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On behalf of the White Ribbon Alliance and CARE's Mothers Day Every Day, we wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on 2010 and share with you a 2011 outlook including forward-looking strategies, priorities and key dates.
Reflection on 2010
Maternal, child and newborn health received significant attention in 2010 from world leaders and policy influencers. Some highlights are as follows:
- President Obama
 requested $700 million for maternal and newborn health initiatives in FY2011, up roughly 25% from 2009
- The first comprehensive maternal health legislation was introduced by Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) in May and gained over 80 co-sponsors
- President Obama's Global Health Initiative included a comprehensive approach to improving maternal and child health worldwide
- Melinda Gates announced
 the Gates Foundation's $1.5 billion commitment to maternal and child health initiatives
- CARE announced $1.8 billion commitment to expand its maternal, newborn and child health programs in the next five years
- WRA held its first annual WIE Symposium (Women: Inspiration and Enterprise) in September hosting some of the most powerful women
 in all sectors and creating a major platform for global women's empowerment.
- Maternal, newborn and child health topped the agendas of the G8 Summit, the Clinton Global Initiative and the UN General Assembly Annual Meeting
- Continued bipartisan synergy in 2010's Countdown to Mothers Day on the Huffington Post (Read it here)
- CARE hosted three Learning Tours with Mothers Day Every Day advisors Anita McBride, Donna Shalala, Mark Dybul and Christy Turlington Burns traveling with Members of Congress and other influencers. Jenna Bush Hagar reported on the Ethiopia trip on the TODAY Show (Watch it here)
Continuing the Momentum in 2011
We look forward to carrying the attention maternal, child and newborn health received in strategic, innovative and thoughtful ways with Mothers Day Every Day advisors through 2011.
Expanding Legislative Reach
In addition to securing additional resources and visibility in 2011, we are working on legislative strategies now to expand WRA and CARE's Mothers Day Every Day's goals. One bill we hope to see passed is indirectly related to maternal, newborn and child health: International Preventing Child Marriage Act, which received bipartisan support and passed in the Senate during the lame-duck session. We will keep you apprised as related legislation is introduced.
Welcoming New Advisory Committee Members
On behalf of WRA and CARE, we are thrilled to officially welcome Connie Britton and Barbara Bush to the Mothers Day Every Day Advisory Committee.
Connie is an actress, currently seen on Friday Night Lights, and long-time global health advocate, having worked closely with ONE and others and traveled recently to Ghana and Sierra Leone
Barbara is a co-founder of Global Health Corps, an impressive organization mobilizing and training young leaders to work on the front lines of the fight for global health equity
We look forward to working with Connie and Barbara, along with all our remarkable advisors to continue to advocate on behalf of women and children around the world.
2011 Key Dates at a Glance
Calendars are always a living document, however below are set dates that might be of interest and we hope you can join in any capacity. As always, we will keep you updated as additional items are scheduled.
- March 8: International Women's Day
- March 8 – 10: CARE Conference & International Women's Day Celebration (Washington, DC)
- April 25: World Malaria Day
- May 2 – 8: Annual WRA and CARE's Mothers Day Every Day Countdown to Mothers Day posted on the Huffington Post
- May 5: International Day of the Midwife
- May 8: Mother's Day
- September 19: WRA's 2nd Annual WIE Symposium (NYC)
- December 1: World AIDS Day
With International Women's Day fast approaching, the White Ribbon Alliance is compiling "Dreams for My Daughter," a global story-telling project. We would love your participation with 100 words or less on dreams for your daughter's future. If you can contribute, please send your Dreams to dreams@whiteribbonalliance.org.
On behalf of WRA and CARE, we are forward to continuing to work with you to make Mothers Day Every Day in 2011.
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