[sustran] "make GATNET a part of IFRTD"?

[Eric Britton]

*	To confirm that we have the correct email, would you be so kind
as to click the "Reply" link to this note. Kind thanks. Now the text:

Dear Marinka and dear Gatnet friends, 

Hmm. I am not sure that I am entirely comfortable with this proposition
Marinka (copied below) s. Since I am quite possibly quite wrong again,
let me nonetheless see if I can in a few words clarify to this wonderful
group and friends why I feel this way. 

For better or worse, we do have a model. And I for one like it quite a
lot. What I have appreciated about our Gatnet family is precisely its
wide open, personal and uninstitutional or hierarchical structure. My
own expression for this is a "self-organizing collaborative network". I
like the idea of IFRTD, ITDP, Dgroups, the Bank, the TRB, Wuppertal
Institute, the Journal of World Transport Policy and Practice,
University of Pretoria, and any other of the players on this scene,
including us here at The Commons: Open Society Sustainability Initiative
by the way, pitching in and lending a hand to forward our common,
heart-felt concerns, namely the Gender, Equity and Transport agenda..
Lending a hand certainly yes, but "taking it in hand"? . . .  I would
say possibly not. 

I for one would hesitate before changing our basic independent flat
model with no one in charge. I like the idea of 95 independent,
responsible, at times and quite justifiably ornery citizens (though I
would like it even more if we were 5 or 10x that) in a couple of dozen
countries who get together when and as they can to share ideas,
information, projects and invitations for collaborative action in our
chosen patch. And it's great to hear that you at the IFRTD are proposing
to do more with this structure and potential for change. But perhaps not
by changing or corralling it. And least not quite yet.

Our approach here at The Commons over the last couple of years of
working with all of you on this, has been to see how we might pitch in
and improve communications and open sharing. To this end we set up our
little open forum at http://www.gatnet.net/ which supports and tries to
build on, support and extend the basic Dgroups model (which by the way
could certainly be much improved by more thought and improvement). But
again, our idea here is to deepen, broaden, energize and support. And
only that!

Other views on this?  Other proposals for next steps?  More projects.
More events. More interaction. More new ideas that are going to carry
the day. More funding (which we can then figure out together how to
use). Visible prizes and awards for path-breaking work. Yes, indeed.
Let's talk about our common future. 
 
Strength in numbers, diversity, independence of views. . . and
communication. ;-)

Eric Britton

PS. BTW is there any recent news on progress being made a set of special
numbers of the Journal of World Transport Policy and Practice to support
Gatnet and the cause? And while we are hat it, this is an invitation to
see the latest numbers of the Journal at www.wtransport.org, including
the new Sustainable Mobility: Seen to the Year 2030
<http://www.ecoplan.org/library/wt13-1.pdf>  issue. This is, I truly
believe, one of the many solid foundations that we can put to work for
the cause. Among many.

PPS. I am taking the initiative of sharing this with a quite sizeable
group of people who have over the last several years exchanged views and
information with either the Dgroups forum or corresponded directly with
me here. I am doing this via blind copies just in case the spammers
capture this note, but what I would suggest is that you respond to the
group or alternatively to me as you prefer. I will then attempt to make
sure that these ideas and suggestions get passed around.


		-----Original Message-----
		From: Marinke van Riet
[mailto:marinke.vanriet at ifrtd.org] 
		Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2006 8:07 PM
		To: Gender and Transport
		Cc: 'Maria Gutierrez'
		Subject: [gatnet] IFRTD's Executive Committee

		Dear friends, 

		IFRTD's Executive Committee meeting will be held from
November 27-29 in London. As the highest governing IFRTD body the EC
will adopt the strategy 2007-2011, which has been developed through a
year-long participatory process. Some of you have been actively involved
in this as GATNET members in particular or IFRTD members in general. The
draft document and more information on the process itself are available
through http://www.ifrtd.gn.apc.org/new/about/strat.php . Obviously in
the new strategy we will continue to advocate for gender mainstreaming
in the transport sector and during the EC we will have a one-day
workshop on operationalising the strategy and brainstorming on specific
advocacy strategies for achieving the gender mainstreaming component. .


		I am sure that most of you remember that last year we
had an election process through this discussion group to nominate one
member of GATNET to represent the Gender and Transport CoP at the ECM in
Stockholm. Nite Tanzarn was elected and did an excellent job. We had
hoped to do something similar this year but unfortunately due to budget
constraints could not invite an additional person to represent GATNET.
However the IFRTD Latin American network elected Maria Gutierrez from
Peru to represent the Latin American region, a committed gender and
transport specialist and member of this group. Maria participated at the
Gender and Transport Conference in South Africa in August 2006 where she
presented a paper on gender and rural roads in Peru. To make sure GATNET
is still represented we have asked Maria to do a similar presentation at
the ECM.  

		I would like to apologise for not being able to go
through the same process again and I appreciate your understanding. We
are hoping that next year we will be able to have an election process
the GATNET community and are in fact looking to make GATNET a part of
IFRTD's official governance structure. 

		Thank you so much and you will be able to read more
about the proceedings of the EC at www.ifrtd.org <http://www.ifrtd.org/>


		Regards, 

		Marinke  

		Marinke van Riet
		Executive Secretary
		International Forum for Rural Transport and Development
		Web sites: www.ifrtd.org 
		www.ruralwaterways.org 
		www.mobilityandhealth.org
		Email: Marinke.vanriet at ifrtd.org
		 
		"The IFRTD is a global network of individuals and
organisations working together towards improved access and mobility for
the rural poor in developing countries"



		-----Original Message-----
		From: jeff turner [mailto:jeffreymturner at hotmail.com] 
		Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 4:22 PM
		To: Gender and Transport
		Subject: [gatnet] RE: IFRTD's Executive Committee

Marinke
 
Thank you for the information
 
You said: " We are hoping that next year we will be able to have an
election process the GATNET community and are in fact looking to make
GATNET a part of IFRTD's official governance structure. "
 
Particularly welcome the idea of continued involvement of GATNET in the
administration of your organisation and would love it if other
organisation involved GATNET in their administration in the progressive
way you do. Would very much like to hear more about your ideas for
governance of the GATNET community and in particular your thoughts on
the need for an election process, and whether you envisage some
secretariat resources being available for GATNET for which there is a
need to have an elected governance structure. I would also like to think
we can have a debate about governance structures GATNET should have
amongst GATNET members at some stage in the future.
 
Thanks again and look forward to hearing of your EC meeting
deliberations
 
Best wishes
 
Jeff
 
Jeff Turner Transport & Social Development Consultancy Ltd
2 Parkside Ave
Leeds
LS6 4JD
Tel +44 113 2781994   

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