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Billions for banks while billions live in poverty?
Leaders at the UN choose to discuss how to stem the current financial crisis, while the real crisis of billions of people living in poverty gets sidelined again.
“We cannot believe the way poverty has been sidelined in favour of discussions on how to support the rich. This is our golden moment to get these Goals back on track but the voices of people affected by poverty have been kept on the fringes. This is not a recipe for putting right the most grievous wrong of our time,” said Kumi Naidoo, GCAP co-chair.
GCAP is calling on the leaders attending the High Level Event on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to reassess their priorities and commit the resources needed to meet their targets. We ask governments to:
- Prioritise the poorest and most marginalised people in all actions under the MDGs.
- Respect the right to active participation of people living in poverty
- Deliver on commitments from donor and recipient countries on the MDGs
- Enact MDG action plans that address systemic barriers to achieving and exceeding the MDGs
- Strengthen government accountability.
Earlier this week the US announced $700 billion to bail out crisis-ridden banks. It is estimated that it would cost the world $6 billion to stop women dying at childbirth. Do that and there would still be $694 billion left in change to help out the ailing banks. Campaigners from Africa, Asia and Latin America are left reeling at the continuing refusal of governments to take responsibility and act decisively to end poverty and inequality in our lifetime.
“There is clearly money when their self interests are at stake but what about the billions of poor people who have sent their demands to the UN? When will they get bailed out?”said Lysa John, Coordinator GCAP India.
Now more than ever there is a need to keep mobilising and putting pressure on governments to keep their promises to meet and exceed the MDGs. What can you do? Get involved in Stand Up and Take Action now!
