The Millennium Campaign has a message for the G20

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This blog's primary focus is on the Millennium Development Goals. That provides a wide ranger of topics to blog about, not the least being the United Nations' Millennium Campaign and the eight goals themselves - 1. End Hunger 2. Universal Education 3. Gender Equity 4. Child Health 5. Maternal Health 6. Combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases 7. Environmental Sustainability 8. GlobalPartnership.

Then there is being able to write about the efforts and the organizations, which are not part of the UN, that are putting forth those efforts to bring all this about. The most effective would be when these overlap.

I wrote about the Avaaz petition for the G20 in a recent post. The UN MILLENNIUM CAMPAIGN has its own G20 Special. The G20 meeting in London takes place on 2 April 2009. The most important point being made by the United Nations Millennium Campaign is that the G20 should:

• Not use the economic crisis caused by rich countries as an excuse to renege on their aid commitments to poor countries, which are already bearing the brunt of the financial crisis. OECD member countries of the G-20 must re-affirm their previous commitments to allocate 0.7% of their gross national income for development assistance and establish transparent, time-bound calendars for the disbursement of these funds.
  
  
• Click here to view the Millennium Campaign’s policy demands for world leaders gathering at the G-20 summit (pdf)
  

Sheila Sisulu of the World Food Programme

Actions both nationally and globally for sustainable economics

Sphere: Related Content I got two calls to action supporting a Green Economic Recovery. The folks at Change.org sent me the following action to get behind which focuses on the national level. You need to become part of Change.org to participate, but that's worthwhile in itself. My online generated letter went to Congresswoman Grace Napolitano , Congressman Gary Miller , Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Barbara Boxer.

Dear Brian,

We wanted to send you an important action alert in support of a campaign by the Union of Concerned Scientists for a strong climate bill.

Congress just passed a stimulus package that includes strong provisions promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency -- an important down payment on our country's transition to a cleaner energy future.

But the science is clear and it's urgent: to prevent the worst effects of global warming, Congress must go further, and it must act now. Comprehensive climate policy can curb global warming while breaking our dependence on oil and putting Americans back to work.

Sign the petition and tell your representative and senators to make passage of a strong climate bill a top priority today.

Thanks,

- The Change.org Team

"We must break our dependence on oil and curb global warming by implementing a strong climate policy.

Tell Congress to Pass a Strong Climate Bill

Congress just passed a stimulus package that includes strong provisions promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency-an important down payment on our country's transition to a cleaner energy future

But the science is clear and it's urgent: to prevent the worst effects of global warming, Congress must go further, and it must act now. Comprehensive climate policy can curb global warming while breaking our dependence on oil and putting Americans back to work.

Tell your representative and senators to make passage of a strong climate bill a top priority today.

I also signed another Avaaz petition on the same issue, but they are taking it to a global level with the G20 meeting in London next week. The Avaaz message is available below. -------------
Dear friends, Within days, world leaders are meeting at the London G20 Summit to tackle the global economic crisis -- we desperately need them to agree to invest in a green recovery and a bold global rescue package of stimulus, regulation and fundamental reform. But without a massive outcry for bold action in the next few days, our leaders could fail this historic test. So we're launching an emergency petition to the London Summit -- it will be delivered direct to summit officials and leaders and in a thousands-strong march this weekend, follow this link to add your voice: A global depression could threaten everything we care about -- breeding poverty, war, environmental devastation and threatening our jobs and our children's futures. But there is a way to stop it -- a powerful, coordinated rescue package where governments agree to invest in a green recovery together, make funds available to prevent vulnerable emerging economies from collapsing, properly regulate global financial markets and democratise institutions like the International Monetary Fund. Leaders are far from consensus on this kind of bold global action - that's why we're pressing them with this citizens' call and taking to the streets. The world's media will be in London to cover the summit, and with thousands of Avaaz members in green hard hats and carrying flags and banners on our behalf, the march will get big coverage and grab leaders' attention. Everyone who participates will also have a chance to vote on the principles and reforms needed to rebuild the global economy -- and all our demands will be delivered to the G20 summit, so please sign the petition now: http://www.avaaz.org/en/global_economic_rescue/97.php?cl_tta_sign=4d4afc3f4ff0068aea884c03bfc4048c In 1933, world leaders met in London -- and failed to stop a global depression that lasted a decade. In 2009, the people of the world must be right there challenging our leaders, demanding that they get it right.

With hope and determination,

Paul, Graziela, Ricken, Paula, Ben, Brett, Luis, Alice, Milena, Iain and the whole Avaaz team

Change.org provides many pathways to change

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I recently started doing more with Change.org. I already highlighted the fundraiser page FightAIDSTuberculosisMalaria in previous posts, in this post I want to highlight some of the other pathways one can take. I am just starting, taking small steps.

The great thing about Change.org is that you can work at a number of different levels. You can create your own profile as I did. You can also work at a global level like with the Clinton Global Initiative University. One reason behind this post is to find recruits for this cause. Let me know if you do decide to pledge. That is only the beginning though the Clinton Global Initiative University provides a number of different ways for people, especially young people in college to participate.

One of my areas of growing interests has been Social Entrepreneurship. The Change.org site socialentrepreneurship.change.org provides 10 Ways to Get Involved with Social Entrepreneurship which I am summarizing below.

1. Read
2. Reach Out
3. Fundraise
4. Volunteer or get an internship
5. Advocate: One of the things that often distinguishes social entrepreneurs is their desire not only to remedy a problem, but to change the social landscape that allowed that problem to happen in the first place. The intention of this blog is to provide support through 1,2,3 and 5. I realize that it is only a small contribution, but it sometimes seems that if we could be millions to make small contributions, to just become aware of the challenges, we could make a substantial difference.
6. Go to the source and LISTEN: The most important thing anyone who wishes to create change can do is to spend time with and learn from the communities experiencing the poverty, injustice, and inequality you wish to address.
7. Enroll: Increased interest in social entrepreneurship has prompted business schools like Haas at Berkeley and Kellogg
8. Enter a Competition: A great way to test an idea is to enter a university business plan competition such as the Global Social Benefit Incubator, or even an online competition like ideablob.com or changemakers.net. I have lent online support to these efforts in my other blog before, but should start again.
9. Always challenge yourself: For aspiring social entrepreneurs, or even just those interested the field, it’s as if not MORE important to read criticism like Michael Edwards “Just Another Emperor” and constantly reflect upon your own ambitions. This is one I need to take a look at. I came into this with a particular perspective on business practices and social activism.
10. Start your own organization:
    

Change.org has a whole host of ideas of how to create positive change.

We've tapped into this energy with our Ideas for Change in America, and today we held a press event at the National Press Club in Washington DC to announce the winners of the competition. The 10 winning ideas reflect the diverse interests of the millions of people calling for change across the country, and include ideas for securing universal heath care, LGBT rights, and sustainable green energy. All winning ideas can be viewed at www.change.org/ideas .

- So as the Change.org Team always signs off,

Have a great weekend!

Looking for the next Pandemic, a game online, life and death offline

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Yesterday's post linked to my new fundraising page FightAIDSTuberculosisMalaria as part of my recent Change.org page. Below is a post on Global Health that was sent to me from Change.org weekly by way of their Blog for Change. The blogger Alanna Shaikh is trying to determine what the next pandemic could be. Revisiting her site should provide updates to which disease is currently in front in the race. That night my two nieces were talking about an online game Pandemic II. The idea of the game is to wipe out the entire world population, which beyond a number of other questionable premises, makes little sense from an evolutionary perspective (for the virus, not for us). Perhaps the game could be used to test various diseases against each other. What would be even better is if somebody came up with a WHO versus Pandemic game where one could learn the challenges facing global health delivery.

• Global Health - Change.org: What Will Be the Next Global Pandemic? Let's Find Out.

  Alanna Shaikh has spent the last ten years immersed in global health; she has worked for NGOs, companies, universities, and the US government on projects that ranged from preventing antibacterial resistance to improving maternal and child health. She has decided to try picking the next pandemic.
  

• What will be the next global pandemic? Avian influenza? Smallpox? Well, in honor of March madness, I'm holding a tournament. We're going to find the next global pandemic, right here. We'll match up the scariest infectious diseases, and pick a winner - the next global pandemic.

  diigo tags: change.org, mdg6, global health

  • This is one of the challenges that faces us in achieving the 6th Millennium Development Goal combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

March 25 Online live chat on maternal health

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This is another example of focusing on getting the word out more than on analyzing or commenting on a particular subject. This one came from the UN Millennium Campaign - www.endpoverty2015.org. This involves a number of the Millennium Goals - 3. Gender Equity 4. Child Health and 5. Maternal Health.

On March 25 at 10:00 am Eastern Standard Time, Womens' eNews' Kimberly Seals Allers will moderate a live chat with Annie Raja, General Secretary of the National Federation of Indian Women, and Dr. Jemima A. Dennis-Antwi, the International Confederation of Midwives' Regional Midwifery Adviser for Anglophone Africa.

Dear friend,

Do you know what the number one killer of young women in the developing world is?

It's not a disease whose cure eludes us, or a condition which the world lacks the resources to treat. It is pregnancy and childbirth.

Every year, 500,000 women die while trying to give life. That's one every single minute.

The vast majority of these deaths are preventable. As part of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - a set of promises made in the year 2000 to eradicate extreme poverty, improve health, education and the environment and create a global partnership for development - 189 world leaders have pledged to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters by 2015. But maternal health has seen the least progress of all of the MDGs, and the Goal is unlikely to be achieved unless urgent action is taken now.

In today's story on Women's eNews, Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, Deputy Director for Africa at the United Nations Millennium Campaign -- which supports citizens' efforts to hold their leaders accountable for meeting the MDGs - shares a personal story of losing his sister during childbirth last month, and calls on the leaders of developing countries to mobilize domestic resources to ensure that mothers get the proper medical care they need.

Now, amidst this global emergency, the UN Millennium Campaign has partnered with Women's eNews, the online source of substantive information about issues of particular concern to women, to host a live online chat about maternal health. On March 25 at 10:00 am Eastern Standard Time, Womens' eNews' Kimberly Seals Allers will moderate a live chat with Annie Raja, General Secretary of the National Federation of Indian Women, and Dr. Jemima A. Dennis-Antwi, the International Confederation of Midwives' Regional Midwifery Adviser for Anglophone Africa. Both women will share their firsthand experiences from the front lines of the fight against maternal mortality, and discuss the importance for the world's women of achieving the MDGs.

About the moderator: Kimberly Seals Allers is Editorial Director of the Black Maternal Health Project, generously funded by the W.K.Kellogg foundation to raise awareness of U.S. maternal health deficits. She is also founder of Mochamanual.com.

Please visit www.endpoverty2015.org or www.womensenews.org to register in advance to log in to this event online. Questions for the panellists can be emailed in advance to maternalmortalitydebate@gmail.com or typed in during the event.

We hope you will join us online on the 25th for this important discussion!

Best wishes,
Salil Shetty, Director, UN Millennium Campaign
Rita Henley Jensen, Founder and Editor in Chief, Women's eNews

/ Copyright 2004 - 2007 UN Millennium Campaign

Avaaz asks Help Free Aung San Suu Kyi

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The following is taken directly from the Avaaz email that was sent to me. I have also posted this at my other blog at which the topic of Burma has been a inspiration for new pathways . Many times though it is just a matter of helping to get the word out. I am only going to reach a small number of people, but if everyone kept passing this along awareness would increase exponentially. They were at 143,838 participants supporting the Burmese when I signed up. Help them get to 888,888.

Free Burma's Political Prisoners Now! from FBPPN on Vimeo.

Dear friends,

Burma's peaceful pro democracy activists are calling on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon to secure the release of political prisoners. Stand with them - Sign the petition

Burmese pro democracy leader and Nobel peace prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi, has spent 13 years detained by the Burmese military junta. She and thousands of fellow monks and students have been imprisoned for bravely challenging their brutal regime with calls for democracy. This week a glimmer of hope has risen for their release, and it's time for us to stand with them.

Risking danger to speak out for their jailed friends, Burmese activists this week demanded the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners and called on the world to help. As the global economic crisis makes aid flows more essential, Burma's generals are becoming more vulnerable to international pressure, but we need a flood of petition signatures to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon to make this a top priority. Follow the link to sign the petition, and forward this email on to make sure she and her fellow prisoners are freed:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/free_burma_political_prisoners

The Burmese organizers have set a goal of 888,888 signatures. The number 8 is powerful in Burmese culture, and the ruling junta is extremely superstitious - such a large and significant number might have a special influence on them. But this issue isn't in the headlines, so to build our numbers we need to forward this email and persuade our friends to help.

Aung San Suu Kyi is the international face of the struggle for democracy in Burma. She has been detained over and over again since 1988. She is now under house arrest and is allowed no contact with the outside world.

But growing international pressure is working -- In December, 112 former Presidents and Prime Ministers from 50 countries sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urging him to press for the release of all political prisoners, and 20 political prisoners were released in February after a United Nations envoy visited the country.

Sources now say that the military regime is fearful of this unified and massive online call to the UN -- over 160 Burma exile and solidarity groups in 24 countries are participating in the campaign. But it will take all of us and all our friends signing this petition to get Mr Ban's attention. Avaaz has done it before for Burma – we can do it again. Click here to stop the arrests and brutality:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/free_burma_political_prisoners

This is one of those times where if enough of us act we can truly make a difference. Let's join the courageous Burmese democracy activists in jail and in hiding and help end this violent repression.

In hope and solidarity,

Alice, Ricken, Pascal, Graziela, Veronique, Iain, Paul, Luis, Paula, Brett and the whole Avaaz team

For more about the Global Campaign visit:
http://www.fbppn.net/?page_id=582

For more about Burmese political prisoners visit:
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=46118

Article on torture in Burmese jails:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/02/AR2006010201865.html

Some prisoners release after UN envoy visit February 2009:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/22/AR2009022201188.html

Letter from former presidents:
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/index.php/burma/news/Letter-from-112-Former-Presidents-and-Prime-Ministers-to-UN-Secretary-Gener

For more about Aung San Suu Kyi visit:
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/aboutburma/aung_san_suu_kyi.htm

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ABOUT AVAAZ Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in Ottawa, London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Buenos Aires, and Geneva. Call us at: +1 888 922 8229 or +55 21 2509 0368 Click here to learn more about our largest campaigns. Don't forget to check out our Facebook and Myspace and Bebo pages!

Educational Pathways - for People - for Nations

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This blog, despite good advice to the contrary, has a wide and varied focus. Although it deals with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, that gives it 8 separate topics to write about. It also writes about a variety of approaches to those 8 Goals and the various organizations around the world implementing those approaches.

One approach particularly appreciated by this blog, though not dealt with enough, is education. Below are some links oriented to education gathered over time. These show both the tremendous challenges that must be overcome and the efforts that have been and are being made. They also show the impact that these efforts can have on the broader world stage.

OneWorld South Asia Home

Diigo tags: oneworld, education, mdg, mdgs

Education is the backbone of national development and is widely accepted as an instrument of social change. India has been an active partner in the worldwide movement for education for All that began in 1990 in Jomtien followed by Millennium development goals. The important issues which need immediate attention to achieve MDG targets in Education are as follow.[these issues can be updated]

• Talibans in madrasas trying to carve jihadis out of kids
• World Bank study spells out Bhutan's education woes
• India's missing think tanks
  

China’s higher education transformation | vox - Research-based policy analysis and commentary from leading economists

Diigo tags: China, economics, globalization, trade

Unlike most developing economies, China’s educational policy focuses on upgrading higher education. This column summarises the major transformation occurring in China – including nearly a quintupling in enrolments – and highlights its implications for the global economy.

Economic View - This Global Show Must Go On - NYTimes.com

By 2010, China will have more Ph.D. scientists and engineers than the United States. These professionals are not fundamentally a threat. To the contrary, they are creators, whose ideas are likely to improve the lives of ordinary Americans, not just the business elites. The more access the Chinese have to American and other markets, the more they can afford higher education and the greater their incentive to innovate.

Diigo tags: marginalrevolution, globalization, trade, economics

There is a natural tendency to compare China and India in their economic policies and more specifically their approaches to meeting the Millennium Development Goals. They have each made amazing strides in improving their national economic standing though how well they have done internally is still a matter of concern both externally and internally to each country. The new Human Development Index statistical update which was released on December 18, 2008, (in which China, India and the United States went down compared to 2005) puts China at 94 and India at 132. A future post may take a look at how each country is doing regarding Millennium Development Goal No. 2. Universal Education.

Related Posts:

• Human Development - The Measurement of Human Endeavors

• Getting the Dragon and the Elephant to work together

• Next Year's Blogging Action Day - Getting an early start

• Learning how kids teach themselves, then get out of the way

Fighting Against Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis steming the pandemic that is sweeping countries : A Scientific American In-Depth Report

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One source of information is the Scientific American Newsletter. They had a special issue on the uphill efforts to eradicate Tuberculosis. I am providing the links to the main article and some of the related articles. These fit directly with the focus of this blog and the Millennium Goal No. 6. Combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases. It has also been a topic of interest in My Pathways to New Paradigms. I wrote in that blog of having a great deal of confidence in addressing many of the problems we face today through technology and science. These are concrete examples of why. This is also the area in which I believe that business models can be the most value added. We are constantly looking for more economically efficient healthcare delivery systems in this country and it is a critical issue, but it takes on a far greater epidemic life and death perspective in developing countries. There is the additional challenge of taking on far more desperate circumstances with a greater deficit of resources.

In-Depth Report:
The Fight Against Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis

• What's the Rx for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis? Hard Work--And Imagination
  A rising star in public health is showing the world that the deadliest strains of tuberculosis can be treated anywhere
• New Tactics in the Fight against Tuberculosis
  The pandemic is growing in many places, and strains resistant to all existing drugs are emerging. To fight back, biologists are applying a host of cutting-edge drug development strategies
• Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis in Russia
  Merrill Goozner traveled to Siberia to find out if rising rates of MDR-TB in Russia can be curbed
• Infected and Imprisoned: Tuberculosis in a Siberian Jail [Slide Show]
  The plight of inmates with TB in Russia's Tomsk Province
• Tuberculosis, The Unromantic Killer
• Tuberculosis has never stopped being one of the world's most lethal infections
• Ancient Bones Hold TB Clues
  A team of Israeli, Palestinian and German scientists is analyzing DNA from human remains that date back to the ancient city of Jericho to try to understand more about the origins of tuberculosis

Related posts:
Global Health Equity From MIT World
Best Intentions Unintended Consequences
Barack Obama on Millennium Development Goals
Report for the World's efforts on MDGs: What we did last week
World Wide AIDS the Tragedy