Bicnod's going to the G8 for you lot - come and post your thoughts, questions, ideas

[Bicnod]

Right, so I'm off to the G8 Summit on Sunday representing YOU LOT as part of the IF Campaign. This is a Very Scary Thing.

Original thread here - I was chosen because I am extremely clever and interesting, and not just because Justine picked my name out of a hat

I'll be there as part of the IF@G8 bloggers project - see here for mugshots - I'm the one at the bottom hugging a random child. I'm slightly unnerved by the blogging prowess of the others

The main point of the IF campaign is that there is enough food in the world for everyone, but not everyone has enough food. One in eight people go to bed hungry every night and over three million children die each year through malnutrition.

I think we're all agreed that this is not on.

IF the G8 leaders act now to increase aid, clamp down on tax dodgers, support small scale farmers and stop land grabs, then 2013 could be the beginning of the end for global hunger. More info on all the ishoos here

So what do you lot think? What do you want me to say to the G8 leaders if I get the chance? Are we still interested in biscuits or have we moved on? I can't remember if we ever got an answer from DC on that point.

Any opinions, questions, stories, general musings welcome.

I love MN by the way - I've been here since 2008. I first posted (different username) while on a work trip to Ethiopia. I found out I was pregnant with DS1 on the day I flew and needed some reassurance - I got it and have been here ever since.

I want to do you all proud so please pile in.

:)

[AnyFucker]

bump (goes to check active convos)

[AnyFucker]

Right, what is going on ?

This thread isn't even in Active Convo's < presses report >

[Salbertina]

Is it your settings, AF? Showing in both my active convos and my threads... (On smartphone if makes a difference)

[AnyFucker]

My settings are no different than they were yesterday.

have reported to HQ, to see if the problem is my end, thanks x

[RowanMumsnet]

AF, it's stickied in Active? Have you looked up there?

[RowanMumsnet]

(Anyone else finding that it's not showing in Threads I'm On?)

[letsgoflyakite]

Hey Bicnod.

I don't have much to add (I think a lot of important points have been raised) but good luck!

Have you managed to set up any meetings with anyone? Press involvement whilst there? Are you on twitter? Follow all the G8 big-wigs and get in there with their hashtags. It's an awesomely poweful platform when utilised correctly.

Have fun, smile lots and wear your mumsnet scaf with pride ;)

[AnyFucker]

Yes, Rowan. I can't see it stickied and I can't see it in Active Convo's. I have to navigate directly to Site stuff to see the thread. I

[AnyFucker]

Oh my goodness, I am not worthy at all. I know zilch about this stuff. I am in some feminism groups though so will give them a shout and a link to your thread.

It's already been said on your thread about women being the key, and how even in developed countries women (and children) as a group bear the brunt of austerity measures, benefit cuts, poverty and reducing living standards. Mumsnetters see that connection and apply it across the board.

You are very impressive, chuck. What to wear ? Don't suit up. Wear loose pants, heels if you want to, linen/silk t shirts and soft jackets or a cardigan to keep the air conditioning chill off your arms. Do you have stuff like that ? If not, borrow or make a quick trip to H+M if you have time. No pencil skirts and trussed up blouses/jacket combo's would be my advice. I am not a style guru though, just my personal choice

All the best, and BE YOURSELF x

[RowanMumsnet]

Hmm, that's odd

Could you have hidden it by mistake?

[AnyFucker]

Am on my phone now, so I dunno

[AnyFucker]

Am on my phone now, so I dunno

[AnyFucker]

Am on my phone now, so I dunno

[AnyFucker]

Am on my phone now, so I dunno

[AnyFucker]

Fgs, sorru

[AnyFucker]

sorry, am on the M6 on a shitty phone

[Salbertina]

Agree with AF's point- in many
areas women-led households are the norm with fathers away working in mines, for example, or completely absent.

Also, increase in child-led households esp where HIV/Aids also taken hold.

Rural rape v widespread and brings shame upon the victim and family hence massive under-reporting.

[Bicnod]

In middle of bathtime so can't stop but just wanted to say ARF at AnyFucker

Back when boys are in bed to be extremely serious.

[SacreBlue]

indeed the streaming was disjointed and I hadn't factored in time to watch it all - or I would have just went to the actual thing - including the wine reception right about now ;)

I'll see if the on demand viewing is any better.

My main thoughts are on transparency, tax avoidance and land grab - and how the current banking crisis demonstrated a lack of transparency, governmental inability to reign in and regulate large financial insitutions and a general (first) world reluctance to address how our need/greed adversely affects the poorest members of every society.

How do the G8 leaders plan to learn from and implement actions they were reluctant or unable to do so during the banking crisis - e.g. International corporations avoiding tax - the same arguements of loss of revenue (should they pull out of a country) applies should one country insist on transparency and corporate tax regulation as was mooted for the banking industry - what measures or controls will be put in place to ensure talk becomes action in these cases?

What time scale is in place for the members of the G8 who do not currently meet the expected standards of transparency agreed at previous summits? How will multinationals in private hands be encouraged to participate in transparency? And how, since some G8 members themselves are not acting transparently according to their own agreements, do they expect to bring on board non G8 members and private multinationals to be transparent?

In the issue of land grabs - who will be responsible for the large scale buying (or trading) of land or natural resources and thus responsible for ensuring the inclusion of those living on the land or otherwise affected by it's development (the country of the land, the registered country of the corporation buying/vying for the land, a.n. other international body) how will the voice of the people's living on or otherwise affected by the land grab have an equitable voice and power of action when dealing with multinational corporations and an entire government (or 2govts)

Am sure there will be loads of x posts as I have just written, deleted, re written and deleted another three paragraphs have them saved in notes just in case

[Bicnod]

Right, I'm back. Both DC in bed and snoring. Phew.

Will read back up thread and respond to posts now.

[Bicnod]

@Liger - thanks for the trade vs aid links, both really interesting.

I haven't really thought about trade vs aid since I finished my Masters back in the day, it's just not something that's particularly come up in any work I've done, thank you for flagging it as of course you're right - it's a really important question.

I think that in the context of the IF Campaign, the main link to this debate is around transparency. Ensuring companies, and governments, are more open and honest about their actions and how they impact on the world's poor.

There's a pre-G8 'Open for Growth' event happening tomorrow (see here) to discuss trade, tax and transparency. I'll report back on the outcomes of that event if I get the chance - could be very relevant to this line of thinking.

[Bicnod]

@Salbertina - SANPRO!!! right back atcha

Yes - definitely a really big issue. So how to link it to the hunger agenda?

I guess it all comes down to education doesn't it? If girls are provided with SANPRO!!! (sorry, can't help doing that now, you started it), then they are less likely to drop out of school, therefore more likely to hear the important messages around nutrition, health and sanitation, therefore more likely to survive and more likely to get jobs where they can earn money and feed their families. Is that it in a nutshell?!

[Bicnod]

Oh, and yes yes I'm enjoying it

but still absolutely petrified

[Bicnod]

@liger - I've had a dig around on my old work's website and found some of my blog from Ethiopia (here) if you're interested. Not sure what happened to the rest of it, or to the photos/case-studies I brought back, but it was nearly five years ago now so I'm pleasantly surprised any of it is still there!

[ZuluWarrior]

Ooh Bicnod, you're doing such a good job.
My only (meagre) knowledge in this area is from DH's family who live in Zimbabwe. Their main beefs (as lower middle class white Zimbabweans so appreciate not quite the hungry) are that 1. Aid money does not often filter down to those that need it (mostly due to corruption) and the local church organisations end up bearing the brunt and doing what they can, 2. As always, not enough education about contraception, sanitation, nutrition.
And my own tiny experience as a just about to graduate doctor in Kenya a looooong time ago: seemed to me that it was the lack of simple things that cause most of the morbidity/mortality. Nutrition. Mosquito nets. Clean water. Basic education.

So, anyway. What are you going to wear?