United Nations

7 things you need to know about the Millennium Development Goals, with just 1000 days to go

Apr 3rd, 2013 4:07 PM UTC
By Helen Hector

Back in 2000, the world made a promise to itself.  It set out eight Millennium Development Goals, which if met, would significantly reduce global poverty and disease by 2015.   On Friday we will enter the final sprint to the finish line, with 1000 days to go until the 2015 deadline arrives.  So how are we doing?

ONE has set its cleverest people to work, analysing the progress made by both developing counties and donors who pledged to support them.  Our 1000 Days briefing captures all the important facts and figures, but here are seven headlines  you need to know.

If you want to know what we think needs to happen in the next 1000 days to keep the Millennium Development goals on track, have a look at the full briefing.

You can also join us on Friday for a live Twitter chat with ONE’s Policy Director Ben Leo.  Find out more and send us your questions now.

Make yourself heard with ONE’s new ‘You Choose’ campaign says D’banj

Feb 4th, 2013 10:26 AM UTC
By Nachilala Nkombo

This January, two years away from the expiry of the 2000 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the post 2015 agenda has already created a buzz in Monrovia and Johannesburg. As Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf hosts the United Nations High Level Panel on the post-2015 Development framework this week, I was privileged to have joined an energetic group of ONE Africa staff, friends, partners and members at the launch of ONE’s new post-2015 SMS and social media campaign called “You Choose”. The main objective of this campaign is to engage Africans from all walks of life on what the new MDGs should focus on.

Nachilala, D’banj and a ONE member from Johannesburg

At the launch event Nigerian music star Dbanj told the audience that he joined ONE because he is passionate about engaging on how best to end poverty, he noted that the “YOU CHOOSE” Platforms provide opportunities for all to speak out so that barriers can be removed – or until they find their Jesus Christ! “We can make it, I am an example … Nigerian born, Nigerian made, Africa is more than what people think we are, we have more and have the opportunity to be more,” He said. He called onto the audience and his supporters to participate in this campaign that will influence their futures.

ONE members at the Johannesburg event

As Africa has close to 700 million mobile connections, the “You Choose” campaign will take advantage of this mobile revolution to enable millions of Africans to make themselves heard. Young people on the continent who are 24/7 on social media will be encouraged to add their voices in shaping the new MDGs through “You Choose”.

The campaign has already hit major airwaves in South Africa on SABC TV, SABC SAFM, SABC and Metro. All citizens need to do is submit their priority in a simple format via a free SMS or the web based platforms. Their priorities could be as simple as food, land, jobs, public transport, skills, hospitals, leadership, accountability, corruption or another critical issue. Today, a radio phone in caller named Bongi told other listeners on the SABC
Morning talk radio show in Johannesburg that leadership is critical in ensuring that ensure that the current and future MDGS are met. He cited how former President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia inherited a country with only a few schools and colleges and no university. But within the first years of independence, he was able to establish a countrywide network of primary and secondary and a university. Bongi chose, and sent a free text to 30677.

What do you choose? To choose, send a text for free to 30677 if you are in South Africa or submit your issue at www.one.org/youchoose if you live elsewhere.

Unlike when the 2000 MDGs were created, the post-2015 MDGs process is seeking advice this time from citizens on what future MDGs should address when the current ones expire in 2015. ONE is working in partnership with 20-plus organisations and influentials that include the UN, civil society organisations, churches groups, radio stations and various media houses in rolling out this drive. ONE is particularly working closely with the UN My World team so as to ensure that the feedback collected through “You Choose “will be included in the meeting of the High Level Panel on the post-2015 agenda to be held in March 2015 in Bali Indonesia.

ONE is thrilled that African icons such as Hugh Masekela, Dbanj, Lira, Benni McCarthy, Chris Katongo, HHP, have joined hands with “You Choose” to urge ordinary African citizens to join the call to action. Launches in Malawi and Zambia will follow on the 12th and 19th of February respectively.

In Zambia, the campaign will be backed by local celebrities that include former Big Brother Housemate, Mampi, singing sensation, Slap Dee and Zambia’s own TV producer Mary Magambo and one of the hip and hottest artists on the Zambian music scene Kachanana. In Malawi the campaign will be backed by Malawian stars Dan Lu, Bon Kalando. You Choose participants will have an option to join ONE so as to have opportunities to join current campaigns ONE is running on improving health and Agriculture investments in Africa. Remember to choose by texting for FREE 30667!

New UNAIDS Report Highlights Disparities for Marginalized Populations

Nov 20th, 2012 3:36 PM UTC
By Erin Hohlfelder

This morning—less than two weeks before World AIDS Day—UNAIDS released their annual Global Report, which provides a comprehensive look at where we stand in the AIDS epidemic.  As always, it’s stacked with useful data on a variety of topics, but this year’s report doesn’t include many of the new headline stats that we’re used to at this time of year, including the new total number of people on antiretroviral treatment and the number of new HIV infections in the year.  That’s because, strategically, UNAIDS shared those figures early this year, timed to be released around the International AIDS Conference in July as the media was watching.

As a result, we’ve dug into this report in a different way, looking to highlight some of the more interesting stats and angles on which we might not normally focus.  In particular, we’ve pulled out some key—and in some cases, eye-popping—stats about how the AIDS epidemic is impacting marginalized populations and how far we still need to go in terms of improving the legal frameworks and rights for people living with HIV/AIDS.  By the numbers:

Marginalized Populations

• People who inject drugs have 22 times the rate of HIV infection as the general population in 49 countries with available data.
• Children of mothers in marginalized populations experience HIV transmission nearly 2.5 times higher than in the general population.
• In sub-Saharan Africa, only 46% of the people living with both HIV and TB were able to access AIDS treatment.
• In 2010–2011, international funding accounted for 92% of all spending on HIV programs for men who have sex with men, suggesting that many impacted countries are not doing enough to finance programs for their own marginalized populations.

Gender

• Only 10% of countries are effectively engaging men and boys in their national AIDS response.
• Female sex workers are 13.5 times more likely to be living with HIV than are other women.
• In Swaziland and the United Republic of Tanzania, nearly 1 in 3 girls and women aged 13–24 years reported experiencing at least one incident of sexual violence before age 18.

Discrimination and Legal Rights

• Nearly 4 in 10 countries worldwide still lack any specific legal provisions to prevent or address HIV-related discrimination
• In 2012, about 60 countries had laws criminalizing HIV transmission.
• Laws in 20 countries provide for deporting individuals discovered to be living with HIV.

Gordon Brown: Help us put 61 million children in school

Sep 27th, 2012 10:25 AM UTC
By Guest Blogger

In this blog post, former UK Prime Minister and newly appointed UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown explains how activists can help provide every child in the world with a decent education through a new UN initiative, Education First.

Education, we all know, is the foundation of a better life –- not just for the individual concerned, but for whole communities, whole societies, whole economies. Yet 61 million children around the world do not go to primary school. That’s 61 million young people denied their chance to learn, grow and prosper. And denied their right to hope.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has asked me to become his Special Envoy for Global Education. In this role I will be rallying support from governments, businesses, NGOs, foundations, schools – but I also want support from you.

Together, our collective voice can put education where it needs to be: at the top of the global agenda. Will you sign up now to join our campaign?

There is hope for the 61 million children out of school. There is hope because this is not a complex problem to solve – we know how to build schools, how to train teachers. We just need the force of our will to make it happen.

Watch our video to find out why I believe there is reason to be hopeful. Add your voice to our campaign now -– visit www.educationenvoy.org and sign up.