Thread: The World Development Movement

http://www.wdm.org.uk/


The World Development Movement (WDM) tackles the underlying causes of poverty. We lobby decision makers to change the policies that keep people poor. We research and promote positive alternatives. We work alongside people in the developing world who are standing up to injustice.
The world has the wealth and means to end poverty. Yet nearly half of the world's population live on less than £1.40 a day. And over 11 million children will die from poverty-related illness this year alone.
Policies of governments and companies are keeping people poor. Policies that ensure global trade benefits the rich, not the poor.The three richest men in the world are wealthier than the 48 poorest countries combined. Policies that give increasing power to multinational companies. For every £1 of aid going into poor countries, multinationals take 66p of profits out.
The powerful are exploiting the poor to make bigger and bigger profits. Unless we challenge them, we are allowing this injustice to continue. In rich countries like Britain, decisions are made which can make or break the lives of the poor. We can influence those decisions. That's why our action matters so much.
WDM campaigns against the root causes
of poverty
We lobby decision-makers to stop policies that hurt the world’s poor. We research and develop new, positive policy options that support sustainable development.
WDM challenges the powerful
We mobilise consumers, shareholders and governments to hold multinational companies accountable for abuses of power. We are lobbing for reform of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). We support people in the developing world who are standing up to injustice.
WDM changes agendas
After years of campaigning, debt cancellation is now on the international agenda. WDM’s High Court victory over the Government stopped British aid budgets being used to support the arms trade instead of the poor. These are just two examples of WDM's campaign successes.
Read our Annual Review for 2004
How WDM works

Founded in 1970, WDM is a democratic movement of individual supporters, campaigners and local groups. Much of our work is in partnership with other organisations in the UK and around the world.

WDM produces a range of campaign resources to inform
the public and lobby decision-makers. And we send our supporters and local groups regular mailings with campaign actions to take and our quarterly magazine Action.

WDM has an active network of local groups across the UK. We have offices, in London and Edinburgh, staffed by professional campaigners and volunteers. The direction of WDM's work is decided by our elected Council.
Two thirds of WDM's income is provided by donations from our supporters. We also receive funding from grant-making bodies and trusts. The World Development Movement Trust is WDM's associated charity that provides funds for WDM's research and education on the causes of poverty and possible solutions.
You can help win real and lasting change for the world's poorest people by supporting WDM. You'll be part of an active network of supporters, groups and campaigners, who all want a fairer world. We're a small organisation that gets big results. And we can only do it with the support of people like you.

Good Read.