Vice President of Tanzania, Dr Gharib Bilal answering youth questions
According to new
research, almost a billion extra people face a life of extreme poverty if
leaders do not make key decisions on poverty, inequality and climate change at
two crucial summits in New York and Paris later this year.
That's the warning by more than a thousand
organisations around the world which are launching a new campaign called
action/2015, calling on local and world leaders to take urgent action to halt
man-made climate change, eradicate poverty and address inequality.
The new calculation released by the
action/2015 coalition shows that the number of people living in extreme poverty
– on less than $1.25 a day – could be reduced dramatically from over a billion
to 360 million by 2030.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth, Juma Nkamia welcoming Vice President Dr Bilal.
Dr Sipho Moyo, ONE Afrika Executive Director giving opening remarks at action/2015 launch
Margaret Mliwa, Restless Development Country Director speaking at the event.
However, if leaders
fail to deliver and build on the growing momentum for
ambitious deals at the UN Special Summit on Sustainable Development in
September and the UN Climate talks in Paris in
December, and scale back their efforts, the number of people living in extreme
poverty could actually increase to 1.2 billion by 2030. This increase would be
the first in a generation (since 1993) and almost a billion higher (886million)
than if resolute action is taken. Under this scenario, 1 in 3 of the world’s
population would live under $2 a day.
Malala Yousafzai,
Nobel Prize winner who put her life on the line for the right to education
said;
“2015 must be the year the world wakes up and delivers
a safer, more just future for children and young people. We all must play our
part in ensuring this is the case. Do not let this opportunity go to waste.”
Alongside Malala,
dozens of high profile activists including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mo
Ibrahim, Angelique Kidjo, D’banj, Queen Rania of Jordan, Bono, Ben Affleck,
Bill and Melinda Gates and Ted Turner have backed the coalition of over a
thousand organisations in more than 120 countries around the world. The
campaign is calling on world leaders to agree plans to eradicate poverty,
prevent dangerous climate change and tackle inequality at these summits.
action/2015 –
announced by Malala when she accepted the Nobel Peace Prize – is one of the
biggest campaigns ever to launch – combining environmental, human rights,
development organisations and faith networks. From household names like Amnesty
International and Save the Children, to campaign and advocacy organisations
like ONE, to grassroots NGOs working with local communities, the movement aims
to make sure the agreements of 2015 are shaped by the people.
In Tanzania, youth
campaigners have meet with His Excellency Vice-President
of Tanzania Dr. Mohamed Gharib Bilal at
Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dar es Salaam for a discussion
on their aspirations for the future and the action they want from their
political leaders in 2015.
One of the
campaigners, 14-year-old Eva of Malinzanga, in
Tanzania, told the Vice President;
“This year, as I turn
15, our leaders will agree a new plan for a better world. If they make it
really good, and then actually stick to it, there could be almost no extremely
poor people – anywhere – by the time I am 30. It’s our future that’s at stake.
That’s why I and thousands like me are demanding they make the right choices in
2015”
Dr Sipho S. Moyo,
Africa Executive Director of the ONE Campaign, giving opening remarks at the
event said;
“Tanzania's Development
Vision 2025 is an ambitious plan to move from low-income to middle-income
status by 2025. For this to be achieved, the right policy priorities have to be
put in place to tackle in particular extreme poverty and growing inequality by
providing basic social opportunities like good education and fostering an
environment that creates what the
International Labour Organization (ILO) calls decent employment. It is imperative, therefore, that the government moves rapidly and
efficiently through its Big Results Now (BRN) strategy that is aimed at scaling
up government’s focus and commitment to eradicating poverty and hunger and thus
ensures that 2015 becomes the year that brings this great country closer to a
safe and prosperous future for everybody. ”
Margaret Mliwa - Country Director Restless Development Tanzania, also
addressing the event said:
The launch of
action/2015 is significant for young people of Tanzania. It paves the way for
dialogue with their leaders from now and throughout the years. With coordinated
action and unity in pushing for ambitious decisions in 2015 to address poverty
and inequality, we can all work to make Tanzania a better place.
With so much at stake, this is truly the year
for young people to mobilise and ensure that the decisions made by their
government are representative of the Tanzania they wish to see.
As part of the
launch, activities are taking place in over 50 countries all around the world. Many
of these are spearheaded by 15 year olds – a constituency who will be among the
most affected by the agreements:
·In Uganda young
people will challenge the Foreign Affairs minister to listen to their demands
when they hand over a petition signed by over 10,000 young people;
·In Nigeria,
15 year olds will quiz the finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on national
television;
·In South
Africa, 15 year old campaigners from across the country will meet with
Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula in the historic township of Soweto to challenge
him to play a part securing a safer future for their generation.
·In New
York,
the Secretary- General of the United Nations Ban Ki- moon will meet a group of
15 year olds to discuss why we need global action in 2015.
·In the UK, some of Britain’s leading youth
activists will meet Prime Minister David Cameron and Ed Miliband, the Leader of
the Opposition, to urge them to seize the opportunities of 2015.
action/2015 is calling on the public to join them in their calls to ensure world
leaders commit to a better world. Throughout 2015 the campaign will
provide ways for everyone everywhere to get involved in influencing the
outcomes of these global debates that could achieve:
•
An end to poverty in
all its forms
•
The meeting of fundamental
rights, tackling inequality and discrimination.
•
A world where
everyone can participate and hold their leaders accountable.
Some of the youth telling the Vice President their priorities
Toa Maoni Yako:
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