Glocal Voices webinar: Rising to the Covid-19 challenge

Covid-19 is still a global issue and will remain to be for still some time, as the re-emergence of cases in many countries and regions around the world is a situation that sends the message to the human species that we will still have to deal with this health crisis for at least some more months.

At ForumCiv we have been aware of the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis, especially regarding human rights and space for civil society, as governments have been responding with diverse measures that can actually have undesired consequences on social and political conditions.

In the first Glocal Voices webinar, we will talk about how governments and civil society are coping with the Covid-19 crisis in Latin and Central America, and in Eastern Africa. We have participants from Brasil, Colombia, Guatemala, Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania, who will share their insights and ideas in a 90-minute live chat.

Join the discussion and ask your question to the participants on either our Facebook or YouTube-channel. 

Date: Tuesday 30th June

Time: 08.30 AM (Colombia), 03.30 PM (Sweden), 04.30 PM (Kenya)

The discussion is moderated by Carlos Cardenas, ForumCiv Colombia

Get to know the participants

Colombia: Daniela Gómez Rivas – Fundación Paz y Reconciliación PARES

Political scientist from Javeriana University. Co-author of the books “The conflict in context. An analysis of the Colombian Southeast and Southwest regions, 1998-2016 ”,“ The conflict in context. An analysis in five Colombian regions, 1998-2014 ”; and "Analysis of humanitarian emergencies in Colombia 2015-2016". She has participated in various research projects for the Javeriana University and carried out consultancies for international organizations such as the IOM and the Mapp-OEA. She is interested in the application of multi-scale multi-agent analysis frameworks for the study of systems of prolonged armed conflict, organized crime and corruption. Apprentice in the use of new technologies applied to research in social sciences. Currently, she is Coordinator of the Democracy and Governance Area of PARES.

Guatemala: Wendy Pacay – ActionAid Guatemala

Graduated in Social Communication from the University of California Chico- USA through the Fullbright scholarship (1994). And recently with Postgraduate studies on Conflict Resolution and Peace Building at the University of Chulalongkorn through the ProPaz Scholarship (2017). Working at ActionAid Guatemala for 12 years as Manager of Solidarity Links and Communication; Previously at Oxfam GB and Save the Children Guatemala (7 years) in institutional communication projects.

Brazil: Vasco M. van Roosmalen – Equipe de Conservação da Amazônia Ecam

Trained as a political scientist, Vasco M. van Roosmalen has dedicated his professional career to finding technical, legal and political solutions to major challenges for sustainable development and specifically territorial management. Vasco has twenty years of experience in development methodologies with a focus on creating innovative tools and partnerships for development financing and implementation with a focus on private sector partnerships.

In 1999 Vasco directed the first indigenous cultural mapping project in the Brazilian Amazon and subsequently assisted 25 indigenous communities in mapping over 20 million hectares of indigenous lands. The methodology developed under these initiatives became official government policy in 2012. Vasco also supported the development of the first Indigenous-led REDD+ project in Brazil, implemented with the support of Google Earth Outreach, Natura as well as other numerous partners.

As executive director and founder of the Brazilian organization “Equipe de Conservacao da Amazonia- Ecam”, Vasco is responsible for the implementation of a technology initiative in partnership with Google Earth Outreach to develop and share digital mapping tools with all traditional communities in the Brazilian Amazon. Another key initiative underway is the program to support the integrity of the Karib Eco-corridor in the Brazilian Amazon in partnership with Indigenous, Quilombola and Riverine communities to address increasing pressures, improve their quality of life and sustain natural resources within a protected rainforest region nearly two-thirds of the size of Sweden.

Kenya: Betty Okero – Human Rights & Governance Practitioner

Betty is a governance Practitioner working on Human Rights, Governance and Access to Justice, with vast experience working with communities, movements and the State focusing on strengthening democracy, respect for human rights especially for women, youth, PWD and marginalized communities. She is a governance facilitator and has engaged in the protection of Human Rights issues both at the national and global level.

Tanzania: Tajiel Urioh – Youth and Climate Justice Activist

Tajiel is young climate action and resilience active citizen from Tanzania who is working to amplify peoples centred action for sustainable resilience and improved livelihood. Tajiel has over seven years of experience in climate action advocacy in various sectors including health, energy, water and agriculture among others.

Somalia: Abdinur Mursal – Program Manager, Civic Engagement, RAHO Somalia

A humanitarian with over 2 decades working experience in the fields of emergency response, civic engagement on human rights, access to justice and advocacy for equal political participation for women, youth, PWDs and marginalized groups. Currently, RAHO SOMALI program coordinator on civic engagement and a member of Somalia Non-State Actors (SONSA).