UNA-USA Hosting an Advocacy Training Webinar

UNA-USA Advocacy Training Webinar:

How to Make the Case for the UN!

TODAY: Tuesday, May 30 at 8 p.m. ET

AND: Tues. June 6 at 4pm ET

with

Micah Spangler

Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs for the Better World Campaign 

and

Mel Boynton

UNA-USA National Advocacy Chair, Pomona Valley, CA 

*Register here*

*****

Please join UNA-USA for a one-hour advocacy training webinar with Micah Spangler, Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs for UNA’s sister organization, the Better World Campaign; Mel Boynton, UNA-USA National Advocacy Chair; and special guests. Whether you plan on participating in UNA’s Lobby Day next month in DC or you’re simply interested in organizing your own in-district meeting, this webinar will detail how to plan and execute an effective dialogue with your Members of Congress and their staff. Over the course of the hour, our presenters will share tactics to help you influence your elected officials, provide helpful resources, and answer any and all questions you have! If you’re unable to attend this webinar, please join us for a repeat webinar on this same topic on Tues. June 6 at 4pm ET. Email membership@unausa.org with any questions. We hope you can join us!

Reminder: Tomorrow is the Start of the 16 Days of Activism

November 25 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. December 10 marks International Human Rights Day. November 25-December 10 are the 16 days of activism, in which people around the globe will be raising awareness against violence against women and girls. 

WAGGGS has created a digital "backpack" that can be "unpacked" by your troop. The activities can be done in a 90 minute session! Additionally there are social media actions that can be taken to raise awareness about the issue. 

Below is information from the WAGGGS website on the event:

Download 16 Days of Activism resources now and join our "Girls are valuable" Thunderclap!
In the resources you'll find Twitter and Facebook cover photos and the "I am valuable" backpack, which is packed full of activities and WAGGGS' call to action.

Here in 2015 we’re still living in a world of silence, a world where people know violence happens but don’t understand why or what needs to change. We’ve rocked the boat, we’ve made some waves and we’ve planted many seeds, but still girls’ rights are being denied. Their right to a quality education, their right to make decisions on issues that affect their lives, their right to live free from violence and the fear of violence.

Get involved by:

Doing the Activities.
This backpack contains activities for all age groups, taken and tailored from the Voices against Violence curriculum. These activities can be run in a 90 minute evening with your unit or troop to help you and your troop explore issues around gender stereotypes and inequality.

Having a conversation.
Taking part in the activities is only the beginning of this journey. We don’t only want Girl Guides and Girl Scouts to gain a deeper awareness of violence against girls; we want to be able to reach people outside the movement with the message that girls are valuable. The more people who understand why violence happens, the more people there are who can take action to end it. So once you’ve taken part in the activities we want you to focus on having conversations. We’ve identified four different audiences and provided examples of conversations each age group could have with these audiences to spread the word.

Sharing your experience with WAGGGS.
Share your 16 Days experience on social media. Post on Twitter or Facebook using #16Days and #GirlsAreValuable. Tell us about the conversations you had on our "Girls Are Valuable" Tumblr page and earn yourself an electronic badge!

"He Named Me Malala" Film Screening at UN

UN Women, the Malala Fund, and the Muslim American Leadership Alliance (MALA) are pleased to present the groundbreaking documentary, He Named Me Malala, as an extension of the Students Stand #withMalala youth screening program, a collaboration between the Malala Fund and Participant Media. Join us in honor of United Nations Human Rights Day for an intimate portrait of the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, co-founder of Malala Fund. Special thanks to UNICEF and World We Want for their support and partnership for this screening.

When:Thursday, December 10, 2015 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Where: United Nations Headquarters, General Assembly Hall, New York City

Where to RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/un-women-malala-fund-and-mala-present-he-named-me-malala-at-un-general-assembly-tickets-19543424910

***Please note this event is FREE***

About the film: HE NAMED ME MALALA is an intimate portrait of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban and severely wounded by a gunshot when returning home on her school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. The then 15-year-old was singled out, along with her father, for advocating for girls’ education, and the attack on her sparked an outcry from supporters around the world. She miraculously survived and is now a leading campaigner for girls’ education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund. Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth, Waiting for Superman) shows us how Malala, her father Zia and her family are committed to fighting for education for all girls worldwide. The film gives us an inside glimpse into this extraordinary young girl’s life – from her close relationship with her father who inspired her love for education, to her impassioned speeches at the UN, to her everyday life with her parents and brothers.

'All Rise' Documentary Screening at UN. November 4 (RSVP OCT 29)

On November 4 there will be a screening of the documentary All Rise: Journeys to a Just World, which will be shown in the ECOSOC Chamber at UN Headquarters. The honorable Judge Hisashi Owada will be speaking at this event, and the documentary will be followed by a Q&A session with cast members from the film.

More info about the film: http://allrisemovie.com/home/#prettyPhoto[3425-ALL RISE Trailer]/0/

RSVP (by October 29): http://news.whitecase.com/166/6300/landing-pages/blank-registration-(screening-only).asp

Sustainable Development Goals Adopted + Child-Friendly Version

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of goals/targets that the United Nations will set from the years 2015-2030. The series of goals are important for identifying funding needs for projects and programs as well as creating measurable targets so the countries can see their progress.

On August 2, all member states of the UN have agreed to adopt the SDG agenda, which will not be officially adopted until September. The goals not take go into effect until January 2016, when the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are completed.

Alongside the adoption, there has been a release of a child-friendly version for parents, teachers, and volunteers to work with children around the world and teach them about the new SDGs, or "Global Goals." This is a great opportunity to talk with young children about the UN, human rights, and global issues around poverty, hunger, discrimination, and the environment. The child-friendly version is available here: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/SDGs-child-friendly.pdf

Adults and youth can check out the full SDG agenda here: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/7891TRANSFORMING%20OUR%20WORLD.pdf

A press release from the UN with more information can be seen here: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2015/08/transforming-our-world-document-adoption/
and here: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=51546#.VcDFiflVikp

#Action2015 & the WAGGGS Take Action Backpack

If you are active on social media, particularly Twitter, you may have noticed the #Action2015 hashtag. Action/2015is a new global campaign to call to action, a movement to demand change and to work to ensure world leaders adopt truly ambitious goals and agreements on addressing climate change, poverty, inequality and injustice. This year is a pivotal year: the 2015 Millennium Development Goals are coming to an end and a new set of goals will be determined for the years to come! These new goals are important: they determine what key development issues get international support and funding, whether it's gender equality, infrastructure, government anti-corruption measures, and more.

January 15 was a big day to call our leaders to action, but you can still get involved-- leaders will be meeting throughout the year to decide these future goals, and every action you take in your local community and share with our global community makes a difference.

What Can I Do to Get Involved?

1. Check out the NEW WAGGGS Take Action Backpack, an interactive online "backpack" that will help you on your journey to understanding and taking action on child and maternal health. Why did WAGGGS pick these to focus on? Because Millennium Development goal 4 is on child health and Millennium Development goal 5 is on maternal health, and countries still have a way to go in ensuring that children and mothers have save and healthy lives! Check out the backpack here (be sure to click the play buttonn above the backpack to get started!): http://www.wagggs.org/en/take_action/mytakeactionbackback
2. Fill out the My World 2015 Survey and see what other people are saying. The My World 2015 Survey gives everyone around the globe the chance to have their voices heard in what they think are important goals as we look to the future! Fill out the survey here: http://vote.myworld2015.org/?partner=WAGGGS
3. GenUN also has a list of actions you can take to make 2015 a year of action. And remember, it is never too late to take any action and get your leaders' support! Check it out here: http://genun.unausa.org/action_2015_global_digital_rally
4. Check out the Action/2015 website for more information on what this big push for action in 2015 is all about: http://www.action2015.org/

My World: Cast Your Vote & Influence UN Decisions

This past summer at the WAGGGS World Conference, while delegates representing their countries cast votes about WAGGGS budgets and future initiatives, the UN Team was working to get everyone to cast their My World 2015 vote! The UN hast started the My World 2015 vote to engage the general public in what they want for the next round of development goals for the coming years after 2015. According to the My World 2015 website, "The votes matter. The UN is working with governments everywhere to define the next global agenda to address extreme poverty and preserve the planet. The data from MY World continues to inform these processes and be used by decision makers around the world." So far, 4.5 million votes have been cast-- and counting!

At the WAGGGS World Conference this past summer in Hong Kong, we asked girl scouts and girl guides to share their vote and tell WAGGGS and the UN about what matters to them:

Get involved! You can cast your My World 2015 vote here: http://vote.myworld2015.org/?partner=WAGGGS

Also, consider bringing the My World vote to your girl scouts/girl guides troop and start some dialogue about the role of the UN, the importance of voting, and why the voices of women and girls matters! You can also use the interactive survey results to see trends and have a discussion on the importance of data in research: http://data.myworld2015.org/

Today is International Youth Day!

Today is International Youth Day, which was established in 1999 by the UN. Events are being held around the world to herald the youth's have made in this last year as well as to spur on leadership and action in our global youth community. It's not too late to get involved! Here are some resources and information to help:

What is International Youth Day?

From the UN Website:

The theme of International Youth Day 2014 is "Youth and Mental Health."

Youth with mental health conditions can often experience stigma and discrimination, which in turn can lead to exclusion and/or discourage people from seeking help for fear of being negatively ‘labelled’. 

The 2014 observance of International Youth Day will raise awareness on this important topic, as well as highlight the experiences of brave, young individuals who have chosen to speak out about these issues with the objective of overcoming stigma and discrimination to ensure that young people with mental health conditions can lead full and healthy lives free from isolation and unnecessary shame, and openly seek the services and support they need. 

Today at the UN in New York a major event was held in honor of the day. Invited speakers for this event  in the ECOSOC Chamber at the UN in New York included Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, H.E. Ambassador Otto, the PR of the Republic of Palau. Confirmed speakers included mental health advocates, Alicia Raimundo and Jordan Burnham and the author of the report Social Inclusion of Youth with Mental Health Conditions, Catherine Bradshaw. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's statement can be read here.

Young people could also submit artwork for the event around the theme of Youth and Mental Health, some of which you can check out here:

Post by United Nations Youth.

---

Take Action: 

 
Join GenUN to get engaged in the UN community (just launched today!): http://genun.unausa.org/


International Youth Day Toolkit: http://undesadspd.org/Youth/InternationalYouthDay/2014/Toolkit.aspx

Resources and Further Information:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UN4Youth

Twitter: @UN4Youth

Kathy Calvin, President and CEO of the UN Foundation, writes about International Youth Day for the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-calvin/on-international-youth-da_b_5669180.html

International Business Times Article: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/international-youth-day-2014-top-quotes-history-observance-1460756

UN Women Photo Essay on Girls' Struggles & Achievements in Honor of International Women's Day: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2014/8/youth-day-photo-essay

Podcast from UNGEI on the Growing Need for Education Funding

From a press release from the UN Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI):

This podcast is part of the Changing the World for Girls discussions, a collaboration of the Beyond School Books podcast series and United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI). In this series, you will find discussions on the lasting impact education has on girls, communities and nations around the world.

By Rudina Vojvoda

NEW YORK, United States of America, 20 June 2014 – On 25 and 26 June, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) will hold its second Replenishment Pledging Conference, with the goal of raising US$3.5 billion from donors to address global education issues in access, equity and learning, for 2015–2018. In addition, it asks developing country partners to increase their domestic expenditures on education to at least 20% of their overall budgets.

AUDIO: Listen now

In the lead-up to this event, Beyond School Books podcast moderator Mia Lobel talked to Julia Gillard, Chair of the Board of Directors of the GPE and former Prime Minister of Australia, who is a lifelong advocate for educational equality and equity.

Global consultations with governments, civil society, the private sector and youth have identified education as a central priority for the post-2015 development agenda. More than 1.5 million of the 2.2 million contributors to the United Nations My World Survey identified ‘a good education’ as their top priority. Yet, in 2011, 57 million children were out of school and another 250 million who were in school were still not able to read or write. Aid to education had fallen by 10 per cent since 2010.

“We promised the children of the world that they all get to go to primary school. To achieve that would require 26 billion dollars more funding annually, so that is a very serious step up in world expenditure, but obviously so worthwhile,” said Ms. Gillard.

She explained that, in the next four-year period, 2015–2018, the GPE will follow a new model in which funding is increasingly based on performance and eligibility for funds is based on education needs, addressing not only access but also the quality of education.

A good education is the ‘magic bullet’ for development. Yet, about 30 million primary school-aged girls were out of school in 2011, and two thirds of the world’s 774 million illiterate people are female. Ms. Gillard counted conflict, insecurity, cultural and economic factors as some of the key barriers to girls’ education.

“There are some great and effective programmes around the world that prove the benefits of education for a poor girl and change the outlook of the family. But, we need to be working in these countries if we need to make a difference, which is why the replenishment round for the global partnership is so important,” said Ms. Gillard.

To learn more about the GPE Replenishment Pledging Conference, please click here.

To help UNICEF and GPE increase financing for education, please spread our message via social media.

YUNGA CLOTH BADGES AVAILABLE!

From a recent press release from YUNGA, the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance, and WAGGGS on the release of their line of Challenge Badges:

YUNGA CLOTH BADGES AVAILABLE!

Recent developments from FAO: YUNGA, 16^th May 2014

  

We are delighted to announce that the cloth badges for all of our current Challenge Badges are now available for purchase on the WAGGGS website! Click on the following links for each badge:

Biodiversity: www.wagggs-shop.org/en/products/badges/biodiversity-challenge-badge-pack-of-10

Ending Hunger: www.wagggs-shop.org/en/products/badges/hunger-un-challenge-badge-pack-of-10

Forests: www.wagggs-shop.org/en/products/badges/forests-un-challenge-badge-pack-of-10

Food Security and Climate Change: www.wagggs-shop.org/en/products/badges/fao-climate-challenge-badge-pack-of-10

The Ocean: www.wagggs-shop.org/en/products/badges/ocean-un-challenge-badge-pack-of-10

Water: www.wagggs-shop.org/en/products/badges/water-un-challenge-badge-pack-of-10

For the PDFs of all the Challenge Badges booklets that we currently have available, take a look at: http://yunga-youth.weebly.com/themes.html

World Malaria Day this Friday: Google Hangout with Africa Peace Corps Volunteers

This Friday, in honor of World Malaria Day, the Peace Corps will be hosting a Google Hangout with their Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa. The Hangout will be at 10am on Friday and you can RSVP here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cntvu7l2ejbo5coodrnv4hlv46g

According to the Hangout:

April 25th marks World Malaria Day, an opportunity for people around the globe to raise awareness and reenergize their commitment to ending malaria in our lifetime.
This World Malaria Day, Peace Corps Volunteers and their counterparts across Africa will share their personal and professional experiences combating malaria in their communities during a Google Hangout On Air.
You’re invited to join the conversation! Submit questions before and during the event on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stompoutmalaria) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/stompoutmalaria). Make sure to use the hashtag #MalariaHero

Here are some infographics for more information on malaria:

Microsoft: Inviting Girls to Dream Big

Microsoft just launched this month their Dream Big Movement campaign, which was first announced on International Women's Day and WAGGGS learned about it during a panel on girls in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) during the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) recently. It is an exciting new program to get girls involved and engaged in STEM courses as well as following through to a STEM career path.

Here's a cool infographic on why it's so important to get girls/women more involved in STEM careers (if it comes up small in your browser, check out the original here!):

 

Here's how you can get involved in the Big Dream Movement right now:

In the meantime, we encourage you to SKYPE BigDreamMovement and leave a personal video message. If you’re a professional woman or man, describe your Big Dream and offer advice to young women wanting to pursue a future in STEM. If you’re a young woman, tell us what is your Big Dream is and how a future in STEM can help you get there.

Here's a trailer for the documentary they will be releasing as well:





More info on the Big Dream Movement and CSW available here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/msr_er/archive/2014/03/24/inviting-girls-to-dream-big.aspx

Oxfam America Hosts Foreign Aid 101 with Dorothy Ngoma at Fordham University

On April 1, Oxfam America will be hosting Dorothy Ngoma, speaking on US foreign aid. Here is info from the NYC Action Corps' email newsletter:

Have you heard that the U.S. spends one-third of the budget on foreign aid? At least, that's what most Americans think we spend. In fact, only 1% of the federal budget is spent on life-saving foreign aid programs. Learn more about that 1% in our easy to use guide on all things foreign aid, Foreign Aid 101.

For aid myths, truths, and acronyms galore, please join Oxfam America for a reception celebrating the launch of our new, updated report Foreign Aid 101. This new report sets out to answer fundamental questions, such as why the US gives foreign aid, how much it costs, and how to make it more effective for citizens around the world.

Please join us for a conversation with Dorothy Ngoma of the Presidential Initiative on Safe Motherhood in Malawi to discuss maternal health, safe motherhood, and how Oxfam works with partner organizations continue to pressure international governments to fund effective maternal health initiatives around the world and other foreign aid programs. Ms. Ngoma is on a U.S. tour with Oxfam to raise awareness and lobby for effective foreign aid programs that empower citizens in developing countries to hold their governments accountable from the bottom-up.

Fordham University Lincoln Center Campus:

• 155 W 60th St, McMahon Hall Room 109
  New York, NY 10023
• Tuesday, April 1, 2014 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM (PDT)

Speakers:

• Dorothy Ngoma, Principal Secretary, Presidential Initiative on Safe Motherhood in Malawi
• Will Fenton, Advocacy Advisor, Oxfam America

Event is free. Refreshments will be served. 

  

Please RSVP at http://www.eventbrite.com/e/foreign-aid-101-a-discussion-with-dorothy-ngoma-tickets-10994602151?aff=es2&rank=1&sid=c0bc073ab06d11e3bfee12313b049561

UN Gift Box in NYC

What is the UN GIFT Box?

An innovative project created by STOP THE TRAFFIK and the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) which was launched during the 2012 London Olympics. GIFT boxes are walk-in pieces of public art that people encounter at street level that invite people inside with promises and offers like “Earn more money and support your family.” Once inside visitors are presented with a different reality and exposed to the dangers of human trafficking. The project is currently in Brazil, Slovakia and the United Kingdom and has the potential to roll out into other countries across the world.

The UN Gift Box will remain in Union Square until the end of the Super Bowl (Feb. 2). You can find out more information on their website here: http://www.stopthetraffik.org/united-states

Educational Resource: Two Minute Videos on Our Oceans

The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) has recently released a series of short two minute videos on ocean habitats. These short videos provide excellent information designed specifically for children, thanks to cartoonist Jim Toomey. According to a press release from UNEP, "Using animation and humor, the six videos in the Toomey series, provide in clear and simple language, information about cutting-edge science and policy issues regarding our oceans, their importance to human well-being and the challenges facing our oceans. They address a wide range of ocean topics including: blue carbon, the true value of our oceans, the impacts of climate change, as well as threats such as marine litter."

Check out the UNEP website here for the full list of videos and information.

National Human Trafficking Awareness Month

January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. According to the TeachUNICEF website, "Children are trafficked into labor, exploited in mines, or recruited into militias in conflict zones." 27% of victims of human trafficking are children. As a result, TeachUNICEF has released lesson plans for grades 6-8 and 9-12 in order to address and call attention to this serious issue of child trafficking. According to the website, "This topic, which contains mature content, aims to raise awareness about trafficking and encourage students to take their own steps in addressing trafficking."

TeachUNICEF's webpage on Child Trafficking is an excellent resource for teachers and community leaders to work with adolescents and young adults to call attention to the crisis of human trafficking in a manner that is thorough, thought provoking, and appropriate. Here is an example of one of the activity sheets, which you can find directly here:

Access the plethora of teaching resources through TeachUNICEF's website here: http://teachunicef.org/explore/topic/child-trafficking