news & events

On 28 March, MRDF staff and supporters joined over 35,000 peaceful protesters calling for a fairer, more sustainable world ahead of the G20 summit. But did the G20 listen to our voices?

Put People First, a coalition made up of 150 organisations including MRDF, were asking global leaders to put people ahead of profit, through ensuring decent jobs for all, ending global poverty and building a greener economy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MRDF staff members, Claire Grant and Chris Rolls, joined by MRDF trustee, Claire Boxall, at the Put People First rally
Photo: MRDF

Speaking at the rally, MRDF staff member Claire Grant highlighted the importance of representing the needs of the poor to our world leaders: ‘We work with some of the world's poorest people – and many are losing crops and homes to the droughts and floods brought by climate change.'

In addition to supporting our partners in tackling these issues on the ground, the root causes of poverty must also be challenged at a global policy level to ensure greater, more sustainable change in the long term. This is why MRDF joined with Put People First to ask world leaders to prioritise the needs of the poor at this time of global financial crisis.

So how did the G20 leaders respond? Simeon Mitchell, MRDF's Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Campaigning, explains: ‘It was heartening that the world leaders who met at the G20 did not forget the world's poor. However, the summit was a missed opportunity to make specific commitments on tackling climate change.'

The positive steps of increased lending for the world's poorest countries and stricter regulations on tax havens must be supported by further action. MRDF will continue to campaign for fairer trade agreements, cancellation of unfair debts and real commitments to reduce carbon emissions.

Learn more about the global development issues facing our world at one of MRDF's Make your mark conferences this summer.