Highlights of the October 17 mobilisation

In India, a women’s tribunal against poverty will be held in New Delhi, bringing together women from across the most marginalized communities of India, including Dalits, Adivasis, Muslim minorities, nomadic tribes, single mothers, and women with disabilities, to collectively express their experiences of poverty. India’s first woman President, Pratibha Patil, has agreed to meet a delegation of these women to hear their demands first hand.  Women’s Tribunals will also be held in Latin America, Africa, and Europe.  

In New York, Ban ki Moon, the Secretary General of the United Nations is invited to lead a stand up event on the lawn in front of the UN.  He will be joined by civil society representatives and grassroots activists as well as UN staff.  

In London, GCAP Chair Kumi Naidoo will join UN Deputy Secretary General, Dr. Asha Rose Migiro and activists as they wrap a giant white band around City Hall overlooking the city’s iconic Tower Bridge.

In Palestine, one million schools children throughout the Occupied West Bank and Gaza speak out raising banners, releasing white balloons and shouting slogans to say no to poverty.  The children’s activities have been organized jointly with the Palestinian Ministry of Education and national GCAP coalition, and are taking place in public, private, and UNWRA schools in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.  Campaigners have also secured free healthcare for people in the West Bank for the whole week and lined up a series of high level meetings with Ministers.

In Mexico, over 40,000 children are planning to Stand Up in their classrooms, wearing white bands, making banners and other works of art, and activists are wrapping a gaint white band around city monuments in the capital..  

In Afghanistan campaigners have set up a massive youth Kite Flying event on the hills above Kasbil as well as rallies in three cities to demand greater public accountability and transparency in how foreign aid is spent and for job creation.

In the Netherlands, 200 life sized avatars representing countries around the world taking part in actions today will be placed in front of The Hague and the Poverty Requiem will be performed in several locations around the country.

Somalia is one of 25 countries where delegations of civil society representatives will present policy demands to the Head of the Transitional Federal Government pushing for changes in world trade in favour of their agro-pastoral economy.

Pakistani campaigners have arranged an unprecedented Stand Up and Speak Out event to unfurl a 10km–long banner in Bahawalpur.  This is one of 25 countries across the world using giant banners to form a white band, the symbol of the global anti-poverty movement.

Micah Challenge, the global Christian campaign, aims to engage support for impoverished and marginalized communities and will also be taking part.  In the US, Canada and Europe Episcopal and Lutheran churches have made the MDGs their top social justice priority and have appointed an MDG-focused organizer in every diocese.

“This is our chance as young people to make sure our voices are heard by our politicians.  We want them to prioritise job creation projects so we can be part of the new generation that builds a better country than our parents had.  My father died when I was just two so my mother had to bring us up alone.  She was always working so hard for the small things but she taught me an important lesson - if people dare to believe they can change something, they will achieve it, if not today then tomorrow.” said Biozid Jessorey, a Social worker in Dhaka, Bangladesh            

All over the world, individuals will be taking a minute out of their daily routine, and in their homes, offices, shopping centers, gyms, grocery stores, bus stations, and coffee shops, they will stand up for a minute as an individual action against poverty and inequality.  Join them today, and Stand Up!