"Trade and related policies need to give priority to comprehensive and well-designed interventions to facilitate women’s economic mobility across sectors and to widen their options." - Gender and Trade, Synthesis Report
Recently, One World Action partnered up with the Commonwealth Secretariat to explore the effects of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the European Union and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries on women’s rights and gender equality. Findings emerging from the research which took place in Tanzania, Jamaica and Mozambique highlighted both the advantages and disadvantages of trade liberalisation between the E.U and the ACPs...
click here to read more about this project:
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One World Action's 20th Anniversary Party
“One World Action is a very special NGO because it never deviates from its values and principles.”
Thus Glenys Kinnock, President of One World Action, opened her message to the diverse group of people who found themselves on Wednesday 11th November 2009 in an old garment factory on the Bethnal Green Road in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets celebrating One World Action’s 20th Birthday.
The Party at Rich Mix sat amid three weeks of advocacy, mass lobbying, round-table discussions, meetings and a conference on CEDAW – the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women. Southern colleagues from four partner organisations in Bolivia, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania joined Northern colleagues, volunteers, supporters and staff to make November a month of voices raised in solidarity and people working together who believe: 
“Poverty is not a norm. Poverty is human made. It can be eradicated. But without women at the centre, it can’t be done.”
Emily Sikazwe, from Women for Change in Zambia, told the birthday crowd.
The challenge with birthdays as one gets older is that reflection does not become a maudlin preoccupation - so with NGO anniversaries where the passion for the work and the seriousness of the issues can dampen the enthusiasm to celebrate - not so with One World Action’s Call to Celebrate.
As the pictures testify there was much laughing, some drinking, quite a bit of dancing and a heated Silent Auction bidding stand off between two old One World Action friends. 
A specially designed game of skittles kept both those playing and those explaining highly amused, while a unique montage video projected throughout the evening meant that those One World Action partners who couldn’t join the celebrations in person were present through the magic of a Mac, the skills of several women and men and a large white wall.
At the heart of the evening lay a simple pledge that everyone present was asked to make. This Call to Action might be the simple desire to understand more about One World Action and the work of its partners, its need for support or a more complex process of sharing ideas and approaches. Whatever the action it was a reaffirmation that, in Andy Rutherford’s words:
“We can do more because we are more powerful together.”
As Glenys Kinnock stated:
“We will move forward…we will have new challenges to meet together.”
This was a thought reinforced with great power in Ana Maria Encina's slogan:
"We, united."
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This year, One World Action is celebrating twenty years working to defeat poverty by promoting human rights and good democratic government. To mark this very special occasion, we are holding a unique birthday event -‘Looking Back, Moving Forward’ on Wednesday 11th November from 7pm in London.
One World Action President Glenys Kinnock will be speaking on the night alongside co-hosts Jennette Arnold, Deputy Chair of the Greater London Assembly and Ana María Encina, renowned Bolivian Human Rights Campaigner.
The reception will be attended by a host of OWA’s partners and supporters including Emily Zikazwe, from Women for Change Zambia, Ruth Manorama from National Alliance of Women’s Organisations in India as well as our Vice President Sir Sigmund Sternberg and Patron Jon Snow.
We’ll be holding a silent auction of some wonderful and unusual items including Emma Thompson’s make up bag from her appearance in the film “I am Legend,” Jon Snow’s tie and socks and a hammock made by one of our local partners in El Salvador and enjoying music from Los Musicos later in the evening.
Tickets are just £10 and include a complimentary cocktail and canapés.
Join us on the night as we reflect on our past achievements and look to the challenges ahead while enjoying the company of old friends and new!
For more details or to purchase tickets, please contact Anne Mosely on 020 7833 7315 or at
We’ve spent 20 years fighting for a just and equal world, breaking through barriers that exclude and marginalise people; prejudice, caste, corruption, perception, patriarchy, violence. We’ve made women’s rights central to development, prioritised collaboration and collective impact over our own “brand”, raised £40 million for our partners in Africa, Asia and Latin America. We’ve stuck to our core belief-- empowered people transform their own lives.
But sadly this isn’t a just and equal world yet for many of its citizens - so this year we want to ask you for something very specific.
Open your address book and introduce us to a new friend.
Contribute to our £100,000 appeal to give us greater financial independence from government funding and enable us to support progressive projects long term.
www.justgiving.com/owabirthdayappeal
Why now? Because to maintain and develop our independent, progressive agenda, with partners across the globe, we need to ride out the changing fashions of donor and government funding.
Keep clicking to find out what other plans we and our partners have to mark and celebrate 20 years of fighting for a just and equal world or let us know your ideas
Contact Graham or Anne for an informal chat on 020 7833 4075 or at .
