ONE Blog

Subscribe via RSS ONE Blog What We're Reading Policy News

The British Government keeps its promises to the world’s poor


Nov 19th, 2009 11:38 AM EST
By Alexander Woollcombe

Alexander Woollcombe from the ONE UK office reports on a significant development:

Good news but there’s more to do

ONE volunteer Jennifer and staffer Tamar
ONE volunteer Jennifer and staffer Tamar at the door of 10 Downing Street with the petition.

These are stormy times in Westminster – but the commitment to help those who most need it remains. And as the UK general election next year approaches it is more important than ever that our politicians understand they are being watched, and need to keep their promises.

Last week we asked ONE supporters to sign up to our petition to “prioritise legislation that makes the UK’s commitment of 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) as development assistance by 2013 legally binding”.

Yesterday ONE supporters Tamar, Jennifer and I delivered our petition to a friendly policeman who opened the black door of Gordon Brown’s house at 10 Downing Street. He promised to pass it on to the Prime Minister “at once”, which was nice of him.

Then the Queen, in her speech to open the new parliamentary session, announced, “draft legislation” to do exactly what we asked. So we won!

It’s a technical thing to ask for, but aid to developing countries is more useful if those receiving it know it is coming and can plan accordingly. It’s also a brave thing for the British Government to announce when the country is still in the grips of recession.

The UK first promised to spend 0.7% GNI on aid nearly 40 years ago. But it hasn’t ever happened. Now all the main political parties have committed to do it by 2013. Gordon Brown announced in September he would propose legislation on this, but it wasn’t a certainty that this promise would make it into the Queen’s Speech.

We didn’t get everything that we wanted however; the Queen announced “draft legislation”, meaning it is very unlikely to become law before the general election, while we want this to happen as soon as possible. But with the help of ONE supporters, and everyone else who cares about Africa and development, we’ll keep the pressure on the Government. There’s a lot of work to do to make aid better but every step in the right direction is a step worth noting. Thanks to everyone who signed the petition.

As Bono said today “the proposal to make the 0.7% pledge legally binding is not just a great announcement, it is transformative of real lives, by a government that has led the world in keeping its promises to the world’s poorest people. The next step is making sure this becomes law as soon as possible, in 2010”.

SHARE:

  • Facebook
  • Digg
  • Tweet this
  • Google

TAGS: ONE, UK

What We’re Reading 11/19/09


what-were-reading-111909

Nov 19th, 2009 10:37 AM EST
By Steve Wilson

whatWe'reReadingBlog1

The Guardian—Bono and Geldof laud Queen’s speech commitment to global poverty relief
Bono and Bob Geldof welcomed Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s decision to include in his legislative agenda the enshrinement in law of international development spending, which would put the government’s commitment to spend 0.7% of national income on development from 2013 on to the statute books.”The proposal to make the 0.7% pledge legally binding is not just a great announcement, it is transformative of real lives, by a government that has led the world in keeping its promises to the world’s poorest people,” Bono said. “The next step is making sure this becomes law as soon as possible, in 2010.”

Voice of America—African Leaders Left Disappointed at End of UN Food Summit
A three-day United Nations food summit ended in Rome Wednesday without securing substantial new funds to combat world hunger, Voice of America News writes. Some African ministers left the summit saying world leaders are not doing enough to reduce soaring hunger levels on the continent.

Reuters—World leaders’ low turnout hits UN food summit
On a similar note about the U.N. food summit, Reuters writes that an absence of many world leaders undermined the summit from the start, and its final declaration showed little progress was made in the fight against hunger. U.N. officials put on a brave face throughout the November 16-18 Rome meeting, saying it had won broad support for the need to focus on longer-term agricultural development — rather than emergency aid — to help poor countries feed themselves. But the no-show by heavyweights from most of the world’s biggest economies lowered the summit’s profile, and did not help efforts to push malnutrition and food shortages to the top of the political agenda.

Reuters—Obama’s Democrats call for trade policy overhaul
A group of Democratic lawmakers urged President Obama on Wednesday to abandon the Doha round of global trade talks and start over with an agenda to protect labor rights and environmental standards. “We believe the Doha round should be declared dead,” Rep, Michael Michaud (D-ME), the chairman of a working group of U.S. lawmakers on trade issues, said at a news conference. The group is deeply skeptical of the free trade agenda that has dominated U.S. policy in recent years. Members say they are still waiting for Obama to keep campaign promises to reform U.S. trade policy to be more protective of American workers.

AllAfrica.com—Climate Change and the Population ‘Bomb’: A Debate Not to Shy Away From
The United Nations Population Fund released its “State of the World Population 2009″ report on Wednesday. It chose to take up a politically delicate topic, the relationship between climate change, population stabilization and the importance of gender. The fundamental question it seeks to address is: how much of a threat is the growth in population to the world and how much of this increase will lead to a spike in greenhouse gas emissions? As the report demonstrates, answers are not straightforward.

AFP—Eat local rice? Senegalese say no thanks
Similar to other poor but agriculturally-focused countries, the Senegalese government had what seemed a reasonable idea after last year’s food crisis: have the country grow and eat its own rice instead of sticking with the practice of importing tons from Asia. It was part of a larger plan to achieve self-sufficiency in food production. But the Senegalese, who serve rice with so many meals, said no thanks. Why? That’s where it gets sticky, writes the AFP. Explanations range from taste to social standing to the legacy of colonialism. Whatever the reason, the government is now figuring out how to promote locally grown rice and hopes to import none of the staple by 2012.

Mark your calendars for December 10th


mark-your-calendars-for-december-10th

Nov 19th, 2009 9:35 AM EST
By ONE.Partners

Check out this post from Desmond Serrette from the US Chapter of the Global Campaign for Education, of which ONE is a major partner:

I’m happy to announce the December 10th National Day of Action when we are calling on those who understand the important role that education plays in the health, safety and economic security of the world’s children to take action and let President Obama know we support his call for a fully endowed Global Fund for Education.

There are nearly 75 million children across the globe unable to attend primary school this year. Children are blocked out of classroom doors by high schooling fees, long distances to travel to the nearest school, and an insufficient number of teachers, to name a few.

Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” This statement is especially powerful when one explores the impact that education plays in helping solve so many of the world’s problems. Simply put: Education Saves Lives, Reduces Poverty and Makes a Safer World.

You don’t have to wait until December 10th:

You can sign a petition right now urging President Obama to support a Global Fund for Education to ensure a quality education for all the world’s children.

Did you know:

  • In Africa, 5 million children each year die before their 5th birthday, yet children of mothers with just a few years of primary education are 40% more likely to survive into adulthood
  • Providing mothers with basic education is more effective than food aid in ending childhood malnutrition
  • An estimated 700,000 cases of HIV/AIDS could be prevented each year in Africa alone, if all children received a primary education
  • Education is by far the best predictor of democratic attitudes in a country; more education corresponds directly to more democratic attitudes

There is an answer: In September 2008, then candidate Barack Obama pledged to lead the world in creating and endowing a Global Fund for Education. A Global Fund could ensure that the global education deficit is tackled with sufficient resources and political resolve to put in every child in school. Just as the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria has worked together to raise billions of dollars and saved over 3.5 million lives, a Global Fund for Education would provide enough resources so the lives of the poor can be better lived – in health, security, hope and prosperity.

Let President Obama know right now that you support a fully endowed Global Fund for Education. Together, we can lead the way in providing a healthier global society, a safer planet, and a world in which living on less than a dollar a day is no longer a reality for anyone. Thank you!

To the Floor for MCC


to-the-floor-for-mcc

Nov 18th, 2009 5:43 PM EST
By Kara Arsenault

In more news from Capitol Hill on Tuesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved the nomination of Daniel Yohannes to be chief executive officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). As we mentioned earlier on our blog, Yohannes, a West Coast entrepreneur, banker and philanthropist emigrated to the U.S. from Ethiopia at the age of seventeen with $150 in his pocket. Yohannes testified before the Committee earlier this month, promising to create a “global culture of opportunity” at the MCC.

Yohannes’ nomination now moves to the Senate floor, but the exact timing is still unclear. We’ll keep you posted as more news comes up!

Upgrade Aid Passes Committee


upgrade-aid-passes-committee

Nov 18th, 2009 4:43 PM EST
By Kara Arsenault

Great news! Yesterday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed the Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act (S. 1524) in a 15-3 vote. This bill will give USAID (the agency handling most of our U.S. foreign aid) the tools and people it needs to better fight poverty around the world.

ONE members, interns and staff delivered our Upgrade Aid petition earlier this month with over 45,000 signatures from ONE members across the country.

Take a look at what Committee Ranking Member Richard Lugar (R-IN) had to say about the bill’s passage:

The bill we passed today…is the product of well over a year of research and analysis by Senators and their staffs. It has attracted the support of most development groups, led by the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network. It is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 19 Senators, twelve of whom are members of this Committee. This level of backing for a bill related to foreign assistance structure is extremely rare. It provides an opportunity to build something approaching a consensus on this issue.

And here are some remarks by Senator John Kerry (D-MA), the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman:

This legislation demonstrates Congress’s commitment to strengthening the capacity, accountability and effectiveness of our foreign aid programs. With the U.S. facing critical foreign policy and development priorities worldwide, it is vital that we update our foreign aid programs to reflect the new challenges of the 21st century.

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, added:

I’ve been able to see our foreign assistance dollars in action and am proud of the role we are playing in producing positive change in the lives of millions around the world, but at the same time, I share the frustration of many Americans that our foreign assistance efforts have often lacked transparency, coordination, monitoring and evaluation. This bill begins to reinvigorate USAID to improve the coordination, execution and efficiency of U.S. assistance so we can make each dollar go farther.

And Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, said:

This is one of the most significant pieces of foreign assistance legislation that has passed out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in decades. I am proud that this is truly a bi-partisan bill, developed in a collaborative manner and that it includes input from a wide range of voices. These programs are critical to millions of people around the world, they contribute to our mutual economic health, and are in the direct national security interests of the United States.

Pre-order ONE’s Next Top T-shirt


pre-order-ones-next-top-t-shirt

Nov 18th, 2009 3:43 PM EST
By Aaron Banks

We have a winner in ONE’s Next Top T-shirt contest. It’s Valerie Strecker of Slidell, Louisiana and her design, voted on by almost 60,000 ONE members worldwide, is available for pre-order in the ONE Store.

Check it out:

The design is being printed right now on our new, made in Uganda, 100% organic, fair-traded cotton T-shirts and they’ll be ready to ship in just over a week. The shirts come in black and white, and in both men’s and women’s styles and they make great gifts. Don’t wait, get yours today.

Remember to RSVP for the California ONE Membership Conference


remember-to-rsvp-for-the-california-one-membership-conference

Nov 18th, 2009 2:41 PM EST
By kim.smith

For all of you living in California, this is just a quick reminder that the California ONE Membership Conference is taking place this Saturday. The conference is set to feature workshops, experts from ONE and other poverty-fighting groups, and much more. Please plan to join us!

Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP here. Details below:

What: California ONE Membership Conference
Where: Mission Bay Conference Center, 1675 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA 94158
When: Saturday, November 21, 2009 from 10 AM to 2 PM

We Have a Winner!


Nov 18th, 2009 1:43 PM EST
By Ivey Helmick

Last month we did something we’ve never done before. We asked ONE members to design a new T-shirt. At the time, we had no idea what to expect, but your response was nothing short of staggering.

ONE members from around the globe submitted more than 500 designs, our expert judges selected 3 finalists and more than 58,000 of you voted for your favorite. And now, we have a winner in ONE’s Next Top T-shirt challenge.

The winning T-shirt design, seen below, came from Valerie Strecker of Slidell, Louisiana and it’s available for pre-order in black and white, and in both men’s and women’s styles from the ONE Store.

As Chalya Shagaya said in the email kicking off this contest, “What we wear says a lot about who we are…The right design has the power to go even further, and spark a global conversation. It starts with “I love your shirt, what does it mean?” and ends with greater awareness of the role we can all play in ending poverty and disease in some of the most vulnerable places on earth.”

Hopefully this T-shirt, and all the other great stuff available in the ONE Store, can play a small role in starting that conversation. Because we know the power of your voice in the fight against global poverty, and now we also know the power of your creativity.

A big thank you to everyone who submitted a design. We’re all inspired by your talent and commitment. Also, to our judges who had the very difficult task of choosing our two runners-up: Alex Robbins and Danny Hass.

Keep watching your email for more on our new T-shirt, because later this week we’ll be photographing the guys from the multi-platinum band Daughtry and “Friday Night Lights” star Connie Britton wearing the shirt. We’ll be sending those photos your way, along with an opportunity to order the shirt. But there’s no reason to wait, visit the ONE Store to pre-order your shirt (they also make great holiday gifts!) today.

-Ivey Helmick

SHARE:

  • Facebook
  • Digg
  • Tweet this
  • Google

TAGS: ONE

Meeting with Representative Kind’s Office


Nov 18th, 2009 1:00 PM EST
By Field

On Monday, my husband Wes and I joined other members of ONE to meet with Brad Smith of Congressman Ron Kind’s staff. Of the nearly 28,000 ONE members in Wisconsin, over 3,000 are in the 3rd Congressional District – a number we are looking to grow!

We asked Brad to thank Congressman Kind for being a supporter of ONE, particularly as a cosponsor of the Berman-Kirk bill, also known as the Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009. Mr. Kind also voted against cuts to this year’s Foreign Operations bill and voted for its passage, for which we are grateful.

We were pleased to be joined by Rosine Urujeni, an exchange student from Rwanda currently studying at Viterbo University. Hearing her unique perspective and how important United States aid is to her country simply underlined the importance of our meeting. Rev. Kent Johnson of the Lutheran Office for Justice and Peace in La Crosse brought Rosine, knowing her first-hand knowledge of the poverty, disease, and daily African struggle to survive.

We encouraged Congressman Kind to add his voice as a member of the Wisconsin delegation to urge Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Obey to fulfill the President’s request and fully fund the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Brad assured us that Congressman Kind has been and will continue to be a supporter of our efforts. He agreed to pass along our concerns and requests to continue in the fight against global poverty.

-Joyce Dunbar, Wisconsin ONE Member

Pictured: Kent Johnson, Amy Lunde, Brad Smith, Staff to Congressman Ron Kind, Joyce Dunbar, Wes Dunbar, Rosine Urujeni

What We’re Reading 11/18/09


what-were-reading-111809

Nov 18th, 2009 12:00 PM EST
By Robyn Mitchell

whatWe'reReadingBlog1

BBC: Poor women ‘bear climate burden’
The United Nations Population Fund warns that women in developing countries will be the most vulnerable to climate change due to the fact that they do most of the agricultural work and are therefore are affected by weather-related natural disasters impacting on food, energy and water. The report also suggested family planning, reproductive healthcare and “gender relations” could influence how the world adapts to rising seas, worsening storms and severe droughts.

Reuters Africa: Africa agrees on secret climate damages demand
Reuters reports that African leaders have agreed on how much cash to demand from the rich world to compensate for the impact of climate change, but kept the figure secret ahead of next month’s Copenhagen talks. Exhaustive preparatory talks since 2007 have failed to solve splits between rich and poor countries or find extra funds to help developing nations to pay for expensive technology to ensure they do not over pollute as their economies grow. Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said Africa wanted a treaty to be agreed in Copenhagen but could accept a “binding political agreement” as a steppingstone to a treaty being agreed later.

Financial Times: The many roads to food security
The Financial Times argues that despite the UN food summit drawing to a halt “amid a plethora of platitudes about feeding the poor,” translating these discussions into action is what will prove difficult – not least because agriculture, with its concentrated groups of farmers and agribusinesses and diffuse groups of consumers, has proved “susceptible to producer group lobbying.” Argues the Times, “The food-security battle isn’t a question of one big heave: it is fought on hundreds of fronts. Most victories will be slow and technocratic rather than quick and spectacular, but will be all the more enduring for it.”

Reuters India: International health alliance says pushes vaccine costs down
A U.N.-backed health alliance reported Wednesday that the price of a vaccine that helps infants fend off a variety of deadly diseases has been forced down, thanks to a coordinated buying policy to meet the growing demand from developing countries. The five-in-one vaccine is given routinely to children in developed nations but price has kept them out of the reach of some poorer nations. However, higher demand has pushed purchasing costs down.”This price drop is no accident, but…the result of a strategy to leverage the purchasing power of hundreds of millions of people,” UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Saad Houry said in statement.

One Blog

Popular Posts This Month

About the Blog

The ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, with frequent contributions from volunteers, members and partner organizations.

The ONE Blog updates readers daily with the latest in global development news and analysis and what ONE members and our partners are doing around the world to influence world leaders in the fight against global poverty.

The content of each post and each comment represents the views of that author and does not necessarily reflect the views of ONE or ONE Action. ONE does not support or oppose any candidate for elected office, and any post expressing support or opposition for a candidate is not endorsed by ONE.