ISIS International-Manila
ISIS International- the Philippines is a Feminism NGO committed to creating spaces within information and communication structures and systems, that promote the many voices of women, particularly those from the South. ISIS believes women’s access and capacity to participate in generating and disseminating their own knowledge and experiences through various mediums of communication can lead to transformation of society.
ISIS is likewise committed to challenge inequities, stereotypes and cultural and political homogenisation furthered by globalised media that hamper the realisation of a more just, sustainable and humane world.
History
ISIS International was founded in 1974 in Rome, Italy . The founders named the organisation after the Egypt goddess Isis whose attributes–wisdom, creativity and knowledge–remain the organisation’s credo as it proceeds into its fourth decade of existence. The organisation’s aim was based on assisting Southern women to build their capacities to network and communicate, believing that they need more support to participate actively in development processes. Expanding from Europe (with offices in Rome and Geneva), ISIS opened an office in Santiago, Chile to coordinate its Latin American and Caribbean programmes. In 1991 the office in Rome moved to Manila to be closer to its constituency of Asian, African and Pacific regions. Later in 1994, the Geneva office, called the ISIS-Women’s International Cross- Cultural Exchange Programme (WICCE), moved to Kampala, Uganda .
Programmes
ISIS International-Manila promotes feminist discourses, builds women’s capacities for information and communication work, continues advocacy work, and strengthens organisational capacity for sustainability and relevance.
- Governance, Citizenship and Democracy (GCD) Programme: This programme actively lobbies for a media and Gender Equality and ICTs policy environment that focuses on encouraging active participation of women, indigenous peoples, urban and rural poor, and other marginalized groups in access and effective use of media.
- Feminist Movement Building and Strengthening Programme: The programme pilots the institutionalising of the capacity building programme and projects for the organisation and its constituencies.
- Community and Independent Media (CIM) Programme: Under this programme, ISIS shall work to create greater space in the media for its advocacy issues and those of its partners women’s networks and organisations and support the campaigns and media work of these organisations through communications services. ISIS shall provide information services to women’s organisations and produce publications and resource materials to raise awareness of women’s advocacy issues.
- Organisational Development and Administration Programme (ODAP): ODAP is responsible for financial and logistics support to the line programmes. These include personnel and financial management and revenue generation and human resources and organisational development. The programme innovates in the area of feminist management and developing policies and systems that are consistent with the ethics and values of an international feminist organisation.http://www.isiswomen.org