Oxfam at the G20

Campaigns and Advocacy, Media Releases, News article written on the 13 Nov 2014

  

Oxfam will be in Brisbane and commenting on issues, including the following –

  • Inequality – Oxfam is calling on the G20 to address inequality in the Brisbane Action Plan. Inequality is a serious and growing global problem that affects the pace and sustainability of economic growth and derails poverty alleviation.
  • Global tax reform – essential to solving the problem of inequality is a review of global rules to tax multinational corporations.  The G20 must be willing to go beyond the current OECD-led process, and fundamentally re-write global tax rules, tackling the tough issues that matter to developing countries
  • Gender equality – Across G20 countries and beyond, women are paid less than men, do most of the unpaid labour, are over-represented in part-time work, and are discriminated against in the household, in markets and in institutions.  The G20 must show a commitment to women’s rights and gender equality if the outcomes from the summit are to support a truly inclusive growth model.
  • The Ebola crisis – Oxfam is on the ground in West Africa working to stop the spread of Ebola, through community health and water sanitation and hygiene programs, and public communications to educate themselves on how to best protect themselves from catching the disease.  As major players on the world economic and political stages, G20 leaders have a crucial role to play in the global efforts to combat Ebola in West Africa

OXFAM SPOKESPEOPLE:

Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of Oxfam International; Dr Helen Szoke, Chief Executive of Oxfam Australia; Steve Price-Thomas, Oxfam International G20 Director; Susana Ruiz, Oxfam International inequality and tax policy advisor (Spanish and French spoken); Meryem Aslan – Turkish media

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

WEDNESDAY 12 NOVEMBER

Release of Media Brief:  Turn The Tide – new figures released on the wealth disparity in G20 countries and analysis of global tax reform

THURSDAY 13 NOVEMBER

Release on the economic cost of the Ebola crisis.

FRIDAY 14 NOVEMBER

9am – Media Opportunity – Riverside Drive, West End.

Surf’s rising!  And so is inequality …

Abbott, Obama, Merkel and other G20 leaders can stop the wave of inequality and save lives:

Patrolling the ‘beach’ will be people dressed as seven of the leaders – with oversize fibreglass heads and wearing red and gold lifeguard outfits and caps – with floaties and red flags that read – ‘Warning – Inequality Rising’. The leaders represented will be Prime Minister Tony Abbott, British Prime Minister David Cameron, US President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and South African President Jacob Zuma.

SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER

7.45am, G20 Media Centre – Joint press conference with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) – Speakers will be OECD’s G20 Sherpa Gabriela Ramos, ITUC’s General Secretary Sharan Burrows, and Oxfam International’s Executive Director Winnie Byanyima.

Please contact Laurelle Keough on 0425 701 801 or laurellek@oxfam.org.au; Angus Hohenboken on 0428 367 318 or angush@oxfam.org.au; from 14 Nov 2014: Caroline Hooper-Box on +1 202 321 2967 +61 400 540 704 or caroline.hooper-box@oxfaminternational.org