Ask Congress to Improve the Lives of Children Worldwide

Targeting: The U.S. Senate and The U.S. House

Sponsored by: United States Fund for UNICEF

Despite significant progress in children's health over the past few decades, 25,000 children under five years old still die from mostly preventable causes each day. With the current global financial crisis, vulnerable newborns and young children face greater challenges than ever. To improve child survival, we need your help.

In partnership with the U.S. Government and the American people, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has helped cut the world's child mortality rate in half since 1960, proving that progress for children is possible. But UNICEF now has a much larger goal: reducing the number of child deaths from preventable causes to ZERO.

To make progress toward this ambitious goal, more resources are needed.

Each year the U.S. Government makes a contribution to UNICEF as part of America's global investment in children. This annual contribution to UNICEF's regular budget is critical to UNICEF's work in child survival and development.

With bipartisan support, Congress provided a contribution to UNICEF of $130 million for this fiscal year-the highest U.S. contribution ever to UNICEF.

Because of the current global financial crisis, UNICEF's important work is even more crucial to child survival. That is why for FY 2010, we will ask the U.S. Congress to invest $135 million in UNICEF to help save children's lives and protect their futures.

To gain the needed support in Congress, WE NEED YOUR HELP. Please urge your Members of Congress to support expanded funding for UNICEF today!

Petition Text

Please Support UNICEF and Children Worldwide

Dear Representative

For more than 60 years, in partnership with the U.S. Government and the American people, UNICEF has made an enormous difference in saving children's lives and protecting their futures. With U.S. support, UNICEF helped cut the world's child mortality rate in half since 1960, proving that progress for children is possible even in poor countries, with political will, sound strategies, and funding.

Sadly, however, in too many poor countries and communities around the world, too many children do not survive. Every year, 9.2 million children under five years old die from mostly preventable causes. Pneumonia and diarrhea alone account for a third of all child deaths. Children are most at risk in sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for 22 per cent of global births, but almost half of under-five deaths.

Along with UNICEF, I believe that number should be ZERO.

To make this vision a reality, and protect the vulnerable during times of need, I urge you to support expanding UNICEF's funding from Congress from $130m in FY 2009 to $135m in FY 2010.

This is a small price to pay to protect and improve children's lives around the world and I hope you will join me in my support of UNICEF's work.

[Your name]

mike mitchell portland, ME

Sent letter to Olympia Snowe , Susan Collins and Chellie Pingree

Jul 20, 2009
SALVATORE CENTO brooklyn, NY

Sent letter to Anthony Weiner , Ed Towns , Yvette Clarke and Chuck Schumer

Jul 19, 2009
Caitlin Schmedlin Monroe, CT

Sent letter to Chris Dodd , Joe Lieberman and Jim Himes

Jul 18, 2009
Wendi Cancilla Indian Rocks Bch, FL

Sent letter to Bill Young , Kathy Castor , Mel Martinez and Bill Nelson

Jul 18, 2009
Rayen Gonzalez Bryan, TX

Sent letter to Chet Edwards , Kay Hutchison and John Cornyn

Jul 17, 2009
Joan E Loza Mobry Madison, WI

Sent letter to Russ Feingold , Herb Kohl and Tammy Baldwin

Jul 16, 2009
Chason Flanders Tuscaloosa, AL

Sent letter to Artur Davis , Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions

Jul 16, 2009
Vicky Ano Lake Bluff, IL

Sent letter to Mark Kirk , Dick Durbin and Roland Burris

Jul 16, 2009
Monica Salazar Bayamon, PR

Signed letter

Jul 16, 2009
Diana Witcher Menomonie, WI

Sent letter to Ron Kind , Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl

Jul 16, 2009