Public Engagement at CESO

CESO is proud to be part of Global Citizens for Change, to support the Make Poverty History campaign, and to work in achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Our Public Engagement program, designed to mobilize our volunteer advisers across Canada to inform the public and media about issues in international development, also serves to promote these initiatives and highlight CESO's significant contributions to the fight against poverty. The program is generously supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

Global Citizens for Change

Global Citizens for Change is an initiative of a coalition of Canadian international voluntary cooperation agencies, including CESO. It represents the shared commitment of diverse agencies to a better, fairer world. Global Citizens for Change was created by: Canada World Youth (CWY), CECI, Canadian Crossroads International (CCI), Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO), CUSO, Oxfam Québec, SUCO, VSO Canada, and World University Service of Canada (WUSC).

Global Citizens for Change recognizes that every person has an interest in the well being of our fellows on this planet. Like citizens of a country, we share an allegiance to each other and hold certain rights in common. And like citizens of a country, global citizens recognize that our choices and actions can influence things for the better. As a CESO Volunteer Adviser, you're already a citizen of the world. Through this joint venture, we aim to give you the tools you need to exercise your global citizenship. Please take a moment to visit the Global Citizens for Change website by clicking on the icon below.

Make Poverty History

At the start of the 21st century, 1.2 billion people live in abject poverty, most of them women. More than 800 million people go to bed hungry and 50,000 people die every day from poverty-related causes. It doesn't have to be this way. If we choose--if we have the will to act--we can make poverty history.

For many regions and municipalities throughout Canada, the Make Poverty History campaign comprises the widest coordinated effort to harness the drive and initiative of the general public in support of the global fight against poverty. Participation in the Make Poverty History campaign gives our over 2,700 CESO volunteer advisers and staff the opportunity to do something by voicing our support of Canadian policies that can combat poverty both abroad and in Canada. The Canadian Make Poverty History campaign has four platform items:

1. more and better aid
2. trade justice.
3. cancelling the debt
4. ending child poverty in Canada

At the root of CESO's support of the Make Poverty History campaign are calls for much-needed changes in policy that can help Canada fight poverty globally, including devoting 0.7% of its gross national product to assistance to the poorest countries by the year 2015.

If you have not signed on to support the Make Poverty History campaign, please click on the banner link below. On the Make Poverty History website, you'll be able to sign up in support of the campaign, and find out more about the campaign platform and actions you can take to help make poverty history.

The UN Millennium Development Goals

Poverty is a violation of human rights on a massive scale. Recognizing this, in 2000, all members of the United Nations committed to "spare no effort" in tackling poverty by adopting the Millennium Declaration. Governments also launched the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to meet minimum targets to reduce poverty, hunger, illiteracy, discrimination against women, and environmental degradation by 2015. The Millennium Development Goals are:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

For more on the Millennium Development Goals and how you can help achieve them, please visit the UN Millennium Development Goals website.

Your Part

Through the efforts of our volunteer advisers all over the world, CESO helps fight poverty. But the global fight against poverty will require greater awareness and the initiative of countless more people to be effective and succeed. In addition to your work on assignment, or between assignments, you can help fight poverty by sharing information with your community, professional organizations, Rotary and Lions Clubs, schools and university campuses, faith-based groups and others by speaking on behalf of CESO about the work you have done overseas and in Canada. Further, you can contact your Member of Parliament or other policymakers, or local or national media, to share information about your CESO work and voice your support for the Make Poverty History campaign and/or Canada's role in achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals.

If you are interested in finding out how you can participate in or lead activities in support of the Make Poverty History campaign in your community, check the Get Involved and Events pages for the most up-to-date information on recommended activities and events. Or, if you have any suggestions or inquiries, including media inquiries, please contact CESO's Public Engagement Officer:

Patrick Lohier
Public Engagement Officer, CESO
700 Bay Street
Suite 700, Box 328
Toronto, ON M5G 1Z6
(416) 961-2376, ext. 236
publiceng@ceso-saco.com