[UK] Churches urged to month of action against poverty

from Ekklesia

The organisations that came together last year for the Make Poverty History campaign are urging local churches to get stuck into this year’s global follow-up month of action, under the slogan 'Stand Up Against Poverty'.

The Judeo-Christian idea of a Jubilee of debt remission for the developing world was initially driven by churches and laid the foundations in the 1990s for last year's MPH initiative, which also involved many Christians.

This autumn millions of people across the world will again make clear to politicians the strength of feeling around greater demands economic justice.

Starting on 14 September, ahead of crucial World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings in Singapore, the month will culminate in a White Band Day (World Poverty Day) on 17 October.

In the UK the month of action will be launched by the Christian Aid event ‘The Beat Goes on’ in London on 14 September.

Campaigners in the UK will be taking action on debt, trade, aid and HIV/AIDS, as well as taking part in a global world record attempt on 15-16 October.

A comprehensive online Toolkit has been made available to help churches plan for the Global Month of Action. It offers worship resources, details of how to plan a ‘white-band’ event for a congregation – and how churches can participate by combining prayer with breaking a world record on 15 October.

As part of the month of action Jubilee Debt Campaign is urging people to lobby their MP to support the 'Cut the Strings!' campaign to stop harmful and undemocratic conditions being attached to debt relief.

Following pressure from campaigners in 2006, the UK government says it is working hard to influence the World Bank and IMF to allow poor countries to make their own economic choices. But campaigners say that debt cancellation is still coming with damaging strings attached – such as forced privatisation and severe cuts in public spending.

Jubilee Debt Campaign, alongside Christian Aid and other aid agencies, is telling the UK government to withhold funding from the World Bank and IMF and give it to poor countries by other means until there is an end to these conditions.

People are being urged to lobby their MPs, either in person or by post, and ask them to write to Hilary Benn to urge him to put pressure on the World Bank and IMF to stop imposing conditions – to cut the strings.