Action for Global South

globalnepoludnie.pl

The programme’s aim is to conduct activities that contribute to providing all societies with fair and equal conditions for development in a spirit of responsibility towards other people and environment. In order to implement this aim, we try to present Poles with credible information and initiate a public debate on global relations between less and more developed countries. We also cooperate with NGOs and civil society of Global South countries, which not only brings tangible benefits for the development of that part of the world but also provides us with knowledge and experience that we can utilise to introduce political changes in rich countries, e.g. Poland. We are convinced that fair relations between the world of the rich and the world of the poor can be shaped not only by impersonal policies but also by active and aware citizens – from rich as well as poor countries. When speaking about the path to global justice and welfare, we also appeal for a wise use of environmental resources that enable development.

The main directions of our activities include:

• Monitoring of Polish development aid; for five years now we have cooperated with the Zagranica Group (a Polish platform gathering 61 NGOs dealing with development cooperation) calling for establishment of a truly effective development aid system in Poland. We want Polish aid to provide actual support for reducing poverty and ensuring conditions for development that respects the needs of people and environment. Since 2008 we have been a member of the Board of Grupa Zagranica, which increases our involvement in establishing a strong and unified NGO position on Polish development cooperation. Our experts co-author annual shadow reports of the Zagranica Group on Polish development aid (to date five reports have been published). We also monitor how Polish public funds are allocated under the Fast Start Financing mechanism, which provides support for poorer countries in adapting to climate change impacts and in reducing their GHG emissions.
http://globalnepoludnie.pl/Monitoring-pomocy-rozwojowej

• Development of rural areas in Ghana; in 2006 we initiated cooperation with Friends of the Earth Ghana, one of the largest African NGOs, in order to support the development of the country’s rural areas. Our systematic cooperation brings tangible results, e.g.: a newly-constructed primary school for 180 children, four constructed wells, newly-established three pineapple plantations and two apiaries and a renovated shea butter processing plant, which is used by 100 women in Zabzug (North Ghana). In the Volta region there are also two women’s associations that produce traditional textile goods from batik. Work at the Ghanaian countryside completely changed our understanding of poverty and reinforced our conviction that unless all of us enjoy equal development opportunities, we cannot speak about a fair world.
http://globalnepoludnie.pl/Rozwoj-obszarow-wiejskich-w-Ghanie

• FOR THE CLIMATE – AGAINST POVERTY – a campaign on the impact of climate change on the countries of the Global South; since 2008, in cooperation with an international aid organisation Oxfam, we have been conducting a campaign showing the dramatic effects of climate change in the countries of the Global South. Climate change has a “human face,” which we tend to forget in Poland when discussing responsibility for emissions or availability of funds that would enable poorer countries to adapt to the new, unforeseeable conditions. Climate change currently constitutes one of the strongest barriers to poverty eradication, as it leads to a collapse of agriculture, sudden floods or droughts or limited access to water. We are one of the first to speak about this problem in Poland. We provide credible information on the situation of the most vulnerable countries. In November 2011, we invited to Poland a Nigerian activist Hauwa Umar-Mustpaha, a climate witness, who met with Polish MPs and journalists, explaining how climate change impacts social development in Nigeria. We also cooperate with the Polish media: in 2011 we organised a media briefing and published information materials about climate negotiations. Our social advertisement reached over 900,000 readers of Polish newspapers. We also published a feature brochure, two leaflets, a DVD One Planet – One Civilisation with films on climate change impacts and a set of lesson scenarios including a poster and a slide show for teachers that want to discuss climate change impacts on their lessons. In 2011 we organised also seven public events where we explained why climate change prevents the Global South from development that pursues the needs of these countries.
http://globalnepoludnie.pl/Dla-klimatu-przeciw-ubostwu

• FEED THE WORLD – campaign on food sovereignty of African countries; since January 2010 we have been conducting the campaign FEED THE WORLD – for food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture, in cooperation with the French Committee for International Solidarity, the Polish Ecological Club – Gliwice Branch and other NGOs from Europe and Africa. The aim of the campaign is to increase Polish society’s awareness of the real causes of hunger and undernourishment in the world and to promote the rules of food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture as effective ways of fighting these causes. We would like to make Poles more aware of the fact that sustainable agriculture, local food systems and conscious consumption bring economic and social benefits, protect the natural environment and improve the situation of the people living in the poorest countries. We target this campaign also on Polish and European politicians, trying to make them more sensitive to the issues related to food sovereignty. We want to draw their attention to the fact that European agricultural, trade and development policies should to a greater extent account for the right to food and the food situation in the countries of the Global South. One of the activities within this campaign is the Festival WORLD ON A PLATE, which promotes food sovereignty as well as local food production and consumption. To date this festival has been organised in Krakow, Wroclaw, Gliwice, Warsaw, Lublin and Rzeszow. In 2012 it will be held in further three cities. Within this campaign we also publish PGN’s calendar (2011-2013).
http://globalnepoludnie.pl/wyzywic-swiat

NIGHT FOR AFRICA

On the occasion of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty we organise a cyclical educational and musical event called A NIGHT FOR AFRICA. This is an opportunity to discuss the ways in which Poland can contribute to a more effective fight with poverty and to express solidarity with the poorest by participating in the concerts of invited stars. The event has hosted performances of e.g.: East West Rockers, Robert Brylewski and Paweł Kelner, Pako Sarr and Mamadou Diouf, and in 2011 we had the pleasure of listening to the group DIKANDA.
http://globalnepoludnie.pl/Noc-dla-Afryki
Thematic portal – www.globalnepoludnie.pl

Since 2006 we have been running a thematic portal globalnepoludnie.pl. This is our tool for contacting the world, for providing information on the most important national and international events related to development issues or on initiatives of the NGO sector. We hope that it also inspires its reader to greater involvement. Apart from news and information materials, the portal also contains blogs, films and photo galleries.

Strategic partners:

• Friends of the Earth Ghana, OIKOS East Africa
• Oxfam Germany, Oxfam France, FOCUS, Young Friends of the Earth
• French Committee for International Solidarity, Polish Ecological Club Gliwice, Polish Humanitarian Action
• Zagranica Group

We also participate in advocacy activities of the European platform CONCORD.

Programme’s leader: Aleksandra Antonowicz ola@globalnepoludnie.pl

2011 activities within the Action for the Global South Programme were co-financed by the European Commission (the EuropeAid Programme), the Polish Ministry of International Affairs – Polish Aid Programme, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and the International Visegrad Fund.