The Foundation for Youth Social Entrepreneurship (FYSE) is a regional organization with the aim to inspire and empowering young people to take actions which create positive change and real impact in their communities, their countries and Asia. By providing a range of tailored support including campaigning and training that is youthful, exciting and dynamic FYSE aims to inspire youth to take actions now, no matter how big or small their actions might be.
The profile of the Asia Pacific Future 100 fellows includes young entrepreneurs and social changemakers under the age of 30 who are an inspiration to other young people.
Asia Pacific Future 100 members are young people who dared to stride out by setting up their own business, social enterprise, NGO or sustainable project. They have overcome challenges by realizing their vision and believing in themselves.
We will have two categories for the awards: commercial entrepreneurship and social Changemakers.
1.. Commercial entrepreneurs includes individuals who set up a business in any field of commerce, with the main objective of achieving profit returns. 2.. Social Changemakers are individuals who have set up a business, social enterprise, NGO or informal sustainable project with the main objective of achieving social returns.
The Asia Pacific Future 100 is a regional nomination process. Nominations are invited from: Mongolia, China, Japan, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Brunei, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Myanmar.
Application Applications will be open from 1st May to 31st August 2009.
Applications including all supporting documents should be emailed as .zip file named "nominee name _ country" to future100@fyse.org
Endorsement letters should be emailed by the endorser as .pdf file named "nominee name _ country" to future100@fyse.org
Selection process We are looking for young people who dared to stride out, to realize their own vision by setting up a business, social enterprise or NGO. We are looking for young people who have a story to tell, who can inspire other young people to follow suit, therefore applicants from all industries and business scales are invited to apply.
The Nomination committee will forward applications for the Asia Pacific Future 100 program to the Jury to make the final selection for the fellowship. Our auditor will finally confirm the results before we will announce the selected Asia Pacific Future 100 in October 2009.
Selection Criteria: The following selection criteria apply to all nominees: . Leadership potential of the Founder . Growth potential of project/business; . Social impact . Financial sustainability . The originality of the business/ project concept
The panel also considers: . The entrepreneur's age when the business was started; and . Any special challenges that had to be overcome.
The UNAIDS PCB NGO Delegation is currently recruiting new members!
PCB NGO Delegates represent the perspectives of civil society, including people living with HIV, within UNAIDS policies and programming. NGO delegates actively seek input from their respective communities on key issues related to UNAIDS policies and programs, and advocate with members states (governments) and cosponsoring organisations (the United Nations organisations that make up the UNAIDS ‘family’) for meaningful improvements in the implementation and evaluation of AIDS policies and programmes.
Which seats on the NGO Delegation are open?
The NGO Delegation to the UNAIDS PCB has vacancies for two-year terms beginning 1 January 2010, and ending 31 December 2011, for the following positions:
Europe Main Delegate
Europe Alternate Delegate
Latin America and the Caribbean Alternate Delegate
Africa Alternate Delegate
Asia Alternate Delegate
Where can I get more information?
Please visit www.unaidspcbngo.org for a complete description and full application in English.
Please submit all materials (profile of the candidate organisation; resume of the representative; personal statement; letters of reference) to pcb.ngo@gmail.com by August 31, 2009.
Beijing Yirening Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting social justice and public well-being.It was founded on December 19, 2006 with the mission to offer education on the prevention and treatment of communicable disease,to reach out to patients and provide them with assistance, and to eliminate discrimination and defend the rights of these disadvantaged groups by legal means.Beijing Yirenping Center currently has a center in Beijing, in which it is registered,and another field office established in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province.
Since its establishment,Beijing Yirenping Center has assisted individuals,including Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) carriers, HIV carriers, the handicapped, diabetes patients, depression patients and achromates, in processing lawsuits, most of which have become impact litigations that drew wide concern in the Chinese society. Meanwhile, Beijing Yirenping Center has been actively involved in the legislation and revision of laws on the national level. The contributions include China's Employment Promotion Law,Food Safety Law and Labour Contract Law as well as other administrative rules and regulations such as Regulations on the Sanitary Administration of Public Places and Health Rules on Swimming Places.
Beijing Yirenping Center also kept a close eye on breaking public health events,such as the poisonous milk powder scandal and the scandal of nickel chromium-made mineral teeth,in which Yirenping extended aids to defend the victims' rights
Legal Aids
Beijing Yirenping Center has assisted more than 100 public interest lawsuits,helping them to become widely-observed impact litigations.For example,Yirenping helped file the first case against physical appearance-related discrimination,aided disabled persons sue Beijing Subway to require accessible facilities and supported the case against illegal search of citizens' identification card by Beijing Railway Public Security Bureau.Beijing Yirenping Center have also provided legal counsel to the victims of the poisonous Sanlu milk powder.
In March 2007,Beijing Yirenping Center helped an HBV carrier sue Nokia over discrimination,which was selected as one of the Top Ten Labour Disputes in 2007 by Legal Daily.
In May 2007, Yirenping helped to file an antitrust case against Beijing Branch of China Netcom, which was praised to be the nations's No.1 public interest lawsuit in the 2007 Blue Book of China's Rule of Law, authored by the newspaper Procuratorial Daily. Yirenping also sent a letter to the Ministry of Information Industry to ask for an investigation into the monopoly practices by China Telecom and China Netcom.
In January 2008, Yirenping provided assistance to a college undergraduate with diabetes, who had been ordered to drop out of school. The efforts finally got the student back into his class.
The cases Yirenping extended aids to include the nation's first lawsuit on internal migration for the College Entrance Examination, which was voted by 1.5 million netizens to be one of the year's Top Ten News on Education and chosen by the Southern Weekly to be one of the Top Ten Impact Litigations in 2008.The nation's first case on discrimination against depression was chosen to be one of the Top Ten Labour Disputes in 2008 by the Legal Daily. Another employment discrimination case against Beijing Bidechuangzhan Communication Technology Ltd. Was chosen by the Southern Weeklyto be No.6 among the top Ten Impact Litigations in 2008. A consumer rights suit against Spring Airlines was recorded in the chapter of Public Interest Lawsuits in the 2008 Blue Book of China's Rule of Law,authored by the newspaper Procuratorial Daily.
In March 2009,Yirenping helped four HIV-carrying faculty at Henan Shangshui Aizhi School to defend their rights against discrimination.
Law and Health Knowledge Popularizations
In March 2007,Beijing Yirenping Center held the first College Students and AIDS Forum of Henan Province.
Yirenping held promotions in over ten universities about knowledge on health and awareness on anti-discrimination laws through 2007 and 2008.
In mid-December 2007,Yirenping held lectures on Employment Promotion Law and Labour Contract Law in Beijing.
From December 2007 through January 2009, Beijing Yirenping organized training courses on anti-discrimination laws in the following cities around the country: Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, Changsha, Tianjin, Nanjing, Shenzhen and Zhengzhou
From October 2008 through June 2009, Beijing Yirenping held seminars on treatment and psychological health of Hepatitis B carriers in the following cities: Beijing, Tianjin, Nanjing, Shenzhen and Zhengzhou.
Yirenping extended legal counsels and aids to victims of the Sanlu poisonous milk powder scandal since September 2008.
Policy Advocacy
Since March 2, 2007, Beijing Yirenping Center called on NGOs to focus on the non-discrimination articles of the Employment Promotion Law draft, which left out Hepatitis B and AIDS discriminations. Yirenping further lobbied National People's Congress(NPC) deputies to submit proposals to amend the draft in the NPC session, which later proved to be a success.
Beijing Yirenping Center wrote over 10 motions and recommendations for NPC deputies and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference(CPPCC) members, who then submitted them to the annual NPC&CPPCC sessions from Year 2007 to 2009.
In March 2007,the legal counsel of Beijing Yirenping Center co-organized a "citizen motion" with doctors from Beijing Ditan Hospital to the NPC asking for the review of 15 laws that are prone to cause discrimination against Hepatitis B carriers..
In October 2007,Beijing Yirenping Center,together with Beijing Aizhixing Institute,published an open letter calling for the abolishing of administrative ban that prohibit HIV-carrying foreign citizens from entering China.
In June 2008,Beijing Yirenping Center was invited to New York United Nations headquarter to take part in the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV／AIDS
On October 28, 2008, Li Fangping, the legal counsel to Beijing Yirenping Center and Professor Hu Xingdou, a renowned scholar on domestic affairs, submitted a civic proposal to the Beijing Municipal Government to reform the city's household registration system in order to guarantee the rights of its immigrants.
Social Actions
In March 2007, Liang Yanyan, a researcher with Beijing Yirenping Center was elected, representing Asia Pacfic, to the Developing Country NGO Delegation on the Board of the Global Fund.
In July 2007, the Chief Coordinator of Beijing Yirenping Center took part in China's first anti-HBV discrimination protest in Hong Hong, which was widely reported in the press,including the Southern Weekend, Xinmin Weekly and Shenzhen Television.
In October 2007, Yirenping hosted the first national representative assembly of HBV carriers.
In May 2008, Yirenping organized a series of activities in a dozen provinces and cities to pay attention to the first World Hepatitis Day and China's 2007 devastating earthquake.
In May 2008, representing Hepatitis B and AIDS communities, Beijing Yirenping Center submitted an appeal to the state Ministry of Commerce to ask for the compulsory license of Lamivudine, a vital medicine to fight Hepatitis B and AIDS. The appeal was signed by 1843 citizens around the country.
In June 2008, Yirenping held a press conference in Hong Kong calling for the central government into the censorship of "In the Hepatitis B Camp", a renowned Chinese forum fighting against discrimination.
On November 21, 2008, Lu Jun, the Chief Coordinator of Beijing Yirenping Center traveled to the Finland headquarter of Nokia, to protest a Nokia subsidiary's discrimination against HBV carriers in China's Dongguan City.
On December 1st the World AIDS Day, Yirenping co-organized an appeal by hundreds of citizens to the Ministry of Commerce for compulsory license of Lamivudine.
In March 2009, the news that nickel chromium-made mineral teeth might lead to kidney diseases emerged and Yirenping supported a working group to address the issue.
In May 2009, Yirenping co-organized a seminar on female rights protection in the context of the Deng Yujiao event, which was highly reported and debated in the country.
Survey & Research
Annual Report on Public Health Status and Right to Education
April 2007
Annual Report on Public Health Status and Right to Employment
June 2008
Investigation Report on Hepatitis B Discrimination in China's Higher Education
October 2008
Investigation Report on Hepatitis B Discrimination in Multinational Corporations based in China
February,2009
Handbook on Legal Protection Against Discrimination in Employment
September 2007
China Correspondence on Legal Actions Against Discrimination
a bi-monthly since established in September 2008
Routines&Projects
Beijing Yirenping Center undertakes the secretariat tasks of the Public Health and Right to Education Working Groupto defend the right to education of the disadvantaged groups.
Yirenping takes part in policy advocacy efforts as a member in the Policy Advocacy Working Group of National Non-Governmental Organization Network on AIDS.
Project Legal Man for Public Interest provides a platform for judges, lawyers, scholars and legal correspondents to take part in public interest affairs.
Project Advocacy for Anti-discrimination Laws boosts China's legislation,revision and execution of anti-discrimination laws
Project Legal Assistance Against Discrimination in Employment helps citizens facing discrimination fight for their rights.
At the end of 2005, Lu Jun, the Chief Coordinator of Yirenping, was selected as one of the top 10 candidates of “Person of the Year”by the renowned weekly Southern Weekend.
In 2007,he was nominated as one of the top 10 candidates of the year's "Legal Figure" by the newspaper Legal Daily.
Lu Junwas also a recorded figure in the 2007 Blue Book of China's Rule of Law,which is authored by the newspaper Procuratorial Daily.
In early 2009,he was honored one of the "Ten Stars of Public Interest" by Dahe Daily,a popular paper of Henan Province.
Beijing Yirenping Center
Address: 2105A , Zhongsheng Office Building , No.2 Beifengwo St. , Haidian District, Beijing China , 100038
MEDIA ADVISORY 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific
Symposium: Overcoming Legal Barriers to Comprehensive HIV Prevention Among Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Persons in Asia and the Pacific
29 July 2009
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (ACPOM) will co-host a symposium on "Overcoming legal barriers to comprehensive prevention among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender (TG) persons in Asia and the Pacific" during the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) to be held in Bali from 9-12 August 2009.
Across the Asia and the Pacific region, current legal structures often fail to adequately protect the rights of MSM and TG persons. Criminalization of male-to-male sex exists in many countries, and these laws often taken on the force of vigilantism, leading to abuse and human rights violations. Even in the absence of active criminalization, other provisions of law and practice obstruct HIV and AIDS intervention, advocacy and outreach, and delivery of services. These institutional barriers significantly increase the vulnerability of MSM and TG to HIV and have an immense adverse effect on their lives and health. This very debate was at the heart of the recent landmark ruling by the Delhi High Court that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unfairly discriminates against MSM and consenting adults in general.
This symposium will discuss how effective HIV prevention can take place only when a conducive and enabling environment is created that allows unimpeded dissemination of prevention messages, appropriate provision of services, and the creation of confidence among the most marginalized and vulnerable to seek critical information and access health related services. The 90 minute symposium will feature the following speakers and will include a 20 min Q/A session.
Venue: Nusa Indah, Bali International Conference Center (BICC), Westin Hotel, Denpasar, Bali Date and Time: 11 August 2009, 16:00 – 17:30
Chairs: Jeff O'Malley, Director, HIV/AIDS Practice, UNDP Shivananda Khan, O.B.E., Chairperson, APCOM
Panelists: Hon. Justice Michael Kirby, High Court of Australia Anand Grover, UN Special Rapporteur on Health Hon. Dame Carol Kidu, Member of Parliament and Minister for Community Development, Papua New Guinea Prof. Vitit Muntarbhorn, Professor of Law, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand John Godwin, HIV and Development Consultant
For more information contact Edmund Settle, UNDP HIV policy specialist at edmund.settle@undp.org or +66 (0) 818369300 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ To learn more about the AIDS Rights group, please visit www.aidsrights.net
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★AIDS RIGHTS :http://www.aidsrights.net
★China Youth AIDS Group :http://www.chinaaidsgroup.org
★AIDS WIKI :http://www.aidswiki.cn
★Devote my life to AIDS prevention and care work http://www.changkun.org
BEIJING — Chinese authorities seized dozens of newsletters from a nonprofit group that fights discrimination against people with hepatitis B, a campaigner said Thursday, calling the move retribution for the group's advocacy work.
Two officials from the Beijing Cultural Law Enforcement Agency, in charge of campaigns against printed and DVD pornography and piracy, on Wednesday confiscated about 90 copies of a legal guide to fighting discrimination for people with hepatitis B.
A spokeswoman for the agency, Li Fei, confirmed the group was being investigated for publishing material without a required license. She would not comment further.
The 40-page guides, published by the Beijing non-governmental organization Yi Ren Ping, include information about Chinese law, a practical guide to reporting violations and filing lawsuits, as well as details about successful anti-discrimination cases, said Lu Jun, the group's founder. He denied doing anything illegal.
"It's part of our job to put out material like this, to educate people," he said, adding that many other Chinese NGO's have similar types of publications.
The raid appeared aimed at reining in the group's legal advocacy and comes fast on the heels of a clampdown on activist lawyers in the capital.
Earlier this month, a legal research center in Beijing was shut and the licenses of more than 50 lawyers — many known for their politically sensitive human rights work — were revoked. China is also preparing for the communist state's 60th anniversary on Oct. 1, a particularly sensitive period when dissent is not tolerated.
The New York-based rights group, Human Rights in China, said in a statement Thursday that the raid of Yi Ren Ping showed the "increasingly restrictive legal environment under which China's civil society organizations must operate."
Lu and his organization campaign for awareness about the hepatitis B, which infects the liver and is endemic in China, with an estimated 120 million sufferers. They often face discrimination and are sometimes denied jobs, even though the disease cannot be transmitted by casual contact.
Yi Ren Ping has assisted individuals in filing over 40 lawsuits, mostly discrimination claims, since it was founded in 2006, according to background posted on its Web site. Lu said he thought the seizure of the newsletters was punishment for such legal activism, which has pitted the group against some large companies and government organizations.
"I think we offended some people and they wanted to get back at us," he said.
Subject: Raid of Public Interest Group Reveals Degree of Information Control
For Immediate Release: Raid of Public Interest Group Reveals Degree of Information Control
Date: July 29, 2009
In a case illustrating just how tightly the Chinese government controls the circulation of information, representatives of two government agencies raided a Beijing public interest group, charging it with publishing its own internal information and a periodical without the required permits.
On the morning of July 29, 2009, the Yirenping Center (益仁平中心)was investigated by the Beijing Public Security Bureau and the Cultural Market Administrative Law Enforcement General Brigade (under the Cultural Ministry) on suspicion of engaging in publishing activities. More than 90 copies of the Center’s “ China ’s Anti-Discrimination Legal Action Newsletter” (“Legal Action Newsletter”) were confiscated. Lu Jun (陆军), the person in charge of the Center, was ordered to appear at the Brigade on August 4 for further investigation.
Yirenping Center, established at the end of 2006, is a public interest organization specializing in public health education (disease prevention and treatment), patient aid, and elimination of discrimination. The Center has also contributed to the formulation and revision of national legislation.
Lu Jun denied that the Center engaged in publishing activities. He told Human Rights in China (HRIC), “We are an organization, not a publishing company. We do not do publishing.” Lu Jun has been active in defending carriers of hepatitis B against discrimination. He said that the Center specializes in providing legal assistance to disadvantaged groups. “We hand out legal information mainly to help defend the rights of disadvantaged groups. The authorities are chiefly targeting our ‘Legal Action Newsletter’which they consider an illegal publication.”
The investigating officers stated in the “Administrative Law Enforcement Inspection Record” that they confiscated the “Legal Action Newsletter” because Yirenping Center failed to provide an “Internal Material Publishing Permit” or “Periodical Publishing Permit.”
According to the “Periodical Publication Management Regulation” (期刊出版管理规定) issued by the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) (新闻出版总署), a periodical must be published by a “lawfully established periodical publication entity,” and that entity must receive a “periodical publication permit”also issued by GAPP in order to publish a periodical.Another GAPP directive prohibits any entity from publishing its own internal information without applying for and receiving a permit, and stating the publication’s purpose, contents, target readers, number of copies, etc.
Lu Jun believes the action taken by the authorities against Yirenping Center is similar to the penalty levied on the Open Constitution Initiative for tax evasion on July 17. “The purpose is to find excuses for suppressing China’s NGOs,” Lu said.
“Once again, this is an example of the increasingly restrictive legal environment under which China’s civil society organizations must operate,” said Sharon Hom, executive director of HRIC. “Further, by prohibiting an organization from publishing its own information, the cited regulations illustrate the degree of authoritarian information control.”
Lu Jun said the Center will engage public interest lawyers Lin Qilei (蔺其磊)and Li Xiongbing (黎雄兵)to sue the law enforcement organ for its illegal administrative actions.
For issues of Yirenping Center ’s “China ’s Anti-Discrimination Legal Action Newsletter,” see:
I promise: the CCM election of Global Fund in China will be investigated for fraud and corruption in order to keep the dignity and responsibility of Global Fund and China AIDS Community. So-called "CCM Election Independent Consultant Team" only has Yang Shaogang(杨绍刚) and Zhao Xinshu(赵心树) will pay for their conceited and foolish behavior. The AIDS NGOs who made false materials will loose their position and perceived credibility. I will be thinking if need I to anti China Global Fund Programmes or do somethings for our ideals.
In a big dilemma, If I need to anti Global Fund in China? I feel so sad about the mess in China AIDS community because the officials of Gov is controlling it in order to get dirty money for themselves. A lot of Grass-root leaders are attacked by bad words from Anonymous Emails
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Mignon Lamia<lamiam@hrw.org> Date: Wed, Jul 15, 2009 at 1:21 AM Subject: Action Needed: Cambodia 'AIDS Colony' sign-on letter To: Mignon Lamia <lamiam@hrw.org>
Colleagues and friends,
Attached is an open letter to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health of Cambodia, protesting the evictions of HIV-affected families from the community of Borei Keila and the creation of a de facto AIDS colony at Tuol Sambo. Additional relocations of HIV-affected families appear imminent. Also attached is a briefing paper providing background on this issue.
If you would like to sign the open letter, please indicate this by contacting Mignon Lamia, Associate of the Health and Human Rights Division of Human Rights Watch by email: lamiam@hrw.org, or fax: +1 212 736 1300 (In New York). Please do so by Sunday, 19 July 2009 and indicate whether you wish to sign on to the letter in a personal or organizational capacity.
Please also circulate the open letter and briefing paper along with the message and sing-on instructions above to others who may be interested in this issue.
Best regards,
Mignon Lamia
*********************************
Mignon Lamia
Associate
Health and Human Rights Division
Human Rights Watch
350 5th Ave., 34th Floor
New York, NY 10118
+1 (212) 377 9409
Watch an amazing video by WITNESS partner LICADHO on the Borei Keila community in Phnom Penh, "Living with HIV/AIDS in the Green Shed", on the WITNESS Hub blog and learn how you can take action. The blog also has links to articles, reports and media on Borei Keila.
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: kun chang<changkunchina@gmail.com> Date: Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 5:50 AM Subject: So close to ending the discrimination To: changkunchina@gmail.com
Can you imagine not being allowed to travel to another country or apply to become a legal resident because of a medical condition?
Under current U.S. regulations, our government has been telling countless individuals living with HIV that they are banned from the United States. Last year, Congress and the President took a huge step by removing this ban from federal law, but one step remains.
U.S. immigration laws require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to maintain a list of diseases that render people unable to enter the United States. HIV remains on that list, but HHS has finally issued a proposal to remove it. That proposal is open to public comment, and it's important that they hear that folks like you and me support lifting the ban.
Please take a minute to submit a comment saying you support ending this discriminatory treatment of people with HIV. Just click below - it only takes a minute. To take action on this issue, click on the link below: https://secure3.convio.net/hrc/site/Advocacy?s_oo=RoFzMnzqd6Wp05QU_bjnxw..&id=299 If the text above does not appear as a link or it wraps across multiple lines, then copy and paste it into the address area of your browser.
