General

Give 30 seconds of your time to help mums around the world

Sign the pledge!

By Make Poverty History

Last week 2500 people signed the Maternal and Child Health Pledge. Help us reach 10,000 by Mother's Day this coming Sunday. Mothers in developing countries around the world are suffering due to lack of health facilities and trained health professionals. This is your chance to do something for mum's everywhere!

If you haven't signed the pledge then take 30 seconds to do it NOW! If you have, then forward this to your friends, or better still your Mum, and ask them to get involved.

Need a few stats to convince your friends? Here they are.

• One in every twelve children in Cambodia dies before their fifth birthday.
• One hundred times more women lose their lives during childbirth in Timor Leste than in Australia.

It shouldn't be this way in the 21st century. Every pledge counts. Let our leaders know this issue is important and we want urgent action.

We'll let you know the results in our next email.

Now that you've done your bit, it's time to check out what others are up to.

Australian Government make positive steps

During the April meeting between the British and Australian PMs, Kevin Rudd, committed to:

• join the International Health partnership to ensure better coordinated aid for health systems
• take a leadership role in the Asia pacific region in regard to health
• attend the MDG review meeting at the United Nations in September.

In a subsequent speech on World Health Day, Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan, also made significant commitments to focus on maternal health and asked for input on how to improve health in our region.

At Make Poverty History we're working on some detailed policies which we will submit to the Government to help tackle maternal and child health. In the meantime, here's some more things you can do.

Got a few minutes...

...and need a quick break from what you're doing? Watch one of the health videos we have on the site and then forward it to your friends.

Up close and personal

Join a group of enthusiastic people from your community and visit your local MP. Its called Parents Against Poverty, but we want everyone to join in. We're all part of a family in one way or another!

Meetings are being organised now in most capital cities. Check out the Events page of the Make Poverty History website. Can't find one in your area? Email us and we'll help you organise your own: sguzman@acfid.asn.au

Your time, action and passion is making a difference to the lives of people living in poverty. Let's keep striving to Make Poverty History.