ONE for Four MDGS Equals Better World of Babies Free of HIV

Sphere: Related Content

I got two messages from the folks at ONE last week. One was from Sheila Nix, U.S. Executive Director for ONE, personally asking for our help to send a message to the White House which will soon be announcing how much they'll be committing to the Global Fund. The message to President Obama reads:

Please commit $6 billion to the Global Fund over the next 3 years.

The focus is to make sure that no child is born with HIV.

Over 52,000 ONE members have already asked the President to give the Global Fund the support that it deserves. Let your friends and family know that this is the moment to add their name too.

The second message was on the same basic subject, taking a different tack and proving flattery can get you somewhere.

You write some great blogs about the MDGs and the work that is needed in pursuing and supporting them. Today ONE launched the NO CHILD BORN WITH HIV BY 2015. This campaign will be an intense burst for a week channelled through www.one.org, culminating with the UN Millennium Development Goals Summit next Monday (20-22nd September) in NYC. It is a really entertaining way to show some support! Hopefully it will generate some internet buzz as babies get sent around threatening to 'Throw the bottle out of the Pram' or 'Put us on the naughty step' unless we show some support.

Check it out at http://www.one.org/international/actnow/babyprotest/

We would immensely appreciate your support by signing the online petition and – if you're so inspired – to blog about it or share it with your friends by email or on Twitter. This is a cause that can only be made good with the help of the public. Every name on the petition counts.

I am so inspired though I usually don't go for the cutesy stuff. The policy being advocated by ONE does take the approach that asserts that the Next Millennium Development Goals 'should be more holistic' SciDev.Net in addressing the issues facing the developing world. By focusing on preventing babies from being born with HIV, ONE addresses 4 of the Millennium Development Goals 3. Gender Equity 4. Child Health 5. Maternal Health and 6. Combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases together. Getting the funding commitment is the first step in a long struggle.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Take Action: Tweet @ the White House (one.org)
• Continued investment in malaria control could save 3 million more lives by 2015 (one.org)
• Helping countries help themselves (one.org)
• Babies advocating for babies (one.org)
• Global Fund seeks India's support for health spending (nowpublic.com)
• Global Fund short film asks 'What do you need to live?' (one.org)
• Opinions: U.S. Commitment To Global Fund; Innovative Financing; Global Food Security; Aid For Pakistan (medicalnewstoday.com)
• You: AIDS fight needs cash, recession or no: advocates (search.japantimes.co.jp)

President Obama sets Right direction for United States Role in Achieving the MDGs

Sphere: Related Content

Four days ago, David Lane, ONE President and CEO, informed me and more than 40,000 other ONE members that we had been successful in petitioning President Obama to deliver on his powerful pledge to present a plan for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) before the upcoming September's United Nation's Millennium Development Goals Summit in New York City. (Excuse for not doing this sooner is that again work got to hectic)

President Obama followed through on his pledge by releasing a new plan spelling out how the United States will work to achieve the United Nations' Eight Goal Millennium Campaign. 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. Global Partnership by 2015.

The plan, (you can read more about it here) stresses the importance of good governance, promoting economic growth and measurable results.

We should also feel proud to know that our work made a difference, and that the US is taking a real lead on the MDGs. But we can't forget that there's still a lot of hard work to do. We must make sure that the US acts on its new plan to tackle both the MDGs and broader development issues. We must urge other countries to commit to do their part at the September UN Summit. We must continue to let our leaders know that we support these goals and the hope, health, security and opportunity they offer to the world's poorest people.

The actual report is here:

Celebrate, Innovate, and Sustain: Toward 2015 and Beyond

I like the fact that it says "Toward2015 and Beyond" and leading with the word "Celebrate" is intriguing. First thing is to sit down and read it.

Related articles by Zemanta

• From principle to practice: Making the US MDG plan a reality (one.org)
• President Obama is releasing the US's MDG strategy today...but where's the bigger plan? (one.org)
• Breaking: White House releases MDG Plan (one.org)
• US gets a strategy to meet the Millennium Development Goals - please explain (aidwatchers.com)
• UN Foundation Founder and Chairman Ted Turner Calls on Private Citizens to Do Their Part to Help Achieve the UN's Millennium Development Goals (prweb.com)
• To Achieve MDGs, Economic Policies Must Help Poor, UNDP Head Says (medicalnewstoday.com)

Obama Promised to Cut World Poverty in Half - Hold Him to It!

Sphere: Related Content

The promise of the Millennium Development Goals is not some recent action by our governments. It is actually more than a promise, it is a commitment defined through the cooperative agreement of 189 nations that signed onto the Millennium Declaration on 8 September 2000. Numerous promises have been made since then, some closer to home than others.

Andrew at Care2 and ThePetitionSite Team reminds us that last year, President Obama stood before the UN and pledged to the world that the U.S. will support the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and approach next year's summit with a global plan to fight world poverty.

This lifesaving pledge is due this September and we need more than just talk. Urge President Obama to follow through on his words and take the lead on achieving the MDGs by 2015 »

If these goals are achieved, world poverty will be cut by half, tens of millions of lives will be saved, and billions more people will have the opportunity to benefit from the global economy. Help cut poverty in half

Update: I was signatory No. # 12,111: they are looking for 15,000, which to my mind is far too low.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Obama's 36 Words (one.org)
• Tell Obama to Keep His Promise to Cut World Poverty in Half! (socialactions.net)
• Act now: Ask President Obama to keep his pledge (one.org)
• Joanne Carter: Congress leads on global education; will Obama follow? (huffingtonpost.com)
• The Population-Poverty Connection (sustainablog.org)
• The Population-Poverty Connection (yubanet.com)

Telling President Obama: First Lead America to Clean Energy Now Then the World

Sphere: Related Content

The Environmental Defense Action Fund put out the video above to make the point that

As far back as Richard Nixon, every president has called for energy reform and action to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. And for 40 years, not a single one followed through forcibly enough to make change happen.

They are looking to encourage President Obama to turn his public commitment to passing strong climate and energy reform in 2010 into action. They need at least 50,000 signatures (click here) before the Senate comes back to work next week to send a strong message.

We have never been closer to success. What we have so far is our President's support. What we need is a full court press by White House officials to do what it takes to get the 60 votes needed to secure Senate passage of a bill.

Nothing short of that will do. History will be made this month. Please help us make this a chapter with a happy ending.

Getting an Energy Bill in the United States is important but it is not the end of the matter. We still need to address Millennium Development Goal No. 7. Environmental Sustainability. My letter to President Obama was geared in that direction.

Dear President Obama

You have given strong voice to the need to pass a comprehensive climate and energy bill to end our over-dependence on oil and other fossil fuels and to build America's clean energy future. Only then will we have the moral authority to help lead the rest of the world to a sustainable future. We thank you for your inspiring words. But now your words must be followed by your actions. As the BP Gulf Disaster makes all too tragically clear, the time for half measures is over. Now is the time to act.

Unless we get our own house in order, we will have little ability to convince the rest of the developed world and emerging markets that an environmentally sustainable planet as envisioned by the Seventh Millennium Development Goal is not a desirable objective but an essential one. We need your constant, hands-on leadership to apply maximum pressure on the Senate to pass a strong bill. And we need you to direct your all-star team of cabinet members and White House staff to engage directly in making it happen. Failure simply cannot be an option.

If the USA fails in this then there is little hope for the rest of the world, because even if they to agree to take action or impact will be too great for it to make a difference. We stand with you, Mr. President, and pledge to do our part to maintain unrelenting grassroots pressure to pass a strong bill. The time is now. The solution is clear. This is America's chance to finally break our addiction to oil and other fossil fuels. Please step up and use the full power of your good office to pass a strong climate and energy bill in the Senate this month. We cannot wait any longer.

Brian Dowling

Related articles by Zemanta

• President Obama: Lead America to Clean Energy Now (blogs.edf.org)
• Michael Brune: Please step up, President Obama, and lead us to the clean energy future America deserves (huffingtonpost.com)
• Obama Says He'll Find Needed Votes for Climate and Energy Bill (Video) (ecopolitology.org)
• Five Denier Myths about the Climate & Energy Bill (blogs.edf.org)
• Deficit Hysteria Likely to Kill Climate Bill, Too (news.firedoglake.com)
• WWF Calls on Senate Democrats to Commit to Comprehensive Climate and Clean Energy Legislation (prweb.com)