Put People First: G20 Rally

Thousands of campaigners called on the G20 to put people first in the battle to tackle the global financial crisis.

Around 35,000 people marched through London on 28th March 2009 calling on leaders of the G20 countires - who were meeting for talks in the cpaital - to provide a green economy which delivers decent jobs and public services for all and an end to global poverty and inequality.

At a rally in Hyde Park they were addressed by Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) co-chair Kumi Naidoo, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber, environmentalist Tony Juniper and trade campaigner Mary Lou Malig amongst others. They heard calls for international action to deliver a more just tax system, trade justice, a Green New Deal in both rich and poor countries and democratic accountability of governments, banks and international financial institutions to deliver it.

Members of Put People First - an alliance of more than 150 unions, development, faith and environment groups, including SCIAF - are united in calling on the G20 leaders to recognise that only just, fair and sustainable policies can lead the world out of recession, and that a return to 'business as usual' - with the associated poverty, inequality and climate change - is not an option.

SCIAF’s Campaigns Officer Lexi Barnett said:

“The financial crisis is hitting all of us, but none more so than the world’s poorest. We are seeing a drastic increase in poverty worldwide, with 963million people now going to bed hungry every night, compared with 800million in pre-financial crisis days. As poverty is deepening and the crisis closes off escape routes from poverty, the G20 must use this opportunity to re-evaluate our global systems, re-prioritise poverty eradication and make clear commitments to this end. We need to see aid budgets reinforced, trade deals that work for people instead of multinationals, accountability from global financial institutions such as the IMF, and clear commitments to a transition to a green economy.

“The system is broken, but the only way to fix it is with just and sustainable policies within a clear moral framework, not by trying to get back to business as usual as soon as possible. The march on 28th March showed the G20 leaders that people across the UK and across the world expect nothing less. ”

Delegations joined the march from around the world, including Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Korea, USA, Australia, South Africa, Zambia, Canada and the Philippines.

The UK holds the chair of the G20 group for the rest of 2009 when the G8, the G20 and the United Nations all meet to chart a way through the recession. The G20 meet in London on Thursday April 2nd.

SCIAF and Put People First are calling on the G20 to Put People First:

Jobs: Decent jobs and public services for all...

• Including investment in a green New Deal to build a green economy based on decent work and fair pay

Justice: End global poverty and inequality, by ...

Delivering 0.7% of national income as aid by 2013; delivering aid more effectively and pushing for the cancellation of all illegitimate and unpayable developing country debts.

Stopping the push for developing countries to liberalise and deregulate their economies, and do not attempt to rush through a completion of the Doha trade round, a deal that developing countries have rejected several times.

Climate: Build a Green Economy, by...

• Introducing the robust regulations and financial incentives needed to deliver a green economy.
• Pushing for a deal at Copenhagen to agree substantial, verifiable cuts in greenhouse gases, which will limit temperature to well below 2.c
  Committing to substantial new funding, additional to Oversea Development Assistance (OAD) to support adaption and sustainable development in poor countries.