The UK supports the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) and in December 2004, the UK launched their Make Poverty History (MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY) campaign for 2005. It was just one of 84 national coalitions calling for a breakthrough on poverty in 2005. The UK campaign grew rapidly, representing over 540 organisations and after just 6 months, 87% of the UK population knew about the campaign. MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY in 2005 has inspired a generation and has demonstrated progress through democracy.

The fight to make poverty history still continues but the way things are organised in 2006 is different from that of 2005 with collective campaigning no longer being carried out under the central entity MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY. Instead, core networks form the driving force to coordinate and support ongoing campaigns against global poverty in the UK. The core coalitions and networks include:

• Trade Justice Movement
• Jubilee Debt Campaign
• UK Aid Network
• Stop AIDS
• British Overseas NGOs for Development (BOND)
• Trades Union Congress (TUC)

BOND supports all MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY licensees and is responsible for ensuring the UK is appropriately represented in GCAP.

The call to MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY in 2005 has provided the momentum for change and the above core coalitions and networks will continue to pressure for the following public policy objectives in the UK:

• Trade Justice;
• Debt cancellation;
• More and better aid;
• Action to tackle HIV/AIDS.

Furthermore, the UK will be participating in the Month of Mobilisation, with a high profile action on Global White Band Day on 17 October 2006.