- ATD Fourth World

In May 2006, human rights defenders from four continents, and from diverse social backgrounds, met in Montreal. Reviewing the results of a wide consultation with NGOs, trade unions, United Nations Member States and specialized agencies, they followed up on a UN General Assembly Resolution aimed at widening the impact of October 17th, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
They invite all those striving for peace and justice to support this call to action.

 We are in solidarity with all those who are fighting throughout the world to eliminate extreme poverty.
 We want to contribute to promoting respect for the dignity of all people, and their effective access to human rights.
 We want to join efforts to enable those living in extreme poverty and exclusion to participate fully in their societies, including the commemoration of October 17th, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
 We ask all members of civil society, local and national authorities, and the United Nations to:

• Consider those in extreme poverty as the first to take action in the fight against poverty;
• Ensure that people living in poverty fully participate in the development, implementation and evaluation of policies and programmes that concern them and that are inspired by a commitment to a world without poverty - a world where the rights to family life, decent work, social, cultural and political participation are respected;
• Support events organized each October 17th to ensure that the participation of people with direct experience of poverty be at the heart of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty;
• Participate in an ongoing, long-term dialogue with people who, in refusing to accept extreme poverty, are building peace.

This appeal is launched by:

Diego Arizala, Colombia; Micheline Belisle, Collective for a poverty-free Quebec, (Qc) Canada; Évelyne Boisvert-Beauregard, Youth Organizer, Canada; Jean Bouchard, Canada; Brigitte Bourcier, France; Eugen Brand, Director General, ATD Fourth World; Joan F. Burke, SNDdeN., Chair, NGO Commettee on Social Development, CONGO, New York, USA; Silvio Campana Zegarra, Ombudsman, Cusco, Peru; Virginie Charvon, France; Bruno Couder, Deputy Director General, ATD Quart Monde; Jean-Michel Defromont, France; Susie Devins, Deputy Director General ATD Fourth World; Lillo Di Pasquale, Switzerland; Gabrielle Erpicum, France; Ben Fehsenfeld, Tapori (Children’s Branch ATD Fourth World); France Fournier, (Qc) Canada; Daniel Genevois, Amnesty International France, France; Philippe Hamel, Burkina Faso; Claude Heyberger, France; Mark Hogan, Director of Saint Vincent’s Trust, Ireland; Ivy Hollandais, Mauritius; Betty Johnson, Philippines; Louis Join-Lambert, Germany; Fidelma Joyce, Policy liaison officer, Combat Poverty Agency Ireland; Urs Kehl, Canada Bernadette Lang, Canada; Bérengère Le Sonneur, James Leblanc, Canada; Renée Lefevbre, France; Corine L’Enflé, Teacher Mauritius; Nina Lim Yuson, President ATD Fourth World; David Lockwood, Haïti; Bert Luyts, Belguim; André Martel, (Qc) Canada; Lissette Martel, Canada; Franck Mathieu, Journal Résistances, France; Tomasz Medynski, Poland; Monique Morval, Canada; Bertha Moshi, Teacher, Tanzania; Sarah Ortega, Philippines; Titinga Frédéric Pacéré, Lawyer, International Criminal Tribunal (Arusha, Tanzania), Writer; Cristiana Peruzzo, Italy; Jacques Petidor, Informal education technician, Ministry of Education, Haïti; François Phliponeau, France; Joseph Larcher (Ricarl) Pierre-Louis, President of Anouska Village, Mauritius; Grazyna Pisarczyk, Director of Social Services, Kielce, Pologne; Julian Quispe Durand, Peru; Benoit and Véronique Reboul-Salze, Canada; Huguette Redegeld, Vice-President, ATD Fourth World; Fabienne Renou, France; Carolyn Rogers, Saskatoon Anti-Poverty Coalition, (Sk) Canada; Hélène Rozet, France; Guy Ryder, International Confédération of Free Trade Unions; Vicki Soanes, New Zealand; Rosanna Sta Ana, Philippines; Aimée Turcotte, Community Organiser, (Qc) Canada; Marco Ugarte, Vice-President, ATD Fourth World; Alberto Ugarte Delgado, Peru; Cassam Uteem, Former President of Mauritius; Mieke Van Dyck, Haïti; Thierry Viard, France; Laurence Vilain, Canada; Stuart Williams, Ireland.

A secretariat for this appeal is located at
ATD Quart Monde
95480 • Pierrelaye • France

www.atd-fourthworld.org

This appeal can be signed up until the 17th October 2007. It will be submitted to the United Nations and made public on the 17th October 2007