Governments being called to account - World Poverty Day 17 October 2007

We’re not isolated from poverty – many people in our neighbourhood, such as in the Pacific and specifically in Melanesia, suffer from extreme poverty with very poor health outcomes for many people.  There is also poverty in New Zealand.

That is why many New Zealanders will be taking part in a global effort tomorrow to show support for ending poverty and asking that world leaders be held accountable for continuing to allow 30,000 people a day to die from poverty.

Rallies are being held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch as part of the United Nations Millennium Campaign world wide drive to Stand Up and Speak Out against poverty.

The New Zealand events are organised by the Art of Living Foundation and supported by the Make Poverty History Campaign and the Council for International Development’s Pointseven Campaign, that asks the government to honour its promise to give 0.7 percent of Gross National Income in aid by 2015.

Despite signing up to the Millennium Development Goals to halve extreme poverty by 2015, New Zealand remains one of the least generous donor countries in the world when it comes giving aid. Currently  New Zealand gives 0.3 percent of GNI in aid and the Government has promised to  increase this to 0.35 by 2010. 

“While this falls short of putting us on track to meet the MDG target, it’s even more concerning that with an election in New Zealand next year, the National party has yet to commit even to that level of aid,” says Council for International Development Executive Director, Rae Julian.

Ms Julian says she hopes the Government and other political parties will take note of New Zealanders’ real concerns about poverty and the need to do our share to combat it.

Stand Up and Speak Up events will be held all over the world, from New York’s Times Square to the smallest school in tsunami-struck Aceh province in Indonesia.

In New Zealand to mark the day, the following events are being held tomorrow (17 October 2007).

Auckland

11.30 am to 1.30 pm Myers Park, Auckland Central (off Queen St)

Performances include a live band, Spacifics

Christchurch

12.00 pm to 1.00 pm

City Mall, Hack Circle

Performances include Korean drumming, Global voices and Tango

Wellington

12.00 pm to 1.00 pm

Civic Square

Performances include African music by Sam Manzamza and his rhythm band. Speakers: Maori Party MP Hone Harawira, National MP Pansy Wong, Green MP Keith Locke, Council for International Development Executive Director, Rae Julian.

Ends

Media/Pointseven Campaign

www.pointseven.org.nz

ENDS

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