Campaigning for Macro-Policy Change: Jubilee 2000 Ann Pettifor 1. Overview

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1 Campaigning for Macro-Policy Change: Jubilee 2000 Ann Pettifor 1 Overview Organization: Jubilee 2000 Coalition Project Description: International campaign for international debt relief Issues: advocacy, campaigning, networking, mobilizing grassroots action Context In 1996 the year in which the Jubilee 2000 campaign began Third World debt was not only crippling the development of poorer countries, it was shifting that development into reverse. The people of Africa owed more in international debt than their annual income. The debts were the result of irresponsible lending, corrupt regimes kept in place by Cold War politics, rises in the price of oil and a global economic and trading system that favours powerful countries. Though they had little say in the decision to take out the debts and saw little benefit from them, it was the poor who were paying the price. The cost of servicing the debt led to cuts in health and education. Western development aid was flowing back to the West in debt repayments. And the remedies being imposed by the IMF and World Bank seemed to making things worse rather than better at least of the poor. Description The spark that led to the Jubilee 2000 campaign was the idea of making the year 2000 a year of debt relief. Drawing on the biblical idea of jubilee (Lev. 25, Deut. 15), the campaign called for a debt-free start to the millennium for a billion of people through the cancellation of the unpayable debts of the world s poorest countries. In the UK the Jubilee 2000 Coalition brought together over 100 different groups including aid agencies, churches, trade unions and women s groups. A further 68 coalitions were formed around the world in both north and south. Results and Impact The world will never be the same again. The international Jubilee 2000 movement in just four years of sustained campaigning and solidarity-building persuaded the world's most powerful leaders to write off $100 billion of debts and to free up new resources for poverty reduction in debtor nations. We transformed the global debate about debt, international finance and development. We did more than that. We transformed the way in which millions of people approach 1 This paper also appears in Justice, Mercy and Humility, ed. Tim Chester, (Carlisle: Paternoster, 2003)

2 international finance and gave these people the competence and confidence to challenge elites in both the north and the south. Thanks to the campaign, journalists in Tokyo, Prague, London, Lagos, Lima and Los Angeles now have a deeper understanding of the issues relating to poor country debt and have been instrumental in challenging elites on their role in the debt creation process. A recalcitrant Republican US Congress was obliged, in the death-throes of the Clinton administration, to contribute substantial sums towards a trust fund to finance debt relief and remove conditions for user fees. The movement forced G7 aid and finance ministries to review International Monetary Fund (IMF) economic programmes and to introduce poverty reduction concepts into these programmes. While much of the debate about poverty reduction remains tokenistic, the movement in support of debtor nations has intensified critiques of neo-liberal ideology and IMF economic programmes. Jubilee 2000 helped build broad-based coalitions in countries where unity around development issues was previously unknown. In the United States the coalition included Billy Graham, Jesse Helms, Maxine Waters (the black congresswoman from California), the Catholic bishops, the chief executive of Motorola, Jesse Jackson and his radical son, Jesse Jackson Junior, and the 50 years is enough campaign to name but a few. In Guyana the campaign brings together both supporters of President Bharrat Jagdeo and the opposition party. In South Africa, the coalition includes COSATU the trade union movement, community organizations in informal townships and Archbishop Ndungane of Cape Town. In Nigeria the coalition is led by a popular evangelical singer and includes the trades unions and political parties that both support and oppose President Obasanjo. In Britain the coalition embraces the Conservative party as well as the Labour party, all the churches, leading Muslim organizations, the medical profession, all the aid agencies, the anti-racist movement and so on. This unity around a single development focus was not accidental. It was carefully knitted together by the leadership of the movement. The Jubilee 2000 petition, which has entered the Guinness Book of Records as the first petition to be signed in more than 150 countries, was backed by close to 20 million people. This too was not accidental. The petition was drafted in 1996 in a way intended to assemble behind it the broadest possible range of forces. Perhaps the movement s greatest achievement has been the building of international solidarity between citizens in the north and south. This in turn has given confidence to southern leaders. Under the leadership of President Obasanjo of Nigeria, in the G77, OPEC and other fora southern leaders have begun to stand up for the rights of their indebted nations and to demand justice in sovereign debtor and creditor relationships. Evaluation

3 The main reason for our success in the UK was that millions of ordinary people volunteered their backing for the campaign. Without them, there would have been no successes. However Jubilee 2000 did facilitate their involvement. Below are some of the techniques used by the co-ordinating group in London and suggested action points for other campaigners: The first task for the co-ordinating group is to study the problem carefully and produce an analysis and long-term strategy that reflects many approaches. We describe this as similar to the challenge facing diamond-cutters: they study a stone for two years sometimes before cutting it. They then cut it in a way that will give maximum reflection of all the facets. Many issues, like trade for developing countries or the role of the IMF and World Bank are not analysed precisely and accurately and therefore do not give maximum reflection to all facets of the problem. Part of getting this right is down to instinct based on experience and extensive knowledge a bit like sailor Ellen McArthur's success in reading the winds during her historic round the world race. Look for a strong and straightforward argument (a moral or social argument) that will encourage people to attempt to get to grips with the technical or political issues. Use the fact that the campaign has a genuine issue at its core to appeal to diverse groups, individuals and organizations who would not usually work together to unite behind the core issue. In other words, build a coalition. But do not be picky about who is in it. Welcome anyone with only one condition that they back the principles underlying your campaign. Coalitions are difficult to handle. Some are loose with no leadership and little coherence. Ours was strong with clear leadership. One of the key responsibilities of the leadership must be to maintain respect and communication with all partners, regardless of their level of knowledge, experience, political or financial clout, political or religious allegiance or background. Allow a thousand flowers to bloom. Be open and inclusive. Support members of the coalition by providing easily digestible information that can be adapted to their needs. This is particularly important for those that do not usually work on the issue. Allow others to use the branding to promote their own organization, to fund-raise and promote their own particular contribution to the campaign. Give the campaign short life. This is less threatening to established coalition members. Set a deadline to achieve the key objectives and stick by this closing date. This helps to keep a broad front of organizations together. Make use of world events that illustrate your case. We, for example, used the floods in Honduras to highlight the way in which that country paid more in debt service than she received in aid. This means being opportunistic and responding quickly to events.

4 Devise easy, specific and non-threatening actions that ordinary people will feel confident and justified in doing in order to express the case for the campaign. Write a petition and ensure that its wording is carefully devised to unite the widest possible range of people behind the campaign. Do not use it just for counting signatures, but apply it as part of a wider process and opportunity for engaging and educating people. If you are campaigning for changes in the south, be sure to provide a platform in the north for spokespersons from the south. Make it possible for them to speak for themselves and to speak directly about their experience. Keep looking for opportunities to raise expectations beyond those that may be considered normal, but which retain a sense of just about possible. This builds excitement, energy and leadership. We used goals that were beyond reasonable expectations, but yet were practical. They were on the edge of practicality, pushing the boundaries. Involve different faiths in the campaign once people of faith are properly involved then the campaign becomes difficult to resist. They and their organizations need to be closely involved both internationally and locally. The co-ordinating group must genuinely have the will and commitment to be open in communicating information. You must believe that ordinary people will be able to grasp and deal with complex issues. Our supporters astonished officials and politicians with their grasp of complex facts. Be prepared to take measured risks. We often did not have more than three months funding in the bank. Keep the campaign fashionable and ahead of the game by involving celebrities and loudly acknowledging and celebrating achievements. But be aware of the risks and limitations of celebrity involvement. Do not waste their time unless you have something that really meshes with their profile and commitment. Ensure that the relationship is a two-way one in which they get something out of it too. The core co-ordination team should be made up of people with diversity of background and cultures in order to reflect the full range of interest in the campaign. All individuals and organizations taking part in the campaign must keep focused on the overall mission and goals. Any individual or organizational agendas must be subservient to those. Working for campaigns like these should not be considered a safe career move.

5 These were some of the techniques and approaches we used. None of these techniques, however, would have worked without the willingness of ordinary people to give time, resources and commitment to the campaign. Credit for the success of Jubilee 2000 lies overwhelmingly with these millions of people, most of whom will never be recognized for their role, but who used their individual strengths to promote the cause of the people of the most indebted nations. They achieved this at a time when aid fatigue was supposedly pervasive and deep cynicism about the motives and altruism of voters was widespread.