7 years into the MDGs, dreadful poverty persists in Asia

As the world marks the mid-term review of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) July 7, anti-poverty NGOs in Asia have launched events and mobilizations aimed at exposing the dreadful poverty and inequality that persists in the region despite the rapid economic growth and progress within the booming economies in Asia.

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2007 MOBILISATION GUIDE

The last two years have been landmarks in the global fight against poverty. In January 2005, the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) was launched at the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre and grew throughout the year to become the world’s largest ever anti-poverty movement, with organisations representing around 150 million people in over 80 countries.

In 2006, GCAP continued to grow in strength and numbers and to date well over 50 million people have been inspired to take action.

2007 is a vital year for GCAP with further mass mobilisations planned throughout the year. This year also marks the midway point for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, an important opportunity for civil society to remind world leaders of the pledges they made seven years ago, as well as the need to go beyond those commitments to bring about poverty eradication and sustainable development.

It is down to each and every one of us to work through GCAP to end the injustices that cause poverty and inequality in the North and South. Let’s make 2007 our best year yet.

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The Poverty Requiem is a musical piece for choir, percussion and two soloists (alt and soprano), and gives as many people as possible the chance to raise their voices to make an artistic and political statement for the struggle against world poverty. The people involved, use this musical manifestation to draw the attention of the public, the media, politics and everybody else who wants to listen to it. Taking part in the Poverty Requiem means using your voice to sing against poverty.

The Millennium Goals
In 2000 189 member states of the United Nations promised to really push back poverty in the fifteen years to come. That promise was expressed as eight Millennium Goals. GCAP, Civicus and Oxfam Novib campaign internationally to remind the world leaders on 17/10/07 that they are already halfway the period set for achieving the Millennium Goals. The Poverty Requiem will then be staged at different international venues.

The Piece
The Poverty Requiem is a vocal work, composed in the idiom of world music. The work consists of five movements. These movements put to music the different ways poverty effects people: suffering, anger, mourning, humour and hope. Short dances can provide a beautiful addition to the theme at such moments. Peter Maissan, composer and conductor, wrote the music for the Requiem. Sylvia Borren, Oxfam Novib’s general director, wrote the text.

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CAN EUROPE LEAD WHERE G8 FAILED?

Pictures of civil society campaigners from EU countries, saying in their national European language: “One million voices. One message. End poverty now!” Credit pictures to: BOND

ONE MILLION VOICES CALL ON EUROPEAN LEADERS TO END POVERTY NOW!

As EU leaders gather in Brussels to discuss the future of Europe, campaigners are reminding them of their obligations in the fight against global poverty.

Over the past few months,in a petition coordinated by the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), more than one million people have demanded German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other EU leaders take urgent action on aid, debt cancellation, trade justice and climate change. Last week, despite intense public pressure, many of these same leaders failed to make any meaningful progress on the issues when they met at the G8 summit in Germany.

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LAME G8 OUTCOME BETRAYS THE POOR AND THEIR OWN CITIZENS

The Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) is deeply angered at the failure of the G8 to respond to the growing passive genocide occurring in African and across the developing world. Their announcement on funding for disease prevention is based on a deliberate numbers trick, which detracts from their failure to honour previous commitments. Their own citizens and the poor in developing countries are alert to their tactics and asking if this is not some sort of new global economic apartheid.

“We challenge the G8 leaders to look us in the eye and say that they would have acted with the same abhorrent lack of urgency if the 6000 people dying of AIDS daily in Africa and the children dying needlessly around the world every three seconds were from their own countries” said Kumi Naidoo, Chair, GCAP.

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