PHA-Exchange> Save UNICEF Update: Launch of UNICEF WATCH

[Sarah Shannon]

Dear Friends,
The newly appointed director of UNICEF has come under heavy criticism from 
People's Health activists worldwide. Ms. Ann Veneman, former US Secretary 
of Agriculture is set to begin a 5-year term as Executive Director of 
UNICEF on May 2, 2005.  The Save UNICEF Campaign is launching a "UNICEF 
WATCH" to monitor her 'anti-child' activities and thus to defend UNICEF and 
the rights of children.

We're requesting that all PHM members and Exchange readers support the Save 
UNICEF Campaign in the following ways:

1) Please sign on to the Open Letter of Concern at www.saveunicef.org  to 
express your concern about the appointment of former US Secretary of 
Agriculture, Ms Ann Veneman, as the new Executive Director of UNICEF. To 
date over 2000 individuals and organizations from around the world have 
signed on!  (Thank you to all who have already done so.)
2) Please circulate the attached press release announcing the launch of 
UNICEF Watch to monitor Ms Veneman's work at UNICEF.
3) Finally, please communicate with us at 
<mailto:phm-usa at phm-usa.org>phm-usa at phm-usa.org if you want to become more 
involved with the Save UNICEF Campaign and participate in UNICEF Watch.


PRESS RELEASE

CONTROVERSY  OVER  THE  NEW  UNICEF  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

HEALTH ACTIVISTS SET UP "UNICEF WATCH".

Berkeley, Bangalore and Manila; 28 April 05: The newly appointed chief of 
UNICEF has come under heavy criticism from health activists worldwide. 
People's Health Movement, a global coalition of grass roots activists and 
academics, is launching a "UNICEF WATCH" to monitor the new director's 
'anti-children' activities and thus defend UNICEF and the rights of children.

Ms. Ann Veneman, former US Secretary of Agriculture, is set to begin a 
5-year term as the Executive Director of UNICEF on May 2, 2005. "We will be 
monitoring her every move" said Todd Jailer, a spokesperson for the UNICEF 
WATCH.

"Ms. Veneman lacks any public health or child welfare qualifications" said 
Tawnia Queen, a spokesperson for the People's Health Movement in the United 
States. Ms Veneman publicly stated that women's reproductive health has 
nothing to do with child health and suggested that UNICEF would not 
continue program activities in these areas. The People's Health Movement 
says that research studies and experience show the contrary.

Several health groups, NGOs and civil society organsiations expressed their 
collective concern over the appointment. They fear that her tenure at 
UNICEF signals an end to the proud history and essential mission of UNICEF. 
"Her activities in the United States have consistently worked against 
people's access to safe, nutritious food and the land to grow it on" Todd 
Jailer said.

This new watchdog body is a collective effort of people from various walks 
of life like health and consumer activists, researchers and academics, 
civil society initiatives working to protect the rights of the children and 
women's groups, media and others. The People's Health Movement, that has 
with grassroots presence in nearly 100 countries, is piloting the watchdog 
body.

The key issues that will come under the scrutiny of the UNICEF WATCH are:
* Any move that may place Children's well-being beneath corporate profits 
because Ms. Veneman has championed the unrestrained pursuit of profit for 
corporations as an economic right at the cost of human rights.

* Any move that may undermine Child nutrition and food security because in 
the past, Ms. Veneman's activities in the United States have consistently 
worked against people's access to safe, nutritious food and the land to 
grow it on.

* Health of women and mothers because Ms. Veneman publicly stated that 
women's reproductive health has nothing to do with child health, despite 
all studies and experience to the contrary, and suggested that UNICEF would 
not continue program activities in these areas.

Since the U.S. government rammed the appointment of Ms. Veneman through the 
office of the Secretary General and UNICEF Executive Board in January this 
year, the People's Health Movement, circulated an 'Open Letter of Concern' 
protesting the secret nomination and closed confirmation processes. The 
letter (posted at <http://www.saveunicef.org/>www.saveunicef.org) 
enumerates the reasons why Ms. Veneman's background makes her completely 
unsuitable for her new position. To date the letter has attracted over 2000 
signatures from around the world.

The People's Health Movement recognizes that all children have a right to a 
healthy and dignified future, and that UNICEF has for six decades been the 
international organization charged with vigilance over and fulfillment of 
that future. "We will expose if she tries to derail the UNICEF and place 
corporate profits ahead of children's lives" said Ravi Narayan, the 
spokesperson for the Global Secretariat of the People's Health Movement.

The corporate take over of health care and the increasing grip of 
transnational companies on health is a key issue for the upcoming People's 
Health Assembly-2 scheduled to be held in Ecuador in July 2005. 
(<http://www.iphcglobal.org/pha2.htm>http://www.iphcglobal.org/pha2.htm ).

For more information, contact:
Todd Jailer or Tawnia Queen at 
<mailto:phm-usa at phm-usa.org>phm-usa at phm-usa.org (Ph: + 01 510 845 1447 )
PHM Global secretariat: +91 80 5128 0009

People's Health Movement Secretariat (Global)
C/o Community Health Cell ; # 367, "Srinivasa Nilaya", Jakkasandra I Main ;
I Block, Koramangala, Bangalore- 560 034; India
Email:  <mailto:secretariat at phmovement.org>secretariat at phmovement.org ; 
Web: <http://www.phmovement.org/>www.phmovement.org
P:   + 91-80 - 51280009 F: + 91-80 - 25525372


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