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WITH CRISIS, WILL THERE BE PROGRESS?
By John Sayer
When the credit crisis in the United
are cut, international trade reduced,
Tsang, included plans to introduce
of our campaigns, or as a reader of
States first made the world news in
and funding for basic services stops.
legislation on a statutory minimum
O.N.E e-magazine. Oxfam hopes to
July last year, few anticipated that
Poor people there will suffer in terms of
wage. We hope that this will form part
engage you further and deeper, and in
it would become a major economic
their jobs, livelihoods, and their access
of a well-integrated social welfare and
a more sustainable way. Please read on,
crisis with global impact. Now, more
to health care, welfare services, and
job creation package befitting a mature,
stay posted, subscribe, and we welcome
than a year later, the world is facing
education. In Hong Kong, too, poor
urban society. Experience in many
you to tell us what you think.
a significant economic recession. How
people are being hit by the crises: in the
countries has shown that protection
If there is any good to come out
deep and broad it will be, we can not
last edition of O.N.E, for example, we
of poor people in periods of economic
of these crises, it is that we have an
know for sure, but many predict it will
reported how people are trying to save
difficulty is effective in maintaining
unprecedented opportunity to reshape
be the most serious recession in living
money by changing their food habits,
social stability and equipping society
the rules and institutions that guide
memory.
such as eating two not three meals a
for a speedy recovery. Oxfam would
the international economy. Oxfam
day, and buying soon-to-expire food.
actively oppose any reduction of basic
adds its voice to those who suggest
poor people in developing countries
Oxfam Hong Kong believes that
Oxfam has been working for many
social services and welfare provision: in
that we can use this period of global
should not be the ones to suf fer
years to advocate a pro-poor public
hard times, these services will be more
re-engineering to ensure that the
disproportionately from this crisis that
policy in Hong Kong that addresses the
important than ever.
new economic regulations can combat
has by and large been created by those
situation of the most vulnerable groups.
Poverty is wrong. There is no reason
climate change and reduce poverty,
with financial power in developed
We are among the first civil groups to
that we should let it persist anywhere:
just as they ensure stable financial and
countries. We are extremely concerned
urge the government to acknowledge
it is caused by human inaction, and
economic systems. If this can be an
that this will be the case. The economic
the rights of people who have a job but
we have the resources and knowledge
outcome of these difficult times, then
crisis comes on top of the food price
remain in poverty. At present, Hong
to eradicate it. Oxfam Hong Kong
we will surely emerge from them with
crisis and the energy price surge,
Kong’s “employed poor” – or workers
will redouble its efforts to work with
some genuine human progress.
and poor people are at great risk of
earning under HK$5,000 a month –
people in different parts of the world
In the current economic climate,
becoming even poorer.
amount to 506,300 people, or 14.3 per
to reduce poverty and demand justice.
MORE THAN EVER, we need to help
cent of the working population.
In this past year alone, our programmes
those with less than ourselves.
Past experience has shown us that people living in poverty, and at the
Ox fam has also been vocal in
reached 30 countries, including right
edge of poverty, are hardest hit. The
advocating a universal minimum wage
here in Hong Kong, where 18 per cent
economic crisis is bound to affect
in Hong Kong, and we are very pleased
of the population is poor.
developing countries, especially if
that the October 2008 Policy Address by
You may be reading this message
overseas aid and foreign investments
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, Donald
now as a donor, a volunteer, a supporter
John Sayer is the Director General of Oxfam Hong Kong.
ONE S