WHUT_IFF
01-30-2008, 03:06 PM
The next president of the United States will take office in a time of great hope: there are proven effective and affordable solutions that save lives. AIDS drugs can now cost as little as $1 a day.
A $5 bed net can keep a child from dying from a mosquito bite. With the force of more than 2 million members from all 50 states and a coalition of more than 100 non-profit, religious and charitable groups, ONE Vote '08 will educate and mobilize voters to ensure that the next American president is committed to using "smart" power to end global poverty and keep America strong; though I'd prefer to call it "COMMON SENSE".
ONE Vote '08 focuses on five achievable goals that are fully costed and proven and can have a rapid impact on the ground.
If the U.S. takes a leading role, in an effective partnership with other donors and poor countries, these cost effective solutions could achieve the following:
5 Achievable Goals
..> ..> Save 15,000 lives a day by fighting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, "The BIG Three" of the 13 world's most devastating diseases.
Prevent 5.4 million young children from dying each year from poverty-related illnesses and 400,000 women from dying in childbirth each year.
Provide free access to primary education for 77 million out-of-school children with a special emphasis on girls.
Improve the living conditions of vulnerable populations by, for example, providing access to clean water for 450 million people and basic sanitation to more than 700 million people.
Reduce by half the number of people in the world who suffer from hunger, resulting in 300 million "fewer" hungry people each year.
..>..>
Unlike many issues in the 2008 presidential campaign that deeply divide Republicans and Democrats, ONE Vote '08 brings both sides together. The 2008 presidential election provides a not-to-be-missed opportunity to raise awareness about global poverty and its impact on America's global reputation and future security. Through the 2008 campaign, we have a chance to shape our foreign policy for years to come.
ONE Vote '08 has developed a presidential platform of achievable solutions that – if championed by the next U.S. president – could have a profound impact on the poorest people in the world. The platform is built on the foundation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agreed to in 2000 by the United States and 188 other nations to achieve poverty reduction and sustainable development by 2015.
The STAND UP Pledge
We are standing now with millions around the world on this symbolic
day, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, to show our
commitment to the fight against extreme poverty and inequality.
We are standing because we refuse to accept more excuses in a world
where 50,000 people die every day as a result of extreme poverty and the gap between rich and poor is getting wider.
We are standing because we want our leaders to honour their promises
to meet the Millennium Development Goals – and we ask them to exceed these goals.
We join in solidarity with people from over 100 countries to say:
To the leaders of the wealthy countries –
We urge you to keep your promises on poverty – debt cancellation, more
and better aid, trade justice and gender equality.
To the leaders of poorer countries – make it your first responsibility to
save the lives of your poorest citizens. We ask you to tackle inequality, to be accountable to your people, to govern fairly and justly, to fight
corruption and to fulfill human rights.
Today, and every day, we will stand up and speak out against poverty.
We will continue the fight against poverty and inequality and t o hold our
leaders to their promises.
We are asking not for charity but for justice. We are millions of voices
standing in solidarity to say, no more excuses - end poverty now
Number of children in the world:
2.2 billion
Number in poverty:
1 billion (every second child)
Shelter, safe water and health for the 1.9 billion children from the developing world, there are:
640 million without adequate shelter (1 in 3)
400 million with no access to safe water (1 in 5)
270 million with no access to health services (1 in 7)
Children out of education worldwide:
121 million
Survival for children Worldwide:
10.6 million died in 2003 before they reached the age of 5
(same as the child population of France, Germany, Greece and Italy combined)
1.4 million die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation
Health of children Worldwide:
2.2 million children die each year because they are not immunized
15 million children orphaned due to HIV/AIDS
(similar to the total child population in Germany or United Kingdom)
The wealthiest nation on Earth has the widest gap between rich and poor of any industrialized nation.
The 48 poorest countries account for less than 0.4 percent of global exports.
Approximately 790 million people in the developing world are still chronically undernourished, almost two-thirds of whom reside in Asia and the Pacific.
A mere 12 percent of the world’s population uses 85 percent of its water, and these 12 percent do not live in the Third World.
The richest 50 million people in Europe and North America have the same income as 2.7 billion poor people.
The lives of 1.7 million children were needlessly lost in 2000 because world governments continue to fail to reduce poverty levels.
North America has 50% of the worlds wealth and only 6.3% of the world's population.
More for you to ponder...
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the dangers of battle,
the loneliness of imprisonment,
the agonies of torture,
or the stomach pangs of starvation...
you are ahead of 500 million other people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator,
clothes on your back,
a roof overhead and a safe place to sleep...
you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have some money in the bank,
some cash in your wallet,
and put your spare change in a dish or in a piggy bank for your child's future...
you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
What would you do if wiping your child’s tears could steal your eyesight?
Eating vegetables fresh from the ground could make you anemic?
Taking a bath could damage your kidneys?
These things seem unlikely in the developed world. For 2.7 billion of the world’s poorest people, however, becoming infected with a neglected tropical disease (NTD) IS that easy.
Because of 13 parasitic and bacterial diseases, nearly one-half of the global population is trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty. Those afflicted become disfigured, disabled and stigmatized.
Adults can’t work and children can’t go to school—all because safe, effective and affordable drugs to treat or prevent these diseases simply are beyond their reach. As a result, NTDs continue to thrive and their victims become sicker and poorer.
The 13 diseases of poverty - http://www.sabin.org/diseases.php
HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis (the Big Three) are perhaps the most well-known diseases that feed the cycle of poverty. For more than 2 billion people, however, any combination of 13 neglected tropical diseases and other diseases of poverty are more common, but receive a fraction of the resources and support that is given to the Big Three. They stigmatize, disable and claim the lives and productivity of millions, trapping those they affect in poor conditions that sustain infection.
The most-common diseases of poverty include:
Soil-transmitted Helminths - any one of three intestinal worm infections (ascariasis, whipworm and hookworm) can cause anemia, impaired growth, developmental delays, blood loss, malnutrition, and physical and mental disabilities. Combined, there are nearly 2 billion cases of these infections worldwide, 807 million of which are from ascariasis alone. Each disease is 100% treatable, and in some cases preventable, with proper medication.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis) - These thread-like microscopic worms that clog the lymphatic system threaten over 1 billion people in Asia and sub-Sahara Africa. Many with elephantiasis suffer from infections, swelling, scarring and deformities so severe that performing routine tasks, such as walking and eating, are nearly impossible. This disease is not curable, but is preventable with inexpensive drugs.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Trachoma - the world's leading cause of preventable blindness. This common bacterial infection afflicts 84 million people, women and children are disproportionately affected. The disease is spread through both direct and indirect contact with the eye, nose and throat secretions, so simple tasks like wiping a child's tears can lead to infection. Inexpensive antibiotics and improved sanitation practices can cure and prevent trachoma.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Schistosomiasis - also known as snail fever is the second-most prevalent tropical disease after malaria. About 200 million people are infected with these parasitic worms that penetrate the skin through contact with contaminated water. certain types of snails are carriers of the worms, which cause blood in the urine, anemia, liver and kidney damage, in addition to impaired growth and development. Many people are infected while bathing or washing in local streams and rivers.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Onchocerciasis (River Blindness) - so named because it is transmitted through the bites of blackflies that are generally found near rivers. It threatens 90 million people, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. This parasitic worm infection causes debiltating itching, disfiguring skin lesions and eye disease, which stigmatizes and disables those it afflicts. An annual dose of one drug can cure the disease and treat some of the symptoms.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Pnemococcal disease - Pneumococcus is a family of bacteria responsible for over 1 million deaths annually, mostly among infants and children in developing countries. Infections can lead to a number of serious illnesses, including meningitis, pneumonis, sepsis and severe respiratory infections. While pneumococci generally respond to antibiotics, many strains are becoming resistant to treatment, which makes vaccination more important than ever. However, in most countries where this disease is a public health issue, access to medicine and vaccines is limited.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Rotavirus - the leading cause of several diarrheal illness and dehydration among young children worldwide. Almost all children are infected with rotavirus bythe time they are 3 years old, but most recover with proper treatment. 85% of the 600,000 deaths attributed to the virus occur in low-income countries, where treatment is scarce. Rotavirus is preventable withroutine vaccination.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Rubella - also known as German Measles, rubella is a relatively mild viral infection in adults and children. But for developing fetuses, it causes severe birth defects, including deafness and mental disabilities. The disease is airborne and transmitted easily from person to person. Infected mothers have a 90% chance of passing it on to their babies, resulting in a condition called congenital rubella syndrome, which accounts for 700,000 deaths annually. Vaccination programs in developed nations have stopped the spread of rubella among its populations. But 40% of countries still do not have a national immunization program for this disease.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Human papilloma viruses (HPV) - are a group of more than 100 viruses that cause infections - visible warts or growths that typically go away on their own. However, HPV is also recognized as the major cause of cervical cancer. there are nearly 471,000 new cases of cervical cancer annually - 80% of them among women in less-developed countries - and more than 233,000 cervical related deaths. In the majority of developing countries, cervical cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. It is estimated that vaccination has the potential to reduce cervical cancer deaths globally by nearly two-thirds.
Source: National Cancer Institute, National Cervical Cancer Coalition
Measles - rare in industrialized nations, but it is common in the developing world. There are more than 20 million cases each year, and in 2005, measles resulted in 345,000 deaths - the majority of which were children. 95% of measles-related deaths occurred in countries with per capita incomes of less than $1,000 US. According to the World Health Organization, the high rate of childhood mortality is due to failure to deliver at least one dose of measles vaccine to all infants - despite the fact the measles vaccine has been available for 40 years.
Source: World Health Organization, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
Most are treatable, curable and even preventable. Yet these diseases still trap billions of the world’s poorest people in a vicious cycle that prevents them from working and caring for their families or themselves, resulting in worsening poverty and illness.
Increasing access to safe and effective medicines and developing vaccines is a major step toward eliminating these diseases, and Sabin Vaccine Institute is leading this effort worldwide.
2008 marks the 88th year women have been FREE to vote... don't waste your voice !
ONE by ONE, we ARE the DIFFERENCE
A $5 bed net can keep a child from dying from a mosquito bite. With the force of more than 2 million members from all 50 states and a coalition of more than 100 non-profit, religious and charitable groups, ONE Vote '08 will educate and mobilize voters to ensure that the next American president is committed to using "smart" power to end global poverty and keep America strong; though I'd prefer to call it "COMMON SENSE".
ONE Vote '08 focuses on five achievable goals that are fully costed and proven and can have a rapid impact on the ground.
If the U.S. takes a leading role, in an effective partnership with other donors and poor countries, these cost effective solutions could achieve the following:
5 Achievable Goals
..> ..> Save 15,000 lives a day by fighting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, "The BIG Three" of the 13 world's most devastating diseases.
Prevent 5.4 million young children from dying each year from poverty-related illnesses and 400,000 women from dying in childbirth each year.
Provide free access to primary education for 77 million out-of-school children with a special emphasis on girls.
Improve the living conditions of vulnerable populations by, for example, providing access to clean water for 450 million people and basic sanitation to more than 700 million people.
Reduce by half the number of people in the world who suffer from hunger, resulting in 300 million "fewer" hungry people each year.
..>..>
Unlike many issues in the 2008 presidential campaign that deeply divide Republicans and Democrats, ONE Vote '08 brings both sides together. The 2008 presidential election provides a not-to-be-missed opportunity to raise awareness about global poverty and its impact on America's global reputation and future security. Through the 2008 campaign, we have a chance to shape our foreign policy for years to come.
ONE Vote '08 has developed a presidential platform of achievable solutions that – if championed by the next U.S. president – could have a profound impact on the poorest people in the world. The platform is built on the foundation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agreed to in 2000 by the United States and 188 other nations to achieve poverty reduction and sustainable development by 2015.
The STAND UP Pledge
We are standing now with millions around the world on this symbolic
day, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, to show our
commitment to the fight against extreme poverty and inequality.
We are standing because we refuse to accept more excuses in a world
where 50,000 people die every day as a result of extreme poverty and the gap between rich and poor is getting wider.
We are standing because we want our leaders to honour their promises
to meet the Millennium Development Goals – and we ask them to exceed these goals.
We join in solidarity with people from over 100 countries to say:
To the leaders of the wealthy countries –
We urge you to keep your promises on poverty – debt cancellation, more
and better aid, trade justice and gender equality.
To the leaders of poorer countries – make it your first responsibility to
save the lives of your poorest citizens. We ask you to tackle inequality, to be accountable to your people, to govern fairly and justly, to fight
corruption and to fulfill human rights.
Today, and every day, we will stand up and speak out against poverty.
We will continue the fight against poverty and inequality and t o hold our
leaders to their promises.
We are asking not for charity but for justice. We are millions of voices
standing in solidarity to say, no more excuses - end poverty now
Number of children in the world:
2.2 billion
Number in poverty:
1 billion (every second child)
Shelter, safe water and health for the 1.9 billion children from the developing world, there are:
640 million without adequate shelter (1 in 3)
400 million with no access to safe water (1 in 5)
270 million with no access to health services (1 in 7)
Children out of education worldwide:
121 million
Survival for children Worldwide:
10.6 million died in 2003 before they reached the age of 5
(same as the child population of France, Germany, Greece and Italy combined)
1.4 million die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation
Health of children Worldwide:
2.2 million children die each year because they are not immunized
15 million children orphaned due to HIV/AIDS
(similar to the total child population in Germany or United Kingdom)
The wealthiest nation on Earth has the widest gap between rich and poor of any industrialized nation.
The 48 poorest countries account for less than 0.4 percent of global exports.
Approximately 790 million people in the developing world are still chronically undernourished, almost two-thirds of whom reside in Asia and the Pacific.
A mere 12 percent of the world’s population uses 85 percent of its water, and these 12 percent do not live in the Third World.
The richest 50 million people in Europe and North America have the same income as 2.7 billion poor people.
The lives of 1.7 million children were needlessly lost in 2000 because world governments continue to fail to reduce poverty levels.
North America has 50% of the worlds wealth and only 6.3% of the world's population.
More for you to ponder...
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the dangers of battle,
the loneliness of imprisonment,
the agonies of torture,
or the stomach pangs of starvation...
you are ahead of 500 million other people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator,
clothes on your back,
a roof overhead and a safe place to sleep...
you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have some money in the bank,
some cash in your wallet,
and put your spare change in a dish or in a piggy bank for your child's future...
you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
What would you do if wiping your child’s tears could steal your eyesight?
Eating vegetables fresh from the ground could make you anemic?
Taking a bath could damage your kidneys?
These things seem unlikely in the developed world. For 2.7 billion of the world’s poorest people, however, becoming infected with a neglected tropical disease (NTD) IS that easy.
Because of 13 parasitic and bacterial diseases, nearly one-half of the global population is trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty. Those afflicted become disfigured, disabled and stigmatized.
Adults can’t work and children can’t go to school—all because safe, effective and affordable drugs to treat or prevent these diseases simply are beyond their reach. As a result, NTDs continue to thrive and their victims become sicker and poorer.
The 13 diseases of poverty - http://www.sabin.org/diseases.php
HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis (the Big Three) are perhaps the most well-known diseases that feed the cycle of poverty. For more than 2 billion people, however, any combination of 13 neglected tropical diseases and other diseases of poverty are more common, but receive a fraction of the resources and support that is given to the Big Three. They stigmatize, disable and claim the lives and productivity of millions, trapping those they affect in poor conditions that sustain infection.
The most-common diseases of poverty include:
Soil-transmitted Helminths - any one of three intestinal worm infections (ascariasis, whipworm and hookworm) can cause anemia, impaired growth, developmental delays, blood loss, malnutrition, and physical and mental disabilities. Combined, there are nearly 2 billion cases of these infections worldwide, 807 million of which are from ascariasis alone. Each disease is 100% treatable, and in some cases preventable, with proper medication.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis) - These thread-like microscopic worms that clog the lymphatic system threaten over 1 billion people in Asia and sub-Sahara Africa. Many with elephantiasis suffer from infections, swelling, scarring and deformities so severe that performing routine tasks, such as walking and eating, are nearly impossible. This disease is not curable, but is preventable with inexpensive drugs.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Trachoma - the world's leading cause of preventable blindness. This common bacterial infection afflicts 84 million people, women and children are disproportionately affected. The disease is spread through both direct and indirect contact with the eye, nose and throat secretions, so simple tasks like wiping a child's tears can lead to infection. Inexpensive antibiotics and improved sanitation practices can cure and prevent trachoma.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Schistosomiasis - also known as snail fever is the second-most prevalent tropical disease after malaria. About 200 million people are infected with these parasitic worms that penetrate the skin through contact with contaminated water. certain types of snails are carriers of the worms, which cause blood in the urine, anemia, liver and kidney damage, in addition to impaired growth and development. Many people are infected while bathing or washing in local streams and rivers.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Onchocerciasis (River Blindness) - so named because it is transmitted through the bites of blackflies that are generally found near rivers. It threatens 90 million people, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. This parasitic worm infection causes debiltating itching, disfiguring skin lesions and eye disease, which stigmatizes and disables those it afflicts. An annual dose of one drug can cure the disease and treat some of the symptoms.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Pnemococcal disease - Pneumococcus is a family of bacteria responsible for over 1 million deaths annually, mostly among infants and children in developing countries. Infections can lead to a number of serious illnesses, including meningitis, pneumonis, sepsis and severe respiratory infections. While pneumococci generally respond to antibiotics, many strains are becoming resistant to treatment, which makes vaccination more important than ever. However, in most countries where this disease is a public health issue, access to medicine and vaccines is limited.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Rotavirus - the leading cause of several diarrheal illness and dehydration among young children worldwide. Almost all children are infected with rotavirus bythe time they are 3 years old, but most recover with proper treatment. 85% of the 600,000 deaths attributed to the virus occur in low-income countries, where treatment is scarce. Rotavirus is preventable withroutine vaccination.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Rubella - also known as German Measles, rubella is a relatively mild viral infection in adults and children. But for developing fetuses, it causes severe birth defects, including deafness and mental disabilities. The disease is airborne and transmitted easily from person to person. Infected mothers have a 90% chance of passing it on to their babies, resulting in a condition called congenital rubella syndrome, which accounts for 700,000 deaths annually. Vaccination programs in developed nations have stopped the spread of rubella among its populations. But 40% of countries still do not have a national immunization program for this disease.
Source: New England Journal of Mediciine, World Health Organization
Human papilloma viruses (HPV) - are a group of more than 100 viruses that cause infections - visible warts or growths that typically go away on their own. However, HPV is also recognized as the major cause of cervical cancer. there are nearly 471,000 new cases of cervical cancer annually - 80% of them among women in less-developed countries - and more than 233,000 cervical related deaths. In the majority of developing countries, cervical cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. It is estimated that vaccination has the potential to reduce cervical cancer deaths globally by nearly two-thirds.
Source: National Cancer Institute, National Cervical Cancer Coalition
Measles - rare in industrialized nations, but it is common in the developing world. There are more than 20 million cases each year, and in 2005, measles resulted in 345,000 deaths - the majority of which were children. 95% of measles-related deaths occurred in countries with per capita incomes of less than $1,000 US. According to the World Health Organization, the high rate of childhood mortality is due to failure to deliver at least one dose of measles vaccine to all infants - despite the fact the measles vaccine has been available for 40 years.
Source: World Health Organization, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
Most are treatable, curable and even preventable. Yet these diseases still trap billions of the world’s poorest people in a vicious cycle that prevents them from working and caring for their families or themselves, resulting in worsening poverty and illness.
Increasing access to safe and effective medicines and developing vaccines is a major step toward eliminating these diseases, and Sabin Vaccine Institute is leading this effort worldwide.
2008 marks the 88th year women have been FREE to vote... don't waste your voice !
ONE by ONE, we ARE the DIFFERENCE