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June 2015 Action Sheet action/2015, climate change and more! This month we’ve got lots of actions for you to take! As the dust settles from the election, the new Government’s key decision-‐makers on global poverty issues have been announced and next month, we’ll be asking you to join a brand new campaign with us. But for this month, we’ve got lots of different actions we want you to take: •
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We know many of you will still be busy organising your local action/2015 MP Welcome Pack hand-‐ins, an action that will introduce new MPs to the campaign and the impact of UK aid on fighting global poverty. Meanwhile, on Wednesday 17th June, RESULTS is joining thousands of people in Westminster for a day of action with the Climate Coalition’s “For the Love of” campaign. Join us! At the same time, we also know that the best campaigns, and the best campaigners, take time to reflect on their successes and to learn lessons. That’s why this month we’re also asking you to please take a few minutes to fill in a short survey about your recent campaigning with RESULTS. Finally, we’re including a reminder to register for our awesome RESULTS National Conference on the weekend of 13th-‐15th June! You’ll get to hear some amazing speakers, come together to develop your campaigning skills, and meet face-‐to-‐face with decision-‐makers. Don’t delay, register today! Who’s new at the top table on international development? Over the last few weeks, David Cameron has been busy announcing his new Cabinet and Ministers. These people will be some of our new “Top Targets” – the people who will be the ultimate decision-‐makers on many of our campaigning issues like global health, education and economic opportunity. These people are particularly crucial this year – they’ll need to represent the UK at global summits about ‘Financing for Development’, the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs), and at the UN Climate Change Conference in December. So – who are they? The Secretary of State for International Development remains Justine Greening, MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields. She has been in the role since 2012, so knows her brief well. Her stated priorities are women and girls, making sure UK aid represents value for money for UK taxpayers, and strengthening the private sector’s role in development. The Secretary of State leads the DFID ministerial team and sets the overall strategy and direction of the department. She has final authority over all DFID business. Grant Shapps MP becomes a new Minister of State at DFID, and he will be a key person for RESULTS because his portfolio covers ‘human development’, which includes our issue areas of health, nutrition and education. He’s also the lead Minister for decisions about ‘global funds’ (such as Gavi, The Vaccines Alliance and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB & Malaria), and for Africa, Climate and Research & Evidence. Desmond Swayne MP remains a Minister of State at DFID. He’s been in that role since last year, so is still relatively new to international development. His portfolio includes Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as conflict and humanitarian issues, and economic development. Finally, Baroness Verma is the new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development, which was previously Baroness Northover’s role under the Coalition Government. She’ll act as lead spokesperson for the Department in the House of Lords. Importantly, it looks like she will have oversight of DFID’s new ‘Inclusive Societies’ Team, which leads on the implementation of the Department’s ‘Disability Framework’. TAKE THIS MONTH’S ACTIONS! 1. Organising your local action/2015 MP Welcome event We know many of you are busy organising your action/2015 local events to welcome your new MP to the world of international development! If you’re unsure what you need to do, please re-‐read last month’s Action Sheet for everything you need in 10 easy steps! action/2015 is a global coalition of organisations dedicated to making this the year for change, and RESULTS is proud to be part of it. The campaign is a global movement to fight poverty, inequality and Climate Change. It is one of the largest and most diverse coalitions ever established, and spans over 125 countries through more than 1200 organisations. The action/2015 MP Welcome Pack contains one memorable item for each of the three issue areas (poverty, inequality and climate change), and the idea is that local campaigners deliver the pack to their new MP as a way to engage and enthuse them about demanding action from the UK Government on sustainable development. 2. Join the Climate Coalition’s “For the love of” day of action on 17th June! On 17th June, RESULTS is joining thousands of people in Westminster for a day of action with the Climate Coalition’s “For the Love of” campaign. We’d love you to join us and be part of the UK’s biggest ever meeting with MPs on climate change! It’ll be a chance to tell the new government loud and clear that we all care about something that’s affected by climate change – and we all support them in taking strong action to protect everything we hold dear. Check out Background Sheet 1, which is the Climate Coalition’s ‘Lobby Guide’ with all the details you need for 17th June. Then make sure you register at http://fortheloveof.org.uk/speakup/. A group of us will be meeting at the RESULTS Office at 11.30am so that we can go together to Parliament. Let Tom know if you’re planning to come. 3. Send us your campaigning thoughts! Many of you have been taking brilliant action over the last few months to engage with candidates, get them to sign our pledge, and attending hustings. Thank you. The best campaigns, and the best campaigners, take time to reflect on their successes and to learn lessons. It’s been a busy time, so now we want you to take a moment to step back and reflect. Your feedback, ideas and thoughts about RESULTS and about the campaigning we do together will help us to get better, be stronger, and fight harder for a world free from poverty. Please go to Background Sheet 2 and take a few minutes to fill in the short survey about your recent campaigning with RESULTS. You can fill it in online here: http://goo.gl/forms/eXwFG4M5Fv Or email it to: [email protected] Or post it back to us at: Dan Jones, RESULTS UK, 2nd Floor, 31-‐33 Bondway, London SW8 1SJ. 4. Join us at the National Conference on 13th-‐15th June! We’re putting the finishing touches to a fantastic programme. On the Saturday you’ll hear from expert speakers like: • Anja Langenbucher, Director, Europe Office, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation • Lord Low of Dalston, President of the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment • Dr Charles Palmer, Associate Professor of Environment & Development, London School of Economics • David Hillman, Director, Stamp Out Poverty and the Robin Hood Tax Campaign On the Sunday we’ve got a great day of campaigning inspiration and training lined up, including sessions led by Tom Baker, Head of Campaigns and Engagement at Bond, who’ll be sharing his campaigning wisdom. And on the Monday we’re brokering meetings between you and key decision-‐makers. We’ve got meetings with DFID Officials working on Post-‐2015 development, Global Funds, Education and Disability, and in the afternoon we’ll be meeting MPs. So please join us! 13th-‐15th June, at NCVO, Kings Cross, London. Register now at http://www.results.org.uk/national-‐conference-‐2015.