The Muslim Council of Britain in conjunction with the Department for International Development (DFID), Islamic Relief and Muslim Aid will tomorrow launch the booklet 'Target 2015: Halving World Poverty'.

Target 2015 is a new collaboration between the British Government and British Muslim charities to realise the common good. It is an attempt to turn a shared vision of reducing global poverty into reality.

Clare Short said "It is morally indefensible that one in five of the people who share our small planet are living in abject poverty. The joint 'Target 2015' booklet published by DFID and the British Muslim community is part of our work to reduce world poverty.

The booklet outlines the aim of halving the proportion of people who live in absolute poverty by 2015. We hope it will be distributed to the Muslim community across the UK and help to strengthen our joint commitment to give the poor of the world a chance to lift themselves out of poverty."

Reducing global poverty has become an international priority and DFID in co-operation with British Muslim charities is setting the standard in working toward poverty reduction. Though globalisation and accelerated economic exchange has brought abundant wealth, the unfair distribution of this wealth means that a billion people on our planet continue to live in abject poverty.

"We do genuinely believe that there is commitment from our Chancellor, the Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, and the Rt. Hon. Clare Short, Minister for International Development to do everything possible by the Government to achieve the stated objectives. The Muslim community is proud to be associated with this launch", said Yousuf Bhailok, Secretary General of the MCB.

Target 2015 sets seven objectives agreed by the governments of the world that the UK Government and British Muslim charities will work towards in their campaign to cut by half the proportion of people who live in abject poverty.

Time and Venue:

4.30pm - 6pm Attlee Suite
Portcullis House
Bridge Street
London SW1A 2LW Refreshments will be provided
For more information or a booklet please contact: Shenaz Bunglawala
020 8903 9650 media@mcb.org.uk

Shaheda Dewan
0870 444 3135
07855 327 692
shaheda@islamic-relief.org.uk

Notes for Editors:

1. The Secretary of State for International Development Rt. Hon. Clare Short will attend the launch along with MCB Secretary General Yousuf Bhailok, Managing Director of Islamic Relief, Dr Hany El-Banna and Iqbal Sacranie, Chairman of Muslim Aid.

2. Islamic Relief and Muslim Aid are development and relief agency affiliates of the MCB.

3. The 7 targets are:

• By 2015 the proportion of people on the planet living in extreme poverty should be half that in 1990.


• Every child in every country should have access to primary education.


• By 2005, girls should have the same educational opportunities as boys, both at primary and secondary level.


• To reduce the proportion of children who die before their first or fifth birthday by two-thirds by 2015.


• The proportion of women dying as a result of having children must fall by three-quarters by 2015.


• All individuals of appropriate ages should by 2015 have access through the primary healthcare system to reproductive health services.


• All countries must come up with national strategies for sustainable development which take care of their environmental resources, so that current environmental losses are reversed by 2015.