Author: ATD Ireland

ATD prepared remarks for the Geneva NGO Forum for the Beijing+20 UN ECE Regional Review which took place on 3-5 November 2014. Held in 1995, the Beijing conference was the most ambitious international conference on gender equality ever held, and the Beijing+20 process is an important part of continuing its work into the future. ATD remarks focus on four areas that should be addressed: 1. Greater attention needs to be given to the multidimensionality of poverty in order to develop more effective anti-poverty strategies. 2. Poverty needs to be recognized not only as a consequence of gender discrimination, but also as…

Dóchas and ATD as associate member welcomed on Monday 20th October, the announcement that Ireland, alongside Kenya, would lead international negotiations on a new global development strategy to succeed the Millennium Development Goals, which will come to an end in 2015. Ireland and Kenya were jointly appointed this weekend by the UN General Assembly, to co-facilitate negotiations which will agree a new set of global development goals, for adoption at a summit of world leaders in New York in September 2015. The new goals will set targets for the eradication of global poverty and hunger along with targets for addressing other…

For centuries, people around the world have built memorials to both suffering and heroism. We hold ceremonies to honor those who have endured injustice or died fighting it. Through such memorials and ceremonies, we remind ourselves of war, slavery, oppression, and genocide with the hope: "never again." . But when do we recall the suffering and injustice that extreme poverty inflicts on people whose resistance leaves no trace upon the earth? They are buried in unmarked graves. Their neighborhoods are erased from our maps. Their words are forgotten. . October 17, the World Day for Overcoming Poverty, is a time to…

EAPN Ireland and its members (ATD is one of them) have welcomed measures announced in Budget 2015 to undo some of the cuts in income and services which have devastated the lives of people on low income since 2008. This now needs to be part of a more systematic medium-term plan to rebuild Ireland’s public services and welfare system and access to decent work. EAPN Ireland welcomed the changes to the Universal Social Charge, the Qualified Child Increase, Child Benefit and partial restoration of the Christmas bonus.  They also welcomed new resources for construction of social housing, to address homelessness and…

From 15th to 19th October, ATD Ireland welcomes to Dublin 6 members of ATD Poland from Strzelce Opolskie, Kielce and Warsaw. ATD volunteers started to run a policy forum with homeless people gathered at the train station in Kielce in 2000. ATD projects involve now children, young people and adults in Warsaw and Kielce. More in Polish at www.atd.org.pl Polish delegation will participate to the events marking the UN Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Full programme of events in Dublin and Ireland on-line at www.17october.ie Below, in Polish, the invitation to the Dublin and to the Warsaw events.

People on low incomes, women and minorities, who gained least in the boom years, have suffered most in the recession.  Over a quarter of the population are now officially counted as experiencing deprivation, including many who are working, because of unemployment and service and welfare cuts. Budget 2015 must urgently address the widespread suffering reported by our members and the people they represent and work with and signal a medium term strategy to build a more equal and inclusive Ireland. ATD with the other members of the Community Platform  will judge Budget 2015 particularly in terms of the four tests presented…

For children, the ATD "Tapori" children network project is launching a new campaign. Groups of children are asked to build a mobile to represent a world where everyone has a place. Each child is invited to make a piece of this mobile in order to know each other better and to be better known. You can download the latest September-October 2014 Tapori newsletter and activity newslette to find out more information about it. Tapori is a worldwide network of children from all backgrounds whose motto is: "We want all children to have the same chances."  All around the world children dream…

Isabel Perrin, Director General of ATD International, tells of the life and work of an Irish activist who incarnated the theme of October 17th 2014: "Leave No One Behind: Think, Decide, and Act Together." The room where the International Committee for October 17 was meeting echoed with discussion of the theme projected in huge letters on the wall: “Leave no one behind: think, decide, and act together.” Jackie, a member of ATD Fourth World Ireland who had been invited by the committee rose to speak: “I can’t keep my door closed if I know that people are on the street…” Jackie…