About Stand Up

Join millions worldwide to STAND UP and TAKE ACTION against Poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals.

Last year, over 43 million people Stood Up to demand that world leaders keep their promises to end poverty and inequality . This year, help us break that record and send an even louder message to our governments.

Join the global movement of people who refuse to stay seated or silent in the face of poverty and broken promises to end it!

STAND UP and TAKE ACTION against Poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals.

Why Stand Up?

In 2000, leaders of 189 countries signed the Millennium Declaration agreeing to do everything in their power to end poverty. They pledged to do this by achieving the Millennium Development Goals, a roadmap to end extreme poverty by 2015.

Still, every day, 50,000 people die as a result of extreme poverty and the gap between rich and poor people is increasing. Nearly half the world’s population live in poverty, 70% are women. We have the power to change this.

Campaigners worldwide will STAND UP and TAKE ACTION to push their governments for more and better aid, debt cancellation, education for all boys and girls, healthcare, trade justice, gender equality and public accountability.

What’s new?

If you Stood Up last year you’ll notice a few changes.

This year, to make sure more people can take part, we will Stand Up between October 17 – 19, as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty unfolds across the world.

We are also asking you to Take Action as part of your Stand Up event. This could mean sending letters to your government, organising teach-ins, distributing books or other educational materials, donating blood, planting trees or any number of other ways to contribute towards ending poverty and inequality.

About Take Action

Taking Action to end poverty and inequality and for the Millennium Development Goals is this year’s Stand Up call.

Below is a list of some suggested types of action that you can take as part of your Stand Up and Take Action event.

Some Suggested Actions

Hunger / Poverty Related

Child / Education Related

Health / Public Sanitation Related

Environmental Related

Actions / Activities aimed at petitions and communications / popular education

Formal Statements

Communication with wider audiences

Actions / Activities aimed at mass action / popular mobilization/dissent

Psychological Intervention

Get the full List of Actions

About the Campaign

The Millennium Campaign is an interagency initiative of the United Nations that supports citizens’ efforts to hold their governments to accountable for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals

Working in more than 30 countries, both rich and poor, the Campaign partners with a wide range of partners at the international and local level to inspire grassroots movements toward the achievement of the Goals.

Learn More

The Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) is a the largest civil society alliance, composed of trade unions, community groups, faith groups, women and youth organisations, NGOs and other campaigners working together against poverty and inequality.

The white band is our symbol and expression of solidarity against poverty.

Learn More

About the Millennium Development Goals

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight goals to be achieved by 2015 that respond to the world’s main development challenges. The MDGs are drawn from the actions and targets contained in the Millennium Declaration that was adopted by 191 member countries of the United Nations,during the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000.

This unprecedented global framework for development is a crucial step towards ending poverty and inequality.

However, at the halfway point to the 2015 deadline for the achievement of the Goals, we have seen some progress, but much more needs to be done. Urgent action must be taken by nations if they are to fulfill their promise to achieve the MDGs. Since agreeing to make the MDGs a key framework for international action and cooperation to reduce poverty, much progress has been made.

But despite the gains, no region in the world is on-track to achieve all of the Goals, and some regions are off-track on many of them. Uurgent action is needed to implement sound policies to achieve the Goals set in 2000, and deliver on the promise made to the world’s poor in the Millennium Declaration:

“We will spare no effort to free our fellow men, women and children from the abject and dehumanising conditions of extreme poverty, to which more than a billion of them are currently subjected”

The eight MDGs break down into 21 quantifiable targets that are measured by 60 indicators. The eight MDGs are:

  1. eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
  2. achieve universal primary education
  3. promote gender equality and empower women
  4. reduce child mortality
  5. improve maternal health
  6. combat HIV/AIDs, malaria and other diseases
  7. ensure environmental sustainability
  8. develop a global partnership for development

The MDGs:

Contact Us

Location Name Email
Global Mobilisation (UNMC) Mandy Kibel amanda.kibel@undp.org
Global Mobilisation (GCAP) Ben Margolis benmargolis@whiteband.org
Media (UNMC) Mandy Kibel amanda.kibel@undp.org
Media (GCAP) Ciara O'Sullivan ciara.osullivan@civicus.org
Other (UNMC) info@millenniumcampaign.org
Other (GCAP) info@whiteband.org
Website enquiries standup2008@standagainstpoverty.org

National and Regional Focal Points

Event organiser - counting instructions

Three things you need to know about reporting the number of participants for your event:

1 - Report your numbers on this website.

2 - Contact us if you have any problems with the website

  • For any problems related to adding your events or reporting event numbers on this website, send an email to standup2008@standagainstpoverty.org
  • Include your Event link, Event title and your Username in the email so that we can easily identify your event and resolve your problem

    • 3 - Contact your national or regional focal point for any other queries

    FAQ

    What is STAND UP and TAKE ACTION?

    STAND UP and TAKE ACTION is the third annual Stand Up mobilization coordinated by the Millennium Campaign and the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) to coincide with the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17.

    Stand Up is a massive global mobilization and advocacy efforts to put pressure on world leaders to take action on poverty and to meet and exceed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

    In 2006, for the first ever Stand Up mobilization, 23.5 million people Stood Up on one day in a massive and unique global call to action against poverty and inequality and set a new world record. In 2007, people in 127 countries took part in Stand Up and Speak Out and broke the record with a remarkable 43.7 million people taking part. In 2008, from October 17 – 19, people all over the world are called upon to Stand Up and Take Action against poverty and inequality and for the MDGs.

    The purpose of this action is to raise awareness of the (MDGs) and the root causes of poverty, and to publicly demonstrate to policy makers the growing global support for the achievement and exceeding of the MDGs and for the strengthening of development policies in both Northern and Southern countries.

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    Why do you want people to STAND UP and TAKE ACTION?

    As Nelson Mandela said “Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.” The act of Standing Up and Taking Action is a strong statement. We have shown that we can have a strong political impact by telling our leaders, and citizens around the world, that civil society is ready to mobilize in massive numbers to demand that there are no excuses for not achieving, and exceeding, the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. We also hope to keep expanding our campaign by uniting firmly all civil society actors in the fight against poverty and inequality.

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    How can I get involved?

    Either join an existing event or gather your friends, colleagues and family and create your own STAND UP and TAKE ACTION event. Download our event toolkit to find out how.

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    What time does the STAND UP and TAKE ACTION challenge start and finish?

    The STAND UP and TAKE ACTION challenge will take place from October 17 – October 19 in any local time zone.

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    My event falls out of this time slot, can it still be counted?

    Any events outside this time will not count for the world record, however of course, the action still counts! The STAND UP and TAKE ACTION challenge is part of a series of actions against poverty and inequality around October 17th so please let us know about your events so your initiative can be recorded as part of this wider mobilisation.

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    How can I organize my own event?

    1. Identify a local public space which is in a central location –town or village square, city hall, marketplace, park, school, office, university campus, etc.
    2. Decide on event theme: e.g. music concert, theatre group, dance performance, carnival, rap concert, street theater, film screening or just a simple gathering of friends, family and colleagues.
    3. Decide on who will lead the event. A person from within your group or a high profile person/celebrity from the community. They can be asked to be master of ceremonies at the event.
    4. Inform everyone via e-mail, letter, fliers, posters etc about this mobilization day. Invite them to come and join this global challenge.
    5. Where appropriate inform relevant local or national media that event is taking place.

    Download our event toolkit to find out more.

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    What happens at my event on Oct 17-19?

    The actual STAND UP and TAKE ACTION moment must be coordinated to take place at a suitable time during your event. The following steps should be taken:

    1. An event organiser, mayor, group leader, society president, CEO or other relevant figure (“an announcer”) will ask everyone gathered to come together and sit/kneel down.
    2. The announcer gives a brief explanation of the STAND UP and TAKE ACTION initiative. Why we are doing this: A world record attempt to STAND UP and TAKE ACTION against poverty and inequality, in support of the MDGs, for promises that must be kept to end poverty by 2015
    3. The announcer asks the gathered crowd to count down from ten with them and then at “0” everyone will STAND UP and TAKE ACTION together for one minute. (Disabled people can perform any appropriate action to show they are taking a stand or just be present).
    4. During this one minute the “announcer” or other appropriate figure may read the STAND UP and TAKE ACTION pledge on behalf of those gathered. The pledge will have space to include messages relevant to individual organizations holding these events.
    5. After the STAND UP and TAKE ACTION moment and the reading of the pledge the “announcer” informs the audience that “x” number of people have Stood Up at this event and their efforts will be logged as part of the record setting attempt and total numbers of people Standing Up around the world against poverty.
    6. After this the event can continue as scheduled. Although don’t forget to take pictures and register your numbers so that it is counted for the world record attempt!

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    I have an existing event on October 17, 18 or 19, can I still be involved in STAND UP?

    YES, the STAND UP and TAKE ACTION moment has been designed so that it can also be inserted into existing events that are already taking place.

    Some examples of this could be:

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    How do I register my event?

    Click here to register your event

    Click here to find full instructions on registering your event

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    What do I need to do for my STAND UP and TAKE ACTION event to be part of the World Record?

    All the action takes place within the period of October 17 – October 19 in your local time zone.

    In order to be counted, you will need to register your event before it takes place and then after the event make sure you record the number of people who Stood Up

    Final numbers need to be entered by 19:00GMT on October 20th. The website www.timeanddate.com can tell you how many hours you are ahead or behind GMT.

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    How can I be counted for the Guinness World Record attempt?

    If you are attending an existing event, you will automatically be counted and registered by event organizers. If you are organizing your own event you will need to register your STAND UP and TAKE ACTION numbers online for them to be counted.

    Numbers can be submitted by completing the registration form at the at www.standagainstpoverty.org website by 19h00GMT on October 20.

    Who’s involved in STAND UP?

    For the STAND UP and TAKE ACTION challenge partners will be joining forces across the world, including the Millenium Campaign, the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), and its national campaigns , trade unions, faith based groups, local governments, youth groups, Parliamentarians, sporting associations, media and other key actors. Most of all Stand Up is about individuals around the world Taking Action together.

    The STAND UP and TAKE ACTION challenge is designed to coincide with global mobilizations around the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

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    What support can we get if organizing an event?

    There are a range of materials available on the website for download at www.standagainstpoverty.org.

    These materials can be adapted and used for your event to produce posters, banners, T-Shirts, fliers, placards etc.

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    Can disabled people be included in the STAND UP and TAKE ACTION challenge?

    To ensure the inclusion of those not physically able to STAND UP and TAKE ACTION i.e. disabled people, a symbolic act of raising a hand, wearing a white band or holding up a banner with the “STAND UP and TAKE ACTION Against Poverty” message on it will also be counted. In these cases, rather than rising from a sitting position, symbolically “standing up” will also be taken to mean “taking a stand” against poverty.

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    Instructions for registering events on standagainstpoverty.org

    There are four steps to register events in the Stand Up and Take Action website, but first you have to create an account with the site.

    Creating an account with the website

    We would like you to create an account. This will allow us to keep record of your contacts and participation, giving you access to the website.

    To create an account:

    1. Click on the “Login to add events” button on the top right hand side
    2. Click on the option “Create new account”
    3. Enter a user name, email and password
    4. Press the “Create new account” button

    If you have an account:

    1. Click on “Login to add events” button
    2. Login with your email and password

    Once you can login, you get access to the Event Toolkit page where you can add new events and find all your registered events http://www.standagainstpoverty.org/en/event-toolkit

    Creating an event: the Event Toolkit

    First Step

    The first box is highlighted in green to show that your account has been activated. Go to “Resources” at the right side of your screen and download materials (posters, logos, guides) that you will need for your event. We would suggest you to contact us in case of any query about materials you can use to spread the word.

    Second Step : Before your event

    We need you to give us few details about your event (s) mainly concerning dates, hours, goals and description. Remember you can register more than one event, if you’re registering events for other partners, colleagues or friends.

    To add an event:

    1. Click on “Add your event,/a>”
    2. A form appears with areas numbered 1 to 3, there is also a side box on the right.
    3. Fill the fields in areas 1 and 2. Note that fields marked with a small red star (*) are compulsory and cannot be skipped. Remember to make sure your description includes enough information so that users can attend the event: include exact address, directions, etc.
    4. Once points 1 and 2 are completed, look on the right side of your screen and give complete information about your location, city, type of event and participants. Note that fields marked with a small red star (*)are compulsory and cannot be skipped. When you choose a region in the Location dropdown list, a new list will appear with countries in that region and then sub-regions of that country: you need to complete all the lists to ensure your event is correctly located on the Stand Up Map.
    5. You can add images for your event using the “Flickr upload” form at the bottom of the right-hand box. Images will be uploaded on the Stand Up website, but also on Flickr, after you’ve saved your event
    6. Once you’ve completed all the information, press the “Submit” button at the bottom of the page Note that the third area is for recording the numbers of people who attended after your event, so you don’t need to fill this in at this point.

    You will be able to come back to the event later to add the number of people who actually attended.

    Third Step : At your event on October 17-19

    We are suggesting that all event participants stand for 1 minute during the event and that you estimate their number and capture the event on videos, audio and photos.

    If you want to update your event details, or upload photographs you can do so now.

    1. Come back to the website Standagainstpoverty.org and login;
    2. Go to the Step 3 – click on “Find your event”. A new page will open showing the events you have recorded.
    3. Clicking on your event’s title and a new page will open with your event’s information.
    4. Click on the “Edit” link just under the event title to modify your event’s details or to load new images to the website and Flickr (the page works just like the page for creating a new event)

    Fourth Step : Immediately after the event

    The most important step is to record the numbers immediately after your event. The deadline for submitting your numbers is 19:00GMT on October 20th

    1. Come back to the website Standagainstpoverty.org and login;
    2. Go to the Step 4 – click on “Record your numbers”
    3. Find your event and click on it
    4. Click on the “Record” link just under the event title to record the number of participants
    5. Provide us with the number of people participating. Enter the number or your estimation twice and click on the small tick-box below to certify that the number you have entered is correct
    6. Press the “Submit” button below

    You can also add more images to your event after you’ve by following the same procedure outlined above.

    If you have any questions about these steps or need any other help with the website, please contact info@whiteband.org