We knew we wouldn't kick out poverty in one year but we believe this is just the beginning. Thanks to your efforts it's been an incredible twelve months and you should be proud of your achievements.
With your support the fight against poverty will continue.
2006: from words to action
In 2006 it was vital to keep up the pressure and turn the promises of 2005 in to reality.
Traidcraft put the government's promise that they won't force poor countries to trade away their rights to the test. And you can be part of the action.
- Right Corporate Wrongs
Our campaign called on UK companies, some of the most powerful players in international trade, to clean up their act. - Stop unfair trade deals
2006 is crunch time for free trade deals (known as Economic Partnership Agreements) that are being negotiated between the European Union and its former colonies in Africa and the Caribbean. If they go through in their current form, these deals threaten the lives of 750 million of the world's poorest people.
2005: campaign highlights
- January: Dawn French and hundreds of women vicars descend on Number Ten
- February: Nelson Mandela launches the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign in Trafalgar Square
- April: 20,000 people Wake Up to Trade Justice in London. Thousands worldwide take part in the Global Week of Action
- July: 200,000 people tell the G8 to make poverty history. Live Aid Concerts call for justice not aid
- November: 8,000 people take part in the biggest ever Mass Lobby of Parliament ahead of the WTO meeting in Hong Kong
- December: Tony Blair receives 750,000 votes for trade justice
Plus:
- 35 million people worldwide take action to support MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY
- Thousands of white bands sold and worn
- A new generation is exposed to the scandal of poverty
- Unprecedented coverage of African issues in the media
- Poverty issues top of the G8 agenda
The difference you've made
More and better aid:World leaders have promised more aid for developing countries. If the promise is kept and delivered without imposing damaging economic conditions, millions of lives could be saved. But we still need more aid to make poverty history.
Drop the debt: Eighteen countries will receive more debt relief - that's more money for health care and schools. But more debt cancellation is still needed by more countries. And the process for agreeing debt cancellation and the conditions attached need to be reformed.
Trade Justice:
This is the hardest issue to crack but we've made ground-breaking progress.
Your campaigning has resulted in a dramatic shift in the UK government's public position on trade.
The Labour party manifesto and Africa Commission report both said poor countries should not be forced to liberalise - that means they shouldn't be forced to open their markets to unfair competition or cut support to their vulnerable farmers and industries. The government has repeatedly stated that this is its official position. And world leaders made a similar promise in their G8 statement.
This is a fantastic achievement and could result in huge benefits for the world's poor.
But now therhetoric needs to translate to reality. The UK government and other rich countries are still actively supporting and promoting trade rules which are wiping out developing countries farmers and industries.
And we won't stand for it!
