Oxfam Guelph High School Presentation Make Poverty History Campaign

Introduction Who we are – Guelph Students What Oxfam is

Introduction What Oxfam does Development Programs Disaster Relief Awareness-Raising Campaigns

Why We’re Here Today Make Poverty History Campaign Stars involved: Bono, Brad Pitt, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, George Clooney… World Trade Organization Summit in Hong Kong, Dec 13-18, 2005 Opportunity to Bring About Real Change for the World’s Poor

Exercise: “Getting By” Feels like we’re “just getting by” How much do you spend per day? Breaking it down: what categories could we use?

Exercise: “Getting By” My estimate:

Exercise: “Getting By” Statistics Canada Data: Average spending/year for household (On average, 2.5 people per household): $61,152 / year So, $61,152  2.5 = $24,261 / person $24,261  365 days = $67 per person per day Safe to say at least $50-60

Exercise: “Getting By” 3 billion people (about 1/2 the world) live on less than or equal to $2 / day Poverty: Easy for us to forget

Make Poverty History Campaign Campaign Goals: Trade Justice Cancelling Debt More & Better Aid Eliminate Child Poverty in Canada

1. Trade Justice International Trade When one country sells to another Exports Things we produce and sell to an another country Imports Things produced by another country that we buy from them Tariffs Taxes charged on each item entering our country from another country

1. Trade Justice Trade links the world, but creates enormous wealth for some countries, leaving others poor Trade could powerfully reduce poverty Current Trade Rules: rigged in favour of rich countries

1. Trade Justice Rich Countries: “Committed to Poverty Reduction” But impose on poor countries 4X the tariff barriers that they do on richer countries (costs the poor $100B / yr) Closing the door on an escape route out of poverty Meanwhile they are forcing poor countries to remove their protective tariff barriers

1. Trade Justice Unaddressed Problems: Low and unstable prices for commodities (basic goods like rice, coffee,…) - bad years bankrupt small farmers Transnational Corporations (TNCs) exploit poor workers, with no true regulation World Trade Organization: biased in favour of rich countries, TNCs Other actions also needed, but reforming world trade rules essential

1. Trade Justice Goals of Oxfam’s MakeTradeFair: Give poor countries access to rich markets & end dumping Stop forcing poor countries’ markets open New int’l commodities body to stabilize & raise prices Intellectual property rules that allow the poor access to medicines and allow farmers to save, exchange and sell seeds

1. Trade Justice Stop forcing poor countries to privatize basic services essential to poverty reduction Better regulation of non-government investment & employment Make WTO democratic (give poor a voice) Improve each country’s policies on health, education, and way country is governed, to give the poor more power

1. Trade Justice Why campaign on trade now? 1. Current system inhumane & intolerable 2. Enlightened self-interest 3. Change is possible (trade system is human-created, based on political decisions)

1. Trade Justice Change is possible Organized campaigning works - e.g. leaders cancelled 18 poor countries’ debt (info in a few minutes) Choice to make: Allow trade system to stay unjust, face consequences Or make new, socially just globalization, where both rich and poor benefit

2. Cancelling Debt Nature of the Debt Crisis Poor countries borrow money from international organizations and banks - International Monetary Fund - World Bank Loan interest has accumulated over decades of borrowing: countries now unable to pay back what they owe To make payments countries are forced to cut back on social spending such as health care and education As a result, poverty grows and people suffer more

2. Cancelling Debt Current Problem Making debt payments prevents spending on social programs Statistics illustrate the extent of the debt crisis: African governments: average $14 per person a year on debt payments and only $5 on health care Developing world spends $13 on debt repayment for every $1 it receives in aid Less $$ spent on debt payments = more $$ to spend on food, water, healthcare, education

2. Cancelling Debt Loans Given Carelessly Who’s Paying for Loan Repayments? The Poor (Often): They Didn’t Make the Loans, Didn’t Receive the Money Need Better Accountability For Loan Spending Cancellation Will Help The Poor

2. Cancelling Debt Effects of Debt Cancellation Uganda: reduced HIV infection rates, and doubled (!) primary school enrolment Mozambique: immunized children Tanzania: eliminated primary school fees leading to a 66% increase in attendance Freed up money can be used to make significant improvements!

2. Cancelling Debt G8 (8 richest countries) Summit in July 2005 Poverty awareness campaigns active at this time Pressure on G8 leaders G8 leaders discussed issues of global poverty as they relate to international policies Such as trade, loans, aid

2. Cancelling Debt G8 (8 richest countries) Summit in July Leaders agreed to cancel debt of 18 most heavily indebted poor countries: an important step forward! Governments respond to pressure: your voice matters!

2. Cancelling Debt What Must Be Done 100% debt cancellation Ensure unconditional debt cancellation Ensure fair debt negotiation process

3. More and Better Aid Current System Percentage of GNI (Gross National Income) Canada: gives only 0.33%; 0.70% is the target

3. More and Better Aid More Aid Reach the UN’s “Millennium Development Goals” (MDG) of 0.7% by Currently only Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg, France, the United Kingdom, Finland, Spain and Belgium will meet the goal. Increase aid by 12% for the next 3 years and 15% every year after.

3. More and Better Aid Better Aid: Tied Aid vs Untied Aid Aid is often tied to Economic Policies; Receiving Countries can be required to: Spend money on Canadian products 40-50% of aid is spent on Canadian goods and services rather than local industry or best choice Privatize basic government-owned services (e.g. water in Tanzania) Give better aid: untied aid!

3. More and Better Aid More countries receive aid than give it:

3. More and Better Aid More Aid: How much? Along with debt cancellation, Canada must reach it’s Millenium Development Goal commitments Martin has not given a schedule to reach 0.7% Better Aid: How? Not tied to Economic Policies Not tied to Trade Policies Not tied to the purchasing Canadian Goods

4. Eliminating Child Poverty in Canada Facts 1989 gov’t promised to eliminate child poverty in Canada by year 2000 Still: 1 in 6 Canadian children poor (1 million) Poverty rate stuck at 15% for last 30 years UN ranks Canada 17th out of 23 industrialized countries - seventh from the bottom - on child poverty

4. Eliminating Child Poverty in Canada Key investments: More money for low-income families Affordable housing Higher minimum wage Universal and affordable "early learning" childcare

4. Eliminating Child Poverty in Canada Canadian Government Should: Raise the annual Canada Child Tax benefit to $4,900 per child Involve groups where poverty is predominant (Aboriginal people, women, and youth) in the design of a poverty reduction strategy More info: or

A Game Building Game

What Can I Do? Gov’ts are accountable to us Petitions: Educate yourself (and “.ca”) Pamphlets Available

What You Can Do! Talk about it Tell friends Ask parents Join our list for future events Future events Interested? Put your name / on sheet

Questions! Anyone have questions? Comments?