UNOY Global Network Members

SCAF Youth Center is an independent think tank and resource center focused on youth involvement in peace-building, violence prevention, inter-ethnic confidence building, human rights and civic education. There are 70 active youth in our organization. Some 500 young people are involved annually in SCAF Youth Center activities.These activities include the following:

Landmine Monitor and Belarus Youth Campaign to Ban Landmines

Since 1998, SCAF Youth Center has conducted youth campaigns to ban landmines and actively participated in an annual landmine monitor research. This research results in annual publications of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) "Landmine Monitor Report: Toward a Mine-Free World" (1999-2007), which can be found online. It is an effort by civil society to hold governments accountable to the obligations that they have taken on with regards to antipersonnel mines; that is done through extensive collection, analysis and distribution of information that is publicly available. SCAF Youth Center also develops and uses artistic advocacy materials actively engaging youth in peace-building initiatives and campaigns. For example, SCAF Youth Center members who are also rock musicians developed a music video clip ?Mine-Free World? that is regularly shown by the national, regional and international TV channels and raises mine threat awareness of young people all over the world. As recognized both by the international community and Belarus government SCAF Youth Center has contributed meaningfully to Belarus recent accession to the Mine Ban Treaty. European and international organizations are now providing financial and technical support to Belarus aimed at elimination of the stockpiles of some 3,6 million of landmines.

Actions on Small Arms

In 2002 we also initiated youth campaign on small arms control and have successfully contributed to promotion of transparency by the Belarus government on small arms transfers. The government now regularly publishes National Reports on Arms Transfers and makes it available for Belarus and international communities. OSCE is now providing technical expertise and funds to strengthen security of stockpile management in Belarus.

Global Survey on ERW and MOTAPM

We served as a primary research organization for developing a chapter for the Global Survey Reports on Explosive Remnants of War and Mines Other than Anti-Personnel Mines in region 20 (Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine). This initiative was an important step in implementation of Protocol 5 of the Geneva Convention of Conventional Weapons (CCW).

Violence Prevention

In co-operation with the EC, CoE counterparts and also Texas University we develop and use an instrument for diagnosing young people attitudes towards violence and based on the results of annual diagnosis we conduct projects aimed at developing young people values and attitudes important for violence prevention in Belarus schools and communities.

Civic Education

In co-operation with Belarusian Ministry of Education, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Dutch NGO Educaplan we contributed to Matra Civic Education project. Through this project new civic education curricula for secondary schools and in-service training institutes was developed, new civic teaching methodologies based on principles of freedom, independence and co-operation were introduced, teams of teachers and school leaders.

Community-based Curriculum for Confidence-Building Inter-ethnic Education in Belarus

In co-operation with the National Institute of Education, National Association for Educational Innovations, Committee on Nationalities and Religions, the Council of Europe and NGOs representing ethnic minority groups in Belarus we contribute to the development of community-based curriculum and methodologies for confidence-building inter-ethnic education in Belarus. So far the project has resulted in the national dissemination conference and also publication of the national curriculum, textbook for students and manuals for teachers on inter-ethnic confidence building and violence prevention education.