting of Yussef Bashir in Gaza.

Click here to see the full article.

24/02/2004 - International Service Expands Into Chile

Next month International Service will send its first development worker to Chile, expanding its portfolio of countries to six. Katie Allison will be based in Santiago, where she will work with Consumers International as a Specialist Information Manager.

International Service currently has programmes in Brazil and Bolivia where we work in areas such as human rights, health and the environment. Pedro Gonzalez, International Service’s Latin America Programme Manager said; “By expanding to other Latin American countries we are able to network to produce a more significant and sustainable impact in the area. I am very excited about this new development.”

Consumers International’s main activities are around the elaboration of policies that defend the consumer on issues such as: product and food standards, health and patients’ rights, the environment, sustainable consumption and the regulation of international trade and of public activities.

14/01/2004 - Investor in People Accreditation - Lunch Reception

International Service has been awarded the Investor in People accreditation. The nationally recognised Investor in People Standard was devised by a group of top national industrialists in 1990 and has rapidly gained a reputation for being the standard of excellence in development of employees. International Service is committed to training and motivating staff throughout the organisation. Working towards the Standard helps businesses to improve performance by linking the planned, efficient development of employees to the achievement of business objectives. A lunch reception to celebrate gaining the Standard will take place on Friday 6th February at 12.30pm. It will be attended by Hugh Bayley MP for York. For more information contact Charlotte

2003 News

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

25/11/2003 - Mainstreaming Disability in Development
International Service held Mainstreaming Disability in Development, its second conference focusing on disability, on 11-12 November.  The conference was attended by over 120 people from 20 different countries and funded by the European Year of Disabled People.  Transcripts of the speeches will be available soon, for more information email Chris
17/10/2003 - Do you want to be on television?
Did you miss out on a Gap Year when you were eighteen and are considering making up for it now? We’re looking for ‘Grown-up Gappers’ to take part in a new BBC TV documentary series. You’ll be over 35, self-financing, and ready to leave this year to one of International Service's projects in Africa for 3-4 months.  For more information email Charlotte or call 01904 647799.
10/10/2003 - Investors In People
International Service has now successfully achieved the Investors in People National Standard
23/09/2003 - IS Launches Human Rights Award
To mark the 50th Anniversary of International Service’s work we are proud to announce the launch of the IS Human Rights Awards. These awards will be made in recognition of human rights campaigners who work for change at a local, national and international level often at considerable personal risk and without thought of personal gain. In 2003 the Awards will be presented to Bianca Jagger for her outstanding individual contribution to the cause of human rights worldwide and to Raji Sourani, Director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza and a tireless campaigner for the upholding of international law in Palestine. These awards will be presented at the House of Commons at a reception hosted by Lord Bassam on December 15 at 13.00. We will also be making presentations of awards to two of our partners in the field on the same day. These will be presented to Modibo Sangho from West Africa and Andrea Flores from Latin America. From 2003 these awards will be granted annually and a panel of human rights experts will consider nominations for prizes in the international, national and local categories. Our work to reduce global poverty through international skill sharing and partnership constantly highlights the need for human rights to be at the centre of our agenda. People all over the world only live full lives in the light of human rights.
01/09/2003 - Evidence to the International Development Committee
The International Development Committee has agreed to undertake an inquiry into "Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories". The inquiry will address 9 issues and has invited organisations and individuals to submit their evidence to the committee. IS has submitted information covering mainly the following three areas: 1. The impact of the wall on Palestinian trade, employment and economic development of custom duties and taxes, and controls on the movement of goods and people on Israeli ports and points of entry to the West Bank. 2. The control that the network of settlements in the occupied territories have over the basic conditions of the development of the Palestinian economy, agricultural land, water , movement of goods and persons. 3. Priorities for UK aid through bilateral and multilateral channels to strengthen the infrastructure of Palestinian development.
21/08/2003 - Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary-General, has congratulated us on our 50th anniversary. To read a copy of the letter please click here
23/06/2003 - Charity Awards
	International Service was highly commended for our work in Bolivia at the Charity Awards 2003. For more information see www.charityawards.co.uk

12/05/2003 Programme in Palestine - Gaza projects stopped

As from Saturday 10 May, all IS Development Workers working in Gaza have been denied entry to the Gaza Strip by the Israeli army and as a result all our development projects in Gaza have been stopped.
Based on the information given to us from the Israeli Ministry of Defence, we do not foresee this situation to change in the near future.
As a UK based NGO our access to the Palestinian Occupied Territories has been granted us on an arbitrary basis since the outbreak of the al Aqsa intifada and this is the 9th time in the last 8 months that our programme in Gaza and the West Bank has been stopped for varying  lengths of time because of denied access/entry.
Ann Kristin Brunborg, Field Director, IS Palestine

02/05/2003 Reunion in York

International Service has been sending volunteers overseas for 50 years this year and on 9-10th May some of these volunteers will be reunited in York. People attending will be travelling from America, Australia, Austria, Brazil and all over Britain and worked for us as long ago as the 1950’s.
On Saturday there will be a video message of congratulations from Claire Short, Secretary of State for International Development and Malcolm Harper, Director of United Nations Association. As well as this, Jan Rocha, a past volunteer and now Brazil correspondent for the Guardian and the BBC will be speaking about her time volunteering in Austria, Greece and Brazil.
The reunion also sees the launch of Anniversary Ale, a special beer made for us by York Brewery in celebration of our anniversary.

Click here for more information about the reunion

Anniversary News

16/05/2003 Anniversary Ale

The ale will be available to sample at all of our events in 2003.

To see a full version of the anniversary news please click here

20/03/2003 Mainstreaming Disability in Development

We have received the first half of a £50,000 grant from The European Year of Disabled People.  This grant will enable us, along with Action on Disability in Development and Disability Awareness in Action, to hold a conference on Mainstreaming Disability in Development in London on 11-12 November 2003.

More information about the conference

If you are interested in attending the conference, please contact us
Registration details will be available from the site shortly.