After holding a Seminar on Tax Justice and Extractive Industries (February 19
to 20), Philippines-based Asian Peoples' Movement on Debt and
Development is hosting two gatherings of the Fight Inequality Alliance, of which
the Global Alliance for Tax Justice is a proud new member.

First, yesterday and today, Asia members of the Fight Inequality Alliance are
meeting. Lidy Nacpil just opened the debate for this great assembly.

Then, February 22nd to 25th, Fight Inequality Alliance (FIA) members from all
around the world are gathering.

As Jenny Ricks, convenor of the Fight Inequality Alliance, explains, the FIA is
"going through a process of alliance building. This gathering is one crucial step
in this foundational period of the alliance".

"With inequality reaching levels not seen for a century there is a need for urgent
action, but there is already cause for optimism. Around the world, extraordinary
people are fighting inequality – from women garment workers in Bangladeshi
factories fighting for the living wage; to youth activists in Zambia fighting for
mining companies to pay their fair share of tax that funds public schools and

health clinics; to indigenous communities fighting to prevent fossil fuel
companies destroying their land.

The Fight Inequality Alliance is growing to stand in solidarity with their struggles.
It’s building an alliance to bring struggles together and go further to counter the
excessive concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a small elite and
achieve a just, equal and sustainable world. See here for highlights from the
first global week of action that took place from 14-20 January with 27 countries
participating.

This inequality explosion is one of the biggest crises of our generation,
threatening human progress. We can only turn this around if we come together
and take action. We bear witness to a growing gap between the richest and the
rest of society reach extremes not seen in a century. We bear witness to the
devastating impacts of an unjust economic system in the lives of people around
the world, and on the climate. The economic, ecological and human rights
crises we face are intertwined, reinforcing and exist at both national and
international levels.

We are very happy to be hosted nationally by our member organisation APMDD
(Asian People’s Movement on Debt & Development), member of Tax and Fiscal
Justice Asia".

The overall objective of the gathering is to "Build on our joint thinking and
campaigning to date, plan for 2017 and beyond, engage new

organisations/participants to feel ownership, a common sense of the theory of
change".

Major expected outcomes are:

–     Ensure it is inclusive and diverse of movements and others, and helps to
move us beyond the feeling and reality of international organisation leadership

–     Build the alliance’s strategy and plans amongst this wider group

–     Build trust and stronger relationships

–     Set direction for 2017 onwards – where + what do we do together?

–     Challenge ourselves – with both some internal and external views

–     Ensure space for discussion on national level alliance campaigning + build
on the regional meeting

–     Learn from each other about different organising and alliance building
approaches + experiences

For information please contact Jenny Ricks, convenor of the Fight Inequality
Alliance.