Trans Africa Forum. Justice for the African World.
June 11, 2009
Dear Friend,
On June 16, 1976 thousands of Black schoolchildren took to the streets to protest South Africa’s apartheid regime. Hundreds were killed and wounded. Thousands were forced to flee the country, carrying the fight against apartheid around the globe. Today June 16th is marked to honor the children of Soweto and to highlight the condition of children around the world. This year the international community, led by UNICEF, is shining the spotlight on the conditions facing women and their children.
Since 1990 an estimated 10 million women have died from complications related to child birth. Nigeria, which is the most populous country in Africa, and India account for one-third of all maternal deaths around the world. More striking, a woman dies from pregnancy or childbirth related causes every minute of every day, amounting to more than 500,000 women per year.
Regrettably, we continue to live in a world where women and children are largely marginalized and where too little attention is placed on rights-based approaches to policy. Our basic rights are enshrined not only in the U.S. Constitution, but also in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Everyone, including women, has the right to an adequate standard of living, including food, clothing, housing, medical care, work, and necessary social services. And our children have rights. They have the right to develop, the right to protection from abuse. They have the right to life, to respect for their views, nondiscrimination, and devotion to their best interests, including healthcare, education, and legal rights. These rights are included in the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.
Human rights and human security are the essence of our work at TransAfrica Forum.
This month the U.S. Congress voted on a wartime supplemental bill that will set aside billions to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Imagine if those funds were used to invest in the common public good: health care, food security, nutrition, education.
Imagine if the millions who voted in historic numbers in the 2008 Presidential Election demanded substantive change from all our policymakers for women and children. Imagine if we demand that, in addition to a stimulus package, more resources be directed to saving lives as opposed to war and weapons.
At TransAfrica Forum, we are doing more than imagining. And, if you are reading this, we know that you are interested in action, too. Together, our collective action can ensure that we get the change we need and that we deserve. Making a financial contribution is one action that you can take today and be assured that it will further work designed to guarantee that human rights are more than imagined.
In solidarity,
Nicole, Imani, Mwiza, and the TransAfrica Family
P.S. Make human rights and social justice a reality; use our secure website to make your online donation today!
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