A Mother's Promise Petition

A Petition to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development by reaffirming our commitment to mothers and children, and the promise embodied in the 1994 Cairo Programme of Action.

As a community, we value and support the promise a mother makes to her child. It is a promise of love, security, shelter, food, good health, a clean environment, and education to help her children secure that future. But poverty, disease, ignorance, injustice - and politics - make this an impossible promise for millions of women. A decade ago, 179 nations came together in Cairo, Egypt, to confront this reality with a new approach to improve the quality of life for women and families, a programme of action that underscored the mutually reinforcing linkages between population and sustainable development. But ten years later, new challenges and politics have compromised the power and energy of that historic meeting, slowing or stopping progress. In recognition of the 10th anniversary of this historic agreement, this petition reaffirms our commitment to act now to advance the principles, polices, and promise of Cairo.

Today, I reaffirm the crucial nature of the principles embodied in the Cairo Programme of Action, and commit myself to the actions approved at Cairo that I can take as an individual.

Further, I urge the United States to honor its commitments made in Cairo to help every mother keep her promise to her children, by improving women's health, access to education and reproductive freedom, and by ensuring every child's health and opportunity.

Signed,

To print a paper copy of this petition, please download the pdf file.