Making a safer world through elimination of poverty

This article is a reprint from The Patriot-News.

By Abbey Fisher, local organizer for Jubilee USA
October17, 2008

As Congress and the presidential candidates address the financial crisis that faces the country, we must not lose sight of the world beyond our borders. The recent failures on Wall Street are clearly reflected in rising panic abroad, coupled with the steep rise in food prices that started over a year ago.
There are tough times everywhere -- and our national problems are having a devastating effect on the poorest of the poor globally.

This weekend, Pennsylvanians will join with millions of people around the world as they participate in the United Nations Millennium Campaign's STAND UP Against Poverty, the largest international mobilization against poverty in history. Eight events will take place in the Keystone State, including Harrisburg at 2 p.m. Saturday in front of the library on Penn State Harrisburg Campus.

One of the best ways to fight poverty worldwide is through debt relief. It may seem odd to advocate for debt relief abroad while we have so much economic turmoil here at home, but the value of our leadership in the world is not measured by how we deal with protecting the riches of our wealthy, but rather how we address the needs of the most vulnerable.

Pennsylvanians are some of the most decent and compassionate people in the world. That is why I am confident that the people of our state have the ability to reflect on our role in the world, even though we face tough financial times at home.

In times of crisis and instability, we must keep in mind that the greatest impacts are always borne by the least powerful and least fortunate. Debt cancellation is a critical part of the equation when considering ways to end hunger and extreme poverty around the world. Canceling the debts of the most impoverished nations around the world is crucial so these countries can redirect funds to desperately needed investments in education, health care and clean water for their citizens.

We know that debt cancellation works. The government of Zambia used proceeds of debt relief to end user fees for rural health clinics, ensuring that medical care and prescription drugs are free and available for all. In Tanzania, debt cancellation has enabled 2 million children to attend school, including many girls who were not previously able to do so.

A safer and more stable world for our children and grandchildren could be achieved through passage of legislation authored by our own U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr., The Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation calls for a $100 million annual investment in debt cancellation over the next decade -- a tiny fraction of 1 percent of the billions spent to rescue the U.S. financial system.

We need a leader in the White House who can restore confidence in the United States' economy and promote economic justice and dignity for billions of people around the world. Regardless of who wins next month's presidential election, it is essential that he put our financial house in order at home while reasserting international leadership for a world of human rights and genuine security by addressing the scourge of global poverty. ONE OF THE MOST critical decisions made by the next president of the United States will be the selection of the next treasury secretary, who will not only manage the U.S. economy but also play an important role on the president's foreign policy team by helping ensure fair economic policies for impoverished countries around the world.

The most effective and highly regarded U.S. foreign policies are those which help alleviate hunger and poverty. Hundreds of millions of lives have been saved by U.S. humanitarian assistance. Debt cancellation for the world's most impoverished countries is an essential part of this important mission.
Jubilee USA, an alliance that focuses on debt cancellation as a tool to fight poverty and injustice around the world, has begun a petition drive calling on both presidential candidates to prioritize these issues as part of its "Picture New Leadership" campaign. To learn more, or to sign the petition, visit www.jubileeusa.org.

Economic prosperity and opportunity for the poor is the most promising path to political freedom and security, and the most effective way to elevate America's reputation around the world.