War on Want
| Founded | February 1951 |
|---|---|
| Type | Charity |
| Registration no. | 208724 |
| Location |
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|
Employees
|
20 |
| Slogan | Poverty Is Political |
| Mission | To fight against the root causes of poverty and human rights violations, as part of the worldwide movement for global justice |
| Website | www |
|
Formerly called
|
Association For World Peace |
War on Want is an anti-poverty charity based in London. War on Want works to challenge the root causes of poverty, inequality and injustice through partnership with social movements in the global South and by running hard-hitting campaigns in the UK in support of radical change. War on Want's slogan is "poverty is political" and its stated focus is on the root causes of poverty rather than its effects; it raises public awareness of the root causes of poverty, inequality and injustice, and empowers people to take action for change.
War on Want is a membership organisation governed by an elected Council of Management drawn from its membership. War on Want patrons include Naomi Klein, Owen Jones, Raj Patel and Mark Serwotka.
The organisation was formed in 1951 after a letter in The Manchester Guardian from Victor Gollancz was read by Harold Wilson, later British Prime Minister, who coined the name. Since then, the organisation has taken part in many campaigns and investigations, including in the 1970s helping to expose baby food companies marketing powdered milk infant formula as a healthier option than breast milk to mothers in the developing world - a dangerous and expensive option for these mothers who had no access to safe drinking water and sterilisation facilities.
In the 1980s, War on Want campaigned on the role of women in the developing world, and supported liberation movements in Eritrea, South Africa and Western Sahara.
From 1983 to 1987, George Galloway was General Secretary of War On Want. The Daily Mirror accused Galloway of living luxuriously at the charity's expense. An independent auditor cleared him of misuse of funds, though he did repay £1,720 in contested expenses. The official history of the charity says that Galloway's methods of management created interpersonal problems among the staff, and although the charity grew under Galloway, his period in charge was followed by a serious internal crisis.
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Wikipedia