In the year 2000, 189 world leaders pledged to achieve the Millennium Development Goals — a set of 8 benchmarks to eradicate extreme poverty, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat major diseases, ensure environmental sustainability and develop a global partnership for development by the year 2015. But progress is moving too slowly to meet the deadline.

1. Poverty has a female face
World leaders have promised women better
In the year 2000, 189 world leaders pledged World leaders have made the least progress on our leaders in no uncertain terms that we expect
to achieve the Millennium Development Goals their promises to women. them to make decisions based not on their own
— a set of 8 benchmarks to eradicate extreme narrow interests but on the needs of women and
poverty, achieve universal primary education, Governments have the resources to keep their all vulnerable citizens.
promote gender equality and empower women, promises to women. But not the political will. In
reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, many countries, the unequal status of women We must demand that they create a world where
combat major diseases, ensure environmental extends to government policy, where women’s poverty and hunger are the exception, where every
sustainability and develop a global partnership pressing needs are given very little priority. girl goes to school and where women no longer die
for development by the year 2015. But progress in childbirth. This world is possible. The Millennium
is moving too slowly to meet the deadline. This is unacceptable. And it is up to us to tell Development Goals offer a roadmap to get us there.

2. World leaders have failed to Women chanGinG their Worlds
deliver for Women
MONICA AMOllO (top left) is a woman on a mission. After being told she won a
Parliamentary election in Kenya and then seeing her seat handed to a male opponent,
Monica organized the first-ever public anti-poverty rally in Kenya’s Nyanza province,
where women spoke about being sexually harassed on lake Victoria while trying
to access fish — their main means of livelihood. The women petitioned their local
authorities, and police immediately began cracking down on harassment. Today,
women in the area are able to work with a greater sense of security.
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ChENDRAMMA (top right), a 48 year-old poor tribal woman from India’s lowest caste,
spearheaded public rallies during “Stand Up” in 2008 and organized a human chain to
demand fair, equal and productive employment opportunities. Taking inspiration from
the massive mobilization, anti-poverty campaigners filed a Public Interest litigation
in the high Court of Andhra Pradesh, demanding wages in line with the country’s
Minimum Wages Act. The effort culminated in great success when on July 3, 2009, the
Seventy percent of the world’s poor are women and against apartheid in South Africa have shown governments to deliver. Each October, millions State Government revised wages under the National Rural Employment Guarantee
Monica aMollo chendraMMa
and children. The economic crisis that began in the world that peaceful action of the masses of citizens, in countries all across the world, Act as per the demands of the citizens.
2008 is expected to have more devastating long can reverse the course of history, no matter how join together to take part in the “Stand Up and
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term effects for women. According to UNICEF, entrenched the status quo may seem. Take Action” mobilization to demand that world
women perform 66 percent of the world’s work leaders eradicate extreme poverty and achieve
— both paid and unpaid — but earn 10 percent The United Nations Millennium Campaign and the Millennium Development Goals. The event “We got a chance to raise our voices and speak out in a public rally organized in a
of the world’s income and access 1 percent of the our partners support citizens to find platforms to holds the Guinness World Record for the largest prominent place of the city … Finally, because we as a village spoke out and made
world’s resources, including land and credit. send the message to decision makers that women mobilization of human beings in recorded history. ourselves heard, changes are happening in our lives.”
will no longer stand by and accept the ongoing — NOORJAhAN (bottom right), an illiterate, Muslim woman from India’s lowest
Women continue to die while giving life discrimination and abuse of women throughout With the Millennium Development Goals that aim
caste, who participated in “Stand Up” in 2008 to protest the lack of health services in
The number one killer of young women in the the world — particularly those women with the to achieve gender equality and improve maternal
her village of Badarpur Khadar. The local health department is now sending a mobile
developing world is not a disease whose cure least resources and recourse. health making the least progress, “Stand Up” is
health van to the village twice a week.
eludes us, or a condition which the world lacks the increasingly focusing on the empowerment of
resources to treat. It is pregnancy and childbirth. We demand that decision makers prioritize the women and excluded groups. Women across ____________________________________________________________________________
Every year, 500,000 women die while trying to needs of women and put them front and center the world are mobilizing to demand that their
give life. That’s one every single minute. The vast in all policy and budget actions and ensure that governments match the promises they made in “‘Stand Up’ gives us a fantastic platform to address our leaders face-to-face to
majority of these deaths are preventable. women have equal access to health, education the year 2000 with action.
demand what belongs to us and get a sense of satisfaction that we are playing a
and employment opportunities.
part in Ghana’s development. It’s the only time that grassroots women like me get an
What can we do about it? Will you stand with us?
opportunity to address their leaders directly.”
Governments make promises all the time. It’s up With just five years until the 2015 deadline For more information on “Stand Up and Take
to us to demand that they deliver. Movements for achieving the Millennium Development Action” and to find an event near you, visit — AWABU IDDRISU (bottom left), a gender activist in Ghana’s Naleirigu district
such as the campaigns for civil rights in America Goals, it is critical for citizens to pressure their www.standagainstpoverty.org.
awabu iddrisu noorjahan

3. the United nations
millenniUm camPaiGn
The UN Millennium Campaign was established by former UN Secretary General from rich and poor countries, as part of the Millennium Declaration which
Kofi Annan in 2002. The Campaign supports citizens’ efforts to hold their was signed in 2000. These leaders agreed to achieve the Goals by 2015. Our
governments to account for the achievement of the Millennium Development premise is simple: we are the first generation that can end poverty and we
Goals. The Millennium Development Goals were adopted by 189 world leaders refuse to miss this opportunity.
www.endpoverty2015.org
www.standagainstpoverty.org