Stand up and speak out against poverty and inequality

Last year 23.5 million people around the world ‘Stood Up Against Poverty’ in a continuation of the campaign which set a new Guinness World Record. An attempt to beat this record took place on the steps of Queen’s University Belfast Student’s Union at 1.00pm.

The campaign is calling on the UK government to honour the commitments made at the G8 Summit at Gleneagles in 2005 when 1/4 million people took to the streets:

• Aid
  G8 countries should make up the shortfall in aid committed at Gleneagles. Five million lives could be saved if funding for alleviating malaria, TB and HIV and Aids, was made available as promised. World aid levels remain at 10% of global military spending.
• Debt
  More countries need to be included in debt relief schemes. Developing countries still pay rich countries $100m per day in debt repayments, many of which were unjust and illegitimate debts in the first place.
• Trade
  At Gleneagles the G8 said that developing countries have the right to determine trade policies that helped them get out of poverty. This year however, they are being asked to negotiate trade agreements with the European Union that are not balanced and fair.