What can we do to make the world’s children a priority in ‘07?

Question

Worldwide, 10.5 million children under 5 will die this year, most of them from easily preventable causes. What can we do to make these children a priority in 2007?

Answer 1

EVERYONE needs to advocate for "quality" education and health for these children. This means educating society, especially parents and families more in doing the best that they can for their children.

The government should probe deeper into this matter. We need to scratch the surface.

Also, the MEDIA are very powerful. They can help A LOT in properly informing and educating everyone as opposed to sending wrong values and priorities to the masses - to everyone. They have a huge responsibility which they should take VERY SERIOUSLY.

We need a concerted effort from all aspects of society. The government, schools, families and the media can't do it alone. We need to support each other.

The children of today are tomorrow's future.

Answer 2

Many have been given the gift of mass public recognition. I believe that many of these people have both the capacity and the responsibility to unite and give back where they can. A united front can hold our elected officials responsible for producing results no different from the Fortune 100 Company Executives, only the charge should be to care for these children. Ask yourself, could the top 10 Fortune 100 Executives manage a business plan to save these children? The answer is an unquestionable yes.

Failure to make these children a priority in 2007, but should be crime punishable by long term imprisonment. Think about it, there are no penalties or consequences to completely ignore these children, and that is exactly what the elected officials of this country will do unless a meaningful plan is established, measured, and these officials are held accountable. The public will unite behind those who are committed, want to make a true difference, and who can stand the pains of time. Failure to stand tall and take responsibility will mean that more than 50 million children under the age of 5 will die in the next five years.

The situation which prompted this response was the public plea for answers by many of the Hollywood Actors and Actresses who are also the same public people who have the greatest ability to publically bring this issue to the forefront. Who will stand tall and bring about a better tomorrow?

Answer 3

I think 10.5 million, as purely a number is rather insignificant of several billion. That they are children simply makes it an emotional issue. The problem is that year after year we keep hearing the same problems and the same moral accusations. In other words, we keep hearing famous people making these things their cause; yet nothing apparently gets done. So why should we keep throwing money at it? And since I don't know you, how why should I believe that you are sincere?

My point is that your question sounds like a commercial; and I doubt that the money gets there anywhere (in any relevant amount). Billions thrown at cancer; yet, it seems like more not less cancer is in the world (literally and figuratively). My resolve is simply to do what I can do in my immediate experience. I can't save 10.5 million kids. If there is 1 in my community that I can help, I will.

Socialized medicine would obviously eliminate the preventable diseases; but how do you force that around the world? Or even convince those here in the good ol USofA that not everything has to be a business.

This country once thrived as a capitalist society, while having room for a few "socialized" sectors that were in the communities best interest, such as low cost utilities. Now, even education is a business. (sorry, I'm rambling).

1) socialized medicine
2) leaders we 'believe', who can rally us to act; not administrators or do-gooders.

I also have to wonder if your not campaigning for Hilary, since you showed up here about the same time her internet push began.

Answer 4

In my opinion, we can begin to children of the world a priority when we make our own children a priority. All over the TV in the United States are commercials about the environment, and how well we should treat out animals. There is more money spent on advertisement for animals than there are for children in our very own country. The people of the United States can by no means help the children of the world when we do not even like children. I live in a college town where the next generation is coming around. Most of the students I talk to think that children are scary, bad, too time consuming, or bad for the environment. Therefore, they don't want to have any. No one loves children anymore. No one wants a child just for the sake of having a child and loving it. How can we make children a priority if no one loves them. The root of the problem is not that some disease may kill a child, the real problem is that no one loves children anymore.

Answer 5

Simple, really.

1. Ask questions like "what can I do?" Speak with others. Just like we are doing here.

2. Have a real will to do something. Be ready to do all the follow-ups necessary to complete a task.

3. Identify an area of need, no matter how big or small, it makes a difference.

4. Understand the beneficiaries of your efforts and ensure that what you want to get them is what they really think they need. Many a project has failed even by the best-intentioned people simply because they didn't consult the recipients.

5. Make a project plan. What do you need to get what you need? What are the deadlines?

6. Go get what you need. Money, volunteers, time, and all other required resources.

7. Now take what you've got, be it a physical object or a plan or a guest speaker, to the beneficiaries.

8. During the distribution or development process, involve the beneficiaries as much as is efficiently possible. The more the beneficiaries are involved, the more likely they are to feel like a part of something important (and not just a hand-out), and the more likely it is your project will succeed and have long-term implications. Perhaps you can take it to the next level and beneficiaries become givers one day.

9. Follow up on everything. Never just leave it to someone to do something without having a system of checks and assurances.

10. Always, always, always be honest with others and yourself. Do not be shy of admitting mistakes or inefficiencies -- for these admissions will make you even better and smarter the next time around.

11. Maintain a sense of humour, some calmness and a lot of patience throughout -- they are more likely to assist you and open doors along every step of the way -- more than anger, or extreme passion ever could. There's nothing like a clear head to complement your big heart.

Answer 6

#1 Increase Household Income By At Lest 50%.
#2 Make Food Higene And Clothing Products More Aforedable.
#3 Revoke Our Right To Bear Armes.
#4 Place All Children Under 24/7 Servalance.
#5 The Imidatle Aprehechion Of All Sexual Predators-
-And Permant Incarsaration Of Set Persons.
#6 Strict Laws Regulating Who May Become Pregnant
And thrall Background Checks.

Answer 7

I think to answer the question, you have to answer another question first, which is, "what can we do to 'save the children' ?" Is it a question of funding? Organizational structure? If everyone in the US donates x dollars to Unicef/Red Cross/Doctors without Borders etc...would that fix the problem? Everyone wants the children of the world to grow up in a place where they at the very least have food/clothing/shelter/basic health needs taken care of. The children of the world need hope. If they have that, then many of our modern ills of society such as terrorism, fade away. We should not just focus on the 10.5 million children who die of preventable diseases, but on the greater population of children who live in fear and without hope.

Telling people to "save the children" and make them a priority in '07 means nothing without palpable solutions that work. I know there is no easy answer, because if there were, then the problem would have been licked by now.

The question seems to imply that apathy is the problem. I don't think it is the main issue, though it certainly plays a part. I think people feel disconnected from a solution. The problem is nebulous, the solution is complicated, so the result is inertia.

So to make the children a priority, we need to work on the problems: Clearly lay out the populations in danger (abroad AND at home) via publicity i.e. documentary-movie like Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth." Show what efforts are being done already, and what efforts need to be done. And lay out a gameplan that any interested individual can accomplish.

I believe we all want to do our part, we just aren't sure what that part is.

Answer 8

I'm not sure about other countries around the world, but in the United States we could start by creating a very simple tax code or switch to a national sales tax. The more you consume, the more you pay. Then we just have to get the government to stop giving themselves raises and start spending our money productively. On an individual scale I think there should be a national salary cap dependent on the type of profession someone has. It should be scalable and reasonable. If someone can't live well making two million dollars a year there's a problem. Next, all the extra money that people make after the cap can be dispersed however they see fit to any number of non-profit organizations which then can be redistributed throughout the world. Furthermore, a percentage of that money should go to a pool that is distributed throughout the public school districts in the United States and earmarked for supplies and instructors' salaries only. Finally, the salary cap is adjusted every year after the first year to compensate for inflation and changes in cost of living. When education is treated like professional sports and entertainment in this country the whole world will be better off. A smarter, more focused America is good for the entire planet. On a good note, I don't think everything that is being done today is concentrated in the wrong direction. I just think that we can get there more quickly. Just my opinion...

Answer 9

I fear this question is asked repeatedly and here we are s in the XXI century addressing issues that should have long disappeared from the face of earth.

I believe that unless we keep educating people about responsible parenthood, all that is involved in bringing up a human life, the resources needed, the challenges, we will continue to ask this question forever.
I think it is important to educate women and men equally about their duties towards the children they procreate.

Can we really do something to make children a priority in '07? Well, let's make sure that making children a priority does not have a date in the first place. We have all these supposed "world leaders" supposedly "working" towards this issue. Why don't they focus in building homes, giving them to people, investing more money in education than we do in arms, making aids meds available at no cost in third world countries where children are dying of aids, building hospitals and water processing plants were needed, making sure every child does not go to bed hungry. Really, elemental stuff.

It is really basic what needs to be done. So, whether Alyssa asks or anybody else, I believe the answer is just to apply common sense.

And please, please: Only bring to the world those kids that you can really, really take care of. Is not a matter of numbers. Is a matter of having the time and the ability to adequately raise and provide for those you are bringing into the world. Life is complicated and children need attention. How can you possibly work 10 hours a day for example, and then get home and give 3 or 4 kids your undivided attention? Many say that you teach your children other things (sharing, patience, etc.) but the truth is that life is really hard out there and we no longer rely on others to help us raise children. If we do not have that extra help (nearby family, friends, community raising children) how do we expect to do a good job? Kids need love and attention, and not necessarily 4 or 5 brothers or sisters. Mom and Dad, or Mom and Mom, or Mom, or Dad and Dad, or Dad, or whatever your family looks like.
Give your kids attention, spend time with them and LISTEN!!!!

Answer 10

I won't say it will be easy or simple, because we all know it will not be. But there are a few things we need to do.

1) Make the entire world aware of the situation. You are a celebrity. You have a very large voice. Find other celebrities in the U.S. and in all the "Hollywood" areas in the world, such as Hong Kong, Bollywood. Etc. and get the word out around the globe.

2) When advocating helping the children of the world, make certain that U.S. viewers understand that includes children in the U.S. Perhaps organizing a campaign geared for U.S. Children. Many Americans are cynical and feel that helping "World Children" is pointless or misguided while children are suffering here at home. Assure these people that the children in their own back yard will be helped and you will get a better turn out. You and I may believe that all children deserve only the best, but many people are still too focused on their home towns, states and nations. Since that is a fact, work it into the plan. This narrow-mindedness does need to change, but since we can only focus on one thing at a time if we want to be successful, then lets focus on the children.

3) Help organize groups of people that are not the "Elite" of society. There are people here and in other nations that I KNOW would like to help but can not afford to give much if any money, but because they can't afford to give money or spend money on trips to places that that could help and they don’t have the degree's required by the peace corps and other organizations, they do nothing. Being a celebrity means you have a voice people will listen too or at the very least, will hear. Be an advocate to help get these people to places they can help, even if that is just a day or weekend trip to a nearby city to help at children's hospitals, shelters, orphanages or anyplace that that would welcome their assistance. Ordinary people want to help too, and although someone donating a quarter of a million dollars is great, if some ones next door neighbor is actually helping hands on, chances are that act of kindness will spread until all of the starving children are given enough to eat and the all sick children are given the same opportunities to lead a health life as we had.

I hope this helps.

Answer 11

The answer to this very complex problem is so simple yet few want to acknowledge the bigger picture. First, these kids aren't dying from easily preventable diseases if the parents and doctors don't have access to the same health care and medicine that are available to us. The real issue here isn't just about children, it's about reducing poverty in general. If you fix that, then the rest will have a domino effect that should help the society as a whole including the children. If these kids had parents with the same access to medicine, resources, and education we have, they would be a lot better off but many do not. The long-term solution to the problem would really be to invest money in those countries so that they can become economically independent and perhaps in the future they can establish their own system of addressing these problems from the ground up. Of course this would take have to happen over a period of several years or even decades but '07 is a good start.