Stand Up Take Action local media release 1st October 2009

Wellington to Stand Up and Take Action to end world poverty

There is no lack of resources to end world poverty, just a lack of political will. That is the message that Wellington residents will be sending to all world leaders when they Stand Up and Take Action on Saturday October 17th, World Poverty Day.

Stand Up, Take Action is a global event to end poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight global targets that if met would halve extreme poverty by 2015. On October 16-18th Stand Up Take Action teams across New Zealand will join others to break the Guinness World Record for the most people to stand up for a common cause.

In Wellington on Saturday October 17th from 10am-2pm, Stand Up Kiwis, led by the Art of Living will be active in Civic Square with live music and free yoga. At midday we’ll be spelling out the words Stand Up with a human chain, reading the Stand Up Pledge and counting the Wellingtonians who stand up for the global Guinness World Record attempt.

Wellingtonians will be standing up against a backdrop of global economic crisis. The world’s poorest people are facing a triple whammy of hardship: the economic crisis, food crisis and climate change. That is why we are calling on our Prime Minister to rise to the challenge and tackle world poverty. We will be asking John Key to deliver on his recent Cairns Compact pledge to help Pacific Island countries meet the MDGs.

Banks and financial institutions were bailed out with US $18 trillion last year − nine times what developing countries have received in aid since 1960, according to United Nations figures. “Worst of all, the current economic crisis will be used as an excuse by rich countries to walk away from aid commitments when the need is greatest” says Stand Up, Take Action New Zealand coordinator Bridget Pipe-Fowler.

In a recent address to the United Nations general assembly, John Key reaffirmed his support for the MDGs, citing New Zealand’s pledge to increase aid levels as proof of his commitment to tackling world poverty. The reality is that New Zealand lags far behind most other rich countries in terms of the level of aid we give and we are way off track to meet the international target of giving 0.7% of Gross National Income in overseas aid by 2015.

Stand Up Kiwis support John Key’s pledge to help meet the MDGs − so to remind him of the work that remains to be done, we’ll be organising colourful events across the country.

ENDS

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