Saving Children’s
Lives with Advocacy
Tom Davis, MPH
Director of Health Programs, Food for
the Hungry
Chairman, CORE Board of Directors
Advocacy: Defending the Cause…
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How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the
wicked? Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the
rights of the poor and oppressed. (Psalm 82:2-3)
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Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the
fatherless, plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:17)
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Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes
and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the
fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them. (Isaiah
1:23) … So whose interests are defended?
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God wants us to use advocacy – not to defend our interests – but to
speak on behalf of the poor and those who do not have a voice
before the powerful. It’s about their cause, not ours.
God’s Promise: Child Survival
I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no
more. Never again will there be in it an infant who lives
but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his
years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth;
he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.
Isaiah 65:19-20
Life abundant…
Today this scripture has been
fulfilled in your hearing…
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Child deaths dropped 50% between 1960
and 1990.
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We now have what it takes: Two thirds of the
more than 10 million annual child deaths
could be prevented by universal coverage
with off-the-shelf, low-cost interventions.
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What is required is heart change and
political will.
… but “the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard
seed” (and much remains to be done)
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Despite this success, funding for maternal and child health
programs has declined 20 percent in real terms since 1997.
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1M children dying for lack of measles and tetanus vaccine. 30M
children not receiving immunizations:
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Two million children are dying annually for lack of ORT.
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Three million children are dying annually for lack of essential
newborn care.
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‘For the first time in history, scientific advances and social conditions
make it possible to meet the basic health needs of all the world’s
children … “Morality must march with capacity.” (James Grant)
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But have the faith of a mustard seed: The situation is changing
and God’s promise will be fulfilled…
Signs of Heart Change: Americans are
familiar with the world’s health problems…
Signs of Heart Change: Americans think
global health improvement is important….
Signs of Heart Change: Americans are
very concerned about global health….
Cognitive Dissonance: The time is ripe….
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I
do. … another law [is] at work in the members of my body, waging war against
the law of my mind …. Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be
to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:15 and 23-25)
A vehicle: The Global Child
Survival Act of 2007
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HR 2266 (on disk w/other advocacy tools) was
introduced in House on May 10th by Chris
Shays (R-CT), Betty McCollumn (D-MN), and
others.
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Similar bill (S. 1418) introduced in Senate on
May 17th by Gordon Smith (R-OR),
Christopher Dodd (D-CT), and others.
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The CORE Group, CCIH, the USCCS and
others are mobilizing PVOs to help pass the
bill. You need to be part of this.
What the bill does…
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Establishes a child survival fund to support
sustained reductions in maternal and child deaths
worldwide.
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Authorizes increased funding to expand child and
maternal health interventions from $356 million
currently to $1.6 billion in 2012. Remember: HIV/AIDS
and malaria funding has increased … but more than
90% of child deaths are caused by other diseases.
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Requires the USG to develop an integrated strategy
for supporting the improvement of child and maternal
health.
What the bill does…
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Requires the President to submit an annual
report to Congress on MCH.
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Authorizes the expansion of the Child
Survival and Health Grants Program
(CSHGP) allowing FBOs and PVOs to use their
gifts in reducing child deaths worldwide.
Will FBOs be involved?
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Bill language: “To the maximum extent
practicable, programs, projects, and activities
carried out using assistance provided under this
section shall be— carried out through private
and voluntary organizations, as well as faithbased organizations….”
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New bill language assures that funding through
the CSHGP – accessible to FBOs – would
increase from around $14 million/year to at
least $63 million/year if this bill was passed - at least a 350% increase.
A time to act…
 Need
co-sponsors for the bill.
 Need
to generate editorials to
mobilize the public and leaders.
 Need
help with getting the bill
passed to save the lives of the
children with which we work.
How you can help:
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Ask an editorial writer to write a supportive
editorial about the GCSA.
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Ask to write an Op-Ed.
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Get groups you are associated with to inform
and mobilize their membership (e.g., AAP; La
Leche League; Bono’s ONE Campaign).
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Meet your Representative or Senator and ask
him or her to co-sponsor (or at least vote yes).
Why Use Editorials?
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Who has generated an editorial? Why are editorials
better than letters to the editor?
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Remember: A LTE is your opinion. Editorials are the
newspaper’s opinion. Policy makers give more weight to
editorials.
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Newspapers can help educate, inform and inspire your
member of Congress and members of your communities
about the issue you are advocating for.
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The media has the power to make our issues a political
priority
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But it is up to us to educate and inspire the media about
the positive role they can play.
Basic Pattern:
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Do your homework: Rep: Voting history, bio,
background on bill; Newspaper: Past articles, “hook”,
background on bill.)
Get in the door: Through friends, affiliations, hot
issues, or cold calls.
Make the connection, show your passion, establish
your credentials.
Inform them on the bill.
“Do the Ask”: Ask for an action, like co-sponsoring or
voting yes or writing an editorial.
Answer questions
Follow-up.
Say thank you … publicly.
Other Editorial Tips
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(See pp. 15-17 of RESULTS Advocacy Toolkit.)
Be Persistent: Editorial and health writers are
faced with many potential editorial topics. Be
persistent. (See 2 Tim 4:2 & Luke 18:1-8)
Get in through blogs
Build relationships
Educate the writer
Show sensitivity
Offer to write an Op Ed if you get a No.
Write and memorize a “Laser Talk”
The Laser Talk
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A chance to learn the bare-boned facts about
an issue: Your “elevator speech.”
“You aren’t dangerous until you can speak
powerfully.
Repeated three times. First time, listen.
Second time, shout out answers. Third time,
say words silently. Then we will pair up and
practice.
Can be used to help practice for a meeting
with a decision maker (e.g., MOH,
legislator/MP) or a media leader (e.g., editorial
writer).
A GCSA Laser Talk (Listen…)
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Every day, 28,000 children die from easily preventable
causes.
Funding for HIV/AIDS and malaria has increased …
but more than 90% of child deaths are caused by
other diseases.
Funding for fighting these diseases has not kept pace
and some countries receive no money for child
survival.
For pennies per American, and using tools like
vitamin A, we can save 60% of the children who die
every year.
The Global Child Survival Act would save millions of
children’s lives each year by authorizing an increase
from $365 million to $1.6 billion for child survival
programs.
Would you be willing to co-sponsor this bill?
Fill in the blanks (Shout it Out!)
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Every day, ______ children die from easily preventable
causes.
Funding for ______ and ______ has increased … but
more than ___% of child deaths are caused by other
diseases.
Funding for fighting these diseases has _________ and
some countries receive _______ for child survival.
For _____________, and using tools like ________, we
can save ___% of the children who die every year.
The ________________ would save millions of
children’s lives each year by authorizing an increase
from _______ to _______ for child survival programs.
Would you be willing to _____________?
Fill in the blanks (silently to yourself)
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Every day, ______ children die from easily preventable
causes.
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Funding for ______ and ______ has increased … but
more than ___% of child deaths are caused by other
diseases.
Funding for fighting these diseases has _________ and
some countries receive _______ for child survival.
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For _____________, and using tools like ________, we
can save ___% of the children who die every year.
The ________________ would save millions of
children’s lives each year by authorizing an increase
from _______ to _______ for child survival programs.
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Would you be willing to _____________?
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Fill in the blanks (volunteer, w/me)…
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Every day, ______ children die from easily preventable
causes.
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Funding for ______ and ______ has increased … but
more than ___% of child deaths are caused by other
diseases.
Funding for fighting these diseases has _________ and
some countries receive _______ for child survival.
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For _____________, and using tools like ________, we
can save ___% of the children who die every year.
The ________________ would save millions of
children’s lives each year by authorizing an increase
from _______ to _______ for child survival programs.
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Would you be willing to _____________?
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Practice with a neighbor…
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Pair up and practice the Laser Talk without
looking at the screen (unless you are
stumped).
Exercise: What can you do to pass the
GCSA?
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Talk with your neighbor for two minutes
about what actions you could take to pass
the GCSA or another bill that is important
to you. Brainstorm actions that you could
take.
Sign up!
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Be an Advocacy Hero: Help pass the
GCSA or get involved with another issue!