With less than a week before Election Day, ONE volunteer Dan Donmoyer and I joined volunteers across the country in dropping off petitions at various state offices. We stopped by both the Obama and McCain headquarters in Harrisburg, PA to help remind both presidential candidates of the commitments they made to help the world’s poorest people when they went On the Record with the ONE Campaign.
During these times of economic instability in both domestic and global markets, we must not forget about the world’s poorest people who are especially vulnerable during times of economic hardship. We should continue to support smart, affordable initiatives that are making a real difference for millions around the world.
This month over 68,832 ONE Members nationwide and 2,849 in Pennsylvania, signed a petition asking that:
As you work to find a solution to the global financial crisis, please do not waver in your support for the world’s poorest people. It is now more important than ever to stand up for effective, efficient solutions that save millions of lives, strengthen the global economy, and win the hearts and minds of people around the world. I’m keeping my commitment to fight global poverty, and I ask you to do the same.
Even when we face challenges here at home, we must continue to lead, work to strengthen America’s global reputation, and make our world a safer and better place.
To all the ONE volunteers and activists who’ve worked tirelessly around our ONE Vote ’08 efforts this (very) long election season, thank you. Each one of you have made invaluable contributions to our effort to make sure EVERY presidential candidate spoke up about their plans to combat global poverty and disease. By holding our elected officials accountable, we’ve ensured that the issues ONE cares so passionately about will be aggressively and vigorously addressed. The 2008 presidential election may be over, but our work to end global poverty is only beginning.
Below is a video of ONE organizer Matthew Bartlett speaking with John McCain a few days ago at his last town hall meeting in New Hampshire as a presidential candidate. It aired on CNN and Matthew’s impassioned and articulate message is spot on. Congrats Matthew and all of our ONE Vote ’08 activists.
Kofi Annan, Michel Camdessus and Robert Rubin penned an editorial in the Financial Times yesterday pleading with world leaders to keep the right against poverty a priority, even in uncertain economic times. The piece is in anticipation of the Doha meeting on financing for development that will be held a month from now.
There are two lessons that history and our personal experience teach us. One is that when crises occur, the least responsible are usually the worst affected and the least able to cope. The second is that crises can provide the momentum for reform and radical change. These moments are fleeting and need to be grasped to put arrangements in place that will prevent their recurrence. In today’s globalised world, that means new arrangements that are more effective, efficient and equitable.
The Group of Eight leading industrialised nations and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries must honour their existing commitments, particularly aid levels, to the developing world and not use the crisis as a pretext for abandoning them. These commitments have been hard won and are encouraging many African and other developing countries to plan around MDG achievement. Not honouring commitments would send a powerful negative message to them and undermine the fragile but growing sense of mutual accountability that is emerging between Africa and its traditional partners for addressing the continent’s many challenges.
I wanted to share with you news that our sister organization (RED) has partnered with Starbucks. Bono made the announcement in New Orleans yesterday. Since its launch in 2006, (RED) has already raised $112 million for the Global Fund – more than some countries.
The partnership with (RED), co-founded by the U2 frontman, will donate a portion of the proceeds of selected holiday Starbucks drinks to the Global Fund to help raise funds for and awareness of AIDS in Africa, where the coffee company buys some of its beans.
Bono praised Starbucks for joining an effort that companies like Microsoft, Converse, Apple and Hallmark are already part of, particularly amid the economic turmoil.
“Here we are, talking about the economy tanking. People are saying, Maybe the world doesn’t need more coffehouses. And what do you do? What does Starbucks do? You decide to give your money away,” he said to thunderous applause from the thousands of store managers and others gathered at New Orleans Arena. “This is not charity. This is commerce.”
I want to share ONE’s ‘Final Report’ on Senator McCain’s and Senator Obama’s public commitments to address global poverty.
When you go to our On The Record microsite today, you can see McCain’s and Obama’s most up-to-date plans side-by-side. While you’re there, make sure to check out our exclusive video interviews with John McCain and Barack Obama.
ONE is a nonpartisan organization that does not endorse or oppose any candidate, but we do want you to know where the candidates stand as you go to the polls on Tuesday.
Here’s the latest from ONE’s London-based Government Relations Manager, Eloise Todd, on the EU Food Facility. The facility is based on a proposal in the European Union to channel 1 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in unused European farm subsidies to farmers in developing countries.
Although the European Parliament voted last week on the EU’s budget for 2009, the decision on how to finance the €1 billion for developing country farmers has been deferred until 21 November, mainly because it’s become such a politically-sensitive topic.
This new date is basically the last chance for the money to be directed to farmers in poor countries. The move to defer the final decision could be a good signal that the Members of Parliament are committed to finding a lasting solution. We sense a real political will by several people within the Parliament to deliver the money, including Jutta Haug, who wrote the 2009 budget report (called a “rapporteur” in EU-speak) and Reimer Boege, who heads up the Budgets Committee .
In these last few crucial weeks, ONE will be working to keep the pressure on EU governments, especially now that some seem to be favoring a creative accounting exercise that could mean not all the money will be new. Instead, it could pull from current aid budgets, which could mean pulling money from existing development programs to finance the proposal.
Whatever is decided on EU financing, we’ll continue to watch each member states’ aid budget closely, as there is a danger that many governments will sign on to the proposal at the EU and then undo their commitments when mapping out their individual agriculture budgets later this year. We will also keep up our lobby work on the content of the proposal, especially how the money will be spent once it’s made available to developing countries. We want the money to go to those in most need and to be spent through the most effective systems. In these difficult financial times, we also need the Council to remember that the world’s poorest are suffering most, and that investing in sustainable development through agriculture is the most prudent investment donor nations can make.
As we reported earlier, October is Fair Trade Month. Erin Gorman, who works at Divine Chocolate, wanted to share some information about their organization and what they’re doing to make trade fair.
-Chris Scott
Happy Halloween! As you plan your costume and celebrations, here’s something delicious to consider: chocolate can help end poverty. Fair Trade chocolate that is. The best news: anyone that eats chocolate can play a part in making change happen.
I have been blessed to have a job that affords me the opportunity to share this good news and great chocolate with people everyday. Divine Chocolate (where I work) is a farmer-owned Fair Trade chocolate company. The 45,000 cocoa farmers that are members of Kuapa Kokoo Farmers’ Cooperative receive a guaranteed Fair Trade price and a social premium that is invested in community projects like schools, clean water, and training to help women start small businesses for additional income. As owners of their own chocolate brand, they receive a share of the profits, a say in the company, and have a seat at the table of global trade.
For the farmers of Kuapa Kokoo and other small-scale farmer cooperatives in the Fair Trade system, the extra money received from Fair Trade enables them to invest in the future – the future of their children and communities. Their investments are not dissimilar to the investments that you and I make. Their aspirations are similar to our own. Fair Trade helps to level the playing field to make it possible to realize those aspirations in a marketplace where farmers and consumers work together to create conditions of respect and dignity.
And it can all start with a bar of chocolate.
There’s no time like now to get started on a chocolate crusade against poverty.
1) Commit to making the chocolate you purchase Fair Trade. Check out TransFair USA’s website to find a list of companies including Divine Chocolate selling Fair Trade chocolate (www.fairtradecertified.org) 2) Ask for Fair Trade chocolate. When you shop, wherever you shop, ask the store to stock Fair Trade chocolate. 3) Raise money with chocolate. Divine Chocolate offers a fundraising program that helps organizations interested in raising funds and promoting Fair Trade. Check it out at www.divinechocolateusa.com 4) Spread the word. Send this post to the chocolate lover in your life.
Good luck with your Halloween costume. Perhaps you could go as a Divine Chocolate bar…
ONE is campaigning to ensure that the Congressional budget does not cut foreign assistance programs like Feed the Future that help people break the cycle of poverty and hunger.
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 60 years. More than 11 million people, mostly nomadic pastoralists and farmers in south-central Somalia, north-eastern Kenya, and south-eastern Ethiopia, are severely lacking access to food.
2011 marks 30 years since the first cases of AIDS were documented. Take a closer look at the specific, achievable goals we must hit by 2015 to make this year the beginning of the end of AIDS.
As aid agencies warn more than 9 million people could be affected by a food crisis in East Africa, world leaders are failing to keep their 2009 promises to tackle the causes of chronic hunger and support farmers in the world's poorest countries.
