By NADIA POZO
CS&T Staff Writer
Part four of four
Imagine that you are a mom living in Zambia and you have two very sick children who require medicine. Do you go to the pharmacy and fill the prescriptions?
The answer to that question might seem self-evident to us in the United States, but for the mother in Zambia — one of the poorest countries in the world — the choice of whether or not to fill the prescriptions may be excruciatingly difficult. It is unlikely, for example, that the Zambian mother would be able to afford to have her children seen by a doctor and also be able to fill the prescriptions. At best, she might be able to afford to fill one of the prescriptions — at the expense of being left without a penny to feed her children.
War, governmental corruption, natural disasters and diseases, including the AIDS pandemic, have contributed to the debt in countries like Zambia. The high interest payment on loans from international lending institutions and leading developed countries take up most of the national budgets of such countries.
The ones who pay are the poor. Each Zambian child born inherits $200 of debt, which translates into cuts in healthcare and education, the very programs that the people desperately need. Yet, with the pardoning of such debts, governments are able to use available monies to improve healthcare, education and infrastructures.
That’s why the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)and Catholic Relief Services support and lobby for debt relief through their Campaign to Reduce Global Poverty.
Forgiveness of debt is the third component of the bishops’ campaign. With forgiveness of debt, aid and fair trade, heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) can get a fresh start to rebuild, meet the needs of their people and move toward a more just global society.
The Catholic Church, under Pope John Paul II, was a leader in petitioning on behalf of the HIPC for debt forgiveness during the Jubilee of 2000. Progress has been made.
Zambia, for example, has had half its debt forgiven and some improvements have already taken place. Zambian civil society has taken the lead in ensuring there are governmental checks and balances so that funds are appropriately used for the poor, and for improvement of the country.
And although it is still considered one of the poorer countries in the world, the changes taking place because of debt-relief have given Zambia the opportunity to help drought-stricken neighboring South African countries with food aid.
“That’s why the debt-relief just approved during the G8 Summit was such a victory,” said Gerry Flood, a policy advisor for the USCCB. “It eliminates 100 percent of the debt owed to the International Monetary Fund. Eighteen countries will be 100 percent debt free within the year and another 20 countries will be eligible soon. ”
The G8 victory was a result of the solidarity of many churches, nonprofit organizations, non- governmental organizations, and peoples joining together to demand from their governments a better, more just society.
“It’s an example that you can make a difference,” added Flood.
More work needs to be done, so the USCCB campaign asks Catholics to continue to be the voice of the poor in their own country and throughout the world.
Through the USSCB Web site, more information is provided about what Catholics can do to ensure that the Unites States remains faithful to its pledge to reduce poverty through aid and trade and to take a leadership role in ensuring that money loaned by international banks goes to aid the poor.
Through prayer, sacrifice, awareness and action, the Campaign to Reduce Global Poverty is meant to mobilize Catholics to live out their call to holiness and mission.
CS&T staff writer Nadia Pozo can be reached at npozo@adphila.org or (215) 965-4614.
Get informed!
To learn more about the USCCB’s campaign, visit www.usccb.org/globalpoverty
To learn more about debt relief, obtain teaching materials or take the CRS debt-knowledge test — a fun, interactive way to learn about the global situation — visit www.catholicrelief.org/kids/debt_relief_intro.htm