Time to WAKE UP TO POVERTY!

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Here is some vital info on the SECOND INTERNATIONAL WHITEBAND DAY due to take place next month!

Check it out:


On 10 September, the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) is organising White Band Day 2 – the second in a series of massive international mobilisations. GCAP will send a clear message to governments across the world that politicians must keep their promises to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.


Five years on from the Millennium Summit world leaders are meeting, from 14 –16 September, to discuss progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the United Nations World Summit (MDG +5 Summit). Thus far, efforts to reach the MDGs have fallen woefully short of what is needed to achieve them. Which is why, just ahead of this Summit on 10 September, the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) is organizing White Band Day 2 – the second in a series of massive international mobilizations from GCAP. GCAP will send a clear message to governments across the world that politicians must keep their promises to achieve the MDGs. Together, we will show the breadth and depth of support for action now to end poverty.

The GCAP International Facilitation Group met last month in Bangkok and put together a range of messages and actions focusing on the UN Summit. This mobilization guide gives an overview of the agreed actions and messages from this meeting. Of course, national coalitions will undertake their own events and actions, with their own messaging, but if we unite and speak with one voice, we can make a powerful impact and force our leaders to take action before it is too late.

GCAP messages for the UN MDG Summit +5

At an international level we will demand that rich countries and international institutions change trade rules, give more and better aid and debt relief. At a national level, GCAP national coalitions will press for the specific changes that are most urgently needed to progress the MDGs and policies to eradicate poverty in their country.

The suggested globally coordinated actions for national coalitions from the Bangkok meeting are also only intended to act as a broad guide for groups to incorporate into pre-existing plans for White Band Day 2 and to adapt to suit their local and national context – but please remember that when we unite in joint initiatives we are much more powerful
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http://www.whiteband.org/specialIssues/UNP5/unp54/gcapnews.2005-08-11.7631071446/en

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White Band Day 2: Wake up to poverty!

On 10 September, people across the world will unite in the second GCAP mobilisation to demand that world leaders Wake-Up to Poverty.

In this section, you will find:

1) A brief introduction to the White Band Day 2
2) GCAP mobilisation guide for White Band Day 2 (in English, Spanish, French and Arabic)
3) Wake up to Poverty! logos and posters (to download)
4) Country highlights of planned actions for White Band Day 2 (to be updated)
5) Related links

White Band Day 2: what we’re doing and why

Five years on from the Millennium Summit world leaders are meeting, from 14 –16 September, to discuss progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the United Nations World Summit. Thus far, efforts to reach the MDGs have fallen woefully short of what is needed to achieve them.

On 10 September, during the second GCAP mobilisation day, 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 World 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 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Tell us your plans. Contact us at info@whiteband.org. Also go through our website to find out more about the campaign and to be in touch with the GCAP national coalitions.

Downloads:

GCAP mobilisation guide for White Band Day 2 (pdf)

Also available in:

Spanish (pdf)

French (pdf)

Arab version available soon

Wake up to Poverty! logos and English poster (pdf version)

Related links:

GCAP page on the UN World Summit (including news, background and information papers, NGO statements, lobby and policy guidelines, and calendar of events)

The Millennium Campaign
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http://www.whiteband.org/News/gcapnews.2005-08-15.2252367467/en

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Get ready for this, everyone!

It wasn't just about Live8 and Gleneagles -

it's about the struggle to end extreme poverty every day of our lives!

Take very good care. Blessings not just for those who kneel.

ALWAYS ONE, debbie


ALL I Want Is To Get Right Next To You

:angel:
 
Thanks Debbie!

In light of the new US Ambassador Bolton's campaign to get the UN to drop its Millenium Challenge Goals department, so to speak, this info is doubly important.

Will pass on!
 
This is REALLY IMPORTANT stuff in the struggle to end extreme poverty.

You will be hearing much more about the activites around the Second International White Band Day soon.

Here is some more info on it:

http://www.makepovertyhistory.org :wink:

Nice to hear from you, hot pepper and Teta!
 
More on the upcoming U.N. Summit from DATA:

http://www.data.org/archives/000737.php


UN Millennium Development Goals Summit
September 14, 2005


UN Millennium Development Goals Summit: The 2005 World Summit, to be held from 14 to 16 September at United Nations Headquarters in New York, is expected to bring together more than 170 Heads of State and Government: the largest gathering of world leaders in history. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take bold decisions in the areas of development, security, human rights and reform of the United Nations.


The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the world's time-bound and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions-income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion-while promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability. They are also basic human rights-the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter, and security.

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

:applaud:
 
Here is a preliminary list of events that will be happening around the USA for the Second International White Band Day:


http://www.millenniumcampaign.org/site/pp.asp?c=grKVL2NLE&b=1001941




White Band Week Events in the North America



White Band Week Two

Beginning on September 10th for the week during the UN World Summit, campaigners around the world will be staging mobilization events around the globe. The message of the World White Band Week II is clear 'governments and elected leaders across the world must keep their promises to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.'

We are the first generation that can end poverty and we refuse to miss this opportunity!




11th September, Micah Challenge Campaign Sunday, this event will focus on prayer and advocacy on national leaders taking part in the UN Summit to review and recommit to the MDGs. For more information please contact Micah Challenge.


United States

Baton Rouge, New Orleans, September 8th, ONE Meeting - 3350 Highland St - ONE Baton Rouge is just getting started, so come to this informal brainstorming session and "be the change you want to see in the world! We will be discussing upcoming events, brainstorming for new ideas and planning an initiative to make New Orleans an official ONE city! Come join! For more information please contact Suzanne.

Seattle, 10th September, Seattle AIDS Walk - The walk aims to raise awareness about the ONE campaign and the fight against global AIDS and poverty. For more information or if you would like to volunteer please contact the ONE campaign.

Memphis, September 10th, Memphis Skate Park, concert featuring Bands4Sudan. For more information please visit One.

New York, 10th September: Globally conscious students are invited to attend a one-day conference in New York City for leaders wishing to make a difference in the world. The 'MDG Young Global Leaders Summit: Ending Poverty' aims at helping top students develop into future leaders in the promotion of the Millennium Development Goals. The Young Global Leaders Summit aims to encourage today's youth to view the pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals as the special mission of their generation. At the summit, top university students will engage in workshops and discussions aimed at equipping them with the tools to effectively campaign and raise support for the MDGs on their campuses and in larger society. For more information, visit the web site and contact Eric Bautista.

New York, 10th September, NY White banding - It might be a rally or an event in Central Park. For more information please contact Rosa G. Lizarde.

Albuquerque, New Mexico, 10th September: Albuquerque White Event. On Saturday, September 10, 2005, a coalition of hunger and poverty groups, government representatives, religious organizations, schools, and businesses present a day of activities. The purpose of the day is to bring public awareness to the One Campaign to Make Poverty History and enroll 1,000 new people into the Campaign. Centered on the Nob Hill area, the day will start with a press conference at 10 a.m. The press conference will conclude with the distribution of the symbolic white wrist bands to the participants and participating groups as they enter a huge “white band” formed by a large white plastic banner. After the press conference and for the rest of the day, Nob Hill merchants will display “white band” banners on their storefronts, distribute One Campaign literature, enroll people in the One Campaign, and distribute “white band” bracelets. A public object (perhaps a Rapid Ride bus) will be wrapped with a white band

Nationwide, 12th September National Day of Fast for the MDGs
Sojourners, Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation and other faith-based groups sponsor a nation-wide fast to draw attention to global poverty and the importance of world leaders taking action at the World Summit to combat the 30,000 unnecessary deaths that occur every day as the result of poverty. For more details, contact Carol Welch.

New York, 13th - 16th September, GCAP Space - A Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) resource and information center will be set up. In addition, there will be GCAP and regional/thematic causeses with gathering place for all. For more information please contact Rosa G. Lizarde.


More events coming soon! Don't forget to check the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) site for events too!

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I hope that you will be able to participate in an event in your area or find another way to support the struggle to end extreme poverty in our lifetimes.



:yes:
 
A VERY IMPORTANT meeting was held yesterday in London regarding the future funding levels of the Global Fund by donor countries.

Here are the encouraging results:

GLOBAL FUND RECEIVES PLEDGES OF US$3.7 BILLION FOR 2006-2007
Sep 06 2005

Today, international donors meeting in London pledged a total of US$3.7 billion to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for the two-year period of 2006-2007. An important international initiative, the Global Fund will use these commitments to continue delivering prevention, care and treatment to millions of the world’s poorest people suffering from these three preventable diseases. These life-saving efforts will help keep people alive long enough to grow up healthy, raise children and crops and build businesses and communities.

The amount pledged by 29 donors in London represents more than half of the Global Fund’s total resource needs of US$7 billion for the two year period. This figure does not include expected future pledges from a number of major donors which signaled that their budget procedures prevent firm pledges for the full two-year period. For instance, the United States has currently pledged at total of $600 million for the two year period, but Congressional appropriations could total $600 million for Fiscal Year 2006 alone if Senate budget recommendations are adopted.

REACTION FROM JAMIE DRUMMOND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DATA, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF ONE:

“Though the last few months have seen some improved commitments from some key donors, this replenishment conference has not raised the funds required for the Global Fund to meet its targets for growth and just enough to meet renewals of existing programs. This level of funding also calls into question the achievability of the G8’s goal of near universal access to ART by 2010. Development partners and the global health community need to formulate a deliberate strategy to ensure a massive expansion of ARV access by 2010 – and full funding of the Global Fund must be an integral part of that strategy. Finally, the leadership of U.S. Senators Rick Santorum and Dick Durbin has set a Global Fund benchmark which the world responded to and the U.S. Congress must now appropriate if America is to live up to the 33% goal it has consistently set for itself.”

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http://www.one.org/PressReleases.aspx?id=39


This is VERY HOPEFUL news in the struggle to end extreme poverty in our lifetimes. :up:
 
That's why I posted this, wizard2c. :wink:

We can never forget about those who have lived in extreme poverty EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIVES.

They deserve our support and compassion too. :up:
 
More about the Global Fund and its importance in the struggle to end extreme poverty in our world:



How the Fund Works

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was created to dramatically increase resources to fight three of the world's most devastating diseases, and to direct those resources to areas of greatest need.

As a partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities, the Global Fund represents an innovative approach to international health financing.

Global Fund's General Principles

The Global Fund was founded on a set of principles (these are fully described in the Global Fund's Framework Document) that guides everything we do - from governance to grant-making:
Operate as a financial instrument, not an implementing entity.
Make available and leverage additional financial resources.
Support programs that reflect national ownership.
Operate in a balanced manner in terms of different regions, diseases and interventions.
Pursue an integrated and balanced approach to prevention and treatment.
Evaluate proposals through independent review processes.
Establish a simplified, rapid and innovative grant-making process and operate transparently, with accountability.
Operate as a financial instrument, not an implementing entity.

The Global Fund's purpose is to attract, manage and disburse resources to fight AIDS, TB and malaria. We do not implement programs directly, relying instead on the knowledge of local experts.

As a financing mechanism, the Global Fund works closely with other multilateral and bilateral organizations involved in health and development issues to ensure that newly funded programs are coordinated with existing ones. In many cases, these partners participate in local Country Coordinating Mechanisms, providing important technical assistance during the development of proposals and implementation of programs.

The Global Fund is committed to relying on existing financial management, monitoring and reporting systems, where possible.


Make available and leverage additional financial resources.

The Global Fund only finances programs when it is assured that its assistance does not replace or reduce other sources of funding, either those for the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria or those that support public health more broadly. The Global Fund actively seeks to complement the finance of other donors and to use its own grants to catalyze additional investments by donors and by recipients themselves. In several countries, governments or other organizations have already increased their support to programs that fight these three diseases, validating the Global Fund's ambition to increase overall investment in health.

Since 2001, the Global Fund has attracted US$ 4.7 billion in financing through 2008. In its first two rounds of grant-making, it has committed US $ 1.5 billion in funding to support 154 programs in 93 countries worldwide.

This substantial infusion of resources will enable many countries to scale up existing programs to a level commensurate with need. Still others will initiate new programs where none existed due to a critical shortage of funds. In future years, the Global Fund's ability to support the expansion of proven interventions will depend entirely on its ability to raise additional funding.


Support programs that reflect national ownership.

The Global Fund encourages new and innovative alliances among partners within recipient countries and seeks the active participation of local representatives of civil society and the private sector. By focusing upon the technical quality of proposals, while leaving the design of programs and priorities to partners reflected by the Country Coordinating Mechanism, the Global Fund also encourages local ownership.

This approach serves not only to drive effective disease-specific strategies but also to support efforts to strengthen underlying health systems in recipient countries, consistent with national strategic plans. Programs underwritten by the Global Fund build upon existing poverty-reduction strategies and sector-wide approaches that have been developed to improve public health.


Operate in a balanced manner in terms of different regions, diseases and interventions.

In awarding grants, the Global Fund gives priority to effective proposals from countries and regions with the greatest need, based on the highest burden of disease and the fewest financial resources available to fight these epidemics. The Global Fund also supports grants in areas of the world with emerging epidemics, in an effort to avert further disaster. For example, a grant to Ukraine will help establish a system to provide HIV antiretrovirals, beginning a dramatic scale - up of treatment through an innovative partnership between the government and nongovernmental organizations.

The Global Fund is financing programs in all regions of the world. However, in recognition of the disproportionate impact of these diseases in Africa, 61% of funds approved in Rounds 1 and 2 will fund programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly two-thirds of funds approved in these two rounds are for AIDS, with 17% and 14% for malaria and TB, respectively.


Pursue an integrated and balanced approach to prevention and treatment.

The Global Fund takes a comprehensive approach to AIDS, TB and malaria, funding both prevention and treatment based on locally determined needs. Three-quarters of countries awarded HIV/AIDS funds will use at least a portion of their grants to provide antiretroviral treatment. All HIV grants include prevention activities, most often focusing on young people who comprise 40% of all new infections worldwide. Grants for malaria will both expand access to insecticide-treated bed nets and give health officials the tools and training to identify, diagnose and treat people who are ill. In the case of TB, in particular, providing effective treatment has the added benefit of preventing the further spread of the disease.


Evaluate proposals through independent review processes.

The Global Fund's use of and independent Technical Review Panel ensures that limited resources are targeted to technically sound programs with the greatest chances of success. The panel includes disease experts, as well as experts in the field of development who are able to assess how proposed programs complement ongoing health and poverty reduction efforts at the country level.

Proposals are first screened for eligibility by the Secretariat and are then forwarded to the Technical Review Panel which assesses proposals for technical merit and consistency according to proven best practices. Through this review process, proposals are divided into four main categories: (1) ready and appropriate for funding; (2) appropriate for funding following a limited number of clarifications; (3) not appropriate for funding in the present round, but revision and resubmission is recommended; and (4) not appropriate for funding. The Board then considers the recommendations made by the Technical Review Panel and approves proposals in categories (1) and (2) based upon the availability of funds.

The Technical Review Panel, while applying even more rigorous standards in the second round than the first, perceived that proposal quality had improved, following significant investments by countries in the development of proposals, often with important input by technical partners.


Establish a simplified, rapid and innovative grant-making process and operate transparently, with accountability.

While the concept of performance-based grant-making is not new, the Global Fund is pioneering practical systems to implement this approach that balance the need for accountability and efficiency. This includes working with recipient countries to identify a small number of key indicators to be used to measure progress, and ensuring that, where possible, Global Fund reporting requirements rely on existing processes. The use of Local Fund Agents is another accountability mechanism designed to provide appropriate oversight while respecting local implementation.

The Global Fund's commitment to transparency is illustrated by the broad range of information available on this website. All approved proposals and signed grant agreements are available for review in unedited form, as are documents discussed at Board meetings.

The public is now able to track the progress of local programs by reviewing ongoing grantee reports.

Access to Global Fund information is further expanded through the website's use of six languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

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Hope this helps to explain why supporting the Global Fund is so important in the struggle to make poverty history. ;)
 
bumpimg this so that we don't forget about the world's POOREST PEOPLE :(
 
Tomorrow is the Second International White Band Day - wear yours proudly and make sure to sign this online letter to Pres. Bush ahead of the U.N. Summit on the elimination of extreme poverty this coming week in NYC.



http://www.one.org/letter.aspx




Dear President Bush,

From September 14-16th, leaders from more than 170 nations will meet in New York City. This largest gathering of world leaders in history will focus in large part on agreed, international goals like getting every child into school, helping every community get clean water and fighting AIDS and malaria. Achieving these “Millennium Development Goals” would transform the futures and hopes of a generation in the world’s poorest countries.

Because:

ONE billion people around the world live on less than ONE dollar a day;
Americans are uniting as ONE across political and religious divides, supporting a commitment to work with other countries to overcome the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty;
America has already made strong commitments to fighting poverty, disease and corruption, but America cannot accomplish these goals alone.

We urge you to:

Demonstrate bold leadership by attending the World Summit and re-stating America’s commitment to timebound, measurable internationally agreed development goals and U.S. action needed to meet these goals;

Direct your Administration to ensure the World Summit produces a meaningful agreement that every nation, rich or poor, will do its part to help the poorest people of the world;
Work to fulfill America’s commitments made in the Millennium Declaration, at the G8 Summit and with Congress for more and better international assistance, debt cancellation, trade reform and renewed efforts to fight corruption.
Millions of lives depend on whether the nations of the world agree to a practical, measurable plan to accomplish these goals. We urge you to take advantage of the World Summit to forge an historic partnership to help Africa and the poorest nations overcome global AIDS and extreme poverty. Together as ONE, we can make poverty history.

Sincerely,


--------------------------------------------

PLEASE help those who have lived in extreme poverty everyday of their lives -

they deserve a better future as much as anyone else.

Thank you for your concern.

:up:
 
Thanks for the info Jamila.

White Band Day doesn't seem to be that well promoted over here in England - at least as far as I am aware.
 
There were some activities in the USA and a few in Canada.

It's really sad - it seems that the world's POOREST PEOPLE are being overshadowed once again by other events. :(

Thanks for your concern, Tilli.
 
These bands are slowly taking off here, but we seem to avoid them for the landfill issue. I'm not going to talk about the US and Canada, as most do in here because frankly, I dont care. I know that there is no saying that either of those 2 countries dont care about these things, it is ludicrous to suggest otherwise. I'd even go so far as to say everywhere, in every country, people care. If you asked people to write a list of their concerns in the world then the list would be rather long. It isn't always desirable to rank them though.
 
Here is what happened in NYC:

Sat Sep 10 2005

Biggest anti-poverty coalition in history joins with historic New York Labour March

The Global Call to Action Against Poverty, the world’s largest ever anti-poverty campaign, joined and lead one of the oldest Labour Day parades in the world in New York City on Saturday, 10 September. Marchers in the parade stood together to say “no to poverty” and “yes to decent jobs and workers’ rights”. GCAP and the Labour Day march organiser both wanted to send a clear and united message to 170 world leaders about to meet in New York at the UN World Summit, to end world poverty.


“Workers and their organizations are a proud partner of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) alliance precisely because they understand how poverty affects us all, whether we live in the developed or developing world, whether we’re employed or unemployed. On this White Band Day 2, we will be joining the Labour Day parade and standing together with New York City’s working families. We will be calling on UN member countries to seize this historic opportunity to take concrete action to alleviate world poverty,” said Kumi Naidoo, chair of the Global Call to Action against Poverty.

GCAP participants will join an expected crowd of 250,000 people as they march on 5th Avenue from 44th Street to 72nd St., celebrating the proud trade union history of struggle for workers’ rights and social justice.

“Creating decent jobs for all as the best way to end poverty remains at the centre of trade union demands. Workers, no matter where they live, have the right to be treated with dignity and to organise with their fellow workers to improve both their employment and social conditions,” said Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, a major partner in GCAP.

“The demand for decent work is nothing more than a demand to get back what one puts in, to have the peace of mind that a job brings with it the ability to feed and clothe your family, to send your children to school, to have access to a doctor if you get sick,” he continued.

“These are the issues that bind together the women and men from 74 countries who will unite to call on world leaders to wake up to poverty tomorrow, and New York City’s workers who will march in the parade,” Ryder concluded.

NYC Central Labor Council President Brian M. McLaughlin welcomed the participation of GCAP in the march. “The global economy has given incentives to employers to strip away basic dignity for working families,” said McLaughlin. “We are proud to have GCAP engaged in the struggle for global fairness, and to be a part of our parade.”

What: GCAP contingent joins NYC Labour Day Parade
Where: East 44th St. at Vanderbilt Avenue
When: 10 am, September 10, 2005


Background:

The current draft Summit outcome document reaffirms the Millennium Development Goals - the internationally agreed upon targets for halving world poverty and commitments made by world leaders in 2000 when they signed the Millennium Declaration.

GCAP believes that this Summit is a chance for world leaders to reaffirm a timetable for achieving poverty reduction and get back on track with the promises they made in 2000 to achieve the MDGs.

GCAP is calling for leaders at the World Summit to lay out clear steps towards not only meeting, but exceeding, the Millennium Development Goals.

Leaders of all rich countries must agree to reach 0.7% of their national income in aid immediately and ensure that this aid reaches the poorest people in the poorest countries. They promised to give this amount in 1970, and 35 years later this promise remains broken. Whilst the G8 committed to increase levels of aid, the quality, quantity and crucially the speed of its delivery fall far short of what is desperately needed.

Leaders at the UN summit must endorse the need to go further on debt cancellation, agreeing to cancel the debts of all countries that need it to be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. They must also ensure that debt relief is not tied to harmful World Bank and IMF conditions.

On 10 September, the spotlight will be on world leaders as they prepare to leave for the UN World Summit in New York. People across the world will unite in the second GCAP White Band Day mobilization to demand that world leaders Wake-Up to Poverty.

Notes to editors:

1) The Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) is the world's largest anti-poverty coalition, whose organizations together represent more than 150 million people globally. The campaign is aiming to make a breakthrough on poverty in 2005 and is calling for world leaders to “wake up” and take concrete steps at the United Nations to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and end poverty once and for all. The coalition is made up of national campaigns across 74 countries, including MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY in the UK, “Wakati Ni Sasa” (The time to act is now) in Kenya, Wada Na Todo Abhiyan’ (Keep Your Promises) in India and “Sin Excusas contra la Pobreza” in Paraguay amongst many more. The global symbol of the campaign is a white band. See www.whiteband.org for more information.

2) Also attached to this release is GCAP’s Millennium Development Goals report for your review and use.

3) Important facts from GCAP’s Millennium Development Goals report

· If we continue as we are it will take many countries 100 years, not ten, to achieve the goals.
· In 2005 the world will miss the first agreed MDG target of achieving equal numbers of girls as boys in primary school.
· Average life expectancy in Africa is 46 years and falling and the number of people living in extreme poverty has increased by more than 140 million in the last twenty years (UN Statistics Division, Dept of Economic and Social Affairs).
· A mother dies every minute as a result of problems in pregnancy and childbirth, and the MDG of reducing maternal mortality by three-quarters by 2015 will not be met on current trends.
· The MDGs could be met if rich countries delivered on the commitment they made 35 years ago, to allocate 0.7% of their Gross National Income (GNI) to aid.
· On current trends and including the commitments made at the G8 in Gleneagles, the G8 countries will only be giving 0.36% of GNI and not until 2010.
· To reach 0.7% of GNI in 2010 donors must increase their aid not by the $48billion agreed in Gleneagles, but by $170 billion.
· The world spends $400bn per year on advertising. G8 countries between them spent over $600bn on defence in 2004.

4) The Millennium Development Goals are eight targets agreed by over 190 governments in 2000 to help eradicate poverty through action by developed and developing countries. They focus on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other preventable diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and developing a global partnership for development. The first MDG, on getting an equal number of girls into school as boys, has already been missed this year.



UN World Summit
14-16 September



White Band Day 2
On 10 September, people across the world will unite in the second GCAP mobilisation to demand that world leaders Wake-Up to Poverty!



Standing Tall Against Poverty Concerts
On Saturday 3 September 2005, two concerts in Ghana and India sent a strong message to the UN Summit in New York to take the decisions needed to eradicate poverty.

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Nice to know that there are those in the USA that haven't forgotten the world's poorest people.

I am ONE of them.

:up:


http://www.whiteband.org/PressCenter/PressRelease/gcappressrelease.2005-09-09.0636794085/en
 
Here is a VERY INTERESTING chart which shows which countries are doing the best (and the worst) in trying to eliminate extreme poverty from our world.

Also, click on the other links (like Most Improved, 2004, 2003) to get a better idea of the progress or lack of progress that YOUR country has made in this struggle.

http://www.cgdev.org/section/initiatives/_active/cdi?print=1


Take good care. Blessings not just for those who kneel.

:yes:
 
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