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FIGHTING GLOBAL POVERTY

War on Want Annual Review 2009 Vision Aworldfreefrompovertyandoppression,based onsocialjustice,equalityandhumanrightsforall.

Mission Tofightglobalpovertybyworkinginpartnership andsolidaritywithpeoplearoundtheworld,and bycampaigningagainsttherootcausesofpoverty, inequalityandinjustice. Greeting from the Executive Director

We are living through a time of profound Our campaign against sweatshops was turmoil for the global economy. Millions of honoured at the 2008 RE:Fashion awards people around the world are threatened in November, while our joint work with with unemployment and increased poverty to expose the exploitation as a result of the economic downturn. It is of garment workers in won the poorest who are most vulnerable at the prestigious One World Press Award this time, and they need our solidarity in June. more than ever. War on Want’s careful management of This is why War on Want’s work has never its finances means that we are in a strong been more important than it is today. position to withstand the economic Our overseas partners provide essential downturn. War on Want is extremely support for workers and communities fortunate to have a solid body of members, fighting against the structures which donors and supporters who know the condemn them to poverty. The following importance of our long-term commitment pages tell the inspiring stories of women to the people of the developing world. and men who give everything they have I know how passionately you feel about in the struggle for a better world. the work we do, and I thank you for your continuing support. War on Want also challenges the root causes of global poverty, and this year we The following pages tell of the have launched two major new campaigns achievements which your generosity for economic justice. At the same time, has made possible. We know that the we continue to stand in solidarity with coming months will bring new challenges our partners living under occupation in to our partners in developing countries, Palestine, and Iraq. This and we will renew our commitment to report highlights the victories that these them in these difficult times. War on campaigns have won this year, as well as Want will continue to work towards the challenges that still remain. its vision of a world free from poverty and oppression, based on social justice, As a result of our successes, War on equality and human rights for all. Want’s work has been honoured with a number of awards. We were thrilled John Hilary to be shortlisted as one of the Most Executive Director,War onWant Admired Charities of 2008 in the Third Sector annual awards ceremony – an amazing achievement to make the top five of a total 190,000 charities from all sectors in England and Wales.

OverseasWork WaronWant’sapproachto fightingpovertyisrootedin soldarity.Weworkdirectlywith grassrootsorganisationsinthe developingworldonthefront lineinthestruggleagainstglobal povertyandinjustice.Ourview isthatorganisationsonthe ground–tradeunions,farming collectives,socialmovements –arebestplacedtoempower communitieslivinginpoverty. In2008wesupported31partner organisationsin14countries aroundtheworld. Conflict Zones

Fighting poverty under fire

War on Want supports social movements, that prop up the Israeli occupation and labour groups and grassroots activists violate Palestinian rights. working in places of conflict and violence. In Colombia, Iraq and Palestine our Palenque el Congal is a social movement partners risk their lives to defend the representing Afro-Colombians, one of rights of the most vulnerable and the poorest communities in Colombia. marginalised people. With the support of Irish Aid, we have helped Palenque mobilise these The massacre in Gaza at the start of communities against the illegal seizure 2009 has yet again shown the world of their land by armed groups. the true horror of living under siege. Our partner Stop the Wall has mobilised In Iraq, we have supported the Iraqi activists in Palestine and around the Federation of Oil Unions’ tireless world against the illegal occupation campaign to stop the passage of the of the Occupied . unpopular oil privatisation law, which The group organises communities to would see the country’s oil being sold resist illegal house demolitions and off to multinational companies. Despite land confiscations by Israeli forces. the huge risks involved, the union has signed up thousands of new members Stop the Wall is also an organiser of the in the past year, and now represents international Boycott, Divestment and 30,000 oil workers in southern Iraq. Sanctions campaign.This campaign has gained considerable support in the last year as a means to stop governments and businesses entering into trade deals Sweatshops and Plantations

Standing up for the rights of sweatshop workers

As the global economy goes into in the country. The NGWF provides a meltdown, War on Want’s partner range of services to workers, including organisations are on the front line legal counselling to activists who have defending the rights of sweatshop and been imprisoned for their trade union plantation workers. These workers are activities. War on Want and the NGWF vital to the world economy but struggle jointly commissioned research on the to survive on poverty wages, working conditions facing workers in the factories excessively long hours in unsafe conditions. and sweatshops supplying top UK retailers Tesco, Asda and Primark.This research Our partner the Asia Monitor Resource formed the basis for our acclaimed report Centre supports grassroots organisations FashionVictims II, which was released in formed by Chinese migrant workers December 2008. who are organising in defence of their rights despite state repression. These Our support for the women’s organisation organisations have successfully pushed Colectiva de Mujeres Hondureñas their agenda at a national level, and (Codemuh) has helped them challenge the brought the issue of lack of legal redress health and safety problems that are endemic for workers suffering from work-related in sweatshops in Honduras. As the leading illness or injury to a panel of government organisation on this issue, in March 2008 representatives and academics. Codemuh presented a proposal to the National Congress for the reform of the In Bangladesh the National Garment occupational health chapter of the country’s Workers’ Federation (NGWF) has outdated labour code. Codemuh has continued to help factory workers since secured the support of key decision producing for export to fight for their makers including the Labour Minister and rights, despite the state of emergency the president of the Supreme Court. Informal Economy

Struggling to live and work in Africa’s cities

Township residents, street vendors Using the Millennium Development and market traders continue to work Goals as its justification, the South African and live in unstable and insecure government has introduced the Slums conditions in major cities in Kenya, Act with the view to ‘eradicating’ all South Africa and Zambia. War on Want’s slums by 2014. Against this backdrop, partner organisations have advocated War on Want has expanded its informal for better access to housing and services economy programme by forming two for those living on the margins in these new partnerships with organisations that countries. A major challenge has been fight evictions among slum dwellers and the existence of repressive legislation council estate residents in South Africa’s dating back to colonial times which urban areas. makes it extremely difficult for poor people to live and work in urban areas. In South Africa’s Western Cape province, the Anti-Eviction Campaign In Kenya, War on Want started a has consistently called for adequate partnership at the beginning of 2008 public housing and a halt to the with the Kenya National Alliance of privatisation of public services. In Durban, Street Vendors and Informal Traders the Abahlali baseMjondolo movement has to support its efforts to change developed a sustained voice for shack legislation and introduce a licensing dwellers by mobilising them against system for street vendors. This work forced removals and for access to became even more urgent following education, health, water and electricity. the January election crisis, which War on Want is proud to be working had a severe impact on the small with both new partners and supporting businesses of street vendors. their vital campaigns. Food Justice

The real recipe needed to grow enough food

In a year when the world has been hit Oswaldo says the project,“has changed by the global food crisis, War on Want’s the way my family and other people in the partners have continued to work towards settlement do things. For example, we are ensuring that small-scale farmers are able now able to plan what we are going to to feed their families. We are working farm and reduce the costs to do this. with organisations in Brazil, , This means that we are able to produce South Africa and Mozambique that better quality food free from pesticides support farmers to develop organic and chemicals, at a price that the poorest farming techniques as an alternative to people can afford. intensive chemical farming, and advocate for policies that guarantee access to land, “Before we only used to grow beans, water, seeds and local markets. but now we are growing maize, cassava and peanuts as well, and we are also rearing pigs, Oswaldo Calodinao Leite is 35 years old. goats and cows. Before I used to buy all of He lives with wife Andrea and 12-year my food at market but now we only have to old daughter, Aline. Oswaldo and his family buy about 10% of our food from outside live in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, the settlement, because I am able to grow where there is a sustainable development much of my own food or exchange items project run by our partner organisation with my neighbours.” MST – the Landless People’s Movement. The project supported by War on Want War on Want is proud to support is helping families and the community Oswaldo and his family in their struggle to improve productivity and obtain to overcome poverty. higher yields through better organisation and planning.

Campaigns Insolidaritywithourglobal partners,wecampaign againstthegovernment policiesandcorporate practiceswhichkeep peopleinpoverty. In2008weexposedthe corporationswhichprofit fromwar,andchallenged riggedtraderuleswhich favourtherichatthe expenseofthepoor. Ourcampaignsshamed UKretailerssuppliedby sweatshops,andspoke outagainsttheIsraeli occupationofPalestine.

CorporationsGREETING FROM and Conflict THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Challenging the companies that profit from conflict

Our campaign on corporations and We have seen real success in our conflict exposes – and holds to account campaign to oppose the theft of Iraq’s – the companies that profit from war. oil by foreign companies. In solidarity In November 2008 we released our with Iraqi oil workers, we have helped groundbreaking report, Banking on stifle the US-sponsored oil law which Bloodshed, which uncovered for the would hand over control of Iraq’s first time the extent to which the five most valuable natural resources to main British high street banks support corporations such as Shell and BP. the arms trade, a deadly business which causes poverty and massive loss of life. War on Want stepped up its campaign work on Palestine in 2008, a year which War on Want has continued to marked the 60th anniversary of the take the lead on efforts to regulate ‘nakba’, or catastrophe, in which 750,000 corporate mercenaries, which are were forced from their responsible for some of the most homes prior to the creation of Israel. appalling human rights abuses in Iraq, We continued to take action against Afghanistan and other countries mired the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine, in conflict. Despite stiff opposition which is directly responsible for the from the government, we have extreme poverty and suffering of the made significant progress towards Palestinian people. We joined the implementing controls on the use international condemnation of Israel’s of mercenaries, as many MPs have brutal assault on Gaza at the end of joined our call for binding legislation 2008, and spoke out against the UK to bring private military companies government’s complicity in war crimes under democratic control. against the Palestinian people. Trade Justice andTax Dodging

Taking on the corporate trade attack

The global financial system is in a state In 2008 War on Want launched a new of crisis. While no country is immune to campaign to oppose unfair trade deals, the economic meltdown, those in the and is now one of the most active developing world will continue to suffer organisations working on this issue. the most. War on Want is at the forefront Our new campaign focuses on the of efforts to change the policies and EU’s ‘Global Europe’ strategy, which is institutions responsible for the current driven by the demands of European crisis. We are campaigning against unfair companies seeking access to new trade rules that benefit the rich at the markets around the world. expense of the poor, and leading the fight against corporate tax dodging. In April we released a first analysis of the EU’s trade strategy, exposing how Developing countries are robbed of up European trade policies have harmed to £250 billion annually through corporate workers in both the developing world tax dodging.Tax revenues provide critical and in Europe. Our joint actions with funding for public services such as health others in the global justice movement care and education. Recognising that tax prevented the damaging conclusion of can be a vital weapon in the fight against the WTO trade talks during 2008, a poverty, especially in times of recession, crucial victory for workers in the War on Want is dedicated to eliminating developing world. tax havens and is calling on governments to collect the billions in taxes owed by corporations. Supermarkets and Sweatshops

Exposing corporate exploitation of workers

War on Want continues to challenge factories still face gruelling hours, unsafe the companies which rely on sweatshop conditions and paltry wages. labour in overseas factories. In June 2008 we organised a rally outside the Our campaign to hold supermarkets flagship store of the retail chain Primark and clothing retailers to account for the to protest against the low wages and treatment of overseas workers has put deplorable conditions facing the overseas sweatshops firmly on the national agenda. workers who produce its clothes. We have generated significant media On the day Banana Republic opened its coverage on this issue, including a feature first European store in London, War on story on BBC’s Panorama programme. Want brought to the public’s attention the War on Want was particularly proud to sweatshops in India supplying the store. be recognised alongside Karen McVeigh At Tesco’s AGM, we confronted company of The Guardian by the One World Media CEO Terry Leahy on his company’s dismal Awards for documenting the exploitation record on workers’ rights. of Bangladeshi workers making clothing for top UK retailers. In December 2008 War on Want issued a follow-up report on the conditions and Recognising that the voluntary approach wages of Bangladeshi garment workers in of corporate social responsibility has the factories producing clothes for Tesco, failed to deliver meaningful change, Primark and Asda.The report showed War on Want has stepped up its pressure how two years since the release of on the UK government to regulate UK FashionVictims, our landmark report on supermarkets more closely and end the Bangladeshi sweatshops supplying top flagrant abuse of workers’ rights around UK retailers, garment workers in these the world. Making it happen!

The numbers opposite speak for In October, our ‘Childhood, Interrupted’ themselves. With a small team of truly photo exhibition in London showed committed and experienced staff, the lives of Mayan child labourers in we ensure that your support makes a Guatemala and how our partner genuine impact. War on Want pulls no organisation Conrado de la Cruz is punchesMAKINGITHAPPEN! in the fight against poverty and helping them transform their lives will always stay true to the people we with education and play. work with. Here are some of the ways in which we have communicated our We have also been successful in work and gained new support in 2008. securing new grants from trusts and foundations and have significantly In February, a fantastic line-up of stand increased our membership with up comedians entertained a packed various initiatives. London theatre to raise funds for our important work. In May, War on Want The main reason we can achieve hosted a launch for the release of what we do is you. Through regular The Shock Doctrine, the latest book , contributions to our appeals, by . This event, held as a campaign actions, attendance at events fundraiser for the Hands Off Iraqi Oil and demonstrations, we are able to campaign and our partners in Iraq, was help the poorest people to fight attended by hundreds of War on Want injustice and inequality and build supporters and generated discussion better lives for themselves. and media attention on the role of corporations in war. Thank you. War on Want in people

1 office

24membersofstaff

31overseaspartners

6,000regulargivers

12,000 campaigners

War on Want in numbers

Total Income £2,010,202

1 32

1 Donations and Legacies 2 Grant Funding 3 Other Sources £1,082,032 £861,965 £66,205

Total Expenditure £2,047,627

1 2 3 4

1 Programmes Expenditure 2 Campaigning Activity 3 4 Governance £1,165,362 £505,532 £317,226 £59,507

Figures for the year ended 31 March 2008 War on Want in the year ahead

Overseas work Campaigns work

War on Want will continue to develop Our campaigns will build on successes and strengthen its partnerships with from the past year. We will increase social movements and organisations in our pressure on the UK government the global South. to stop companies from exploiting overseas workers. War on Want will As part of our sweatshops and plantations also keep up its pressure on corporate programme area, we will work closely with tax dodgers, whose actions deprive the National Garment Workers’ Federation developing countries of vital funds for on producing new research on factory public services. conditions in Bangladesh. In Honduras, we will support our partner organisation Our corporations and conflict campaign Codemuh as it continues to push for will hold to account the companies labour reforms to ensure that the health which profit from war. As a leading voice and rights of workers are protected. in the movement to end the occupation War on Want will also support an of Palestine, we will continue to lobby international conference in Nairobi UK and EU governments to cease focusing on the campaign for a living their unconditional support for Israel. wage and fair working conditions in the We will also campaign in solidarity African cut flower sector. with the Saharawi people of Western Sahara in their struggle against the As part of our work in conflict zones, Moroccan occupation. we will help organise the first ever conference for Iraqi civil society, an Our achievements in 2008 were made event at which we will strengthen our possible by the support of members and existing ties and look to build new ones. supporters who wrote letters, signed In the coming year War on Want will action cards and attended rallies with us. continue to fight for food justice for We will have many more ways for you to poor farmers and landless people get involved in the fight for global justice around the world. in the year ahead.

Thankyouforyoursupportandgenerosity. Withoutyourcontributionswecouldnot helpthemillionsofpeoplethroughout theworldthatfightpovertyonadailybasis. Wewouldalsoliketothankthefollowing institutionsfortheirgeneroussupport: EuropeanUnion DepartmentforInternationalDevelopment ComicRelief Irish Aid IsleofManOverseasAidCommittee GuernseyOverseasAidCommission Prospect PCS Medicor Liechtenstein TheScurrahWainwrightCharity TheRowanCharitableTrust Thompsons Solicitors Yes,I want to support War on Want by becoming a member.

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