Yearly Archives: 2014

18th July 2014 Dear World Leaders, We write to sound a warning. A warning that 2015 will be a year of huge opportunity, but also of huge risk. What is at stake here could not be greater, for it is not less than the future of our human family and the world upon which we all depend. Two global processes –the replacement of the current UN development framework and the conclusion of a new climate treaty – culminate within months of each other at the end of 2015. They require us to decide which future we want for people and planet.…

ATD, with all other members of the Children’s Rights Alliance, warmly congratulates Emily Logan on her appointment as Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. Tanya Ward, Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance, said: “Emily Logan has done an outstanding job as Ireland’s first Ombudsman for Children and we commend her on her many achievements. She established the Office under the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002 and developed it into the highly-respected body that it is today. Through the independent investigation of public bodies, children and their advocates now have a place to go when their rights…

The Government reshuffle means that Dóchas now has to deal a new Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade, Charlie Flanagan TD, as well as a new Minister of State for “ODA, Trade Promotion and North-South Relations”. To welcome the two new Ministers, and to thank the outgoing Minister, Dóchas has written to all three. You can find here the letter to Joe Costello TD and to Charlie Flanagan TD – a very similar letter has gone out to Sean Sherlock. It is important to build on the strong political support that exists in Leinster House towards the Overseas Aid Budget. Here…

On Sunday morning, July 13, 2014, ATD long-term activist Jacqueline, died peacefully in her sleep. Her commitment was rooted in her experiences as a child, youth and adult, that made extreme poverty intolerable to her.  She too often witnessed injustice. In 2009, on RTE Radio One, Jacqueline explained: "I grew up in poverty. My husband and I have been homeless for the last 15 years.  My husband’s dad wanted a better life for his children. Unfortunately, he died quite young. He was working on the Docks. We went through at least 8 different B and Bs and hostels. We now live…

Here are some examples of ATD's new projects or ideas that are about to take shape as projects... Haiti: Evaluation  of  the  Health  Card  system  that  provides access to health care to over 700 families in link with ATD in Port-au-Prince; the aim is to draw lessons from an experience of more than two decades to inspire a social protection plan on a territorial or country level. France:   A  booklet,  “Daring  to  talk  about  money”  is  to  be created  in  the  framework  of  the  ATD's  Citizens' Universities for Dialogue and Solidarity to allow people who have to live on an…

The French mission to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva has succeeded in bringing together over 100 countries to support a resolution extending the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights. On 26th June 2014, France brought together over 100 countries in Geneva to support a resolution presented to the Human Rights Council with the aim of recognising the challenge posed by extreme poverty around the world and renewing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights for three more years. The resolution also promotes the implementation of the Guiding Principles on…

Here is an example of a consultation led by ATD in Brazil, with Brasil pela dignidade, Verdejar and Raizes en Movimento. A group in Petropolis welcomes mums and young people from the ATD street library project in order to work on an MDGs evaluation all together (on evaluation and report see here). It was a first attempt to work in this way with adults living in the favelas of Petropolis. A participatory process has been set up in order to think out and decide on the work method from start to finish. Partner associations, some of which are based in Rio…

Early in June the UN Open Working Group has released a Draft of the Universal Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDGs could be adopted in 2015 by the international community at the UN and be the so-called Post 2015 Agenda to make poverty history in 2030. The working document is expected to be revised over the coming weeks, and the report’s release is expected in September. Below are examples of the proposed SDGs to be attained by 2030: End extreme poverty in all its forms everywhere: by 2030, eradicate extreme poverty by bringing the number of people living on less than $1.25…

In November 2013, four interns: Antoine, Jean, Daniel, and Hector, entered the ATD Fourth World courtyard in Bangui. They had already been volunteering with the team for a few years and wanted to do a 3-month internship to learn more about our work. The team in Bangui was glad to welcome them, particularly a group so eager to reach out to the most excluded people in their neighborhood, village, and country. For two years, the four of them had worked on a project to write and produce a DVD titled “Child of The World, Give Me Your Hand.” With other facilitators,…

When? 24 June at 10:30 to 25 June at 02:30 Where? ATD Fourth World, 48 Addington Square, SE5 7LB London, What? Who wants to Give Poverty a Voice? Who wants to learn the language of ‘public relations’? With the promotion of ATD book The Roles We Play just around the corner, ATD UK invites to attend a meeting about public relations, promoting and campaigning. The meeting will be divided into two parts. The first half will be a workshop focused on developing our skills for promoting events and campaigns in public. Participants will particularly look at techniques for dealing with the…