YOUTH CAMPAIGNERS MEET VICE PRESIDENT DR. MUHAMMAD BILAL IN DAR-ES-SALAAM

  Vice President of Tanzania, Dr Gharib Bilal answering youth questions.

   Dr Sipho Moyo, ONE Afrika Executive Director giving opening remarks at action/2015 launch

   Margaret Mliwa, Restless Development Country Director speaking at the event.

 Some of the youth telling the Vice President their priorities           

 Deputy Minister of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth, Juma Nkamia welcoming Vice President Dr Bilal. 

 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.

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.