Introduction

"Walk your Talk" ä

Annoucement - Press Release

UN Special Session on Children - May 2002

Postcard campaign & Honorary Award 'Walk Your Talk'ä
annually awarded by children in Geneva
Two NGO projects in support of the Global Movement for Children

Children will hold world leaders to account and honor their new commitments

On the occasion of the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children (May 2002), the Women's World Summit Foundation WWSF, in partnership with the International Council of Women and the International School Psychology Association announce of the postcard campaign 'Walk your Talk' and the Honorary Award to Heads of State of the same name. As the well being of children is foremost the responsibility of Heads of State, Governments and other world leaders, the 'walk your talk' campaign has a double aim:

- To remind world leaders via a postcard campaign of the promises made when signing the Declaration and Platform for Action 'A World fit for Children', the official UN document for the decade;

- Acknowledge and celebrate with an annual Honorary Award the Head of State who demonstrates the most significant commitment and results in the realization of the promises made to the children.

'Walk your Talk' postcard campaign

As every child without exception has a right to dignity, security and happiness, we invite NGOs working for the rights of the child, civil society in general and particularly youth organisations to join in the postcard campaign. You are encouraged to address cards (see attached sample) to your Head of State and regularly remind him or her of their commitment made at UNGASS on Children 2002, i.e. Promoting healthy lives; Providing quality education; Protecting against abuse, exploitation and violence; Combating HIV/AIDS.

'Walk your Talk' Honorary Award ä

An Honorary Award will be given by children to a Head of State who keeps the promises made to them. As a first date for such an award November 20th has been retained (International Children's Rights Day). The ceremony will be organized at the United Nations in Geneva, known as a city in service of peace.

Empowering leadership

Children will hold world leaders to account and honor their new commitments

We have a leadership crisis. The world's people, the stake holders, want to see results. The children are waiting and demand performance not only talk.

The minds of leaders have to evolve in order to fulfill the purpose of leadership, namely, solving the problems of today and implementing their commitments while preparing organizations to solve the problems of tomorrow. There is no end state, no final utopia where all problems are solved. Instead we are all engaged in an evolutionary journey in which the complexity of our problems increases at each turn. In today's political climate, the problems we face have serious consequences and our leaders need to be empowered to deliver on their promises, especially those made to children - our future.

An annual Honorary Award is awaiting a world leader who does most to implement the Declaration and Plan of Action adopted at the UN Special Session on Children in New York (May 2002). Achieving a "world first for children", was the aim of the Special Session, which reviewed the promises made 12 years ago at the first World Summit for Children in 1990.

The "Walk your Talk Award" will be given from Geneva in partnership with global non-governmental organizations working for children's rights and development. As of May 2002, the children and youth of the world are invited to regularly send postcards to encourage world leaders to keep their promises.

An increasingly complex set of problems are facing our world leaders and many people and organizations work to evolve them in their problem solving capacities. Our leaders have the power to make massive changes, for the better, and the world community has to empower them to succeed in what they have set out to do.

An appraisal system to challenge implementation of their promises will help identify annually as of 2003, a Head of State who is making the most significant efforts in his/her country in realizing the promised goals and is implementing the Declaration and Plan of Action signed at the UN Special Session on Children (May 2002). The Award is meant to empower them to stay on course and walk their talk.

Postcard Campaign

front

Back

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Honorary Award given to Heads of State

(Project in process)

Registration Form ''Walk your Talk''ä Initiatives

- Download the registration form - http://www.woman.ch/children/files/MembershipReg_WalkYourTalk_1.doc

- Print it

- Please send this form signed and dated to

Women's World Summit Foundation WWSF
P.O. Box 2001 - 1211 Geneva 1 - Switzerland
Fax (+41 22) 738 82 48

List of Partners with the ''Walk your Talk'' initiatives

- International Council of Women ICW (2001)

- International School Psychology Association (2001)