By editor - 24 January, 2013
Trócaire has joined other Irish and UK development agencies in a campaign that calls on politicians to take steps to end hunger. The ‘Enough Food For Everyone IF’ campaign was launched yesterday in Dublin, Belfast, London, Cardiff, and Edinburgh.
“Right now 870 million people – one in every eight people on the planet – do not have enough food, while over 500 million are considered obese. Hunger kills more people each year than AIDS, Malaria and TB combined. A lack of food keeps children out of school and prevents communities from developing,” stated Liz Evers, Trócaire.
She describes the ‘Enough Food For Everyone IF’ campaign as the biggest coming together of Irish and UK development agencies since ‘Make Poverty History in 2005′.
Trócaire has been campaigning for strong climate legislation in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to ensure that both governments play their part. Trócaire is urging Irish people to sign an online petition to call on Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan to introduce a strong and robust Climate Bill for Ireland. The Heads of Bill were to have been published by December 2012, however this deadline has passed and the charity suggests that people encourage Minister Hogan to publish a stronger Climate Bill, with binding targets.
In the UK people are being asked to lobby their government as the UK chairs the G8 during 2013 at a time when the world begins to debate a new set of development goals. Christian Aid is offering many resources including prayers and worship resources to share in church.
The charity lists the issues under the four big Ifs: tax, aid, land and transparency.
-If we stop big companies dodging taxes in poor countries, so that millions of people can free themselves from hunger. The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) estimates that developing countries lose three times more to tax havens than they receive in aid each year. That money could help millions of people to escape from hunger. Our government should step up to close the international tax loopholes.
-If we make the right investments to stop people dying from hunger and help the poorest people feed themselves.
-If we stop poor farmers being forced off their land, and use crops to feed people, not fuel cars. The poorest farmers are losing their land to giant corporations. Stopping them would help millions of people get enough to eat.
-If we get governments and big corporations to be more transparent and accountable about the global food system. Decisions that can affect millions of people are made behind closed doors, without the participation of those affected. Corporations and governments should be more transparent about their affairs so that citizens can hold to account powerful players in the food system.
by Ann Marie Foley
