In my name: calling for action at the UN
25 September 2008
As we write this, many of the world's leaders are gathering in New York to discuss progress on meeting the Millennium Development Goals.
Set in 2000 with a deadline of 2015, the goals were designed to deliver a serious blow to poverty and suffering.
Similar UN meetings happen every now-and-then, but rarely on this scale. And when the MDGs were first written in 2000, 189 countries - the highest number ever to have gathered at a single summit - pledged to meet them.
Though many of the issues underlying the eight MDGs are complex, and range from eradicating hunger to ensuring environmental stability - the latter of which Barbara Stocking, the Chief Executive of Oxfam Great Britain, discussed when she delivered a speech in front of UN delegates this morning - the MDGs were born out of the knowledge and confidence that poverty isn't inevitable.
But most importantly, the MDGs were designed to be achievable, and with the right political will, they can be met.
A child dies every five seconds from entirely preventable causes, such as drinking unclean water, or from malaria. Ending this travesty would take 50 billion US dollars.
To an individual this would be a huge amount of money, but to governments it'd only be a drop in the ocean of spending. China spent the same amount preparing for this year's Olympics.
It's this that makes it all the more outrageous that in this vital middle year, with seven years gone and seven to go, the world's governments are way off track. At the current rate, none of the goals will be fully met by 2015.
As there are so few opportunities for people to collectively hold their governments to account on their promises, Oxfam has been working frantically with other organisations to launch in my name.
Launched with a song by will.i.am - which we've embedded below and which has already been featured on the front page of YouTube - in my name is an important chance for citizens to let their governments know that missing this opportunity to get things back on track is not something that history should not forget or forgive.
As governments, businesses and philanthropists come together in New York, in my name is a rallying cry for action.
Join in my name on our site, head over to inmyname.com to find out more, or help us grow the movement on Facebook.
Comments:
I like many commend the excellent work that Oxfam does and this video will reach many of the younger generation who need to be kept aware of the on-going poverty situation around the world. With this in mind I can't believe that someone from Oxfam didn't check this video before release and realise the message that was being sent out by Mel B holding a formula bottle. The formula bottle is a potential cause of death to many babies whose mothers would have no fresh water for preparation or sterilising facilities, worse still the negative impact on the mothers milk supply. Is there no chance this clip can be withdrawn and re-released without the bottle? The more it's seen the more you are sending out the message that formula feeding is safe. Save a baby today and do something to stop this. Karen
Karen Lewis | June 2, 2009 3:53 PM
Using the baby bottle image was a huge mistake and it is a warning to us all , showing as it did just how deeply such imagery is entrenched in our society's subconscious.
Jenny Stables | April 28, 2009 8:13 PM
quote: "Oxfam believes that breast feeding is the best nourishment for babies in their early months of life"
Breastfeeding is in fact normal nourishment for babies and young children. Breastfeeding support is the most effective preventative against under 5 mortality (could prevent 13% of the 10 million under 5 deaths per year), more effective than programs to provide clean water or vaccination.
please consider the message this clip is sending.
michelle | October 5, 2008 1:26 PM
This is a great campaign and a wonderful video!! I support these thoughts and focus for the future. But I must agree with many of the comments already made, that the use of a baby bottle in this video gives a message that is contray to what seems to be the aim here. Baby bottles need not to be seen as the norm if we truly wish to end childhood poverty and death. Through celebrity support this normalises the use of bottles and by association artifical milk. It is a shame that this campaign has been tainted by such an image.
Angela Green | October 2, 2008 5:36 AM
Oh, gosh, there is a lot of negative press coming about the bottle image in the video. I do agree with it. So many children die in the third world because of formula feeding. I'm sure Mel B would happily sign a teddy, or maybe even her breast, if asked for another image to represent motherhood?
Bela Newfield | October 1, 2008 4:57 PM
In my name is a campaign action recently launched by GCAP - the Global Call to Action Against Poverty of which Oxfam is a part.
Many celebrities, high profile people, activists and others worldwide have already given their name, photograph or video. Those photographed or videoed have chosen the way they would like to sign their name, Mel B chose to sign on a baby bottle. This is in no way intended to promote bottle feeding or formula milk, many mothers use bottles fo feed their babies after a period of breast feeding. This is the case with Mel.
Oxfam believes that breast feeding is the best nourishment for babies in their early months of life. Not only is it nourishing, nutritionally balanced, safe and free, but it also contains protective elements which help infants fight illnesses. Such qualities are not available in any so called substitute. Breast feeding should be continued with the introduction of solid food as the baby is growing.
Oxfam GB | September 30, 2008 5:31 PM
Why is a baby bottle featured in the video? It seems to contradict the goal of video and the greater goals of Oxfam. Babies die of starvation every single day due to formula and bottles. Promote breastfeeding, babies are counting on you!
Sadly,
Erin
Erin | September 29, 2008 9:33 PM
I recently viewed your latest campaign video 'inmyname'. while I think it's a great idea to get your cause out there, did you really need to include the babies bottle? oxfam helps hundreds of thousands of people daily with their struggle to nourish themselves and their families. formula is NOT an answer to this problem. how could you incorporate a known killer in the third world, into such an emotive video clip? shame on you, oxfam
Nicole | September 29, 2008 9:28 PM
Great campaign, I'm as always so grateful to Oxfam for keeping world poverty on the agenda. As a supporter of Oxfam however I am deeply upset by the image of a baby bottle in the promotional video. Baby bottles and the use of formula in the developing world is linked to thousands of babies dying from contaminated water. Breastfeeding is surely the starting point for any campaign that calls for an end to world hunger. Babies nurtured at the breast will receive complete nutrition along with a huge boost to their immunity throughout infancy. In light of this I feel saddened by the appearance of the baby bottle - a symbol, not of motherhood, but of further multi-national exploitation of the developing world.
Selina Gough | September 29, 2008 9:28 PM
Totally appalled that this video contains Mel B signing her name on a baby bottle. Formula feeding kills 4000 babies every day. The poorest of all our babies, are the sickest, and their families struggle to buy formula that they cannot possible make safely enough, and their baby dies. And we have this image used in a video to promote the end to child poverty? What sort of overview of the rich and famous is this sending out, that we can flout international guidelines and regulations on the control of breastfeeding substitutes, by using a baby bottle in this fashion? How can Oxfam of all people, put its name to video that glorifies the baby bottle over the mother's breast? Please get rid of this offensive frame, and ask Mel B to sign her name on something that doesn't kill one and a half million babies every year. It's celebrity endorsement like this, that encourages poor mothers to struggle to buy formula and turn away from their own breast, as they think it's the 'best' for their baby. Totally irresponsible and utterly shocking that no one has spotted the problem before now.
Morgan Gallagher | September 29, 2008 1:11 PM
We must make this happen, otherwise we can't call ourselves a just and humane society.
jane thurlow | September 25, 2008 8:41 PM