Jane Roberts and Lois Abraham established 34 Million Friends of UNFPA in 2002 when the Bush Administration first announced they would withhold the $34 million that Congress allocated to UNFPA. Today the total amount of blocked funds stands at $195 million.
The idea behind this project is to ask 34 million Americans to donate at least $1 and in turn, send a message that Americans support UNFPA.
UNFPA helps the most vulnerable women in the world plan their families, give birth safely, and protect themselves from HIV/AIDS. It promotes the rights of women by encouraging equal access to food, education, and healthcare. UNFPA works worldwide to eliminate gender-based violence including female genital cutting and rape used as a weapon of war. Show American support by becoming one of the 34 Million Friends and getting involved. People outside the United States (non-Americans) can donate at
http://www.unfpa.org/support/friends/34million.htm.
Please spread the word far and wide.
Jane wrote a poem about 34 Million Friends that music legend Odetta put to music and it's now a video. She has also written a book called 34 Million Friends of the Women of the World. Here is a link to Jane's article in The Interdependent, the magazine of the United Nations Association, Winter edition, 2008
Events
There was a worldwide conference on Safe Motherhood in London October 18-20, 2007. Jane was there and here is her report. www.womendeliver.org.
I just returned from the Women Deliver Conference in London. Nearly 2000 experts and policy makers on women’s health came from around the globe to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Safe Motherhood Initiative. Sadly maternal mortality rates have remained relatively stagnant over that time. Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA, said on the first morning that policy makers have to believe that women’s rights are human rights. Surely surviving childbirth in the 21st century should be a human right.
After Women Deliver I gave a talk at the Club of Rome in Brussels and then 11 talks in 5 days in New Jersey. I’m home now, safe, sound and with great memories.
I can't emphasize enough the importance of media attention in bringing policies related to women to the fore. At Women Deliver I watched a BBC documentary called Dead Mums Don't Cry. The BBC spent a week at a health care clinic in Chad where Dr. Grace Kodindo, the doctor in charge, struggled to help women survive. During that one week a 12 year old girl died from an abortion, at least one woman died of eclampsia, a blood pressure disorder during pregnancy which if treated in time with magnesium sulfate can save the life of the mother and baby. and at least two women died of hemorrhage, a frequent postpartum killer of women. The clinic lacked basic supplies. The result of this documentary which was shown several times in Britain and in Chad, was that this clinic now has most of what it needs. Would that our film (more about the film later) could do for the world what this documentary did for Dr. Kodindo's clinic.
Incidentally the total fertility rate in Chad is 6.6 children per woman. Family planning is utterly crucial for this country and for many others throughout the world to have a chance. The family planning part of the worldwide reproductive health budget has shrunk considerably over recent years. At Women Deliver, the British government announced a grant of 100 million pounds to UNFPA over 5 years mostly for health care commodities with an emphasis on family planning. What a difference with our indifferent government!
The Lancet, the prestigious British medical journal put out a special edition for Women Deliver. On the front in big letters: "Since the human race began, women have delivered for society. It is time now for the world to deliver for women."
Well said!
Awards
Jane Roberts and Lois Abraham were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize 2005 project under the patronage of the Swiss Commission for UNESCO.
Jane Roberts is looking forward to coordinating her activities and outreach with the United Nations Association, Pasadena, CA chapter: www.unapasadena.org