About The Campaign
1 - What is the Make Poverty History-Emirates Campaign?
2 - What is The Global Call to Action Against Poverty or GCAP?
3 - What does Make Poverty History-Emirates aim to do/change?
4 - What are the Millennium Development Goals or MDG’s?
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1 - What does the white band mean?
2 - Who supports Make Poverty History-Emirates?
3 - Who is behind Make Poverty History-Emirates?
4 - I already give to some of these organizations, why should I join Make Poverty History?
5 - Can ONE person really make a difference?
6 - What can I do to get involved with Make Poverty History?
7 - How does Make Poverty History-Emirates link to international agreements to fight poverty?
8 - Why use celebrity spokespersons?
9 - Why was the 2005 G8 Summit so important? What happened there?
10 - What can I do locally?
11 - Does Make Poverty History-Emirates work on domestic concerns? Or, only international issues?
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1 - Are you asking for money?
2 - How is The Make Poverty History Campaign funded?
3 - Can I donate to Make Poverty History?
4 - But i would still like to donate towards making poverty history…
5 - Can Make Poverty History fund me?
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1 - Can I volunteer/intern with Make Poverty History?
2 - How do I apply for a job to work at The Make Poverty History Campaign?
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1 - What if I am a company or corporation that would like to get involved the campaign?
2 - Wait! I still have a question, how can I contact the Make Poverty History Campaign?
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The Campaign & The Cause
In September 2000, world leaders from 191 countries, gathered at the United Nations for the Millennium Assembly and promised to halve extreme hunger and poverty, halt the spread of HIV/AIDS and provide universal primary education, all by 2015. They did this by unanimously promising to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
It is now 2006 and world leaders are doing close to nothing to honour these promises. At this rate, the 2015 deadline will not be met and we will be left with biggest broken promise ever known to man. But the real catastrophe lies in the fact that millions of children, men and women will die as a direct result of these broken promises.
What is the Make Poverty History-Emirates Campaign?
Make Poverty History is and advocacy and awareness driven campaign in the Emirates. We are here to stand up for what we believe in. To spread the word about the Millennium Development Goals, about extreme poverty, about the AIDS emergency and then mass mobilize with the rest of the world to remind the leaders of the world about their promise…before it is too late.
Make Poverty History- Emirates is the National Branch of GCAP (The Global Call to Action against Poverty)
What is The Global Call to Action Against Poverty or GCAP?
The Global Call to Action against Poverty or GCAP is the largest campaign against poverty in the world. It consists of more then 150 million supporters, 30 million whitebanders, more then 1000 member organisations and more then 80 national branches (of which Make Poverty History-Emirates is one)
The campaign was founded in late 2004 and officially launched on the 1st of January 2005 in South Africa. Initially slated as a one year campaign, it made its presence felt all over the world, rapidly expanding from a small movement to a truly global campaign with more then 80 branches and all in less then a year!
The campaign was instrumental in many major outcomes towards poverty eradication in 2005. And at the campaign’s International Facilitation Group meeting (IFG) in Beirut in early 2006, all the 200 representatives of the campaign from all over the world unanimously agreed to extend the campaign up to December 31st 2007 (with option to extend further)
For more information visit: www.whiteband.org
What does Make Poverty History-Emirates aim to do/change?
Make Poverty History aims to raise awareness about Extreme Poverty, AIDS and the Millennium Development Goals amongst the people of our country. Remember, just knowing everything about the cause is a significant portion of this battle already won!
Make Poverty History-Emirates will also mobilize the people of the Emirates on/around ‘White Band Days’ along with tens of millions of fellow campaigners from all over the world to make a grand global statement to the decision makers of the world…
To remind them of their agreement to achieve the Millennium Development Goals to eradicate poverty &
To let them know that we will remain standing, united as one, until we see this change!
What are the Millennium Development Goals or MDG’s?
The Millennium Development Goals is a set of 8 goals that 191 countries in the United Nations agreed to meet by 2015.
The Goals are:
General
What Does the White Band Mean?
From the heart of Africa to the plains of Australia, millions of people are wearing white bands. The white band is the international symbol of the Global Call to Action against Poverty and thus the sumbol of the Make Poverty History-Emirates.
You might be a student, teacher, doctor or mother. You might wear it to the mosque, temple, church, school, work or a concert.
Whenever and wherever you wear a ‘white band’, you say, without even saying a word, that you want more and better development aid, debt cancellation and trade reform, public accountability, and that YOU are a part of a movement that is calling for the people of the world to mobilize and make poverty history.
Without a word you tell people around you that you care for the millions of people and children dying completely unnecessarily due to extreme poverty
Who supports Make Poverty History-Emirates?
Make Poverty History is supported by a number of
UAE based organizations and is made up of people from all over the emirates and all walks of life. You can see a list of all the people who have signed the MPH declaration
here Sign the declaration and wear a white band to show that you support the campaign.
Who is behind Make Poverty History-Emirates?
Make Poverty History-Emirates is an open coalition of existing UAE based non-profit, advocacy and humanitarian organizations.
The campaign was founded in the Emirates by Anish Kattukaran on September 10th 2005 and is the national branch of the worlds largest anti-poverty campaign, The Global Call to Action Against Poverty (or GCAP)
But the campaign is made up by YOU and everyone like you, the people who make this campaign what it is both in the Emirates and all over the world.
I already give to some of these organizations, why should I join Make Poverty History-Emirates?
By joining Make Poverty History, you not only show the people of the Emirates but people, organizations, governments, world leaders and decision makers from all over the world that YOU are part of a unique group of world individuals who want to do more to respond to the emergency of AIDS and Extreme Poverty.
Make Poverty History is not about financial contributions. It is about taking things one step further, and with the campaign as your platform using your voice to help make poverty history! Together we have in us the power of change.
Can ONE person really make a difference?
Over 150 million people world wide stand with YOU in the fight against poverty, over 40 million people wear white bands all over the world – and all have these people are now a part of the campaign as a direct result of being asked by ONE friend, ONE family member, ONE neighbor or ONE colleague.
All of us have a tremendous opportunity to take action and influence those closest to us by learning and talking about these issues. From Dr. King and Nelson Mandela to Mahatma Gandhi, history shows us that big changes can start with small actions. Together as ONE, we can start to make poverty history.
What can I do to get involved with Make Poverty History?
You can start by signing the MPH-Emirates Declaration and lending your voice to the fight against global AIDS and Extreme Poverty.
Next, tell at least three of your friends by sending an e-mail encouraging him/her to get involved at Make Poverty History-Emirates and ask them to do the same in turn.
You can also join millions of global citizens and wear the white band. Wearing a white band is something YOU can do today, in your neighbourhood. And you can get others to wear the white band too.
No matter how old you are you can get involved with the campaign and start the battle to make poverty a thing of the past. Please visit the ‘Take Action’ page to see more about what you can do today!
How does Make Poverty History-Emirates link to international agreements to fight poverty?
The Make Poverty History-Emirates is part of a global alliance known as GCAP that includes the
UN Millennium Campaign. And together we push for all the 191 countries that agreed and signed the Millenimum Declaration in September 2000 (Which resulted in the Millennium Development Goals) to remember and recommit to them so that we can achieve the goals by 2015
Why use celebrity spokespersons?
Everyone does what they can in their own ways–whether it’s getting our issues on TV or wearing the white band and every level of action; be it in your school or a celebrity on television is very important to the campaign. From Hollywood to the heartland, tens of millions of people are joining the fight against global AIDS and Extreme Poverty.
Celebrities get media attention, attention they can uniquely focus on issues which wouldn’t get enough attention otherwise – like the AIDS emergency in Africa.
Due to the generous cooperation of some of the biggest names in music, movies etc. The Global Campaign is able to reach and mobilize people all over the world in an unprecedented manner, across all cultural divides.
Are you a celebrity of sorts? Can you reach out to large groups of people? Are you interested in carrying the Make Poverty History-Emirates message? If you are then please contact us immediately.
Why was the 2005 G8 Summit so important? What happened there?
On July 6-8th 2005, the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations met in Scotland to discuss the major social, political and economic conditions that contribute to poverty. The Live8 concerts together with more the 80 National Branches of GCAP asked the G8 for a historic agreement on eradicating poverty. At our Live 8 concerts, 3.8 billion people around the world who turned up, tuned in or logged on to show they were also determined to change the world.
The G8 leaders reached an unprecedented agreement: $50 billion more a year in international assistance per year by 2010; AIDS drugs to all those who need it, and care for all AIDS orphans; Primary schools for ALL children by 2015; A commitment to protect 85% of vulnerable Africans against malaria; and 100% debt cancellation for 18 of the world’s poorest countries.
While this was a significant contribution, it was not enough and it was far less then what was demanded off them from millions of people worldwide and much less then what is in their power to do.
This is why we must stay vigilant through 2006 & 2007 and build upon this momentum to achieve more significant results.
In June 2007 the G8 will meet again in Germany. Lend us your voice so that we will be louder this time around so that our demands to eradicate poverty will be heard.
Get involved immediately!
Take Action, YOU can get friends to join the campaign, volunteer in your neighbourhood, wear a Make Poverty History white band and ask friends to wear a white band. Check out the Take Action page for new ways in which YOU can campaign.
Visiting the website and directing others to it is the key way to improving your knowledge about the cause and knowing what the campaign is about (knowledge of the issues is half the battle won)
Do you have unique ideas to reach out to people? Or feel that you can lend something special to the campaign? If you do, then send your ideas in to the campaign. We at Make Poverty History-Emirates love ideas and we love your ideas. This campaign is about you so make it your own.
Does Make Poverty History-Emirates work on domestic concerns? Or, only international issues?
There is a humanitarian emergency in parts of Asia, Africa and around the world that is unlike anything we have seen in the United Arab Emirates.
While there is poverty in the Emirates it is unlike that in parts of the world where 800 million people go to bed hungry, or die because they cannot afford Malaria drugs that we can buy in pharmacies for less then 6 Dirhams
Make Poverty History’s partner organizations are at the forefront of fighting poverty, Hunger, HIV/AIDS and aiding the Development Process in these countries. Some of these organizations even work on these issues locally as well.
Donations and Fundraising
Are you asking for money?
Make Poverty History in the UAE is an awareness and advocacy driven campaign. We are not asking for your money, we’re asking for your voice
How is The Make Poverty History Campaign funded?
The Campaign is funded through grants from its member organizations, private sponsorship of some programs and partly through the sale of white-bands.
The campaigns finances are completely transparent and audited.
Can I donate to Make Poverty History-Emirates?
The MPH Campaign is not asking for your money, we’re asking for your voice.
We encourage you to sign the MPH declaration and help by spreading the word about the MPH Campaign by talking about it with your friends, family and co-workers. Additionally, you can show your community that you support MPH by purchasing the MPH whiteband or other merchandise through our website or select retailers.
But I would still like to donate towards making poverty history…
While the MPH-Emirates Campaign does not accept funds and donations from individuals we encourage you to give to our partner organizations that are at the forefront of the battle against poverty.
Please remember ‘Poverty’ can not be solved by a single donation. So we encourage you to give generously but also frequently.
Can Make Poverty History fund me?
Make Poverty History is an advocacy organization, and as such, doesn’t provide funding for development projects or facilitate trips, grants, or scholarships.
Employment/Internship
Can I volunteer/intern with Make Poverty History?
If you would like to volunteer, please see
Take Action to find out how you can become involved in the campaign in your area.
Internships for undergraduate & graduate students are available, please forward CV’s to the Admin department.
How do I apply for a job to work at The Make Poverty History-Emirates Campaign?
If you are interested then please email the administration department with your CV, qualifications and .
Miscellaneous
What if I am a company or corporation that would like to get involved the campaign?
If you have a great idea for your company or corporation to be a part of the campaign please contact us immediately.
Send us an email with the details of your idea to the Admin Department and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Wait! I still have a question, how can I contact the Make Poverty History-Emirates Campaign?
Please see the
Contact Us page to find out the best way to reach the department you need.
