A brighter future that includes everyone requires language that reflects respect. To stand true to our vision, 50by40 is renaming its ‘Global South Programme’ the ‘Global Majority Programme’.

Here’s why.

The process of food systems transformation can be considered fair and sustainable only if it is socially and economically equitable for all those involved. 

50by40 has come to see that the term “Global South” only captures the geographic locations of countries and is often also used as a shortcut to reflect anything from poor and less-developed to oppressed and powerless.¹ This geographic determinism also implies the developmental (both social and economical) prospects of these countries is solely based on their location.²

There is a vibrant, global conversation happening that has advanced language around equity and highlighted the inherent biases in the term “Global South”, pointing to a need for a shift. 

Following consultation with partners working in the space of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ), 50by40 has decided to rename the Global South Programme, opting for the more inclusive name “Global Majority Programme”. The 50by40 team is constantly learning and course correcting to ensure that the spirit of inclusion is reflected in our work and how we talk about it.

So what does Global Majority really mean?

The phrase People of the Global Majority has been adopted by many to describe the majority of the world who consider themselves non-white.³ It has the potential to connect and amplify the experiences and voices of the majority without eradicating specific ethnic and cultural identities.⁴ It has the power to unite people from all corners of the world that are struggling against white oppression and/or other forms of racial and ethnic discrimination.

The Global Majority Programme is for any organisation which is:

• Founded by a person of colour, including Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian and Pacific Islander folks/ a person from the Global Majority
• Has core programmes operational in the Global Majority
• Registered in a country from the Global Majority

We strive to keep learning and evolving and are excited to move forward with renewed clarity and a hope to work with more organisations from the Global Majority towards transforming the food system.

1. https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/01/04/372684438/if-you-shouldnt-call-it-the-third-world-what-should-you-call-it
2. It further fails to acknowledge how countries like Haiti are in the Global North while many rich countries like Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, to name a few, lie in the South.
3. https://encompassmovement.org/blog/language-matters-poc-caucus-renamed-global-majority-caucus/
4. https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/-/media/files/schools/school-of-education/final-leeds-beckett-1102-global-majority.pdf