UPDATES FROM ASIA

As of October 18, 2007

BANGLADESH : PFM, the GCAP coalition in Bangladesh, has reported that 847, 202 individuals stood up in the various Stand Up events held all over the country.

A Stand Up event was held at the office of Dhaka city mayor. Mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka himself led the event.

A huge crowd turned up at the open air musical event in Robindra Sharobar Mancha, Dhanmondi, Dhaka. At the end of the show, the artists, celebrities and the members of the audience expressed their solidarity with the campaign against poverty. Prominent artists performed in the show, including artists from the leading production house of Ektaar, eminent baul and folk singer Shahajahan Munshi, popular bands such as Artcell, Aurthohin, Bangla, Black, Warefaze, Nemesis, Nash-T, and Dhaka of Maqsoodul Haque, artists such as Faqir Alamgir and Aurnob, and folk singers that included Rab Faqir.

SUPRO, a national network of NGOs in Bangladesh, has reported that it held Stand Up events in 46 districts and that 1,000,000 people expressed their solidarity during the events. It likewise organized a cultural program in front of the National Parliament, where SUPRO Chief Executive Officer Prodip Kumar Roy, Policy Advocacy Coordinator Syed Aminul Islam, Network and Mobilisation Coordinator Iqbal Uddin, and Dhaka District Committee Secretary Shahadat Islam Chowdhury Mintu spoke in front of 1,000 individuals. SUPRO called for cancellation of debt servicing in order to eradicate extreme poverty in Bangladesh that plagues 30 million Bangladeshis. At the end of the programme, 1,000 candles were lighted to express solidarity with the global movement against poverty, hunger and injustice. 

INDIA : Some 400 women from 20 states of India participated in the Women's Tribunal against Poverty held in New Delhi on Oct 17.  The jury consisted of academicians, political thinkers and social activists, namely Annie Raja, Dr. Ruth Manorama, Dr. Gopal Guru, Kamla Bhasin, Nikhil Dey, Dr. Rose Dzuvichu, Dr. Rose Kerketta, and Sheba George. The jury noted that exclusion and discrimination continue to affect women from Dalit, Adivasi, Muslim communities, and nomadic tribes; they recognized that without a focus on reaching women and marginalized communities development is not possible within the country.

PAKISTAN : According to a report from Insan Foundation Pakistan, 2,301,783 individuals stood up in the various Stand Up events held all over the country.

PHILIPPINES: According to a report from UNDP Philippines, the individuals that stood up in the Philippines total 7,106,478.

An Anti Poverty Fair was organized by GCAP Philippines, which drew thousands of students, families, professionals, and people from all walks of life to witness and participate in a yoga exercise, lectures, art classes, and a musical/talent show featuring 17 performers that included rock bands, dance troupes, rap artists, a blind guitarist, all female reggae band, and balladeers.

GCAP network members called upon the Arroyo government to stop being completely indifferent to the worsening condition of millions of Filipinos still in the grips of poverty.

Muslim and Christian campaigners held anti-poverty actions in Cagayan de Oro in Southern Philippines, while the individual partners, officers and staff of World Vision Philippines stood up and prayed for an end to poverty and intolerance in the country and beyond.

A contingent composed of the Basic Sector members of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), refused to join the government-led October 17 event and instead marched to join the GCAP-led Banner Parade. NAPC is the highest coordinating and advisory body of the government in the implementation of the Social Reform Agenda. The President of the Republic chairs the NAPC.

The highlight of the Anti Poverty Fair was a rousing performance of the Poverty Requiem by a group of community chorales and performers backed up my percussionists and musicians from the University of the Philippine College of Music.

SOUTH KOREA : CCEJ-Korea has reported that a total of 34,000 individuals signed up to support its online anti-poverty campaign, which ran from October 1 to 20. Of these, 11,000 signed up from 9:00 p.m. GMT on October 16 up to 9:00 pm GMT on October 17.

Around 2,500 individuals attended the Whiteband concert held in the evening of October 17. This concert will be aired on the local TV channel on October 20.

Thousands of youth were mobilized in cooperation with USAN, a network of university students.

SINGAPORE : According to ONE (SINGAPORE), there were 2,773 individuals that stood up during its sponsored events.

###

--
Lani C. Villanueva
Communication Officer
Global Call to Action against Poverty
Southeast North Central Asia