The waning years of the 20th century were a time of great global fragmentation and division. Since then, people all over the world have steadily come to feel less secure and less safe. However, there was a prevailing belief among civil society organisations (CSOs) and people in general, that the world could unite again in solidarity in a battle truly worth fighting – the war against poverty.

Galvanised by this imperative, a group of civil society actors including NGOs, international networks, social movements, trade unions, women's organisations, faith based groups and other civil society actors met in Johannesburg in September 2004. They launched the Global Call to Action against Poverty which initially targeted 2005 as the year when governments could take decisive action to deliver on their promises of the Millennium and make poverty history. GCAP has adopted the white band as its official international symbol – a symbol that are been seen on the hands of millions of people in several countries thereby highlighting that the war against injustices brought on by poverty is not confined to a few activists but is, in fact, a global phenomenon. Since 2006, the global white band day is on October 17, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.