Lagos — From 17 to 19 October, in an unprecedented mobilisation, more than one percent of the world's population moved to 'Stand Up and Take Action' to demand that their leaders end poverty and meet and exceed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Globally the campaign aimed to mobilise more than one percent of the world's population (over 67 million people) to demand that world leaders deliver on their promises to eradicate extreme poverty and achieve the MDGs by 2015. This year's figure was almost one and half times more than the 43 million mobilised globally in 2007.

According to the United Nations (UN) the mobilisation came at a time when hundreds of billions of dollars are being found to bail out wealthy bankers and financial institutions, while the emergency summit on the MDGs held at the United Nations recently was only able to generate $16 billion in commitments to ending poverty.

"This October 17 to 19, world leaders will hear directly from their people that they will no longer stand by while 50,000 people die of preventable causes each day," said Salil Shetty, Director of the Millennium Campaign.

"World leaders have just re-committed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and from this moment on, citizens will be holding them accountable for taking urgent action to deliver on their promises."

In India, members of the Art of Living Foundation, one of the largest spiritual movements in the world, sought to mobilise to plant more than 100 million trees around the globe.

In Tema, Ghana, 'Games Against Poverty' used sport as a platform to support the MDGs.

In the United States, students joined a campus challenge to build political will to end extreme poverty by hosting teach-ins and events across America.

The MDGs, formally adopted by 189 countries in the year 2000, are a set of eight specific goals which commit rich and poor countries to work together to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, ensure all boys and girls complete primary school, promote gender equality.

Raising the African Voice

In Nairobi, Kenya, 10 the United Nations Millennium Campaign and Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) announced that over ten million Africans were expected to participate in this year's Stand Up Campaign.

"This is an opportunity for Africans to demand accountability. We need to send a clear message to their leaders that they will no longer stay silent while promises to end extreme poverty remain unfulfilled," said Director of the UN Millennium Campaign, Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-raheem.

In Lagos, Nigeria, around 100,000 people gathered on the IDEP days for a concert by Femi Kuti to commemorate the life of renowned Nigerian musician Fela Kuti and demand that the government pay closer attention to the country's poor people by investing more petro dollars in education, healthcare and other pro-poor development programs.

In Pretoria, South Africa, an expected 5,000 campaigners led by the workers' trade union COSATU and the South Africa Council of Churches marched to Union Buildings, the official seat of government in South Africa, to demand guaranteed state social security schemes covering all children under eighteen.

They also called for the abolition of the value added tax on basic foodstuffs, the abolition of user fees on water, and the ratification of the UN Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

In Togo, caravans travelled around the country to towns and villages, with each visit focusing on a specific MDG. The tour culminated at a beach where 5,000 people were expected to gather to Stand Up together on October 19.

Across Africa, various anti-poverty campaigners called on their governments to implement several key policy demands.

These include to accelerate fulfillment of the MDGs; provide affordable medicines and universal access to ARVs to all those living with HIV/AIDS; ensure food security and scrapping value added tax on basic foodstuffs; make national budgets pro-poor and increase budget allocations in sectors like agriculture, water, sanitation, health, education; and abolish user fees on water.

Other calls, according to Bamidele Ololade in Nigeria, and Sylvia Mwichuli in Kenya, include to take visible action to guarantee full women's participation in politics; reject bi-lateral free trade agreements like EPAs which have harmful effects on lively hood; demand autonomous policy space for African governments/ citizens to determine our development agenda.

To the campaigners, rising fuel and food costs and the current financial crisis should not be used as an excuse for not meeting the MDGs.

A member of the Communications Unit, UNDP Nigeria, Abuja, Mr. Anthony Dioka, said he was 'Standing up and Taking Action' for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria from October 17-19. This, he chose to do, in order for governments to actualise the eight MDGs.

Presidential Clarion Call

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has charged Nigeria to support the vision of making Nigeria one of the 20 largest economies in the world by 2020 by aligning with government's efforts at eradicating poverty in the country.

Yar'Adua stated this at the All Local Government summit in Abuja as part of activities commemorating this year's International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP).

The President, who was represented by the Minister of National Planning, Senator Sanusi Daggash, implored all tiers of government to mainstream the fight against poverty, while also appealing to Non Governmental and corporate organisations to help strengthen the fight.

He disclosed that government through NAPEP and the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs office was tackling the issue of poverty seriously, stressing that no Nigerian must be allowed to wallow in misery.

Speaking at the occasion, Niger State Governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu called on his colleagues to support the local governments in the fight against poverty, adding that he is committed to improving the welfare of the poor in Niger State.

The governor highlighted the various efforts made in Niger state to mainstream the fight against poverty, pointing out that he was the first to kickstart the NAPEP's Social Safety Net called 'In Care of the People, (COPE) with a counter part funding of N300million.

Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the President and National Coordinator of NAPEP, Dr. Magnus Kpakol had said with the various reforms of government, and its stand on the rule of law, in addition to the positive steps being taken by the agency, the fight against poverty will be won.

Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of the draft Abuja Declaration against poverty in Nigeria and recognition of some individuals and organisations in the forefront of the fight against Poverty, including the President and his vice, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

Vital COPE Initiative

The Federal Government's fight against poverty was taken a step further last week in Abuja with the First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar'Adua handing over a cheque of N840,000 (eight hundred and forty thousand naira) to ten selected households considered the poorest of the poor in Kiyi Village in Kuje Area Council.

The money represented the second component of in Care Of the People (COPE) programme of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), called Poverty Reduction Accelerator Investment (PRAI).

Under the COPE programme N5000 is given monthly to selected households help later for the families need while their children remain in school instead of hawking while N7,000 is also saved monthly for the families to be accessed for setting up small businesses that will guarantee regular income.

Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries, Hajiya Turai Yar'Adua implored them to invest the money wisely in ventures that will guarantee them continuous inflow of income.

The First Lady reiterated her commitment to the fight against poverty, diseases, and hunger through her pet project, Women and Youth Empowerment Programme.

She noted that her vision and that of NAPEP was the same in fighting poverty, and commended the agency for celebrating this year's International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, IDEP in a rural community among the poor in Kiyi, Kuje Area Council, Abuja.

Speaking earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the President and National Coordinator of NAPEP, Dr. Magnus Kpakol stated that government remains committed to reducing the population of the poor across the country, stressing that COPE, Nigeria's version of the Conditional Cash Transfer was a demonstration of it.

Kpakol appealed to all Nigerians to join hands with government in the fight against poverty, adding that government cannot do it alone, given the enormous resources required to win the battle.

Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of a plague to Hajiya Yar'Adua as 'Mama COPE' by NAPEP, and some tubers of yam to her by the Kiyi community as evidence of the impact of what NAPEP has done for them.

Mass Mobilisation of Nigerians

The Nigeria Network of NGOs (NNNGOs) had earlier announced details of some of the anti-poverty week's events aimed at mobilising more than five million people on October 17-19.

Those mobilised sought to demand that the Nigerian government deliver on its promises to eradicate extreme poverty, open up the nations democratic space by passing the Freedom of Information (FoI) Bill and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

"The National campaign in support of the MDGs in Nigeria is growing, and on October 17-19 millions of Nigerians will send a clear message to government that they will no longer stay seated while promises to end extreme poverty remain unfulfilled," said Yemisi Ransome-Kuti Trustee, Nigeria Network of NGOs.

According to NNNGOs' media consultant, Mr. Kunle Idowu, the Make Poverty History Nigeria moved to mobilise 100,000 Youths for a walk from Maryland to the Governor's office in Ikeja, Lagos with Governor Babatunde Raji Fasola (SAN) as the host.

In Abia, students, NYSC members, civil servants and governments at the state and local government level were expected to 'Stand up to Take Action against Poverty' by renewing their commitment to the attainment of the MDGs in the State.

In Oyo, about 1 million people were expected to be mobilised through churches, mosques and schools to call on government at the state, local and national level in Nigeria to be part of a generation that will end poverty in the country.

Various citizen actions were also planned during this period in cities, communities and offices across the country by youth groups, civil society activists and individuals to demand the speedy passage of the FoI Bill as this is crucial in monitoring and accessing government's progress towards the attainment of the MDGs in Nigeria.

Cry of Concern

The fact that the whole world would unite against a common enemy called poverty goes a long way to show the seriousness of the situation.

From the yearly World Social Forum to the IDEP anniversary, the cry is always the same. Poverty can and must be eradicated for the good of mankind and improvement of global relations.

The onus is on world leaders, Nigeria inclusive, to go beyond lip and eye service to tackle poverty from the roots, each country with its own peculiar features.

Until this is done and seen to be done, governments will always be held accountable. On this occasion, the voice of the people must be heard. Down with poverty!