STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY
50 Global Days of Action Against Poverty and Inequality
On 17 -19 October 2008, millions of people all over the world are simultaneously standing up against poverty and inequality to demand action not words on poverty, and the necessary measures to meet the Millennium Development Goals.
It is now three years since the Make Poverty History campaign hit the streets of the UK. We had three main demands: more and better aid, debt cancellation and trade justice. Encouraging promises were made by the Gleneagles G8 Summit. Even partially implemented, these changed and saved lives. Yet so much went un-said, and yet more goes un-done. As a result, campaigning against poverty goes on.
More and better Aid
In 2005, the G8 promised more aid. This led to notable achievements. Yet almost all countries are far off the un-ambitious 0.7% target. In fact, aid from the richest countries (including the UK) actually fell last year. Across Europe, governments inflate aid figures by including commercial debt cancellation, refugee costs and international student education in their calculations. As a result, the world is not on target to reach the Millennium Development Goals.
There are also too-frequent instances of official development assistance being used for the ends of the supplier. For example, World Development Movement has revealed that British aid money has been paid to PriceWaterhouseCooper to act as ‘consultants’ to Sierra Leone to implement disastrous water privatisation. A 2007 report from student NGO People and Planet notes that British aid is being used to finance yet more oil extraction, despite the recognised social and environmental costs.
Debt cancellation
There is no doubt that the partial debt cancellation has done some good – Zambia for example is now able to provide universal free healthcare and Tanzania has increased its education spending. However, only 20% of poor countries’ un-payable debt has been cancelled. Even then, this has been only after changing economic policies at the behest of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Many of these changes were disastrous. For example Tanzania was forced to privatise water (to a British company – Bi-water) which led to a worse service and higher prices.
Trade Justice
As has been shown above, developing countries have often not been allowed to decide their own economic policies. Nor has any change been made to the unbalanced architecture of the international financial institutions. At the International Monetary Fund, rich countries continue to command two thirds of voting power despite only contributing to a quarter of its income (the rest comes from debt repayments). At the World Bank the illegitimate ‘one dollar one vote’ system continues. Thanks to a committed civil society campaign, the Department for International Development did temporarily withhold payments to the World Bank in protest at destructive conditionalities. However payments have now increased to a higher level than before.
Any hope that the Doha round of trade talks might culminate in a pro-poor outcome has now evaporated. The rich countries continue to advocate poor countries drastically reducing tariffs in return for very small cuts in European and American agricultural subsidies.
In the EU, Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson is currently overseeing the implementation of ‘Economic Partnership Agreements’ (EPAs). These are unfair bi-lateral trade deals being pushed by Europe on its former colonies. These force poor countries to lift tariffs by 80 – 90%. This both opens countries to floods of imports, causing mass unemployment, and removes a large chunk of the money available for health, education and infrastructure. With the European election on the horizon, it is vital that we find out our MEPs’ views on these unfair deals, and vote accordingly in 2009.
Climate Change
Climate change is already causing extreme suffering amongst the world’s poorest people as the impacts of recent hurricanes, droughts, floods and rising food costs demonstrate. World leaders have been striving to emphasise their concern about climate change but this is backed up by little meaningful policy change.
The UK Climate Change Bill is a step forward but it is not strong enough to tackle the UK’s contribution to the problem in its current form. The UN talks on climate change are crucial to agreeing a new global climate deal by the end of 2009 to follow the Kyoto Protocol targets which end in 2012. This deal must include deep cuts in emissions and finance to help poor communities adapt to their changing environment.
Action is needed to call world leaders to convert concern about climate change into changes in policy and a meaningful global climate deal that benefits the poor who are suffering the most from climate change.
Stand Up and Take Action Against Poverty and Inequality
Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) is the world’s largest civil society movement calling for an end to poverty and inequality.
This autumn, campaigners in over 100 countries across the world are organising actions during ‘50 days of action against poverty’ from 1 September to 20 October.
As part of the 50 days, on the weekend of 17 – 19 October, GCAP is calling for individuals, groups and communities to stand up or raise your voice for a moment to tell the world you are against global poverty and inequality.
To download an event Tool Kit visit Stand Up Against Poverty.
TEA TIME
September 19, 2008
4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Whether it’s lapsang souchong or a mug of builders’, it’s hard to beat a nice cup of tea. Unless it’s a nice cup of tea that could help make a fairer world.
On Friday 19th September from 4pm to 6pm please pop in and enjoy a cuppa and some cake (and make a donation at your discretion) to help raise funds for Christian Aid at St Alburns Church, Community Room Tulip Road (Off Burgess Road) in Swaythling, Southampton.
Christian Aid this year on 19th September are asking people across the world to get together, put the kettle on and help give poor communities the chance of a better future.
For more information about Christian Aid and their commitment to challenge the causes of poverty visit here.
Also take the Pledge Next year, world leaders meet in Copenhagen to agree how to combat climate change for the next decade and beyond. It’s vital an effective deal is done, for the sake of the planet and for the millions in the poorest countries who are suffering from the effects of climate change right now.
For more information on the Copenhagen Pledge click here.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO LIVE WITHOUT PLASTIC?
Christine Jeavens set herself the goal of living one month without buying any new plastic. Over the month of August she had to find alternatives to various products such as plastic bags, packaged food, nappies, toothbrushes, and deodorant. Her efforts saw a reduction in 80% of the amount of plastic waste she emitted.
The goal was not to discourage the use of plastic, but rather reduce the emission of plastic waste to as close to zero as possible. Although many plastics claim to be recyclable, the UK’s waste management infrastructure is not yet prepared to sort and process the many different types of plastic waste we produce.
Christine’s blog features various challenges and problems she encountered whilst trying to cut down the amount of plastic waste she produced. It contains many interesting tips, solutions and alternative products for those who wish to avoid using plastic.
Using plastic bags can be avoided at the supermarket by buying loose fruit and veg and of course bringing reusable shopping bags. Visits to local butchers for meat and curry houses with reusable containers also avoided further plastic packaging that would otherwise go straight to the bin.
Many products can actually be homemade. Bread is surprisingly easy to make, even more so with a bread maker. Homemade shampoo and conditioner (using bicarbonate soda for shampoo and a vinegar rinse for conditioner) has also encountered considerable success – not only does it avoid the use of haircare bottles but avoids exposure to potentially toxic chemicals often contained in such products.
On the other hand, Christine found that it was best to steer clear of homemade toothpaste recipes, and was not convinced by wooden toothbrushes.
Some small investments can help avoid plastic waste as well as cut significant costs. The purchase of a stainless steel water bottle refilled with tap water avoided having to buy plastic water bottles and avoided significant amounts of waste. Similiarly, menstrual cups or re-useable pads also save costs and drastically reduce plastic waste.
Christine reports her biggest challenge was using real nappies. She had to co-ordinate the laundry so that there is a constant supply – this can be tricky and sometimes she had to resort to disposable nappies for her toddler son. This composed most of the 116 items of plastic waste she had at the end of the month – compared with over 800 before starting the challenge.
Her blog Not My Bag explains the day-to-day challenges of living with minimum plastic usage.