SANA'A* Oct. 19 ? In line with the Global Campaign Against Poverty (GCAP) celebration of International Day for Poverty Eradication celebrated between 17 and 19 October this year* the Yemeni Coalition for the Global Campaign Against Poverty (YCGCAP) held an awareness campaign on the television and radio* as well as organized a festival at Sabeen Park in Sana'a last Saturday. The YCGCAP-organized event aimed at raising awareness about poverty in Yemen* and educating decision makers on the urgency of creating projects to eradicate poverty in Yemen.Over 40 percent of the Yemeni population lives under the upper poverty line and the number of no less than 35 percent of children in Yemen are malnourished. Globally* 50*000 people in poor countries die every day from poverty and over one billion children are severely deprived from primary education in the developing world.The YCGCAP coordinated awareness symposiums on the radio* brochures distribution and interviews with decision makers in government* and stressed the need for partnership with the Yemeni government to draw effective strategies and national policies to alleviate poverty in the country. The YCGCAP has reached an agreement with Parliament to increase the transparency of managing loans and grants* and to include partnership with civil society when approving national budgets and plans in Parliament.The festival at Sabeen Park on Saturday was attended by Yemeni Minister of Trade and Commerce Yahya Al-Mutawakel as well as many civil society organizations and development organizations working in Yemen.In his key note speech* Al-Mutawakel called on civil society organizations and the private sector to work with the government to implement its five-year Poverty Reduction Strategy. During the event* representatives of various disadvantaged groups in Yemeni society presented a session in which they conveyed their concerns and explained how poverty increases their suffering. Participants from the handicap qualifying center demonstrated their concerns through a sketch* while other marginalized poverty-stricken Yemenis recited moving poems to describe their living conditions. Representatives from the Cancer Association presented a report indicating the direct correlation between poverty and cancer.The Yemeni Coalition for the Global Campaign Against PovertyYCGCAP was established in May 2005 and today consists of 84 associations and organizations. At the latest event for International Day for Poverty Eradication* 187 different organization and association participated.The coalition* which lobbies for the support of the private and public sectors in alleviating poverty in Yemen* sent Yemenis* on International Day for Poverty Eradication this year* an educational SMS via Yemen Mobile saying "Poverty is the enemy of humanity." ?The activities of the coalition come in response to increasing poverty in Yemen and around the world*" said Mohammed Al-Haimi* executive manager of the Civil Society Organizations Network* which is working closely with YCGCAP.He added that the coalition advocates for Yemen's case to convey the voices of its poor to world leaders in an attempt to pressurize rich countries to cancel Yemen's debts.Yahya Al-Dab'a* coordinator of the coalition* commented that these efforts aimed at helping Yemen realize the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).According to Ali Al-Barmaki* deputy of the Civil Society Organizations Network* they and YCGCAP are working with government on a five plan strategy for poverty reduction that includes realizing the MDGs* good governance* justice in resource distribution* gender equality* education for all* health for all and the cancellation of Yemen?s debts.As for the means to achieving these goals* Al-Barmaki said that civil society organizations lobbied the various embassies in Yemen through e-mail* conferences and symposiums to ensure that the voice of the poor reaches the ears of world leaders. As a result of such lobbying* Japan and Russia has canceled Yemen's debts and the United States has promised to reschedule Yemen's debts....

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