New Delhi   

Joining hands to eradicate poverty

NEW DELHI: The United Nations Millennium Campaign in partnership with Wada Na Todo Abhiyan (Do Not Break Your Promise Campaign) launched the India chapter of its global people’s mobilisation movement called “Stand Up Take Action” here in the Capital on Wednesday.

The movement seeks to inspire people to take action in support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that are intended to eradicate poverty from the world by 2015.

The MDGs basically are eight goals with measurable targets and clear deadlines for improving the lives of the world’s poorest people. To meet these goals, leaders of 189 countries signed the millennium declaration at the UN Millennium Summit in 2000. The movement was started in 2006 to ensure that the achievement of the MDGs remains a priority on the global political and public agenda.

As part of the people’s mobilisation movement, campaigners from across the country will pick up any of the eight MDGs. The issues of hunger, health and education bear special significance in the Indian context. There will be added emphasis on the rights and entitlements of socially excluded groups and women.

Wada Na Todo Abhiyan will launch the second phase of the “Nine is Mine Campaign” across the country on October 16. This will be a massive citizens’ audit of government health centres and schools in over a hundred parliamentary constituencies and serve as a significant call to action for citizens to take.

The National Confederation of Dalit Organisations and Teherika Pasmanda Muslim Samaj -- partners working with socially excluded groups -- will be undertaking a range of creative actions such as candlelight vigils, rallies, human chain and “Stand Up Take Action” events at key mosques across the country.

Noted personalities from all walks of life have endorsed this people’s movement. Music maestro A. R. Rahman has been a great champion of the campaign. He has starred in public service advertisements, spoken about the campaign on You Tube and composed background scores.

Celebrity adman and lyricist Prasoon Joshi is also a great champion of the cause. Aamir Khan, Kiran Bedi, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Baba Ramdev are some of the noted personalities who have endorsed the MDGs.

Right to Information petitions will be filed by volunteers to elicit key information about people’s rights and entitlements regarding health, education and hunger.

According to Minar Pimple, Deputy Director and Head of Asia, United Nations Millennium Campaign, “Stand Up Take Action” is a global movement of solidarity and a unique opportunity for the voiceless to raise their voice and be heard. “By taking innovative and simultaneous action, citizens create new hope and vigour in these difficult times,” he says.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

2 more die of swine flu
Court declines to ask CBI to file case
Joining hands to eradicate poverty
Governor greets Manna Dey
U.P. Government continuing with construction: Petitioner
Phalke award for Manna Dey
Rahul has a date with JNU
Now, Big B to unlock emotions in Big Boss
Gujarat police accused of torture of Muslim detainees
Delhi raps Jagan loyalists
A tie-up with Australian schools
DDA receives 26 tenders for 20 plots
Unfair means in Medical Council polls alleged
Idols choke Capital’s water pumps
Police do it again: shoddy probe into murder case
No taking chances
Congress programme for lunch with Dalits
Special weekly train to Ajmer
Three acquitted in anti-Sikh riot case
Make rooftop rain water harvesting a must, States told
Lt. Gen. Lamba to head Army Training Command
Supreme Court notice to State government

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu