White Band Day 3: What we are Doing and Why?

White Band Day 3: What we are Doing and Why?

The first two white band days, and two of the three major international political opportunities for the Global Call to Action against Poverty are over. Our attention now turns to the WTO ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December, and to the run-up to that vital meeting.

More than 30 million people have taken an action for GCAP in 2005 – whether that is from signing a petition, taking part in a rally, or wearing a white band. GCAP has shown that it can mobilise large numbers of people, in solidarity for our call to end poverty. We may not have won all the political decisions we had hoped for this year but we have made real progress. There is genuine political and civil momentum behind the call to end poverty.

Ahead of major World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks in December we must increase the pressure to make trade justice a reality. Trade has the potential to lift millions out of poverty, but the rules that currently govern international trade have become the vehicle for the indiscriminate liberalisation of developing country economies and the imposition of harmful conditions. Instead of supporting sustainable development, poverty eradication and gender equity, world trade rules currently rob poor countries of $2.3 billion a day – 14 times what they get in aid. Changes in international trade could dramatically improve the lives of millions of the world’s poorest women and men.

Between now and the end of the year we must capitalise on the momentum GCAP has already generated and build on it further to ensure that we are putting a spotlight on trade injustice. We must show our strength and act in solidarity to demonstrate that we want trade rules and policies that ensure the right of developing countries to pursue their own development agendas, putting their people’s interests first.

This mobilisation guide gives an overview of the agreed actions and messages around White Band Day 3, discussed by the International Facilitation Group Meetings in Bangkok (July) and New York (September) and further elaborated upon by the GCAP Mobilisation groups. Of course, national coalitions will undertake their own events and actions, with their own messaging, but if we unite and speak with one voice, we can make a powerful impact and force leaders to take action before it is too late.

It is worth noting that many NGO’s already have active lobby and campaign strategies on trade and while their overall objectives are similar, they may have different views and positions on the current WTO-process. GCAP’s added value is through our capacity to mobilise large numbers of people to: demonstrate that millions around the world care about trade injustice; add additional pressure on politicians; to raise Southern voices on trade and to give a ‘human face’ to trade issues in the media.

GCAP messages the for WTO Meeting

At an international level, we will demand that rich countries and international institutions change trade rules to end trade injustice. We will press for Southern countries to stand up for the concerns of the world’s poor and not to compromise and accept less than trade justice in Hong Kong. We will demand that all developing countries are unified in their call for the right to determine their own trade policies and to choose for themselves how best to tackle poverty.

The slogan for GCAP actions for White Band Day 3 is “Spotlight on Trade Injustice”. Using a globally cohesive slogan, backed by joint actions, is a great way to show our unity and to demonstrate that GCAP is shining a spotlight on issues of trade and demanding that leaders deliver us trade justice in Hong Kong.

National campaigns are then encouraged to choose one of the following demands / slogans below to complement the theme:

- End Poverty Now!
- Trade Justice not Free Trade!
- Trade Justice or No Deal in Hong Kong!
- No Forced Liberalisation!
These are meant to act as a broad framework to unite GCAP coalitions: it is up to each national coalition to work on the slogans and combinations of messages to suit their own national context, but it is hoped that by speaking together our voice becomes more powerful.
During White Band Day 3, GCAP will focus on using the policy messaging from the Johannesburg Declaration – this is the policy platform adopted during the founding meeting of GCAP. Many organisations and national campaigns will have developed their own detailed policy messages, but for our coordinated GCAP efforts the Johannesburg document is the basis for our policy messaging. Please see Appendix A for a copy of the Johannesburg Declaration on trade issues.

White Band Day 3: Globally coordinated national actions

The suggested globally coordinated actions for GCAP national coalitions are intended to act as a broad guide for groups to incorporate into pre-existing plans for White Band Day 3 and to adapt to suit their local and national context – but please remember that when we unite in joint initiatives we are much more powerful.

We must act together to show the strength of public feeling against the current state of the WTO negotiations and other trade agreements. Through our actions we will demonstrate that we are putting the spotlight on trade injustice and that the world is watching - now is the time to deliver trade justice.
GCAP can play a vital mobilising and media role in the run-up to, and during, the WTO meeting. Our amazing strength lies in the ability of GCAP to mobilise and inspire millions of people across the globe to take action. In so doing, we can add our voice to the already massive movement calling for trade justice.
At this crucial time, it is also vital that we ensure we work together with trade activists, to strengthen all of our efforts to bring about trade justice. Many trade groups may already be planning things around the WTO meetings. Your coalition probably already includes the trade groups in your country and is already linked into, and synergising efforts with, regional trade groups and networks. However, in case you still want to find out more about regional / national trade activities, email [email protected]

Spotlight on Trade Injustice

During White Band Day 3, on 10 December, GCAP will be putting the ‘Spotlight on Trade Injustice’. 10 December is a critical day for reminding decision makers about their commitments, their failures to take bold enough steps so far this year, and the vital importance of their role in the Hong Kong ministerial, which starts three days later. It is also a moment for celebrating the strength of the GCAP coalition, the huge number of actions that have been taken, and the positive steps that have been taken by decision makers this year.

GCAP will be holding ‘spotlight’ mobilisations in as many countries as possible – showing that we are shining a spotlight on trade issues, on the governments and on the delegates. This will include candlelit vigils and marches, stunts with white bands beamed on buildings and monuments, torch events and more.

There are three broad areas of action under the ‘Spotlight on Trade Injustice’ actions:

1. ‘Spotlight on Trade Injustice’ Rallies, demos and marches
‘Spotlight on Trade Injustice’ events could take a number of forms, for example: a march or rally to Parliament Buildings followed by an all-night vigil, or surrounding parliament buildings in a large white band of light or shining a huge spotlight onto an important building or during the rally.
• Torch or candlelit rallies and marches: if you are holding a rally or march, try to target government buildings, holding flashlights, candles, lanterns or spotlights – as well as signs that demonstrate that we are spotlighting issues of trade injustice.
• All night candlelit / torchlight vigil: An all night candlelit vigil outside government buildings that ends in the morning with a big symbolic Spotlight on Trade Injustice action – perhaps with a march or festival, or with all the people attending shining torches onto a sign for trade justice
• Festival of light: You may feel that a more celebratory tone suits the mood in your country – perhaps you would like to focus more on what has already been achieved by GCAP this year – but with a reminder of the need for trade justice. If so, why not have a massive carnival, jamboree or festival of light.

2. Spotlight on Trade Injustice Lobby actions
Lobby actions taking place between now and White Band Day 3 are vital to build momentum and to really have an impact on the WTO negotiations. Try to organise lobby meetings with your delegation, or to undertake lobbying of your legislatures. Those involved in trade negotiations will generally be the Minister of Trade, Minister of Finance, Prime Minister or President. Parliamentarians can also indirectly place significant pressure on government ministers, as can opposition parties. If you can’t lobby all parliamentarians why not focus on those involved in the trade committee, those with an interest in trade and those in key positions in the opposition?

• Face-to-face meetings: Try to organize face-to-face meetings with people involved in trade negotiations within your country.

• Mass Lobbies: Many trade justice groups are already planning mass lobbies in a number of countries and GCAP is supporting these lobbies. These mass lobbies aim to simultaneously lobby as many parliamentarians, by as many activists on one day. To find out more about these mass lobbies, and to see if anything is happening in your country visit: www.globalmasslobby.org .A number of lobby actions have already been planned around this, in particular there are plans for a mass lobby in Brussels on 21 November.
• Hand-over of petitions / testimonies: Get as many people as possible to sign a petition or place their thumbprints onto a massive petition or white sheet. Hand this over to your government along with a set of national demands.
• Embassy actions: Embassy actions or letter writing could also be undertaken, focusing on key negotiating governments. More details and ideas on targeting key countries will follow in the GCAP Lobby Pack.
• Support GCAP’s email action: GCAP is also organising an e-action – focused on key negotiating targets to ensure they take the right measures between now and Hong Kong. The e-action is aimed at supporting GCAPs lobby work; calling for developing countries not to compromise and accept less than trade justice in Hong Kong, while also targeting key rich countries to change trade rules to end trade injustice. There will be two versions of the e-action:
1. The first one will support our call to Southern countries and will target key Southern alliances – such as representatives of the G20, G33 and African Union.
2. The second e-action will be targeted at the EU trade representative (the GCAP EU e-action will also be mirrored by a US targeted e-action, from the US GCAP coalition).

To find out more about the e-action, or to take the action please visit the GCAP website at www.whiteband.org and follow the links to the email action.

Please encourage as many of your national coalition members to disseminate the e-action as widely as possible, by posting on websites, advertising through your networks and taking the actions themselves.

Supporting lobby materials
The GCAP Lobby and Policy Sub-Group will be producing lobby support materials for use by GCAP coalitions. This will include a lobby pack, which outlines GCAP’s positions, as well as including lobby letter templates for adaptation by GCAP national coalitions.
To find out more about your delegation or to request lobby materials please email: [email protected]

3. Spotlight on Trade Injustice Media Work

While a wide range of individual NGO’s - many of which are part of GCAP - are targeting their media with policy messages, GCAP’s added value will be in giving a voice to those in the South and to the millions of people in the North who DO care and thus ‘humanizing’ trade issues. In this way, GCAP can further establish itself as the world’s largest ever anti-poverty campaign and to allow voices from the South and supporters in the North to be heard through media coverage.

Holding stunts or getting high-profile personalities involved, such as, religious leaders, actors, sports stars etc could generate additional media coverage. Get someone who has been directly affected by poverty to tell his or her story.

• Putting the Spotlight on Trade Justice media stunt: There are a number of possible exciting media stunts that could be adapted to fit in with the theme of Spotlight on Trade Injustice. For example, you could shine a spotlight with the letters ‘trade injustice’ or a symbol related to your campaign onto prominent buildings / landmarks or into the sky. Alternatively, you could have large ‘Trade Injustice/Justice’ letters made and shine a spotlight onto these for an amazing photo opportunity. GCAP is planning to hold a linked ‘spotlight’ media stunt in Hong Kong just before the WTO meeting beginnings (please see the ‘Global WTO based actions’ section below for more details on this). If you are holding a media stunt or photo opportunity try to make sure that you follow it up with a press conference or media briefing to outline the trade issues GCAP is putting a spotlight onto.

• Spotlight press conferences: Try to organise a press conference to brief the press on the issues we are shining a spotlight on. Brief the press on your national trade demands, on the White Band Day 3 global mobilizations and the global call to for rich countries to take action to end unjust trade rules, as well as our call for Southern governments to stand unified in upholding the needs of poor people. Try to ensure that you have authoritative voices speaking on trade issues but also try to ensure, where possible and appropriate, that you include the voices of poor people affected by trade injustice.

4. Additional ‘Dates for the Diary’
The WTO Meeting falls close to as well as on a number of other significant dates, including: 1 December, World AIDS Day and 10 December, International Human Rights Day. Our work should serve to compliment these pre-existing dates and show solidarity for actions that may already be planned to a mark these events.

In particular, a number of GCAP coalitions will be taking part in the Lesson for Life, organised by the Global Movement for Children on 1 December 2005. The 'lesson' on children, HIV, AIDS will take place simultaneously around the world. During the Lesson for Life, children will be learning about and planning how to take action in their communities on HIV/AIDS and children's rights. The theme of the campaign in some countries is 'treatment for all', linking HIV/AIDS to trade issues. An estimated 4 million children are so far taking part. If you're interested in introducing children to GCAP, and bringing children's rights organisations into your coalition, contact us to find out how to get involved. Email the Global Movement for Children at [email protected] or check out the contact details of more than 50 countries here: www.gmfc.org/index.php/gmc6/content/view/full/642.

GCAP Actions Planned During the WTO Ministerial

As well as national level mobilisations taking place on White Band Day 3, a number of GCAP global events are also planned to take place, in Hong Kong, around the WTO meeting. These will link into the ‘spotlight’ theme for White Band Day 3.

However, GCAP will be mindful not to crowd out the pre-existing plans of many civil society groups in Hong Kong and will focus on one or two key GCAP ‘moments’ as well as raising the voices of the South. In addition, we will be giving our support to a number of groups already planning actions in Hong Kong.

GCAP will also ensure that Southern representatives are given the opportunity to speak out on trade issues in Hong Kong, particularly in media work.

If you want to find out more on plans for WTO, Hong Kong mobilisations, please email: [email protected]

Please tell us about your White Band Day 3 plans

It is really useful for us to know as much as possible about plans around the world. Please do email your plans to [email protected]. Emailing your plans will also ensure that your plans are included in international media work, as well as in newsletters and other communications. When emailing your country plans try to include the contact details of one media person and one general contact for your country coalition.

Also, don’t forget to email your pictures from events to the above email, as well as the GCAP website.

Appendix A: The Johannesburg Declaration on Trade

We want trade rules and policies that ensure the right of developing countries to pursue their own development agendas, putting their people’s interests first.

We call on the WTO, international financial institutions and national governments to:

? Enact measures to protect public services from enforced liberalization and privatisation, secure the right to food and affordable access to essential drugs, and strengthen corporate accountability.
? Increase accountability and transparency of governments and international organisations to their grassroots constituencies in the formulation of international trade rules and national trade policies, while ensuring consistency of trade policies with respect for workers’ rights, and human rights more broadly.
? Immediately end dumping and rich country subsidies that keep people in poverty.