PHA-Exchange> UNICEF and McDonald's

[GK]

Dear Friends,

Wonderful example of UN-Private Partnership.Some of UN organisations are
totally purchased or penetrated by TNCs. Food related TNCs which are
responsible for ill-health some of which are already mentioned in the
article and exploitation of migrant workers and third world students
studying in developed countries.

I suggest,WABA,HAI,PHA , Consumers International, IPHC and pro people
organisations should jointly raise the the issue of unethical alliance
between UNICEF and McDonald with Ms.Carol Bellamy. If the issue is not
resolve amicably then we have to consider boycotting of both UNICEF and
McDonald food chains the way boycott against Nestle was launched in 80's
and 90's 
 
I am very much disturbed with recent events including this one.One big
country wants to attack another small country with alibi as mentioned in
Aesop's fable in the story of tiger and a calf. Now what is the matter with
Unicef that the UN agency has to enter into an agreement with a food chain
which almost tentamount to a criminal act .

Best wishes,
Zafrullah Chowdhury
 At 06:15 PM 10/13/02 +0700, Aviva wrote:
>.From: "Waba Forum" <wabaforum at pd.jaring.my>
> Copyright 2002 Financial Times Information
>Panafrican News Agency (PANA) Daily Newswire
>> 
>>                               October 8, 2002
>> 
> UNICEF MULLS OVER DUMPING MCDONALD'S DEAL
>> 
>> Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (PANA) - The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is
>> reviewing its involvement in a controversial global fundraising
>> campaign  with the US-based McDonald's fast food giant, a senior
>> official of the UN agency told PANA in an interview.
>> 
>> Dr Urban Jonsson, UNICEF's regional director for Eastern and Southern
>> Africa, said an internal review on the campaign announced in July is
>> going on and a decision is likely to be arrived at soon.
>> 
>> "There is a review going on because this was kind of a beginning. Quite
>> a number of UNICEF people are of the opinion that it is really not
>> appropriate to have any strong agreement or partnership with McDonald's
>> for obvious reasons. "Because we all know that they promote a dietary
>> culture that is very alien to what we call good nutrition. So the
>> argument is very straightforward." millions of dollars on behalf of the
>> world's children as part of a new McDonald's fundraising initiative
>> dubbed "World Children's Day," to be rolled out in the burger firm's
>> restaurants in 121 countries on 20 November.
>> 
>> The promotion, which also aims to raise money for McDonald's charitable
>> arm, includes a pop concert in China to be broadcast over the Internet
>> -  access to which can only be obtained by buying a Big Mac burger.
>> UNICEF will receive a cut of the profits from each Big Mac sold.
>> 
>> But while UNICEF claims that apart from benefiting financially the
>> campaign will help raise the profile of both the charity and wider child
>> 
>> health issues, critics argue that by partnering with McDonald's, the UN
>> agency is promoting the "junk food" culture.
>> 
>> "To continue with this particular partnership will severely and
>> permanently jeorpadise the good relations which the agency now has with
>> people's organisations around the world," an international coalition of
>> public-health professionals and activists say in a petition to UNICEF.
>> The petition, in a form of a letter to UNICEF's executive director,
>> Carol Bellamy, charged McDonald's as "a company known for its aggressive
>> 
>> promotion of foods that contribute to ill health and poor nutrition
>> both  in industrialised and non- industrialised countries." Charging
>> that the partnership could open floodgates, the petition also attacks
>> UNICEF Nigeria for signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Coca-Cola
>> Africa. "Surely all this is contrary to UNICEF's mission and is likely
>> to
>> undermine the World Health Organisation's fight against obesity,
>> cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and other harmful
>> conditions."
>> 
>> The fast-food restaurant chain, one the world's largest, serves some 46
>> million people daily around the world. Speaking about partnerships, he
>> said there are laid down guidelines that came out six months ago and was
>> 
>> sent out to all UNICEF country offices guiding their discussions with
>> the private sector.
>> 
>> Should the guidelines be followed, Jonsson was of the opinion that
>> UNICEF would not be entering into discussions or relations with
>> McDonald's,
>> Coca-Cola, tobacco companies or companies selling alcohol. Nicodemus
>> Odhiambo, PANA Correspondent
>
>
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