Ei-iE

EI is very concerned about the continuous governmental interference the Iraqi Teachers' Union (ITU) is experiencing. The ITU, an organisation currently applying for EI membership, continues to face extreme attacks from the Iraqi government which wants to control the union.

Earlier in January, Education International reported that Iranian teacher unionist Farzad Kamangar was facing the imminent danger of being executed. Online support for his appeal came in from individuals worldwide, and raised the number of online messages to more than 9,000.

A teacher was fatally wounded in an attack which took place yesterday morning in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

An investigation by a courageous human rights lawyer has revealed that an appeal of the death sentence against Iranian teacher trade unionist Farzad Kamangar was sidelined by one of Iran’s most feared prosecutors.

Assassinations, kidnappings, disappearances, illegal imprisonment and torture, mass poisoning, acid attacks, sexual assault, forced recruitment as soldiers or suicide bombers, rocket and mortar attacks, gunfire, aerial bombing, burning, and looting: All these forms of violence have been perpetrated on teachers, students, schools and universities in the past three years, according...

Education International has been informed that the Iranian authorities have threatened imminent execution of Kurdish activists, including teacher Farzad Kamangar and others.

In September 2008 representatives of IE-SCI, the alliance of Ivorian teacher unions working together on the EI EFAIDS Programme, met with the political and administrative authorities of Bondoukou and San Pedro to present the results of their research into the shortage of teachers and its impact on the education system...

Surinamese teacher unions working on the EI EFAIDS Programme have reached out to almost forty young offenders offering them training on HIV prevention and behaviour change. Catering for the needs of the different age groups, trainers from BvL, SOB and KOB facilitated two one-day workshops at the Santo Boma Reformatory...

Through their EFAIDS Programme, the Namibia National Teachers’ Union is committed to showing in a practical way that that HIV and AIDS is a workplace issue.

The last teacher unionist imprisoned for his connection with the independent ETA (Ethiopia Teachers Association) in Ethiopia was released on 16 December. Meqcha Mengistu, Chairman of former ETA branch in East Gojam and EFAIDS programme coordinator, was officially pardoned after having served a three year prison term in the Kality...

In 2006 governments worldwide committed to achieving universal access to comprehensive prevention programmes, treatment, care and support on HIV and AIDS by 2010. With current access to anti-retroviral treatment meeting only half the needs and with five new infections for every two people who start treatment, greater investment backed by...

Fears of a return to dictatorship and political violence in Honduras are compounding the grave economic crisis facing countries across Latin America.

Southeast Asian teachers who face violations of their trade union rights now have a new line of defence and a new source of solidarity. The EI Trade Union Rights Network (TURN) is really getting off the ground since representatives from member organisations in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand have...

“We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning.” U.S. President Barack Obama, Cairo, 4 June 2009

Jafar Ebrahimi, the teacher trade unionist that was held in jail simply for trying to organise a union meeting, was freed on bail in December. However, EI remains concerned about the continued detention of Farzad Kamangar, Rasoul Bodaghi and Hashem Khastar. EI addressed a letter to the Supreme Leader Ali...

Thanks to the constant pressure of the international community, many of the detained colleagues from the former ETA (now NTA) have been released. Only one, Meqcha Mengistu, is still held captive in Kality prison in Addis Ababa.

One year after it was refused registration by the Ministry of Justice, the National Teachers Association (NTA) is still deprived of legal status in Ethiopia.

Teacher union activists working on the EI EFAIDS Programme gathered in Grand Bassam in Cote d’ Ivoire from 7 – 11 December 2009 to assess their progress to date on educating for HIV prevention and working to achieve EFA, and to plan a full programme of activities for 2010.