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Global Call to Action Against Poverty : 

Global Call to Action Against Poverty What unionists can do in the fight against global poverty

GCAP – What is it?: 

GCAP – What is it? A world-wide alliance aimed at fighting poverty through forcing leaders to live up to their promises as outlined in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), focusing on:

GCAP – What is it?: 

GCAP – What is it? In industrialised countries: Trade justice More and better aid Debt cancellation In the developing world: Good governance Respect for human rights Respect for union rights

GCAP - What is it?: 

GCAP - What is it? All organisations and individuals taking action on poverty will wear a white band. The white band aims to visibly link the efforts and activities of all participants world-wide.

GCAP – What is it?: 

GCAP – What is it? 3 “White Band Days” will be organized world-wide before each of the 3 events: G8 meeting in Gleneagles (Scotland, UK) White Band Day - July 1, 2005 Review of the MDGs in New York White Band Day – September 10 WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong White Band Day - December 10

GCAP – What is it?: 

GCAP – What is it? To find out what is happening in your country on each of these days, and how you can participate, go to www.whiteband.org

Key facts about global poverty: 

Key facts about global poverty Poverty: 1.2 billion people live on $1(US) per day 3 billion people live on less than $2(US) per day 25% of workers in developing countries live in poverty the richest 1% of the world’s population receives as much income as the poorest 57% 54 countries are poorer now than they were in 1990

Key facts about global poverty: 

Key facts about global poverty Poverty One third of the global workforce (+1 billion people) are unemployed, underemployed or living below the poverty line 60% of those are women Global unemployment is at a record high: 185 million people are out of work 50% of those are under 24 years of age

Key facts about global poverty: 

Key facts about global poverty Health One out of ten children dies before the age of 5 28,000 children die from poverty related causes every day This means a child dies every 3 seconds 500,000+ women die from complications of pregnancy and child birth every year

Key facts about global poverty: 

Key facts about global poverty Health 8,000 people died every day from AIDS in 2003 15 million children around the world have lost their parents to AIDS Someone in the world is infected by tuberculosis every second of the day

Why does GCAP concern trade union members?: 

Why does GCAP concern trade union members? Fighting poverty is at the core of trade union work The decent work agenda, which we promote, is crucial to lifting people out of poverty Our organising and collective bargaining are essential to ending poverty as they address the unequal power relations that exist in the workplace

The decent work agenda: crucial to ending poverty: 

The decent work agenda: crucial to ending poverty Key facts: Millions of men, women and children have informal and unprotected jobs with no rights or social protection Women make up the majority of the millions who work in the harsh conditions of the world’s export processing zones (EPZs) One out of six children world- wide work instead of going to school Women are paid between 30%-60% less than men

The decent work agenda: crucial to ending poverty: 

The decent work agenda: crucial to ending poverty Our work against poverty is often undermined by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Their loan conditions force poor countries to weaken the protection of workers’ conditions, regardless of the social cost In many countries public services such as health, education and water have been privatised due to their policies. As a result, increased costs and reduced access to vital services has worsened the poverty and suffering of the world’s poor

The decent work agenda: crucial to ending poverty: 

The decent work agenda: crucial to ending poverty Trade unions advocate for an international economic framework which focuses not only on economic growth, but on pro-employment growth. We lobby for drastic policy changes in the international financial institutions. We work towards the ratification and implementation of ILO Conventions all over the world, particularly ones covering fundamental workers’ rights or core labour standards

What trade unions want: 

What trade unions want 1. We want more and better aid for the poorest countries: Rich countries have committed to providing money to achieve the MDGs and to spend 0.7% of national income on aid – they must deliver! Aid must focus on poor people’s basic needs: health, education and access to clean water Aid must not be conditional on countries agreeing to privatise their public services, cut social expenditure or open up their markets

What trade unions want: 

What trade unions want 2. We want trade justice Agricultural export subsidies by rich countries must end. They destroy developing countries’ local economies and poor farmers’ livelihoods. Every country has the right to protect its public services. Basic social provisions such as water, health and education should not be subject to forced privatisation. Trade rules should never undermine internationally recognised labour standards. Without free trade unions, wages will be lower and poverty worse. The WTO must recognise core labour standards.

What trade unions want: 

What trade unions want 2. We want trade justice (continued) Governments must require all companies, and their suppliers and subcontractors, to respect workers’ fundamental rights. In search of ever greater profits, big companies put pressure on workers’ rights all over the world. Ensuring food security of poor countries is essential. Every developing country has the right to protect its agriculture to ensure domestic food security. Vital medicines must be affordable. Infectious diseases kill over 38,000 people each day, yet one third of the world has no access to medicines.

What trade unions want: 

What trade unions want 3.We want debt relief for developing countries Rich countries have not delivered on their promise to cancel part of the debt. Poor countries are often forced to spend more on paying off annual interest costs than on social services such as health care and basic education. The debt burden is not sustainable. Debt relief can be more efficient than aid as a way to help developing countries reach the MDGs. The debts of the poorest countries that respect human rights should be cancelled.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): 

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) In 2001, 191 world leaders from rich and poor countries alike committed themselves to a set of eight targets, the MDGs. The goals, if achieved, will end extreme poverty by 2015. It is 2005, and according to the UN itself we are nowhere near achieving those goals. WE MUST ACT NOW!

5 things you can do to fight poverty: 

5 things you can do to fight poverty Participate in the “White Band Days” in your country. Whether you join with others in a public demonstration of solidarity or just wear your white band to work, your participation will ensure the GCAP is visible. Note: You don’t have to buy a white band - just make your own from paper or cloth and proudly wear it. Get involved in the campaign coalition in your country (see www.whiteband.org for contacts) & through the ICFTU – email gcap@icftu.org.

5 things you can do to fight poverty: 

5 things you can do to fight poverty 3. Write to your government if you live in an industrialised country demanding that they unconditionally cancel the debt of poor countries that respect human rights. 4.Keep checking the ICFTU website (www.icftu.org) for more activities, actions and events throughout 2005 and further on. 5. Talk to your friends and family about poverty and get them involved

More information: 

More information Go to www. whiteband.org www.makepovertyhistory.org www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ Subscribe to the ICFTU’s GCAP newsletter by sending an email to gcap@icftu.org Put job creation and decent work at the heart of the global poverty agenda. Join the Global Call to Action Against Poverty and make poverty history!