More than 173 Million People “Stand Up, to call for Action, to End Poverty Now" by Stand Against Poverty / UN News / OneWorld 10:34am 16th Oct, 2009   Oct 20 2009    More than 173 Million People “Stand Up, to call for Action, to End Poverty Now!” a new world record for largest mobilization in history.    A Guinness World Record shattered this weekend when 173,045,325 citizens gathered at over 3,000 events in more than 120 countries, demanding that their governments eradicate extreme poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). “Stand Up, Take Action, End Poverty Now!”, now in its fourth year, has been certified by Guinness World Records as the largest mobilization of human beings in recorded history, an increase of about 57 million people over last year.    “The more than 173 million people who mobilized this weekend sent a clear message to world leaders that there is massive, universal, global demand for eradicating poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals,” said Salil Shetty, Director of the United Nations Millennium Campaign.    “In particular, we have seen citizens determined to show their governments that they will hold them accountable for keeping their promises to end hunger, improve maternal health and abolish trade-distorting agricultural subsidies. They will not accept excuses for breaking promises to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, who have already been hardest hit by the global food, economic and climate crises they had no role in causing.”    In Asia more than 100 million people participated (101,106,845); in Africa more than 37 million people participated (37,848,412); in the Arab region more than 31 million people participated (31,394,459); in Europe more than 2 million people participated (2,102,121); in Latin America more than 200,000 people participated (229,371); in North America nearly 200,000 people participated (191,535); and in Oceania more than 170,000 people participated (172,582).    "Stand Up is proven to be a growing global mobilization, as well as an ongoing grass roots movement from remote areas and cities in so many countries, both rich and poor,” said Sylvia Borren, Co-chair of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), who attended several “Stand Up” events across The Netherlands last weekend.    “These are the voices of young people, women and men demanding the eradication of poverty, and new answers to the food, economic and climate crises. We will carry this overwhelming message forward in the weeks and months ahead to influence both the Copenhagen climate discussions and next year''s MDG review.”    Currently 1 billion people around the world are hungry and 500,000 women continue to die annually as the result of pregnancy and childbirth. The vast majority of these deaths are preventable.    The mobilization was organized globally by the United Nations Millennium Campaign, in partnership with a range of organizations including the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP).    The 3,000 events across every inhabited continent this weekend included:    In Bangladesh, civil society campaigners raised the call “National Unity can Eradicate Poverty,” urging that a “Poverty and Hunger Free Bangladesh is Possible Now.” The Prime Minister led the nation in pledging to remain united to develop the country by 2020. At a rally in Dhaka, she called upon all political parties to jointly fight corruption and stabilize democracy.    Despite the typhoons that hit the Philippines just before “Stand Up,” 35.5 million people in the country Stood Up and the “I Vote for MDGs” campaign, a survey on the issues voters believe should be prioritized by the 2010 Presidential candidates, was launched.    In Nepal the President read a Stand Up Pledge with members of the Constituent assembly at an event broadcast live on national television, followed by a concert in a large open-air theatre in the heart of Kathmandu.    In the United States, the Irish band U2 brought 50,000 concertgoers to their feet for a "Stand Up” moment during their October 18 concert in Norman, Oklahoma.    From Cape Town to Cairo and from Accra to Kampala, millions of Africans stood up in churches, mosques, schools, markets, streets and work places to call on their leaders to end poverty and inequality. In Uganda, the Local Government Association joined “Stand Up” by launching a historic award to honor the best-performing local government. The inaugural award was presented to the Kasese District.    In Nigeria, legendary African artist Femi Kuti led over 60,000 people attending the annual event commemorating the life of his late father Fela Kuti, in pledging their commitment to campaigning fervently against poverty and injustice. Femi urged participants at the festival to be bold when holding their governments accountable, noting that Africa has enough resources to end poverty. Accusing African leaders of mismanaging public resources through corruption and poor governance, he called on them to focus more attention on programs leading to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.    In Italy, more than 400,000 people participated in 200 sports events across the country. The people of L’Aquila, which was hit by a devastating earthquake in April, ran a marathon to show their support. In Spain, coordinated marches nationwide included a rally in Madrid on October 16.    Peru was one of several countries which used “Stand Up” to start a process of climate justice hearings aimed at gathering the testimonies of people whose lives and livelihoods are being destroyed by global warming.    “Stand Up” was also supported by the entire United Nations system, with events organized by United Nations Information Centers (UNICs) across the globe. In Egypt, for example, 25 million worshippers Stood Up in mosques, more than 2 million worshippers Stood Up in Coptic Orthodox churches and thousands more Stood Up in schools across the country, in a mobilization organized by the UNIC in Egypt.    Hundreds of people gathered on October 16 at the International Labor Organisation (ILO) headquarters in Geneva to Stand Up Against Poverty in a joint action with UNDP and UN agencies, led by ILO Director-General Juan Somavia.    16 October 2009    United Nations calls on donors to fund schemes for one billion hungry people.    Urging world leaders to boost efforts to help the record number of hungry people around the world, top United Nations officials today underscored the need to prioritize immediate food aid for the one in six of the global population who are malnourished.    The flow of food aid is at its lowest for 20 years, while the number of hungry has grown to its highest point ever, pushing past one billion people.    “Over the past two years, volatile food prices, the economic crisis, climate change and conflict have led to a dramatic and unacceptable rise in the number of people who cannot rely on getting the food they need to live, work and thrive,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a message marking World Food Day.    “We must respond to the needs of the hungry, first by ensuring adequate political and financial support for emergency food assistance,” stressed Mr. Ban.    This year the World Food Programme (WFP) has set out to feed 108 million people across 74 countries, but a severe budget shortfall has meant reduced rations for many of the hungry and the suspension of feeding schemes in some countries. WFP noted that so far this year international donors have contributed $2.9 billion to its $6.7 billion 2009 budget.    “Let’s remember that more than one billion people won’t get enough nutritious food to eat today,” said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran. “We can change this. Our challenge is to turn ‘No Food Day’ back into ‘World Food Day for the hundreds of millions without food on their table tonight,” said Ms. Sheeran.    She said that for decades WFP has provided emergency food assistance to around 10 per cent of the world’s hungriest men, women and children, but this year – for the first time – the agency is unlikely to reach that target.    “The silent crisis affecting one sixth of the all of humanity is also leaving a serious impact on this region,” said Daly Belgami, WFP Director in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In addition to addressing the aftermath of natural disasters, Mr. Belgami said that WFP also has programmes aimed at improving children’s access to education and helping local economies by purchasing food locally. “Donor support is needed to maintain this level of assistance to the most vulnerable in this region.”    In his address marking the Day, Director-General of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Jacques Diouf called on world leaders to reach a “broad consensus on the total and rapid elimination of hunger” when they gather in Rome for the World Summit on Food Security of Heads of State and Government on 16-18 November.    Mr. Diouf urged leaders to agree to increase agriculture’s share of official development assistance (ODA) to 17 per cent, the level it was in 1980, from its current 5 per cent.    “That amount of $44 billion of official development assistance that we need to devote to agriculture development is very low compared with the $365 billion spent in 2007 to support agriculture in the rich countries, the $1,340 billion spent by the world each year on armaments and the trillions of dollars found in short order in 2008–2009 to prop up the financial sector,” said Mr. Diouf.    Countries such as Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Viet Nam, Thailand and Turkey have provided cause for hope by significantly reducing the number of undernourished people in their countries over the last five years, he said.    “This means that we know what should be done and how it should be done,” said Mr. Diouf. “Generally, programmes, projects and plans exist and are simply waiting for the political will and resources to become operational.”    Another pressing priority strategy to combat world hunger outlined by Mr. Ban, is the need to invest in food production and distribution, including the provision of safety nets and assistance for smallholder farmers and support for longer-term agricultural productivity, market access and fair trade.    He said that next month’s food summit in Rome is another opportunity to focus on country-led and regional strategies, country-level partnerships and increased levels of assistance.    “I encourage all nations to pursue coordinated and comprehensive strategies for agricultural development and effective social protection so that vulnerable people – women and children in particular – can get the food they need for nutritional security and well-being,” said Mr. Ban.    October 16, 2009    Millions to rally against Poverty this Weekend. (OneWorld)    Last year, some 116 million people worldwide took part in the weekend-long events to "Stand Up, Take Action, End Poverty Now!" That set a new Guinness World Record for largest mobilization of human beings in recorded history. Participants are calling on their governments to take concrete steps to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, a set of eight targets to cut extreme poverty and hunger in half, reduce HIV/AIDS and child and maternal mortality, get children into school, and ensure women"s equality in society, all while protecting the environment. World leaders agreed at a summit in 2000 to commit the funding and implement the programs necessary to achieve the goals by 2015.    "With just six years left until the deadline ... "Stand Up" will be a stark reminder that citizens will not accept excuses for governments breaking promises to the world"s poorest and most vulnerable citizens," said Salil Shetty, Director of the United Nations Millennium Campaign, in a statement this week.    "This year"s mobilization will place particular emphasis on telling world leaders that their track record on women"s rights, maternal mortality, and hunger is unacceptable," Shetty added. "Citizens refuse to accept the fact that 70 percent of the people living in poverty are women and children and 500,000 women continue to die annually in the process of giving life, and they are demanding urgent action from their leaders."    The latest United Nations progress report shows that, while some advances have been made toward the goals, not enough has been done to achieve them by 2015 in all parts of the world.    As of June 2008, for example, South Asia which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, was only on track to reverse the spread of tuberculosis; efforts have not been sufficient to meet the child mortality, maternal health, or HIV/AIDS goals.    In Latin America and the Caribbean, poverty and employment rates remain a serious concern, along with school enrollment levels, maternal health and HIV/AIDS. Sub-saharan Africa is not on track to meet a single goal.    The global economic crisis and the impacts of climate change threaten to further stymie progress, warned UN chief Ban Ki-moon in the forward to the UN report, but a renewed commitment from world leaders can still ensure the goals achievement.    "The right policies and actions, backed by adequate funding and strong political commitment, can yield results," said Ban. "Fewer people today are dying of AIDS, and many countries are implementing proven strategies to combat malaria and measles, two major killers of children. Our efforts to restore economic growth should be seen as an opportunity to take some of the hard decisions needed to create a more equitable and sustainable future," added Ban.    There is plenty of money available to reach the goals - the evidence is in the trillions of dollars found to bail out banks around the world last year, said Adelaide Sosseh of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, an international umbrella group of organizations that is helping to organize this Stand Up events.    Education experts believe, for example, that just $11 billion more per year could ensure "education for all" by 2015. The price tag on ending world hunger is estimated at about $30 billion a year.    An October 2008 poll found that 77 percent of people in the United States would be willing to pay their part of the cost - estimated at about $56 per person per year - to cut hunger in half and reduce severe poverty by 2015.    The cost was determined by divvying up among the world"s industrialized nations the estimated $39 billion needed to reduce extreme poverty and cut hunger in half. Countries were assumed to pay different amounts depending on the size of their own economies.    Similar majorities in six of the seven other industrialized countries polled said they would also be willing to pay their share: $49 per person in Great Britain, $45 in France, $43 in Germany, $39 in Italy, $23 in South Korea, and $10 in Turkey. 54 percent of Russians were also in favor of paying their country"s share of the costs, about $11 per person per year.    A similar poll in 2005 found that 70 percent of people in the United States were in favor of paying their country"s share of $80 billion per year to achieve all eight of the Millennium Development Goals.    But according to the Center for Global Development, which ranks wealthy countries commitment to foreign assistance each year, the United States only gives about 28 cents per person per year in aid - 20 cents per person in government-funded initiatives, and another 8 cents per person in charitable giving to aid organizations working in developing countries.    When considering aid, trade, investment, migration, technology, and a host of other policies impacting people in developing countries, the United States scored 17th out of 22 industrialized nations in its overall "commitment to development", according to researchers at the Center.    The more than 100 million people taking action this weekend are hoping to convince their governments to accomplish more and move faster in the years to come. 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