Global Weekly Update July 2, 2012
Congratulations on Your Child Survival Media Success!
You came through loud and clear.
On June 14 and 15, the U.S., India, Ethiopia, and UNICEF convened world leaders for a two-day Child Survival Call to Action meeting in Washington, DC. The goal of the meeting was to create a roadmap for ending preventable child deaths in our lifetime. Leading up to the Call to Action meeting, the convenors engaged the public and others through their “Every Child Deserves a 5th Birthday” campaign.
You sent the message that ending preventable child deaths is now possible. Check out the latest pieces inspired or published by our grassroots on our blog as your media hits roll in. As of press time, you landed a minimum of 5 editorials, 8 op-eds, and 21 letters to the editor in papers across the country!
Our editorial packet, titled “Saving the Other Half: How the World Can End Preventable Child Deaths,” is still available, reflecting outcomes and promises made at the Call to Action meeting. You can still use the June laser talk to pitch the idea of a child survival editorial highlighting this critically important meeting and its impact.
Remember that when letters and relevant articles are published, it is smart to share them with the RESULTS office (if you have written them), on Twitter and Facebook, and with your members of Congress.
RESULTS is one of few organizations bringing attention to this issue through the media, so our media work is critical. USAID knows of the work that was done. Bravo!
Spectacular Success Supporting Grameen Bank
Despite years of providing small, extremely low interest loans to the poor in Bangladesh, Grameen Bank and its founder, Professor Muhammad Yunus, have been the target of a politically-motivated campaign led by Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In May 2011, the government’s efforts succeeded in forcing Professor Yunus to resign as managing director of the Bank. Now, instead of allowing the current Board of Directors to conduct an independent process to find his replacement, the government has appointed a commission to review the activities of Grameen Bank and make recommendations as to its future. Grameen Bank is owned primarily by its borrowers, 97 percent of whom are women, and is a groundbreaking institution that has been emulated around the world. The government’s campaign is widely seen as a threat to civil society space and the human and legal rights of the women borrowers of the Bank.
In response, all 17 female members of the United States Senate, led by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), sent a bipartisan letter to Prime Minister Hasina last week in support of the women borrowers of Grameen Bank and urging the government to protect the autonomy of the Board of Directors in selecting a new managing director.
RESULTS volunteers in the female senators’ states were instrumental in securing the sign on of all 17 women senators, and did so in an incredibly short amount of time. After the letter was sent, RESULTS Executive Director Joanne Carter issued a statement praising the efforts of the senators. The letter has already made quite a mark in the Bangladeshi press, including in this article in the country’s biggest English language newspaper.
You can find more information on the complex set of issues surrounding the government’s campaign against Grameen Bank in this fact sheet, and read more about the letter and the efforts around it on the RESULTS blog. Thanks to all of the volunteers who successfully advocated to their senators to sign on to this important letter!
RESULTS International Conference! New Guest Speaker: Rajiv Shah of USAID
We received confirmation that USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah will be speaking at the RESULTS International Conference! Also, a RESULTS International Conference session has been approved as an International AIDS Society Conference affiliated session! Planned for Saturday, July 21, 4:30-5:45 pm, this public session entitled “An End to the Global AIDS Epidemic: How Past Progress Can Inspire Future Action” will feature Buck Buckingham, the director of the Office of Global Health and HIV for the Peace Corps. Spread the word!
There’s more for you . . .
1. Most urgent preparation items: Use our IC preparation checklist to make sure you are on track with your trip preparation. Two things that should be on your to-do list this week: Take the customizable letters now available so you can begin inviting your members of Congress to our spectacular conference reception! And begin scheduling your Lobby Day meetings, letting us know the details online. Find guidance on setting up your meetings here.
2. Invite your community to participate in the end of AIDS by inviting them to the Saturday July 14 Global National Conference Call! Dial (888) 409-6709 a few minutes before the 2 pm ET call and gather your fellow advocates for a fantastic hour featuring Stephen Lewis, co-founder and co-director of AIDS-Free World and former UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. After the meeting, use our July 2012 Action Sheet to writer letters to your Representatives and Senators about ending AIDS. Hearing from constituents on keeping our commitments to ending AIDS will keep them committed to this incredibly important global goal. Hand-carry the letters to the RESULTS International Conference if you are going. If not, send them to your Rep. and Senators via their local offices.
3. Need a roommate? Want to ask advice from previous attendees? Anxious to chat with other folks who are coming to DC? Check out our International Conference discusson thread on the My RESULTS forum.
4. Fire up your Twitter account and use our official conference hashtag, #RESULTSConf (search for it on Twitter), to keep track of and contribute to the buzz before, during (bring your laptop or smartphone!), and after the conference!
5. There is still time to register for the 5K fun run/walk at the International Conference. Visit our RESULTS Team Fundraising webpage for information about how to register or to make a donation to one of our racers.
And are you simply going to be at the International Conference in spirit, not in person? Never fear! There are key actions you can take to help amplify the advocacy taking place in Washington, DC. Check out our blog for top tips on what you can do from home to be part of the action.
RESULTS and Matrimony . . .
Congratulations to RESULTS Boston bride Cynthia Tschampl and her groom Kimball Halsey on their wedding on June 23rd. We are so happy for both of them and grateful that they made RESULTS part of their celebration by asking guests to consider making a donation to RESULTS as an especially meaningful wedding gift. We also look forward to the marriage of Katy Windschill and Rob Marshall – two RESULTS activists in Atlanta – who will tie the knot on August 3rd. They met at a RESULTS International Conference three years ago and will also be asking their guests to honor the wedding with a contribution to RESULTS. Thank you, and congratulations to our brides and grooms who are changing the world with their love and generosity!
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
– Helen Keller
July 11: RESULTS Introductory Call. 9 pm ET. Contact us with any questions and RSVP for the call.
July 14: National grassroots conference call for global campaigns. 2 pm ET. Dial (888) 409-6709 a few minutes before the call. Join us for a fantastic call featuring Stephen Lewis, co-founder and co-director of AIDS-Free World and former UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. Use our new flyer to promote the call and invite others to join your group for it! (Check out our conference call archive, too!)
July 16: RESULTS Free Agents call. 8 pm ET. Dial (218) 486-1611, passcode 7378587 (RESULTS) to join. Are you a RESULTS activist with our global poverty campaigns, living in a town with no RESULTS group? You are alone no more! Contact Lisa Marchal for more information on this monthly support call.
July 21–24: RESULTS International Conference in Washington, DC
July 27: RESULTS Introductory Call. 1 pm ET. Contact us with any questions and RSVP for the call.
August 6 and 20: New Activist Orientation. Dial in to (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262 at 9 pm ET to get more details on how RESULTS works and how to bring your powerful advocacy work to life. For more information, contact us.
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