timelines

//Visualizing the evolution of events and ideas//
 * TIMELINES**


 * What it is**

Timelines are a visualization tool for illustrating progress of programmes, institutions or ideas. They highlight historical milestones and complex developments in a schematic manner.

They can be adapted for use in participatory reflection on trends and developments, and to link events with strategic planning.


 * When to use it**

- To identify interconnected milestones - To visualize sequence of events - To understand complex scenarios - To make history interesting - To plot networks - To activate past learning


 * How it is applied**

Timelines can be done individually or as a collective exercise. They can be in writing, in documents or presentations, or built in the context of a meeting or learning activity. In all cases, the first step is to identify the objective of the timeline.

If developed in the context of a meeting
 * Establish an appropriate space for the timeline. This can be done by hanging the necessary length of brown paper on a blank wall, or by placing multiple writing walls together to create a continuous canvas.
 * Begin by inserting boundaries indicating where the timeline will start and where it will finish.
 * Draw appropriate indicators on the working space, such as a central line or reference years.
 * Create an environment that is conducive to participation, so that even the most shy participants will contribute to the timeline. Avoid working spaces in the front and centre of the room and support all suggestions.
 * Provide the participants with writing materials or sticky notes, and tell them to fill the timeline with relevant information.
 * When the participants have exhausted their ideas, suggest additional points to ensure that all information is captured before closing the discussion.
 * Debriefing should follow a participatory discussion format. If time is limited, the facilitator can summarize the ideas.
 * Turn the timeline into a re-usable resource. Posting photos of the end products on the intranet and using a free on-line tool such as Dipity (see INFORMATION below) to organize milestones are effective ways of doing this.


 * How to adapt it**
 * Prepare cue cards of milestones in advance and have the participants place them on the timeline if they are not familiar with the topic’s history.
 * Interactive Timelines use the internet to introduce key occurences, related projects or historical events, and set the stage for an exercise.
 * Dipity ([|www.dipity.com]) and AllofMe ([|www.allofme.com]) are simple free tools with which to create on-line timelines. Content cannot be uploaded directly but is linked in from other web resources. Thumbnail images, videos and audio clips make on-line timelines engaging and interesting to explore.
 * Separate participants into small groups to work on several timelines simulatenaously if there is no working space big enough for the entire group.
 * Create multiple working groups to generate diverse timelines from complementary perspectives such as social, economic and poltical events related to a theme. The separate group variation must be complemented by a comprehensive and comparative debriefing. The timeline results may also be combined in various ways to demonstrate common features, differences or interrelated series of events.


 * What to consider**


 * Events of particular importance can be plotted using different colours or larger sticky notes for emphasis.
 * Participants with very little historical knowledge of the subject will find it difficult to populate a timeline. This needs to be anticipated in the moderation of the exercise and guided input can be necessary.
 * Be prepared with a comprehensive timeline or knowledgeable resource person that can provide hints, or direct participants to identify additional milestones if major elements are missing.


 * Where to learn more**

Dipity is one of many free on-line tools for creating basic timelines. These can be presented in other forms such as flipbooks, lists and maps: [] Guidelines for designing a timeline activity: [] Create custom and personal web-based timelines with: []

** Examples of timelines **

** Milestones of human rights mainstreaming in the United Nations **


 * 1997 - ongoing: UN reform
 * 2000: Millennium Declaration
 * 2002: Action 2, UN reform
 * 2005: World Summit Outcome
 * 2010: Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Review Summit

** Indigenous Peoples and the UN – 1920s-Present **

· 1920s: First attempts of indigenous peoples to gain visibility at the international level · 1957: Adoption of the ILO’s Indigenous and Tribal Populations Convention, C107 · 1971: The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) authorizes a complete and comprehensive “Study of the Problem of Discrimination against Indigenous People”. · 1972: Special Rapporteur José Martínez Cobo begins the Study of the Problem of Discrimination against Indigenous People. · 1982: the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) establishes the Working Group on Indigenous Populations (WGIP) with the mandate to develop a set of minimum standards that would protect indigenous peoples. · 1981-1983: The Study of the Problem of Discrimination against Indigenous People is presented to the Commission on Human Rights of the Economic and Social Council. · 1985: WGIP begins the drafting of a declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples · 1987: The WGIP proposes the celebration of an International Year of the World’s Indigenous People · 1989: ILO adopts the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention (C169) · 1991: The Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, C169, enters into force · 1992: The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to Rigoberta Menchú Tum · 1993: UN General Assembly proclaims 1993 as the International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples · 1994: Proclamation of the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples · 1994: the Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities adopts the Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples · 1995: the Commission on Human Rights establishes the open-ended inter-sessional working group to consider and elaborate on the 1994 draft declaration. · 1997: OHCHR Indigenous Fellowship Programme is launched · 2000: ECOSOC establishes the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues through resolution 2000/22 · 2001: The Commission on Human Rights appoints Dr. Rodolfo Stavenhagen (Mexico) as the first Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous People. · 2002: UNESCO adopts the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity · 2002: UNPFII holds its first session. · 2003: UNESCO adopts the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage · 2004: Proclamation of the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples · 2006: The Human Rights Council adopts the draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples · 2007: Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is created through Human Rights Council Resolution 5/1. · 2007: The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is adopted through General Assembly Resolution 61/295 · 2007: The Human Rights Council once again renews the Special Rapporteur’s mandate, · 2008: Prof. James Anaya (United States) is replaces Dr. Stavenhagen as Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous People · 2010: Indigenous peoples participate in the Conference of the Parties to the UN’s Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen, Denmark
 * 1936: ILO adopts “The Recruitment of Indigenous Workers Convention”, C50
 * 1939:ILO adopts “The Contracts of Employment Convention, C64
 * 1947, ILO adopts “The Convention concerning the maximum length of contracts of employment of indigenous workers”, C86