Nearly 20 years have passed since the United Nations General Assembly declared October 17 as International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. That more progress has not been made on this issue is a sad reflection on the international community???s commitment to this noble end. Civil society???s determination to build a better future for poor communities remains as resolute as ever, though, and a new campaign is being launched to improve the quality and quantity of aid delivered to developing countries.
In a time when financial crisis is combining with food emergencies and climate change to exacerbate poverty in a great many areas, it is crucial that every dollar of international aid is put to the best possible use. Moreover, it is equally important that donor countries comply with the commitments they have made with regard to aid provision. With the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals just four years away, it has become clear that even the modest target of halving extreme poverty looks unlikely to be met in some regions.
The Global Call to Action Against Poverty, of which CESR is a member, has joined forces with BetterAid and the Open Forum for CSO Effectiveness to launch a new initiative entitled ???Better Aid for the World We Want???. The campaign aims to pressure governments to redouble their efforts and make sure aid reaches the people who need it most. Organizers have also organized a petition with the objective of pressuring political leaders who will come together for the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in South Korea in November.