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THE GCAP E-LETTER

July 10^th 2008- Edition #25

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Dear Friends,

As the G8 draws to an end, we mobilise with Zimbabwe in solidarity, we look forward to the next round of mobilisation in September and we share news on the GCAP structure.

GENERAL UPDATES

G8: super-heroes... or super-zeros? G8 –GCAP campaigners from the North and South at the G8 summit in Hokkaido did a great job during the event, promoting the voices of people from the South, presenting the million wishes gathered since May with the Tanabata and other petitions and responding to the outcomes of the G8 meeting.

Updates from the event were posted on the whiteband.org G8 blog

Official statements can be found at the G8 Press page

GCAP GLOBAL COUNCIL – The first GCAP Global Council meeting took place in June 2008 in Glasgow established the roles and responsibilities of the Council, discussed GCAP’s strategy, structure and ways of working.

The Council discussed the mobilisation plan for 2008-10 and suggested it should be linked to political opportunities with clear objectives around policy change, outreach, movement building, and media coverage. There was agreement on the need for more leadership from national coalitions and constituency groups.

The Council also reviewed and approved a number of documents related to the GCAP final structure and ways of working. Three co-chairs were elected for the GCAP Global Council: Kumi Naidoo, Sylvia Borren and Adelaide Sosseh, who will be in these roles until the GCAP Global Assembly meeting in 2009. Six members of the Global Council were also elected onto the Global Foundation with Sylvia Borren to chair the Foundation Board and Amitabh Behar to be an Interim Treasurer. Kinda Mohamadieh, Alison Woodhead and Hector Bejar were also elected to the board, with Ana Agostino elected but declining the role due to other commitments. National Coalitions are now invited to nominate candidates for the three remaining at-large member places in order to make a decision in the next GCAP Global Council meeting

In addition to the above, the Global Council agreed that a paper on corporate engagement will be developed and later approved by the Council, a section of the 3 Year Strategic Framework will set out guidelines for different kinds of partnership and strategic relations and a sub group of the Council will take forward thinking on monitoring, learning, and accountability at all levels of GCAP.

A summary of the Global Council meeting and a communiqué are available Global Council documents (different languages available from the top menu)

ZIMBABWE – A pan-African mobilisation in solidarity with Zimbabwe is planned for July 12. There will be a campaign launch in Johannesburg, South Africa, with people casting “ballots” in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe. Activities are planned in Botswana, Tanzania and Senegal amongst others. Please join in and support this mobilisation in any way you can. More information, an open letter and a press release can be found on:
Pan-African Campaign of Solidarity for Zimbabwe

MOBILISATION UPDATE

GCAP will launch into 50 days of action from September 1 – October 20. During this time people all over the world, united by the white band, will mobilise around several key moments.

A mobilisation guide will be available shortly, email Ben Margolis at ben.margolis@whiteband.org. More information will be posted on www.whiteband.org.

The mobilisation begins with the Aid Effectiveness summit in Accra from September 2-4, which will be attended by a number of GCAP campaigners linking this summit to those on the MDGs and Financing for Development taking place in coming weeks.

On September 25, world leaders will gather in New York at a UN High-Level Event on the MDGs.. This is possibly the last chance to ensure that many of the MDGs are met by 2015.

GCAP coalitions in Africa and Asia are organising poverty hearings and the demands, recommendations and concerns of people living in poverty will be used to lobby governments nationally, as well as at the UN. Many coalitions will also produce shadow reports in which civil society will monitor the progress made on the MDGs in their country.

In New York, GCAP is organising a major civil society event with a large number of partners as well as a media stunt on September 25. GCAP activists, young people and people living in poverty will come to New York so their voices are heard at the summit.

On October 7, GCAP is supporting the ITUC and other partners for the Day for Decent Work (see www.wddw.org)

On October 17-19, GCAP is again working with the UN Millennium Campaign and other partners to mobilise people around the world to Stand Up and Take Action against Poverty and Inequality. This massive mobilisation will be a key moment to give visibility to core GCAP demands around political events in the 50 days of action. Materials will be available soon at www.standagainstpoverty.org.

Please let Ben know of any actions that you are organising.

For details, comments and questions e-mail Ben Margolis, GCAP Mobilisation and Outreach coordinator at benmargolis@whiteband.org or go to www.whiteband.org soon.

MEDIA UPDATE

Media work has focused on the G8 summit and GCAP’s reaction to the outcomes.

There was also a joint press statement with CIVICUS and Amnesty International related to the events in Zimbabwe.

To access all the latest press releases please visit our media pages on Press Information

WEB & NEW MEDIA UPDATE

Whiteband.org focused on the mobilisation around the G8. You can access all the information at the G8 blog
There was also interesting content published on other GCAP websites, such as Canada’s www.makepovertyhistory.ca, Germany’s www.deine-stimme-gegen-armut.de, Kenya’s www.hekima.org and many others

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