You can play a vital role in influencing the political agenda by informing decision-makers and persuading them to act. Gathering support can and does lead to lasting change.
The aim of this site is to encourage you to read about and hear from some of the world's poorest people and act on their behalf. You can do this by writing to your MP to ensure the UK Government keeps its promise to deliver internationally agreed levels of overseas development aid.
Visit the website www.writetothem.com, enter your postcode and start writing. The following outlines the issues we are trying to address with the Government. Although we have provided you with key points below, please write in your own words as 'identikit' messages get blocked.
KEY POINTS
Point 1: At the Millennium Summit in 2000, world leaders committed themselves to achieving eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 with the aim of significantly reducing poverty. They have repeatedly acknowledged more aid is needed to reach the MDGs but have failed to take bold steps to make this a reality for the millions who live in poverty.
Point 2: Leaders pledged to increase overseas development aid to 0.7 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Yet to date, only a few countries have met that pledge.
Point 3:Currently UK overseas development aid for 2008 is estimated to be 0.43% of Gross National Income (GNI) – but the government claims it is committed and on schedule to reach the target by 2013. The UK may be on track at present, but when hard choices need to be made in these difficult economic times, there may be pressure to let this commitment slip.
Point 4: The implications for the world's poorest people would be devastating. Without additional investment and more effective spending from the UK and other Western donors:
The MDG target of halving the number of undernourished persons by 2015 will not be reached, and may not be accomplished even by 2030
Millions of people in developing countries will continue to be denied the right to health and access to quality health care services
201 million women around the developing world who want to control their fertility will continue to be unable to access contraceptive supplies
Women will remain unequal to men and continue to own a mere 1% of all the world's land
Millions of women around the world will not be able to participate fully in social, political and economic life due to their continued lack of access to education and resources
Millions of people will remain without the means to access vital information that would help lift them out of poverty
Over one million children worldwide will continue to enter the sex industry each year
As my elected representative I urge you to make representations on my behalf to HM Government to ensure that the UK keeps its promise and does not let that commitment to reach 0.7 per cent by 2013 slide - especially not now that we are finally making progress.
Thank you for contacting your Member of Parliament (MP). As your elected representative in Parliament, it is his/her role to represent the views of his/her constituents.
Why not get your friends, family and colleagues involved?
Maintain the pressure! The more emails/letters MPs receive, the more likely an issue is to gain profile and get minsters attention. Encourage your friends, family and colleagues to contact their MP. Simply forward this link to them: http://www.theguardian.com/advocacy/take-action-now