Academics Stand Against Poverty: fundraising campaign

The new campaign Academics Stand Against Poverty (ASAP) is a global network for scholars using research, teaching, and advocacy to accelerate the end of poverty.

They are currently reaching the end of their first campaign, to raise $15,000 dollars to stop illicit financial flows.


Via email:

"One of the greatest problems facing developing economies is the amount of money lost in criminal activity, tax evasion and corruption. It is estimated that $ 1 trillion dollars is lost in this way. In order to bring poverty to an end, we need to stop such financial flows from happening and we need to do it now. Tax havens, financial transparency and regulation have become a prominent feature in global media, discussions and international relations. Indeed, they were one of the main topics at the recent G8 summit. It is for this reason that we believe now is the time to act and to sop illicit financial flows. ASAP intends to bring an end to this corruption by taking a team of world class scholars to the UN,where they will present a plan to close down tax havens and bring transparency to the global financial system. We aim to place this plan on the post-2015 agenda and ensure that the abolishment of tax havens is a goal which all countries strive to achieve. The only way this will become possible is to place this on the global agenda and for our world leaders to act on it once and for all. With only 2 days left to go, to raise $3000 we need your help. Without you, we can't take our scholars to the UN, we cannot present the UN with the resolution to this global financial problem and we cannot stop illicit financial flows. Without you, we will allow poverty to perpetuate."