Taking Action to Fight Global Poverty

Natural and man-made disasters over the past few years have awakened more U.S. citizens to the plight of people in poor countries and inspired a growing number of CARE supporters to visit their representatives on Capitol Hill. This year, more than 300 men and women will take part in CARE's National Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C., on June 7 and 8. Many of the participants are attending for the first time, joining the fight against global poverty as members of the CARE Action Network. CAN helps Americans give voice to their concerns about issues in the developing world.

CARE initiated this conference three years ago and tapped into a wealth of enthusiasm. "We're finding that more and more people are eager to get involved in these kinds of issues than ever before," says Kate Bunting, deputy director for CAN. "It speaks to a growing awareness that we can change things for the better if we give voice to our concerns and take action."

Members will participate in workshops and panel sessions exploring subjects such as the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic,  countries in conflict and challenges facing women in the developing world. CARE President Helene D. Gayle will open the conference with reflections on CARE's work today, 60 years after its founding. Keynote addresses by Paul Wolfowitz, President of the World Bank, and Sen. Barack Obama will follow throughout the day. The next day, advocates will make their case on Capitol Hill, asking  their congressional representatives to take the lead on critical issues in the fight against global poverty:

• Supporting vital humanitarian and development programs that save lives and help communities escape poverty
• Ensuring that HIV prevention programs are effective and flexible enough to meet local needs
• Promoting relief, security and democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

CARE works to address the complex social, economic and political causes at the root of poverty in 70 developing countries. More than 1 billion people worldwide struggle to survive on $1 a day or less. Women make up 75 percent of these people.

"Our experience over the years has shown us that empowering people, particularly women, is key to fighting poverty," says Helene Gayle, president of CARE. "Women link societies together, so when you empower women to claim their rights to health care, education, and clean water, for example, you are empowering an entire community. We in the United States have the power to help these women, by making sure that our representatives know how important these issues are in order to make the world a better place for us all."