<div style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">From: <<a href="mailto:info@escr-net.org">info@escr-net.org</a>>, </font></font></div>
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<div style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">We are writing to:</font></font></div>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">A)</font><span style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </span><font size="3">Request the support of national level organizations to lobby your country’s authorities to ensure signature of the (OP-ICESCR) on September 24, 2009 followed by prompt ratification or accession of this treaty;</font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">B)</font><span style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </span><font size="3">Request your support for the OP Petition by endorsing it and by supporting a letter the Coalition will send with the results of this Petition, and </font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">C)</font><span style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </span><font size="3">Invite you to participate in a strategic discussion on the OP-ICESCR Campaign that will take place on September 23 in New York. </font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><b> </b></font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">A)</font><span style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </span><font size="3"><b>Lobby Support</b></font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">We need the support of national level organizations to ensure your State’s signature of the OP-ICESCR on September 24, 2009. Below is a list with the responses we have received from several governments on their plans for signing in September. If your country is NOT on the list of countries that have confirmed they will sign on September 24, we ask you to help us lobby your relevant authorities. Please ask them to sign the OP-ICESCR on September 24 and ratify it or accede to it as soon as possible, without reservations as well as issue a declaration recognizing the competence of the ESCR Committee to handle inquiry and interstate procedures. </font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">So far we have confirmation that the following countries <b>will sign</b> the Optional Protocol on September 24, during the UN signature ceremony: <b>Belgium</b><b>, Chile, Finland, Netherlands, Paraguay, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain</b></font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">We also have indications, but <b>have not received confirmation</b> that the following countries might sign: </font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><b>Benin</b><b>, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Guatemala, Ecuador, Morocco, Nicaragua, Senegal, Ukraine, Uruguay, Angola, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Philippines and Timor Leste.</b></font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Finally, we have received confirmation that the following countries, which were considered potential signatories, will NOT sign the OP-ICESCR on September 24: <b>Costa Rica</b><b> , Croatia, Germany, Macedonia and Mexico </b></font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">If you want information about the position of other countries please let us know. </font></font></p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><font size="3">B)</font></b><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </span><font size="3">Support the Petition to Protect ALL Human Rights </font></b></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The Coalition launched a petition in support of the OP-ICESCR that has generated considerable support. If you have not endorsed it we ask you to add your name at this time: </font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><b><a href="http://www.protectallhumanrights.org/en/signature/new" target="_blank"><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="3">http://www.protectallhumanrights.org/en/signature/new</font></a></b></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Signatures will continue to be received after the original deadline established for August 19, 2009. However, your support will be most helpful if you are able to endorse the petition before the end of this week.</font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">A letter will be sent by the NGO Coalition to several countries with the results of the Petition and asking them again to commit to signing and ratifying the OP-ICESCR. The letter, however, will have more impact if it comes with the support of national level organizations of each country. <b><u>If your organization is willing to prepare a cover letter or a letter of support to the letter from the NGO Coalition and send it to the pertinent authorities within your country, please let us know before August 21, 2009 so we can coordinate with you.</u> </b></font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><b> </b></font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><font size="3">C)</font></b><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </span><font size="3">Invite you to participate in a strategic discussion on the OP-ICESCR Campaign that will take place on September 23 in New York. </font></b></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Finally, the NGO Coalition is organizing a meeting on September 23 with national level organizations working, or interested in working, on the ratification process of the OP-ICESCR. In this meeting we will look to build a joint strategy around the OP-ICESCR Campaign after September, receive input from participating organization on the actions and projects defined so far and hear from groups working nationally on what the Coalition should be undertaking to support their work more effectively. Unfortunately, we have no funding available for the meeting but hope many of your organizations might be in a position to participate. If so, please let us know as soon as possible. The meeting is being organized on eve of the signature ceremony of the OP-ICESCR and taking advantage of the presence of several members of the NGO Coalition Steering Committee in New York. </font></font></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">If you want any further information about any of the issues above, can support the letter of the Coalition to your government or are interested to participate on the Meeting of September 23, please contact us at </font><a href="mailto:op-icescr@escr-net.org" target="_blank"><font face="Times New Roman" color="#0000ff" size="3">op-icescr@escr-net.org</font></a><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">. </font></font></p>
<div style="BACKGROUND: white"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The Steering Committee of the NGO Coalition </font></font></div>
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