World Development Movement
Encyclopedia
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
which campaigns on issues of global justice
Global justice
Global justice is an issue in political philosophy arising from the concern that the world at large is unjust.-Context:The broader philosophical context of the global justice debate, in both its contemporary and historical forms, is the issue of impartiality...
and development in the Global South.
Key to WDM’s mission is to promote democratic alternatives, enliven public debate and attract more members of the public to issues.
It aims to:
- Secure important policy change at national, European and international levels – with especial regard to water justiceWater privatizationWater privatization is a short-hand for private sector participation in the provision of water services and sanitation, although sometimes it refers to privatization and sale of water resources themselves . As water services are seen as such a key public service, water privatization is often...
issues; the conditionConditionalityConditionality is a concept in international development, political economy and international relations and describes the use of conditions attached to a loan, debt relief, bilateral aid or membership of international organizations, typically by the international financial institutions, regional...
s attached by the International Monetary FundInternational Monetary FundThe International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
and World BankWorld BankThe World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
to debt reliefDebt reliefDebt relief is the partial or total forgiveness of debt, or the slowing or stopping of debt growth, owed by individuals, corporations, or nations. From antiquity through the 19th century, it refers to domestic debts, in particular agricultural debts and freeing of debt slaves...
.
- Enhance, enlarge and inform the global justice movementGlobal Justice MovementThe Global Justice Movement is a network or constellation of globalized social movements opposing what is often known as the “corporate globalization” and promoting equal distribution of economic resources.-Movement of movements:...
through strengthening links between the UK and developing countries.
- Raise public awareness in the UK of the need for fundamental change – from the individual level to those of supra-national institutions.
WDM has a network of local groups as well as individual members, and an office in Edinburgh from which WDM Scotland is run.. It participates in international networks such as the Our World is Not for Sale network on trade and corporate globalisation, and the World Social Forum
World Social Forum
The World Social Forum is an annual meeting of civil society organizations, first held in Brazil, which offers a self-conscious effort to develop an alternative future through the championing of counter-hegemonic globalization...
.
History
WDM started in 1969 as 'Action for World Development' (AWD). Many people who were involved in collecting one million signatures on a petition about world development had seen the need for political campaigning which charity law restricted development charities from undertaking. AWD was formally launched by aid agencies such as Oxfam and Christian Aid, and by churches.WDM, formed in 1970, extended the work of AWD but as a separate body with its own member groups to decide its policies and priorities. WDM's constitution was subsequently changed to allow individuals as well as local groups to become members.
WDM has an associated charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
, the WDM Trust, which funds WDM’s charitable activities.
WDM was a co-founder of the Fairtrade Foundation in 1992, Jubilee 2000
Jubilee 2000
Jubilee 2000 was an international coalition movement in over 40 countries that called for cancellation of third world debt by the year 2000. This movement coincided with the Great Jubilee, the celebration of the year 2000 in the Catholic Church...
in 1997, the Trade Justice Movement
Trade Justice Movement
The Trade Justice Movement is a British coalition, founded in 2000, of more than 80 organizations campaigning for trade justice.The coalition has a particular focus on UK and EU trade policies...
in 2000, and the 2005 anti-poverty mobilisation Make Poverty History
Make Poverty History
Make Poverty History is the name of a campaign that exists in a number of countries, including Australia, Canada, Denmark , Finland, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Romania, the United Arab Emirates, Great Britain and Ireland...
.
In late 2006, WDM moved its London offices from Brixton to new premises at 66 Offley Road in Kennington, London.
Climate change
The World Development Movement has stated that plans for a new coal power plant are completely incompatible with plans to tackle climate changeClimate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
.
External links
- World Development Movement
- WDM's flickr photostream
- Trade Justice Movement
- Who Should I Cheer For? - the WDM's spin on the 2006 World Cup
- Development Ratings Research and recommendations on development charities.