November 5th marked the one-year anniversary of the release of the #ParadisePapers – yet another high-profile tax scandal that highlighted the human impact of global tax dodging, exposing the wealthy individuals and multinational companies who dodge taxes. Organisations from every region around the world joined together to demand that our governments respond to #ParadisePapers by Making Multinationals Pay Their Share of Tax. Aside of the common banner, which was circulated in several languages, many regional, national and sectorial members and partners across the continents organised online campaigning activities:
- Photopetitions
In Uganda, the Tax Justice Alliance published hand-tailored photo petitions with “Multinationals Should Pay the Fair Share” related slogans:
In Asia, Tax & Fiscal Justice Asia (TAFJA) dedicated its monthly selfie challenge for tax justice and women’s rights, called #8for8 to the #ParadisePapers anniversary, calling for the stop of tax abuses of multinational companies in November. #8for8, an awareness-raising campaign in social media, was deployed by activists in different countries in Asia (including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, and Vietnam). Activists from Argentina, France, North America and Africa extended the mobilization, as well as civil society representatives gathered in Rome for the Financing for Development Forum in Rome. All those great photo petitions were posted on TAFJA’s Facebook page.
- On November 8, Tax justice champions from Burundi held a twitterchat in three languages (Kirundi, French and English): Lydie Marlene, a student who attended TJNA’s Tax Justice Academy and Appollinaire Nishirimbere, member on ICED NGO and The African Parliamentary Network on Illicit Financial Flows and Tax (APNIFFT):
- In Brazil, Argentina and France, citizens started a long-term work to populate Wikipedia with #TaxJustice definitions and references, in as many languages as possible… This work, which is called a wikijam will be further developed in the coming months.
- In Europe, in the lead up to the Week of Action, 50 organisations wrote a letter to EU governments at home and in Brussels, calling on them to support real public CBCR (by closing the loopholes and improving the legislative proposal), stop blocking progress and start trialogue negotiations. The letter, which is available here, was supported by 11.11.11 (Belgium), ActionAid (international – European affiliates in Denmark, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom), Anticor (France), Attac (France, Finland), APIT (Portugal), CCFD-Terre Solidaire (France), Christian Aid (Ireland), CNCD-11.11.11 (Belgium), Christian Aid (Ireland and United Kingdom), Church Action for Tax Justice (United Kingdom), Demnet (Hungary), Diakonia (Sweden), Eettisen Kaupan Puolesta (Finland), European Public Services Union (pan-European), European Trade Union Confederation (pan-European), European Network on Debt and Development (pan-European), Financial Justice Ireland (Ireland), Forum Za Enakopraven Razvoj (Slovenia), Global Financial Integrity (United States), Hand Association (Hungary), Financial Transparency Coalition (international), Focus (Slovenia), Kairos (pan-European), Kepa (Finland), Magyar Természetvédők Szövetsége – Friends of the Earth Hungary (Hungary), Oxfam (international with European affiliates in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom,), Netzwerk Steuergerechtigkeit (Germany), Sherpa (France), Slogo (Slovenia), Réseau Foi et Justice Afrique Europe (France), Tax Justice NL (Netherlands), Tax Justice Network (international), Transparency International (pan-European and France), VIDC (Austria), and Weed (Germany).
- On the occasion of the Week of action, Latindadd launched the English version of its report “Tax benefits for nothing” about the tax incentives to multinationals and their negative impact on the local economies of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. While this report was initially launched in December 2017 in Spanish, the English version can now be accessed here.
- In Québec, Echec aux paradis fiscaux sources CCFD’s analysis, where you can also watch a video in French, with Lison Rehbinder (who holds the secretariat of the French Platform for Tax Justice).
See more about the Global Days of Action on our campaign page #ParadisePapers One Year On!