Rich countries, poor countries (and the W-8)

The agenda of this year’s G-8 meeting is expected to be topped by the global crisis. In order to dramatize the need for more aid in education and health in the developing countries, OXFAM has organized the W-8: eight women leaders from developing countries, including the Philippines, were chosen as OXFAM ambassadors. The W-8 will be linking the Social Watch Philippines’ campaign and the Alternative Budget Initiative to the global campaign for more resources for essential services.

(first published in  ABS-CBN Interactive 06/01/2009)

Because of its wealth and power, G-8, the group of eight richest and most powerful countries, influences many of the decisions of the international community. Activities of the G-8 countries affect the international economy, as well as social development.

The G-8 countries include the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, France, Canada, Italy and Russia. While they comprise only 14% of the world's population, they account for 65% of the Gross World Product. Seven of these countries are among the top military spenders. In 2007, the G-8 countries spent $850 billion on military expenditures. This constitutes 72% of total military spending of all countries. They also possess 96-99% of the world's nuclear weapons.

In a very real sense, they determine the fate of the planet by sheer combined wealth, political and military power. They also influence the behavior of the smaller countries since they engage in trade relations and also give official development assistance.

Every year, the member countries take turns in hosting its annual meeting, usually in July. Since the G-8 countries are considered key players in either exacerbating or solving the world's problems, their annual meetings are subject to intense scrutiny and militant action from their own citizens as well as those from the developing world.

Enter the W-8

This year's meeting will be hosted by Italy in the L'Aquila region in July. It is expected that the global crisis will be on top of the agenda. It is likewise expected that civil society organizations will be there to insist that the plight of the developing countries should be given attention.

To dramatize the need for more aid in education and health in the developing countries, OXFAM, a leading international civil society organization has organized the W-8 to put a woman's face in the campaign. Eight women leaders from developing countries were chosen as OXFAM ambassadors. These are Prof. Leonor Magtolis Briones from the Philippines, Kadiatu Maiga from Mali, Dorothy Ngoma from Malawi, Jiraporn Limpananont from Thailand, Sandhya Venkateswaran from

India, Miranda Akhviediani from Georgia, Rokeya Kabu from Bangladesh, and Elba Rivera-Urbina from Nicaragua. The W-8 ambassadors will bring stories from their own countries to the attention of the G-8 when the leaders of these countries meet in July. Interestingly, only one G-8 country is led by a women; the rest are headed by men.

The main messages are: 1. The world's poorest people are being hit hardest by the global economic crisis. Rich governments whose policies contributed to the crisis have a responsibility to those who cannot afford their own bailouts. 2. G-8 leaders must stick to promises to provide financial aid which will support basic health and education services for the world's poorest people. 3. In this economic crisis, it is more important than ever that poor people are not turned away from a doctor, and that women have the care they need when they are giving birth to the next generation. This G-8 Summit must be used to support free health care for all women and children.

For the past three years, Social Watch Philippines and the Alternative Budget Initiative has been campaigning for increased budget allocations for education, health, agriculture and the environment. By partnering with progressive congressmen, senators and the media, SWP has succeeded in securing additional allocations in the national budget for 2007, 2008 and 2009.

SWP has gone beyond increased budget allocations; it also campaigns for the release of these funds. Likewise, it is monitoring actual implementation of programs for social development. Linking the Philippine campaign to the global campaign for more resources for essential services brings Social Watch and Alternative Budget Initiative advocacy to the international stage. It provides the opportunity to share the Philippine story as well as learn from the experience of many other countries who are engaged in similar campaigns.