Every year, the gap between rich and poor gets even wider – and it’s being fuelled by the use of tax havens. Today, 8 individuals have the same wealth as the poorest half the people on our planet. It is time to bring an end to inequality. It is time to Even it up!
For 40 years, the Quechua communities in Peru have lived with contaminated rivers, and poor health as a result of oil drilling. Teddy Guerra is leading the effort to obtain integral land rights for his community before any more concessions are given to oil companies. Read his story and sign the petition.
Millions of people are being forced to flee their homes, risking everything to escape conflict, disaster, poverty or hunger. We are working in nine of the ten top refugee source countries as well as in refugee host countries. We urgently need your help to reach people in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and in Europe.
With no end in sight to the conflict in Syria, hundreds of thousands of people are living in desperate conditions and exposed to continuing violence. Today, half the pre-conflict population of 22 million Syrians have fled their homes and more than 13.5 million people urgently need your help.
With the end of a nearly 30 year civil war in May 2009, Sri Lanka entered into a post-war stage, achieving lower middle-income status. This has presented a space to achieve a just and sustainable peace and a development process that could provide citizens with opportunities to overcome poverty and inequality.
The headline economic and social indicators for Sri Lanka show a very positive picture, with strong progress across many social indicators:
These impressive achievements, coupled with the lack of state ‘fragility’, despite almost three decades of internal conflict and war, present a very positive image.
Significant gaps, however, remain.
These indicators do not reflect continuing inequalities and trends of poverty in Sri Lanka’s social-economic and political contexts. The predominant focus is on economic development that invests heavily in infrastructure development and private sector growth, with little or no emphasis on the equally important reconciliation processes and socio-political reconstruction needed. Many of the war‘s underlying causes remain. New risks, vulnerabilities and grievances are also emerging and impacting negatively on the social, political and economic fabric of the country.
The next five years will be crucial for the creation of a just and sustainable peace.
Framed by our country vision, “All citizens, especially women and vulnerable groups, are empowered to live in dignity and free from injustice, poverty and conflict,” we work to achieve the following in Sri Lanka:
Economic Justice
Poor and vulnerable people, particularly women, have improved food security, and have more sustainable and resilient livelihoods.
Gender Justice
More poor and vulnerable women claim and exercise their rights, live free from violence and are in positions of leadership, influencing structures, processes and practices for equitable social change.
Disaster Risk Reduction and Humanitarian
Vulnerable communities, particularly women, are more resilient to the negative impacts of natural hazards, climate change and conflict.
In addition to these three broad objectives, underpinning and integrated into all our work are these two cross cutting themes:
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