I am sending herewith the GCAP - Nerwsletter No. 13 for your kind attention.
- Monaz Haque, Group-Moderator GCAP
Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP)
www.whiteband.org
WHITE BAND DAY II: WAKE UP TO POVERTY!
On 10 September, ahead of the UN Summit, people across the world will unite
in the second GCAP mobilisation - to demand that world leaders Wake-Up to
Poverty. Thousands of people will be holding breakfast meetings with
politicians, all night vigils, rallies outside state buildings, jamborees,
petitions and early morning press calls. World leaders will literally be
waking-up to the voices of people demanding action to end poverty before
they depart for the UN Summit. These actions will be mirrored in New York on
14 September, the opening day of the Summit, with a stunt including alarm
clocks to 'Wake-up' the delegates. Millions of people will also be wearing
white bands - the symbol of the campaign - to show their solidarity for an
end to poverty.
A number of countries have already arranged meetings with their leaders, and
others have suggested doing 'Shadow Reports' on their government progress
toward to the MDGs. Tell us your plans. Email: info@whiteband.org. Also
visit www.whiteband.org to download materials.
Newsletter N° 13
2 September 2005
In this issue:
1. Editorial - Leaders told to 'wake up to poverty'
2. African CSOs Letter to African Heads of States
3. GCAP goes Bollywood
4. Waking up to Poverty - activities across the world
5. Resources and Credits
1. LEADERS TOLD TO 'WAKE UP TO POVERTY' AT UN SUMMIT
The news that the UN World Summit in New York on 14-16 September is set to
downplay the global fight against poverty, has been greeted with dismay and
deep concern by anti-poverty campaigners.
Early in the morning of 10 September, days prior to their departure for New
York, leaders around the world will be treated to a rude awakening by people
campaigning as part of the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) in
74 countries around the world. Alarm bells will ring outside their
residences, peaceful marches will trail past their offices, white kites and
thousands of white doves will take to the air. Iconic buildings, including
London's Oval cricket ground, will be wrapped in white bands, GCAP's global
symbol. (See highlights and details attached for film and photo
opportunities.)
Leaders attending from 191 countries were to have reviewed progress made on
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set in 2000 to halve poverty by
2015. Instead, the New York summit agenda now appears to ignore long
overdue and unfinished work in ending world poverty. The job is far from
done. Leaders and summit organisers must 'wake up' and reorganise their
priorities, putting poverty back at the top of the agenda.
To that end, the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) is rallying
its supporters from Asia to Africa, Latin America to Europe, to 'wake up'
their leaders to continue the urgent journey and to organise peaceful
protests against the apparent indifference of some of the leaders of the
most powerful countries in the world. A series of morning meetings with
presidents and prime ministers, including France's President Chirac and
Germany's Chancellor Shroeder, as well as similar meetings in Indonesia and
Niger, will start the day at which campaigners' demands will be presented
for their leaders to take concrete steps in New York to end poverty once and
for all.
The global mobilisation will then continue with an diverse series of world
events: a massive beach festival in Brazil, a peace march of 150,000 people
to the ancient Italian town of Assisi, simultaneous concerts and club dance
gatherings on three continents, and the launch of 'people's reports' on the
MDGs in countries across Asia, Latin America and Africa.
"When 191 Heads of State arrive at the UN in a few days time they must have
no doubt that the world is watching every move they make," said Kumi Naidoo,
chair of the Global Call to Action against Poverty. "During 2005 we have
seen an unprecedented momentum build across the world, uniting citizens in
rich and poor countries in the desire for their leaders to commit to
eradicating poverty in this generation. No more excuses will be acceptable
to the millions of people living in poverty. A failure to take decisive
action on the quality and quantity of aid, trade justice, human rights, debt
cancellation, transparency and improved governance and delivery
effectiveness will be an indefensible betrayal of almost half the people of
our planet"
After the unprecedented mobilisation of public support and awareness that
moved politicians to take some small steps at the G8 summit in July, the
momentum cannot be allowed to slow.
Just a few months on from those momentous events on the first White Band Day
in July 2005 just before the Gleneagles summit, the world will now be
witness to the next phase in the largest anti-poverty campaign ever seen.
In solidarity
ZUKISWA WANNER
2. AFRICAN CSOs LETTER TO HEADS OF STATES
Your Excellencies,
Ahead of the UN World Summit in September, we the following fifty national,
African and international organizations and networks working in all four
corners of Africa write to set out our expectations for the summit on
poverty, peace and security. We write under the umbrella of the Global Call
to Action against Poverty (GCAP), an alliance of millions of people and
organizations united in the belief that 2005 offers an unprecedented
opportunity for change.
Five years after your office signed the Millennium Declaration and the
Millennium Development Goals, we are in serious danger of failing to achieve
even these, the most minimalist of targets.
To achieve the MDGs, we believe that your Government must actively demand
better terms for Africa on aid, trade justice and debt cancellation. Small
steps were taken at the G8 in July on financing development; but larger
steps are needed at September's UN summit to make a real difference. It is
critical that the UN Declaration contains commitments on;
African countries have the right to determine their own trade policies. This
will stop rich countries from pushing African countries to open their
economies when it is negative for growth and equity.
Cancellation of the debts of all countries that need it to be able to
achieve the MDGs and detach them from harmful World Bank and IMF conditions
Rich countries to reach 0.7% of their national income in aid immediately and
ensure that this aid reaches the poorest men and women in the poorest
countries.
All Governments to restore and uphold the rights of citizens to control and
access quality education, health, water and other public services.
All Governments to embrace a shared responsibility to protect people from
genocide, crimes against humanity and armed conflict and promote gender
equality and women's empowerment.
Many of these commitments are crucial for Africa. Without them, the
remaining Millennium Development Goals shall go the way of the first target
missed; namely gender parity in primary and secondary education.
Further, we note that since the G8 there have been attempts to roll back the
commitment to underwrite the debt cancellation deals of the 14 countries
with new monies. More dangerously still, there are current attempts by some
Governments to force these important commitments from the text. Should this
succeed, the UN Millennium Summit will fall disastrously short of the Common
African Position on the Proposed Reform of the United Nations and the
decisions of the African Union Summits in Abuja and Sirte earlier this year.
We call on you to stand firm on insisting these commitments are contained in
the final Declaration and not allow trade offs between the responsibility to
protect, development or human rights. Rest assured of our support in these
efforts.
In the next two weeks, national campaigners will be meeting their Heads of
State and Ministries of Foreign Affairs to press home the importance of
leaders delivering on their promises. On September 10th, White Band Day 2,
millions of campaigners across the North and South will shout a loud "wake
up call" by participating in rallies, concerts, vigils and press conferences
to put pressure on governments to deliver.
We will continue to call on all leaders to make bold, decisive and binding
commitments to end poverty and achieve social justice and larger freedom for
all citizens. These will be the measures of success or failure of this
historic summit and Africa's future may depend on it.
Should you wish further elaboration of these issues contact the offices of
the organizations below or to seek further information on the campaign,
please visit www.whiteband.org
Be assured of our highest consideration in these matters. Yours truly,
Signed by the ten African and regional associations/networks, thirty-four
national organizations and networks of organisations and endorsed by ten
international organisations working in or for development, human rights and
justice in Africa
3. GCAP GOES BOLLYWOOD by Rahul Kumar
New Delhi, India - Indian development organizations have successfully roped
in noted Bollywood musician and composer AR Rahman, also called The Mozart
from Madras, for a poverty concert this weekend. Rahman will perform in Old
Delhi on Saturday for a host of Asian and Indian non-governmental
organizations (NGO) that hope to raise money for fighting poverty.
Rahman, who is also a goodwill ambassador for the STOP TB partnership for
the World Health Organization (WHO), has been associating himself with
development issues like health and poverty for the past few years. He will
be joined on stage by popular Pakistani pop band Junoon's lead guitarist
Salman Ahmed. Salman also is the UNDP's Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS
issues in Pakistan and has been working on spreading awareness about the
disease.
The concert is part of a two-day Asia-level People's Summit against Poverty
(PSAP) on September 3-4, which is being organized by diverse groups and
peoples' movements. The PSAP is linked at the international level to the
Global Call for Action Against Poverty (GCAP) that had organized similar
concerts in ten cities all over the world in July to increase awareness
about poverty in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The PSAP will also hold a people's rally and release a shadow report on the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The organizers expect nearly 10,000
people from all over Asia to turn up for the summit.
The idea behind the summit is globalization and its disastrous consequences
for the marginalized communities. ActionAid India director Babu Matthew
says: "The summit will raise awareness amongst people and draw the attention
of government to poverty. The existing neo-liberal global philosophy has
created a hype that globalization can remove all problems of people. Even
the media has been taken in by the hype. On the contrary globalization has
given people a raw deal."
The summit will also look at the WTO ministerial meeting, taking place in
Hong King in December, and its likely impact on the poor, on agriculture, on
food security and food sovereignty and similar other issues.
The summit is a culmination of several events and campaigns over the last
six months to express solidarity for the poor and highlight issues regarding
exploitation of the poorest of the poor. The meet also aims to remind the
governments of their promises made to the public regarding development,
poverty, education, health and employment.
Pakistani theatre organization Insaan Foundation is performing a play called
'Haathi ke Daant,' which literally means Elephant Tusks, that it had staged
in the Pakistani city of Lahore, to raise awareness on poverty, just before
the G8 summit.
Programme manager for Insaan Foundation, Farah Malik says: "The People's
Summit is being held parallel to the UN summit and people will discuss the
same issues as are being discussed at the UN. Representatives from Asian
countries will present papers on the progress in their region and will
thrash out how people can influence the governments better."
The summit is a fight for the rights of the people. As executive director of
Pune-based NGO, Centre for Sustainable Health and Development, Bobby John
says: "We want people to begin asking about their health rights. People have
a right to live and to live a disease-free life. Diseases like HIV/AIDS,
tuberculosis and malaria are a major cause of poverty. Therefore any meet on
poverty and development has to focus on health issues."
John has another agenda. He wants global players to pay adequate attention
to Asia. He elaborates: "Tuberculosis kills nearly 1,000 people in India
everyday, but the MDGs focus primarily on HIV/AIDS. Similarly, global
efforts against poverty are directed towards Africa. But with its huge
population, Asia can be a recipe for disaster. We want global donors not to
neglect Asia."
Organizations involved in the summit also plan to take out caravans from
different parts of India to highlight the plight of different communities
facing a slaughter of their livelihoods. As Matthew says: "There is a
collapse of livelihoods of millions of people because they have been denied
access to land, natural resources and also to self-sustaining resources.
The people's caravans will start from development hotspots in India. These
include Plachimada in Kerala, where villagers are fighting for drinking
water rights; Kanyakumari in south India, where fisherfolk devastated by the
tsunami waves are being removed from the beaches; Mumbai, - India's
financial capital - where the slums of the urban poor have been erased; the
western state of Gujarat, where people have been arrested under various
terror prevention laws and Orissa, where tribals fight with the government
and corporates for the preservation of their natural resources.
Organizations involved in the event include - ActionAid, SAMARTHAN, NACDOR
(National Conference of Dalit Organizations), NAFRE (National Alliance for
Right to Education), NCAS (National Centre for Advocacy Studies), CYSD
(Center for Youth & Social Development) and Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA).
4. WHITE BAND DAY 2 ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE WORLD
Editor's Note:On September 10, White Band Day 2, GCAP activists across the
world will be taking part in several activities. Below we have selected ten
nations in the five different regions of the world and highlighted the
activities in those countries. Until September 10, we will continue to
highlight activities across the regions. However, as there are over seventy
nations aligned with GCAP worldwide, it may be difficult to mention all
countries and for this we apologise profusely. If you want to know what is
happening in your country and it is not mentioned in this letter, we ask
that you visit www.whiteband.org . If there is nothing happening in your
country, we ask that you take charge and do something!
ARAB REGION
MOROCCO- Morocco will hold a conference on MDGs on September 10. All are
invited. To attend
Contact: hassan Youth hassayout@yahoo.fr
LEBANON- On September 10 in Lebanon, there will be a mobilisation rally in
Beyrouth. White bands will be handed out to the attendees.
Contact: Kamal Mawloud 9601)332-5851 g.slaiby@sodetel.net.ib
ASIA
CHINA - September marks the beginning of a key phase for the 'Global Call to
Action against Poverty' (GCAP) in China, as efforts to create a Chinese
contingent of the international coalition gather pace ahead of the upcoming
UN Millennium Summit in New York. "We are still a baby," says acting
coordinator, Lin Hui, who is keen to attract more Chinese NGOs into the
alliance. "In other parts of the world grass-roots NGOs are playing a
leading role in GCAP. Our overall target [for the alliance in China ] is 120
organisations," adds Lin, who is hoping for a big turn-out at a mobilisation
event in Beijing on September 9 and 10, to coincide with the UN summit. The
Beijing event will mark a first step in the formation of a national alliance
in China, which is currently being coordinated by ActionAid and so far
includes Save the Children UK, Oxfam Hong Kong and Voluntary Services
Overseas amongst its ranks. September's meeting in Beijing will feature
key-note addresses from government and UN representatives, thematic
discussion related to GCAP and an evening performance party, which will
include a drama performed by Henan farmers and an appearance from Shengyin,
a migrant workers' band also from Henan. G
Contact: gcap-china@actionaidchina.org
AFGHANISTAN - Poverty's face belongs to children and on September 10,
Afghanistan will show this in a happy, childlike manner. Kabul will have
"Kites against Poverty" as children fly white kites in Kabul with key
messaging of the MDGs and GCAP. To ensure that the message is not lost in
the merrymaking, awareness raising activities are to be held in schools,
ministers, media, and well received artists will participate in the event.
Banners will be strung across different buildings with GCAP messages and a
report on the MDGs will be released. Should anyone in Afghanistan not be
able to observe all this activism, media will be invited to cover the event
through press releases and a press conference.
Contact: Hamid Jalil +937)022-9148 hamid_jalil@yahoo.com
AMERICAS
URUGUAY - On the 10th September, the coalition will host a music event that
will aim to attract 4,000 people. Local bands will take part and materials
promoting the campaign will be distributed including 5,000 posters. A large
screen will show the click films and images of poverty to help raise support
and awareness for the campaign. A petition is being collected with as many
signatures as possible and will be presented to the delegates who will be
attending the summit in New York, this will take place on the 12th. The
coalition is working with radio and TV stations across the country to get
coverage. They are also working with the country's foreign office to
influence the country's position in New York. They are also in contact with
the Vice Councillor and representatives that are going to NY.
Contact: Patricia Acosta +5982)408-7526 cnsmujeres@adinet.com.uy
BOLIVIA - It will be a media blitz on GCAP information in Bolivia.They will
show 4 TV adverts a day on the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th of Sept. Each advert
will be 30 seconds long and they have got 5 TV channels to show them. They
will demand that leaders fulfil their promises and achieve the MDGs. The
Bolivian GCAP coalition has put together a 4-minute radio message in Spanish
and local dialects explaining what the MDGs are and how they relate to
poverty and debt eradication. These will be played by 20 radio stations
across the country.
Contact Dr. Oscar lanza5912)222-1177 aisbol@entelnet.bo
EUROPE
DENMARK - Denmark is holding a Party Against Poverty at Pan Club
(Knabrostræde 3, Copenhagen) from 22.00-06.00 featuring among others DJ
Ronin, DJ Asle and DJ Flip. For more information go to
www.makepovertyhistory.dk.
Contact: Morten Emil Hansen mh@ibis.dk
GREECE - White Band Day in Greece will begin three days before the official
White Band Day. On September 7, a dynamic platform will be launched under
the name " Greek Coalition Against Poverty". It is expected that over 100
NGOs will be part at this initial stage. Then on September 10, white bands
will be worn at a football match, and there will be a large white band
banner in the stadium with the Greek campaign logo. At least one national
newspaper has agreed to print a white band on its first page a with the logo
and ample coverage of the issue. A wake up call is being prepared for one of
the delegates going to New York and breakfast is organized later on to
discuss the issues relating to MDGs There will be a demonstration is being
prepared outside the Greek parliament later on in the day.
Contact: Eeva Suhonen +35892)315-0501
AFRICA
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - Africa's diamond-rich capital of the
Democratic Republic of Congo has not escaped poverty because of its mineral
wealth. In DRC on September 10, there will be a Popular March Of the People
on the Bukavu's main street. At the end of this march all the people would
be gather in front of UN's offices (OCHA).
Contact: Jean Kamengele Omba +24381)318-2406 ombakam@yahoo.fr
MALAWI- The southern African nation of Malawi plans to deliver a set of
these postcards with the message " No Excuse, Make Poverty History in
Malawi", to the State President Bingu wa Mutharika to remind him of his
obligation to reduce poverty in Malawi. After being present at SADCC meting
of national coalitions in Zimabbwe, a shadow report of the MDGs is also
being prepared for presentation to the UN Resident Representative at a
specially convened press conference/debate. Both events will take part on
the 10th of September.
Contact: Emmanuel Nandolo congoma@malawi.net
HELP US GET IT RIGHT: Criticism is good, compliments are even better.
Should you feel the need to give us feedback on our issue, the good, the
bad, or the ugly contact us at mdgmedia1@civicus.org.
CREDITS
One World South Asia
Rahul Kumar: rahul.kumar@oneworld.net
Civicus MDG Team
Zukiswa Wanner: mdgmedia1@civicus.org
Thokozile Budaza: mdgadmin2@civicus.org
Salima Ahmadou: mdgoutreach3@civicus.org
Henri Valot: henri@civicus.org
This message was sent by Care2 Connect member: Monaz Haque