[stop-imf] User Fees SIGN ON LETTER - July 6 deadline (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

Organizations: Please sign on to this vitally important letter opposing
user fees for healthcare and education. Sign-ons go to:
tsehaid@ncccusa.org

--=20
Robert Weissman=09<rob@essential.org>
Essential Information
P.O. Box 19405, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: 1-202-387-8030
Fax: 1-202-234-5176
www.essential.org


Dear Colleagues:

Following is a sign on letter to the House Appropriations Committee
regarding fees for basic health and primary education and access to water.
Deadline for response is COB Friday, July 6.  We will be listing
organizational names only.

To sign on, respond to:  tsehaid@ncccusa.org

Thanks!

Lisa Wright
Associate Director
Washington Office
Church World Service/National Council of Churches
110 Maryland Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20002
ph:  202-544-2350
f: 202-546-5232
e-mail:  lwright@ncccusa.org
web:  www.churchworldservice.org
      www.ncccusa.org

TEXT OF LETTER:
Dear  :

Last year Congress approved important language in the foreign aid budget
(section 596) aimed at eliminating =93user fees=94 -- which reduce people=
=92s
access to vital primary health care and education -- as a part of World
Bank and IMF loans, debt relief actions and other policies and programs.
Unfortunately, this law has not been implemented as directed, since last
December the US Treasury Department approved an arrangement for Tanzania
that included user fees for health. Accordingly, as you proceed with
consideration of the fiscal year 2002 foreign operations bill, we urge you
to accept language that will be offered to strengthen efforts to eliminate
user fees for primary health services and primary school, and to protect
access to clean water.

Many of our organizations have been deeply involved in efforts to promote
debt cancellation for the world=92s most impoverished countries.  We are
also concerned with ensuring that these resources are redirected to meet
the needs of poor people.  It is critical that this process not be
undermined by contradictory international financial institution policies.

Proponents of user fees for primary health care and education argue that
countries can simply provide an exemption for the poor.  In practice,
unfortunately, these exceptions rarely work. Overwhelming evidence,
including reports by UNICEF and the World Bank itself, demonstrates that
most plans to exempt poor individuals have failed miserably.  In many
cases, exemption schemes are never established, or exist, but rarely grant
waivers. In other cases, they are nearly impossible to access.  Many
individuals who would be eligible for exemptions live in rural
communities. Disseminating information about exemptions is difficult, and
individuals often have to travel long distances in order to apply.
Additionally, it is often impossible for these individuals to provide
appropriate documentation to substantiate their claims of poverty.
Others are dissuaded from applying because of the stigma it carries.

There is clear evidence of the potential benefit of effectively
implementing this law.  For example, countries that have recently
eliminated school fees have seen a rapid increase in school attendance.
When Uganda eliminated primary school fees in 1998, school enrollment
rates nearly doubled to almost 99 percent enrollment by 2000.

On these grounds, we strongly support eliminating fees for primary school
and for critical primary health care services and oppose including such
fees within any international financial institution loan or other
arrangement, including debt relief agreements or poverty reduction
strategy papers.

Additionally, we would seek your support in opposing water sector reforms
supported by the World Bank or other international financial institutions
that are likely to result in decreased access to clean water or fail to
prioritize increasing access. Clean water is critical in addressing health
needs in poor countries.  Rural and impoverished communities are often the
last to receive water services, and are the first areas to see a reduction
in services when this becomes a for- profit industry.  With international
concern growing about addressing HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB, we would
suggest that it is appropriate to consider maintaining national water
services, and certainly would want the U.S. to oppose water reform
conditions that prioritize increased =93cost recovery=94 and profit over
access.

Thank you for your consideration of these views.

Sincerely,