October, 06 2009, 01:58pm EDT
Annual Fall Meetings Begin: Criticism Continues to Mount Towards World Bank/IMF Policies
Africa Action calls for Reform, Greater Civil Society Participation
WASHINGTON
As the World Bank and International Monetary Fund meet in Istanbul,
Turkey for their Annual Fall 2009 meetings, the 5th Annual Southern
Africa Social Forum (SASF) begins in Maseru, Lesotho. Activists and
civil society leaders will convene in Lesotho to discuss under the
theme of "Southern Africa peoples Unity against Economic crisis and Oppression."
Africa Action notes that the timing of SASF is meant to indicate civil
society voices objecting to macroeconomic policies prescribed by the
IMF that hurt, not help, the economies in developing nations.
Gerald LeMelle, Executive Director of Africa Action said, "While
international financial institutions might prefer to drown out African
voices, civil society is loud and clear. There are campaigns on the
ground that continue to voice objections to policies that undermine the
fight against poverty."
He adds, "A long-term poverty reduction strategy must take into account the needs of poor people, not the interests of rich countries."
According to Jubilee Debt Campaign UK, in 2009 and 2010, developing
countries will spend approximately $806 billion in debt repayments.
"Developing countries need to have expanded space and flexibility to
design and implement counter-cynical policies, including social safety
nets. In the midst of a global economic crisis, the IMF is still
prescribing perverse pro- cynical policies," said Michael Stulman, Associate Director for Policy and Communications.
He also adds, "If we are to avoid a new debt crisis, than there
must be greater reform in the IMF. International financial institutions
should restructure to reflect the changing global economy. This would
mean greater transparency and a more robust, credible, public, and
inclusive loaning process."
Africa Action endorses the SASF, which is expected to bring together
thousands of participants from community-based groups, social movements
and civil society organizations.
For more information on the SASF, visit https://www.ejnl.org.ls/sasf.htm
For more information on Africa Action's Campaign to Cancel Africa's Debt, go to https://www.africaaction.org/debt.
Africa Action is a national organization that works for political, economic and social justice in Africa. Through the provision of accessible information and analysis combined with the mobilization of public pressure we work to change the policies and policy-making processes of U.S. and multinational institutions toward Africa. The work of Africa Action is grounded in the history and purpose of its predecessor organizations, the American Committee on Africa (ACOA), The Africa Fund, and the Africa Policy Information Center (APIC), which have fought for freedom and justice in Africa since 1953. Continuing this tradition, Africa Action seeks to re-shape U.S. policy toward African countries.
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The top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee on Monday released
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The think tank leader tore into arguments against universal free meals for kids, declaring that "hiving off a tiny part of the public school bundle and charging a means-tested fee for it is extremely stupid."
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"Indeed, this is actually the case for the welfare state as whole, not just child benefits," the expert emphasized, explaining that like older adults and those with disabilities, children cannot and should not work, which "makes it impossible to receive personal labor income, meaning that some other non-labor income system is required."
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As Nora De La Cour reported Sunday for Jacobin: "The fight for school meals traces its roots all the way back to maternalist Progressive Era efforts to shield children and workers from the ravages of unregulated capitalism. In her bookThe Labor of Lunch: Why We Need Real Food and Real Jobs in American Public Schools, Jennifer Gaddis describes how early school lunch crusaders envisioned meal programs that would be integral to schools' educational missions, immersing students in hands-on learning about nutrition, gardening, food preparation, and home economics. Staffed by duly compensated professionals, these programs would collectivize and elevate care work, making it possible for mothers of all economic classes to efficiently nourish their young."
Now, families who experienced the positive impact of the pandemic-era program want more from the federal government.
"When schools adopt universal meals through community eligibility or another program, we see improvements in students' academic performance, behavior, attendance, and psychosocial functioning," wrote De La Cour, whose reporting also includes parent and cafeteria worker perspectives. "Above all, the implementation of universal meals causes meal participation to shoot up, demonstrating that the need far exceeds the number of kids who are able to get certified."
Crystal FitzSimons, director of school-based programs at the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), told Jacobin, "There is a feeling that we can't go back."
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