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Memorandum submitted by the Tibet Foundation 15th April 2008 We enclose a submission on behalf of Tibet Foundation, a registered charity working in China since 1993 through our Aid to Tibet programme.
1. Summary Page of Tibet Foundation and DfiD
Tibet Foundation has not received funding from DfID.
2. Comments on Tibet for Submission to the inquiry on DFID & China DfID's Civil Society Challenge Fund is primarily a rights based fund. China has its own understanding of human rights which differs from that of Western developed countries.
Therefore our particular focus will be on
· DFID's support to poverty reduction in China in both rural and urban settings and especially to basic services including education, health, sanitation and water
Tibet Foundation's Aid to Tibet programme has a strong track record in developing successful partnerships to provide education as the key to a better future for some of the poorest Tibetans. Education is the only means by which Tibetans can learn how to face hard challenges ahead with a greater degree of success. Due to rural poverty and a lack of adequate facilities at schools, many children do not go to school. It is also important for us in the West to realise that Tibetans need any help we can give and the time is now for DFID to consider its support.
We will make some comments on
· DFID's support to addressing gender issues in China.
From the measurements we have taken in Tibet, infant and child mortality, maternal mortality and reproductive health are some of the areas where improvements could be made at relatively low cost but with a considerable improvement in circumstances to address gender issues.
· DFID's support to poverty reduction in China in both rural and urban settings and especially to basic services including education, health, sanitation and water Ethnic Tibetan areas of China are some of the poorest parts of Asia. There is widespread and deep poverty, and a large gap between community needs and access to appropriate resources. It is important for us in the West to realise that Tibetans need any help we can give and the time is now for DFID to consider its support. Tibet Foundation has supported projects in education, healthcare and social welfare, and relieving poverty and improving the living standards of Tibetan people. Whatever support we have been able to give, be it building a school or setting up a health clinic or sponsoring children's education or supporting old people's homes, our support has been acknowledged as having a practical impact on the lives of these ordinary people.
Tibet Foundation as a UK registered charity, does not undertake any political activities. All our work in China are non-political and within the law with the consent of the local authorities, and focuse on health, education and development.
We are seeking to maximise opportunities for bringing improved health and educational opportunities to the vulnerable communities of ethnic Tibetans in Kandze Autonomous Prefecture.
Critical components of the project are building capacity and working in ways which may be replicated elsewhere, and will be sustainable.
DfID's Civil Society Challenge Fund is primarily a rights based fund.
China has its own understanding of human rights which differs from that of Western developed countries. It is a statement of fact that China has political control over Tibet. In the past decade, until recently; there has been little in the way of visible resistance to Chinese rule from within Tibet. It has been the case that virtually all protests of Chinese rule come from outside of Tibet, from the exile community, from foreign governments, and from NGOs. There are no explicitly rights based organisations able to work in this part of Tibet. However by the nature of our work, we enable communities to meet their rights and do so in a sustainable way by trying to get the systems in place through local structures to keep those rights going. The Chinese government has repeatedly said that for the Chinese people in the current development stage, rights to subsistence and development are the fundamental and therefore most important human rights to pursue. Relations with the Chinese government are therefore best seen as issue-specific. Rights-based approaches explicitly deal with power through the advocacy of a universal code of rights and entitlements for all.
Tibetans have very limited access to the power of the state. If we were just to take rights in China as a legal concept then much of what passes as rights based is unlikely to be successful because there are no state bodies committed to meeting the obligations implied.
Building local capacity is crucial to sustained efforts to achieve rights given the context of the threat of political interference. We have aligned our priorities and time frames on attaining rights while retaining our focus on health, education and development with strong expectations of sustainability. There are many things that could be said here, but while challenging on better service provision, open lobbying would not be a favourable strategy and indeed may work against the goals of the projects and the best interests of the beneficiary community.
Within Tibet it is possible to do work that meets the rights of the ethnic Tibetans, the service delivery also delivers rights.
Tibet Foundation believes the way forward is through co-operating and building a relationship that enables us to challenge and support on particular issues, such as better health or education service provision.
Access to Tibetan Medicine
The perpetuation of Tibetan medicine in today's Tibet is an indicator of cultural, linguistic and religious survival. Contemporary Tibetan medicine has become to many Tibetans a font of ethnic revitalization and resistance to those modernization policies which would undermine their traditional way of life.
Tibetan medicine is both a science and a healing art and this project is designed to reflect that. Those problems will remain a challenge, but our health projects are at least a partial solution not least in defining the rights of Tibetans to their heritage and preserving their unique system of medical knowledge.
Our programme, Aid to Tibet aims to empower poor people, strengthening their ability or opportunity to speak for themselves, do things for themselves and make demands of those in power.
Access to Education
In many studies on education in Tibet, it has been pointed out by both the Chinese press and academic researchers, and often western educationalists as well, that children of non-Han nationalities, whose primary school enrolment rate is low and drop-out is high, are deprived of their right to education by their parents for economic or religious reasons. However, the context of education provision is one in which the families face high costs with the perspective of very low gain, and the school system is heavily biased towards Han Chinese culture.
Greater awareness of needs of Tibetan people
Tibet Foundation does undertake activities as part of our Arts and Culture programme, creating greater awareness of the culture and needs of Tibetan people. In 2003 and 2008 we brought to UK performing arts groups from ethnic Tibetan areas in West Chinese province of Sichuan. Such activities and other works providing opportunities for Tibetan students and scholars from China to study and to do research in UK have helped building a bridge between Tibetans in exile and those inside China for a friendly meeting and for a practical dialogue.
Tibetan Foundation is one of a few charitable organisations in UK, founded and managed by Tibetans, that works successfully both in exile and inside ethnic Tibetan areas in China. Its work is highly regarded both in Tibet and in the UK and abroad. · DFID's support to addressing gender issues in China. Although there has been some progress on the status of women, their rights and freedoms are still more restricted than men.
In Tibet the picture is complex. Girls are more likely to drop out of primary school but be more numerous in higher education. There is still a higher level of illiteracy amongst women compared to men.
In projects of our Aid to Tibet programme, such as the sponsorship of Middle School students a pattern of almost 60% female students has emerged. In this project we would look to recruit at least 50% female students. In the SCHI we were unable to do this due to the lack of suitably qualified female students. We did however manage to maintain a ratio of 40%.
From the measurements we have taken in Tibet, infant and child mortality, maternal mortality and reproductive health are some of the areas where improvements could be made at relatively low cost but with a considerable improvement in circumstances. Medical care is virtually unaffordable for the average person in rural Tibet. People will not see a doctor until they are extremely ill - by which time it might be too late. For rural Tibetans, the nearest clinic may be hours or even days away, and the journey can be more dangerous than the illness. The Serchul County Health Initiative project taught women from rural villages the basics of how to look after pregnancies, supervise a normal delivery, and take care of health problems common to young children.
3. We respectfully include two suggested programmes of initiatives that DfID could support
We provide generic details on KANDZE AUTONOMOUS PREFECTURE then details of: · KANDZE AUTONOMOUS PREFECTURE HEALTH INITIATIVE · KANDZE AUTONOMOUS PREFECTURE EDUCATION INITIATIVES
To improve the rights of disadvantaged Tibetans in China through local structures to participate in formulating sustainable and environmentally sound policies to enable communities to meet their rights to healthcare, education and improved livelihood.
KANDZE AUTONOMOUS PREFECTURE
Country: China Province: Sichuan (capital, Chengdu) Region: Kandze Autonomous Prefecture (capital, Dartsedo) Districts: Kandze and Pelyul
Kandze is the name given both to the region (Kandze Autonomous Prefecture) and a county (Kandze County) in the north west of Sichuan Province. Kandze town (County capital) is 752 km from Chengdu and 378 km from Dhartsedo. Kandze County has an area of 7,358 square km. Its altitude is 3,500 meters above sea level. The County has 5 Chungs, one Treng and 21 Shang. It has 221 villages. With a total population of 58,000 people, there are 26,000 farmers, 23,000 nomads and 9,000 others. 96 percent of the population are ethnic Tibetans.
Pelyul is a county near the Tibet Autonomous Region border, over 600 km from Dartsedo and 1,000 km from Chengdu.
The Ministry of Public Security opened these areas to foreigners with the approval of the State Council at the end of 1998. According to the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens, foreigners who hold valid visas or residence permits do not need to apply for traveler's permit to travel to these areas. KANDZE AUTONOMOUS PREFECTURE HEALTH INITIATIVE Project SummaryTotal Budget would be £400,000 Project duration: 48 months (April 2009 - March 2011).Tibet Foundation seeks to collaborate with Pelyul County Health Bureau to improve the rights of disadvantaged Tibetans in China through local structures to enable communities to meet their rights to healthcare, education and improved livelihood.
o Train 85 Tibetans in Traditional Tibetan Medicine at Pelyul Tibetan Hospital over 4 years. Graduates will be posted at Sub-Clinics, in Government service and with a modest salary. Of these Pelyul County Health Bureau funded Clinics, 11 are completed and 10 will be built each year up to a total of 36. o Integrate Western Medicine into this training, through an experienced western health expert. Enable integration of western public health approaches through a consultant for community health. o Devise sustainable approach to herb collection for Traditional Tibetan Medicine
This project brings added value by addressing gaps in provision that are not currently being met by the state in this area. TF has completed the Sershul County Health Initiative, a three year programme, co-funded by the EU at Sershul Tibetan Hospital. TF takes account of the sensitivity of the region while designing and executing projects, and draws heavily on personal and official contacts in local governmental and non-governmental institutions to ensure smooth and efficient implementation of projects.
Pelyul was assessed in October 2004 by our consultant for community health as being "a model of good governance under the present rather complex and challenging Tibetan conditions."
We will train 85 students from remote communities in Traditional Tibetan Medicine and they will return there to practice medicine. Traditional Tibetan Medicine is not an alternative for, but complementary to Western Medicine. We will use our experienced western health expert to ensure that this is fully integrated into the training. We will apply the lessons we have learnt from the Sershul County Health Initiative to make a sustained effort to achieve rights through institutional arrangements and increasing organisational capacities.
This is an innovative project. Working where there is a dearth of accurate environmental information we will take stock of the situation to develop sustainable methods of herb collection that are environmentally friendly. This project is the result of extensive consultation and our priorities focus on rights and a time frame that retains our core focus while emphasising expectations of sustainability.
Name of local partners:
Our partnership is based on the agreements with Kandze Autonomous Prefecture, coordinating with the Kandze Autonomous Prefecture Health Bureau, then below this level with Pelyul County People's Government and the Pelyul County Health Bureau.
Pelyul County Health Bureau Action Committee is designated as the main vehicle for the partnership, with the Director of the County Health Bureau, responsible for project's implementation as the Deputy Group Leader.
KANDZE AUTONOMOUS PREFECTURE EDUCATION INITIATIVES Project SummaryTotal Budget would be £100,000 Project duration: 48 months (April 2009 - March 2011). To improve the rights of disadvantaged Tibetans in China through education and improved livelihood
Kandze County Special Technical Courses
Aid to Tibet has a strong track record in developing successful partnerships to provide education as the key to a better future for some of the poorest Tibetans. Getza Vocational Scholarships will be a catalyst for long-term economic and social development in Tibet.
After consultations with local people the Tibet Foundation has agreed a partnership with Kandze County government to establish a special training programme designed to give practical training for 100 young adults starting in April 2009.
The Pilot Scheme will run for two years at a cost of £100,000 and Tibet Foundation is seeking donors and partners for this programme. We will be ensuring that this scheme's future costs are affordable so on-going costs can be carried by the community, while the model can be extended to other ethnic Tibetan areas.
The County Government will provide 4 trained instructors and teachers from Chengdu with accommodation and maintain classrooms and certain equipment. Aid to Tibet will pay for the teachers' salaries and a living allowance for the 100 students. We will also invest in capital expenses for training equipment, including a tractor. We are currently determining the best available teaching tools, text and reference books, and technological and classroom equipment.
GETZA Adult Vocational Training Curriculum Mechanical engineering and practical skills - repair and maintenance of tractors, agricultural equipment and motorbikes Training for maintenance of electricity & electrical equipment in the villages Electrician and basic electronic skills for repairing radios and televisions
This project is about skills acquisition for the local Tibetans with a very strong capacity-building component. High-quality teaching will meet the needs of the marginalized with practical skills and create employment opportunities for the local Tibetans.
It is important to understand the fact that currently there is not a single local Tibetan with engineering or proper mechanical skills. For any work that requires engineering or mechanical skills, one has to invite Chinese to come into Tibetan areas - thus increasing the number of Chinese moving into traditionally Tibetan areas.
The project will also establish garage and workshops that will enable students to serve as apprentices, gaining real work experience and offering otherwise unavailable repairs at low rates. There will also be stalls in the market to undertake electrical repairs and make spare parts available at local level
In the future these small revenue streams will contribute to the sustainability of the project as well as offering a window onto the opportunities afforded by training.
Future projects
Another future module will provide training for hotel and guesthouse management. There is considerable potential for ecologically and culturally sensitive tourism. The vocational training programme will focus on Tibetans who have been outside the formal education system in rural communities. There is a great need to improve education generally but particular technical skills for the young unemployed, such as maintenance of machinery and electrical equipment will also provide an income that will support whole families. In the future we also want to teach business and managerial skills for shops and service industries. This education scheme also enables us to propagate other essential skills such as first aid and health training. We could all see that needs for ethnic Tibetans in China are endless but first step to improve the situation must be taken as soon as possible before it is too late for the Tibetans.
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