AGM 2011: candidates' election statements

Please find below the statements from each of the nominated members.

Atif Choudhury
Atif Choudhury is one of the founders of the UK chapter of the International Solidarity Movement. He is originally from Bangladesh and was raised on the Thamesmead Estate in South East London, the second largest housing project in Europe. Atif has a MSc in Conflict and Development from SOAS and over the past 10 years has organised a number of delegations of students, trade unionists, medical practitioners and activists to visit occupied Palestine.

He has been instrumental in building networks of sustainable solidarity with Palestinian communities and a direct action culture around Palestinian human rights in the UK. Atif co-founded Zaytoun Olive Oil Co-operative in 2004, enabling farmers throughout the West Bank to trade past Israel's apartheid wall. In 2009 Zaytoun's work resulted in Palestinian olive oil and olives achieving the world's first Fairtrade certification.
As a Director of Zaytoun CIC he has helped to create the UK's first Palestinian trade initiative and market for fairly traded Palestinian produce.

Atif is also founder and Director of EdenSkills – an award-winning social enterprise supporting disabled adults to access higher education. A keen supporter of WoW's work and goals, Atif originally became a member of WoW in 2003 whilst volunteering to support its advocacy work Glastonbury's Leftfield. Atif remains committed to raising WoW's profile and partnerships with majority world grassroots solidarity initiatives and co-operatives. On the whole, Atif finds pioneering acts of beauty and collective action inspiring and remains cheerful in the hope that smaller autonomous voices throughout the South continue to grow and be heard.

David Hillman
As coordinator of a campaign originally created by War on Want I have a particularly close affinity and knowledge of this forward-thinking charity. War on Want's original Tobin Tax campaign is now the Stamp Out Poverty Network, comprising more than 40 UK NGOs. War on Want's foresight in developing this campaign into a network has paid dividends with $1 billion raised to date through aviation levies for HIV/AIDs, TB and malaria treatments, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Stamp Out Poverty is one of the founder organisations of the Robin Hood Tax campaign, launched in February 2010. This has successfully popularised the message to hundreds of thousands of new supporters that the disproportionate rewards of the financial sector need to be more greatly taxed not least to meet our international development commitments.

I believe my extensive background in the NGO sector will continue to be a useful resource to War on Want's Council of Management, to which I was elected three years ago. Having learnt campaign skills in the Anti-Apartheid Movement, I became campaign coordinator of Landmine Action, successfully working for the ban on landmines in the late 1990ies, before moving to Drop the Debt to play a role in work to cancel the unjust debts of the world's poorest countries.

Polly Jones
War on Want is an unique organization. It recognizes the political nature of poverty, the critical role of work and the workplace in tackling poverty and the value of campaigning with the trade union movement.

I am proud to have been a member of the Council of Management since 2008, including serving as one of the vice-chairs, and I am keen to continue to play a part in supporting and strengthening War on Want.

I have a strong background in campaigns and policy work on international development issues, including public services in the global South. I have experience as a grassroots campaigner and as a member of staff for both campaigning organizations and at UNISON, the public service trade union.

As a member of the Council of Management, I would work to:

• keep War on Want running in a strong, sustainable way.
• make sure that War on Want priorities reflect those of its southern partners.
• involve individuals, trade union branches and national organizations in War on Want's campaigns

Branislava Milosevic
I started to support War on Want many years ago attracted by organisation's fearless campaigning for trade justice. I've been working for international development charities since 2000, following a period as a producer at the BBC World Service. As a journalist I had moved to London from my native Serbia in 1999, during the NATO bombing of Belgrade.

For the last decade I've worked in digital communications, developing systems and strategies for using the Internet in the fight against global poverty and inequality. At OneWorld.net, I supported radio stations in the post-war Balkans, across Africa and in India. I then moved on to head CAFOD's use of the Internet, where I also contributed to the success of the use of digital to mobilise the public in Make Poverty History. I am now head of multimedia at Save the Children developing the organisation's digital strategy and systems.

War on Want is successful in its work on the ground. Yet there is much more to be done and for that we need more people to join us. I am passionate about the Internet and passionate about War on Want, and I want to offer my experience and skills to help this organisation grow. At a time of recession and cuts, this country needs a strong War on Want with a vibrant and growing base of supporters to take us towards a better, fairer world.

Gaynelle Samuel
I have been honoured to serve on the War on Want Council of Management as a co-opted member for the past year. I now seek your support in these elections so that I can continue as a trustee.

I believe that it is essential that War on Want retains its radical edge, driving home the message that poverty is political and working with groups around the world fighting against poverty and for human rights. I want to continue to help ensure that War on Want has a sound financial basis for its essential work. I believe that diversity amongst trustees is vital, including in terms of gender and ethnicity.

I work as policy officer for the major public services union PCS. I have responsibility for International issues, and work closely with many solidarity organizations, including War on Want. I have experience of decision making at a senior level and work closely with my employer's governing body, the National Executive Committee on major policy issues and internal governance. I believe I am a good communicator and have good inter personal skills.

If elected I will continue to work closely with fellow Trustees to maximize War on Want's effectiveness and to increase the spread and diversity of its supporter base. I will also seek to ensure that War on want keeps its close links with trade unions.