“STAND UP SPEAK OUT” against Poverty, Stand up for the Millennium Development Goals.

Dear Sisters,

All over the world tomorrow, October 17th, people will unite with one voice to “STAND UP SPEAK OUT” against Poverty, Stand up for the Millennium Development Goals. I urge you if you are not aware of any particular event in your own area, to stand up and recite this pledge with your community or someone else you know. We are half way to the 2015 time when it was pledged that the world would have reached its goal of Making Poverty History. We all need to be reminded to take this goal on board and to encourage others to do so also.

Stand Up Pledge

We are standing with millions around the world on this symbolic day, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, to show our commitment to the fight against extreme poverty and inequality.

We are standing because we refuse to accept more excuses in a world where 50,000 people die every day as a result of extreme poverty and the gap between rich and poor is getting wider.

We are standing because we want our leaders to honour their promises to meet the Millennium Development Goals - and we ask them to exceed these goals.

We join in solidarity with people from over 100 countries to say:

To the leaders of poorer countries – make it your fist responsibility to save the lives of your poorest citizens. We ask you to tackle inequality, to be accountable to your people, to govern fairly and justly, to fight corruption and to fulfill human rights.

Today, and every day we will stand up and speak out against poverty. We will continue the fight against poverty and inequality and to hold our leaders to their promises.

We are asking not for charity but for justice. We are millions of voices standing in solidarity to say, not more excuses- end poverty now.

Carole McDonald RSM
Social Justice Contact
Melbourne Congregation/Australia