National Website: gemeinsamgegenarmut.ch

Quick Background 

GCAP Switzerland has completed a one-page brief with background information.

National Coalition

If your organisation is interested in getting involved or finding out more on GCAP activities in Switzerland, please contact:

Alliance Sud
Pepo Hofstetter, Alliance Sud at pepo.hofstetter[at]alliancesud.ch

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Swissaid • Fastenopfer • Brot für alle • Helvetas • Caritas • Heks
Briefadresse: Postfach, CH-3001 Bern 
Paketadresse: Monbijoustrasse 31, CH-3011 Bern
Tel. 031/390 93 34/Fax 031/390 93 31
www.alliancesud.ch

Swiss Campaign “0.7% - Together Against Poverty”

• See the Photo gallery
• Getting the white bands: you can buy it at alliancesud (mail@alliancesud.ch)
• Petition: It calls on the Federal Council and Parliament to increase Switzerland's development aid to 0.7 per cent of gross national income by 2015. The extra funds should go toward specific priorities in pursuit of the UN Millennium Goals (see p. xy)
• Campaign website: Here you will find the petition form and other materials, pointers to events and possibilities for participating, development cooperation facts and arguments, as well as a celebrities game and an MDG quiz. www.gemeinsamgegenarmut.ch, www.ensemblecontrelapauverte.ch; www.insiemecontrolapoverta.ch.

Events in 2007

October 17: International Day For Poverty Eradication

The «Global Call to Action against Poverty» (GCAP) network has declared October 17th as the global day of action for greater mobilisation in the fight against poverty.

All the activities were centred on the petition "0.7% - together against poverty" which demands the Swiss Government to work harder toward the UN Millennium Goals and to increase its official development aid up to 0,7% until 2015. The petition was launched on July 7. Until know, it is signed by apprx. 50'000 people.

• Zurich: The University of Zurich hung out white banners in support of GCAP Switzerland's campaign. In the evening (6pm) was organized a debate on Development cooperation in the great hall of the University.

• Geneva: “Rally of Solidarity” on Sunday, 15 October. It was organized by a member organisation of GCAP Switzerland (terre des homes suisse); GCAP attended and collected signatures for the petition 0,7%. 

• Stand up and Speak Out in the Palais the Nations

• Poverty requiem was sung at the Ecoumenical church of the WCC.

• Berne: "Berne against poverty": we will rolled out a huge white band of about 1/2 kilometre through the very centre of the city (at noon). A lot of buildings and some streets were flagged with the campaign's banner (the city of Berne cooperated). In the afternoon,  there was a rally of ATD Quart Monde, supported by GCAP Switzerland, on the federal square in front of the House of Parliament with several speakers.

• Basel: "Band of Solidarity: Basel against poverty": We rolled out a white band form the Claraplatz (square, 4pm) over the Mittlere Brücke (bridge over the Rhine) to the very central Barfüsserplatz (square), that's over a distance of apprx. 1 kilometre. On the Barfüsserplatz there was a rally against Poverty (5pm), where among others the president of the Canton of Basel-City, Mrs. Eva Herzog, took the floor. The Canton of Basel-City supported officially the activities of GCAP Switzerland (petition "0,7% - together against poverty"). In the Canton of Basel-Country, a lot of church-towers hung out white banners. (We asked churches, public and private buildings to hang the campaign's white flag all over Switzerland)

• Lucerne: "Band of Solidarity - Lucerne against Poverty": A third band was rolled out across the city of Lucerne

Federal Day of Prayer

, church organisations in different places in Switzerland will be staging events in support of the campaign. The St. Gallen event will have the participation, inter alia, of Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey.

07/07/07 events: MDGs Mid Term Review

MDG mid-term festival: July 7th, 2007 is the halfway point in the implementation of the UN Millennium Goals. To mark the occasion, the «0,7% – Together against Poverty» Alliance organised a festival with political and musical contributions on the Federal Square in front of the Swiss Parliament building. The keynote speaker has been former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson.