Millenium Development Goals

Objectives

Actual actions to be carried out in each unit in 2006-2011

1) Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

1. World Federation receives stories of self-help projects from areas suffering extreme poverty and hunger and posts them on the website and “Tree of Life” newsletter.

a) Local Units send in stories to be posted on website and where possible in “Tree of Life”.

b) W.F. Sec through the Office of Vice-President will list on the website links to NGO’s related to extreme poverty and hunger issues.

c) Area Presidents will provide information to Units where necessary.

d) Local Units to partner NGO’s where able.

2. World Federation will have a study during the 2006-2011 quinquennium on extreme poverty and hunger and how it impacts older adults.

a) The study writers will address the connection between corruption and poverty and the inter-generational aspects of poverty.

b) The study is used by all Local Units.

c) Contextualizing the study material, local Units will research and produce data on older adults and extreme poverty in their area.

d) Local Units will use this data to lobby their Governments for social pensions.

e) W.F. Sec, through the Vice-Pres.

3. Extend credit to women deemed not credit-worthy.

a) Local Units use creative ways to set up micro-finance projects.

b) Stories of successful projects to be posted on W.F. website through the Secretary.

c) local people form business groups to raise funds eg. Kenya's micro finance programme where Evelyn (Helen Kim Student works)

d) set up co-operative projects where locally made goods, made of local materials are marketed through other women in Methodist Church family. eg. Bolivian bags and waistcoats are marketed overseas through British Methodist Churches. These financial initiatives have empowered Bolivian women to build a Health Centre and a safe place for women and children.

2) Achieve Universal Primary Education

1. Advocate for free and compulsory Universal Primary Education.

2. Child-education-friendly local Churches.

3. Every child to have the necessary educational supplies in your area.

a) Units will lobby local government bodies and education agencies.

b) Provide space for schools and tutoring programs, e.g. using church buildings and members to be volunteer tutors.

c) Lobby local governments and agencies to provide appropriate education for children with special needs.

a) Implement a “safe child policy” which includes an age-appropriate physical, mental, emotional and spiritual learning environment.

a) Local Units partner with governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) which supply educational materials.

b) Contact and obtain from local schools recyclable and excess materials to be shared with schools in need.

4. Child-education-friendly local Churches.

a) Implement a “safe child policy” which includes an age-appropriate physical, mental, emotional and spiritual learning environment.

5. Every child to have the necessary educational supplies in your area.

a) Local Units partner with governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) which supply educational materials.
b) Contact and obtain from local schools recyclable and excess materials to be shared with schools in need.

3) Promote Gender equality and empower women.

1. Gender equality in family, church and society.

a) Recognize God’s gifts of leadership in their sisters.

b) Encourage women to be in leadership at all church and community levels and support those already in leadership with our prayers.

c) Use gender inclusive language.

d) Provide opportunities for women to learn to use appropriate technology.

e) Educate girls and boys in gender equality, e.g. teach boys child care and home-making skills and teach girls to be decision-makers.

f) Promote economic independence for women through acquisition of skills.

2. The local area will promote equality within families.

a) Teach women to value themselves as children of God.

b) Teach women their human rights.

c) Teach men and boys to respect women.

d) Provide emotional and material support for women who are victims of domestic violence.

e) Provide spiritual support which will help women to balance their professional and their personal lives.

3. World Federation will have a study during the 2006-2011 quinquennium on women making a difference in gender equality

a) The writers of the study will address gender inequalities in church leadership among other gender equality issues.

b) The writers of the study will include stories of our spiritual foremothers and biblical examples of empowered women.

c) The writers of the study will use inclusive language.

4) Reduce child mortality.

1. Promote the health and welfare of pregnant women.

Local Units will:

a) Provide nutritional counseling for pregnant women.

b) Encourage pre-natal healthcare visits as early in a pregnancy as possible.

2. Promote the health and welfare of new mothers and babies.

a) Encourage women to consider all aspects of family planning.

b) Provide church space and/or support for well-baby clinics.

3. Provide mentoring programs for new mothers and fathers.

a) Partner experienced mothers with mothers-to-be to provide emotional and spiritual support.

b) Welcoming the baby as a child made in the image of God.

c) Set up programmes where women are trained in Healthcare in the following areas:
breast feeding, sanitation, maternal health, child care and the importance of clean water.

5) Improve maternal health

1. Improve maternal health at the local level through

· prevention of unwanted pregnancy

· prevention of complications during pregnancy

appropriate management of any complications that do occur

a) Provide sex and relationship education programmes in schools, church and home.

b) Local Units / Churches review cultural traditions and keep those that enhance the life of women and remove those that endanger and impair; e.g. female genital mutilation.

c) Local Units to lobby government and church bodies to improve availability and accessibility of people resources, health-care facilities, equipment and drugs.

d) Provide counseling and support to women of all ages.

e) Raise money such as giving all your loose change for a month, to purchase and send Mama kits.

f) Act as role models for the next generation.

6) Combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

1. Eradication of preventable diseases in your area.

a) Local Units will lobby governments to implement school entry requirements regarding inoculations and immunizations.

b) Local Units will lobby governments and pharmaceutical companies to provide free and/or inexpensive drugs for all in need.

c) Local Units will lobby governments to legislate for prosecution of any person who intentionally inflicts another person with HIV.

d) To raise awareness and funds to: provide mosquito nets and sprays. Improve sanitation, clean up swamps and standing water, lobby for clean water.

The above to be linked with health education.
(Further work to be done)

2. Eradication of the stigma and persecution surrounding persons with HIV and AIDS in your area.

a) Examine our own views in light of the Gospel.

b) Hold seminars to educate others including young people about HIV and AIDS.

c) Provide church space as a safe place for HIV testing.

3. Recognition of HIV and AIDS as a pandemic.

a) Local Units will hold public seminars about the consequences of unprotected sex and needle sharing.

b) Produce and post signs and banners about the consequences of unprotected sex and needle sharing.

4. Demonstrate Christ’s love.

a) Local Units to engage in care and support of persons with HIV and AIDS.

b) Local Units to produce or fund the purchase of health-care kits to be distributed.

7) Ensure environmental sustainability.

1. Support fair trade in local areas.

Members, Local Units and churches only buy fair trade logo products or locally produced merchandise where possible.

2. Reverse the loss of environmental resources.

a) Integrate the principles of sustainable development into home, church and work situations and programs.

b) Pledge to say no to non-biodegradable items.
c) Careful use of electricity, water and oil.

d) Encourage companies to produce organic and biodegradable materials.

e) Include the care of God’s Creation in Sunday School curriculum.

f) Use environmentally sustainable products in all aspects of life, work, church and home.

g) Lobby governments to integrate the principles of sustainable development into their policies.

3. Safe drinking water for all.

a) Educate that water is a basic human right to be shared and enjoyed by all God’s people.

b) Local Units partner with NGOs to provide funding for wells.

c) Local Units educate families on the importance of saving rain water.

d) Approach local NGOs to provide micro-financed water containers for families.

e) Lobby tourism industry in your area to place water saving/laundry reduction notices in all rooms and train employees to observe them.

f) Plan meetings / conferences in eco-friendly facilities.

g) Local Units lobby governments to implement good water management by all entities and corporations.

h) Lobby for laws that require companies accessing water to:

1. Submit plans for purifying any waters potentially to be used before a permit is granted.

2. Be fined should pollution occur.

3. Clean up any polluted water and land.

4. Improve the lives of people.

a) Support the development and training in the use of environmentally sustainable technology, e.g. solar ovens, water collection, food production.

b) Lobby governments and companies to provide job-skill training in environmentally sustainable industries.

c) Develop resources (e.g. a manual) that teach/show that all aspects of life are interconnected for a sustainable environment, e.g.

• biblical
• economic
• political
• spiritual
• cultural
• local and
• global

8) Development of global partnerships for development.

1. Support fair trade.

a) Local Units will advocate for fair trade.

b) Lobby with appropriate NGOs for producers to meet fair trade standards.

c) Use fair trade items in church, work and home.

2. Continue World Federations NGO status at the United Nations.

a) Nominate persons to serve as World Federation’s representatives to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland; New York, United States and Vienna, Austria.

3. World Federation will have a study during the 2006-2011 quinquennium on the United Nations in our everyday life.

(Further work to be done.)

a) The writers of the study will address how the U.N. affects daily living, e.g. the World Federation’s involvement in CONGO (Conference on Non-Governmental Organizations) & UNICEF’s role in the eradication of polio.

b) (Further work to be done.)

Next Page