24 June 2005

Eight women from some of the world’s poorest countries will next month confront the eight leaders of the world’s richest nations over policies which they say keep them trapped in poverty.

Campaigners bearing huge portraits from the women will join hundreds of thousands of demonstrators for a march in Edinburgh in a direct challenge to the leaders of the G8 group of industrialised nations to support, not undermine Africa’s efforts to end poverty.

The portraits come from a new unique travelling exhibition of pictures and interviews by award-winning photographer Gideon Mendel for charity ActionAid to spotlight the key issues which face the G8 leaders.

One of the women, Aderonke Afolabi, kept alive in Nigeria by AIDS drugs, says the leaders should meet their pledge to help others with the virus obtain life-saving medicine. Just one in twelve Africans needing the antiretroviral drugs receive them, compared with nine in ten in Britain.

Aderonke says: "Antiretrovirals are really working for me. I am 42 years old and I still plan for the future. But people are dying, not everyone has access to the drugs."

Richard Miller, ActionAid’s UK director says: "These eight women make the case for trade justice, improved aid, action on Aids and dropping the debt, more powerfully than statistics or slogans. From farmers to midwives, teachers and householders, they speak with one voice compelling world leaders to stop harming Africa, and to support its people to help themselves. G8 leaders must rise to that challenge. Now is the moment - not tomorrow or next year."

The eight women featured in the exhibition will not be in Edinburgh in person but are encouraging people to see and listen to their stories.