Supporting the work of the Grandmothers Advocacy Network (GRAN), the Grassroot Grannies advocate through displays, speaking engagements, media, letter writing campaigns, and participating in organized advocacy events. We have signed petitions, spoken to our MPs and marched on Parliament Hill several times urging our federal government to keep their promises.
On this page of our website, we are now including the GRAN Updates on a quarterly basis.
GRAN Update October 2024
Advocating for grandmothers, vulnerable children and youth in Sub-Saharan Africa
Canadian grannies
supporting
African grannies
Child Hunger – Campaign Launch: Inviting all GRANs to Get Involved!
GRANs, this month’s Update is coming to you on World Food Day. We are marking this day with the launch of our Child Hunger campaign, demonstrating our commitment to continued advocacy on the Right to Food.
As GRANs, we care deeply about the well-being of children. Hunger hurts children the most, with impacts for their immediate and longer-term futures. “Millions of children around the world go to bed hungry every night. In low and middle-income countries, one out of every three children suffer from chronic malnutrition, which can cause dehydration, fatigue, weakness, and deadly illness.” (Action Against Hunger). Child hunger is a result of many intersecting global realities, among them, poverty, armed conflict, rising costs, and the escalating climate crisis. We want to raise our voices to bring attention to the global crisis of hunger in children.
The campaign will aim to raise public awareness about child hunger and support for action. Educating the public is crucial to mobilizing the power of public opinion and influencing the political will of decision makers. We envisage local events and rallies. As we embark on this campaign, let’s remind ourselves that we already have experience and expertise in organizing local educational events and building public awareness.
Photo credit: UNICEF
The creativity and local collaboration that many GRANs bring to the Orange Campaign each year is a good example of this expertise. We know our own communities and we now have a good foundation of knowledge about global hunger to share.
So, we’d like you to begin imagining what your awareness-raising action on Child Hunger could look like. Public education can target one person or a hundred. You can decide how wide a circle you want to influence -- a coffee group? a book club? FB friends? a G2G group? a congregation? a town? a city? If you provide the inspiration and follow-through, the campaign team will provide the educational resources, guidance, and other supports to help.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Child Hunger Campaign team at info@grandmothersadvocacy.org with any questions or suggestions. Members of the team include Jenny Neal, Ruth Buckinger, Anne Gardner, Lynne Kent, Sharon Graham, Hilary Elliott, and Pat Dolan. We’d love to hear your ideas so we can share them across the country. Let’s inspire each other!
And watch next week for the first Small Sip in your inbox in support of this new focus and new season of advocacy. We can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together this year!
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;
indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” -- Margaret Mead
Seniors for Climate Action Now (SCAN)
October 1 was the first ever National Seniors Day of Climate Action. GRAN groups from across the country attended rallies and other public events with guest speakers, films, and music, and some of you even participated in flash mobs! The theme for the day was “Later is too Late”. According to those of you who’ve already sent in your photos and reports, so far we know that GRANs took part in events in Victoria, Vancouver, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Oakville, Ottawa, and Fredericton. We’re certain to have missed some of you, but we wholeheartedly offer big congratulations to all GRANS who took part!
Victoria GRANs Liz Dill, JoAnn Mulhern, Anne Young, Phyllis Webster and Shirley Swift
Ottawa flash mob "Stayin' Alive" with GRAN Jo-Ann Stead in the back row (red cap).
GRAN Sandy Milakovic with Pat Barnell (Oomama G2G) at the Oakville event held in collaboration with GASP.
GRANs Lynne Kent (one of the organizers of the Vancouver event) along with Gail Mullan and Mary Spoke. Lynne and Gail in their "emissions caps"!
Climate Justice
The humanitarian situation in Sudan is at “a catastrophic breaking point” according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration. The stark warning comes as extreme rainfall resulting in widespread flooding in addition to 16 months of armed conflict has led to one of the world’s largest migrations of people, with lack of food aid leading to famine across many parts of the country. The IPC, or Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a global multi-partner initiative that tracks food insecurity and malnutrition around the world, has announced that nine million people – almost a fifth of Sudan’s population – are in a food emergency or worse, meaning immediate action is needed to save lives. Click here to watch a two-minute video from UNICEF on the current state of childhood malnutrition in Sudan. Sudanese CSO’s and the Sudanese diaspora are doing what they can to meet the needs.
In October, GRAN signed-on to this letter advocating for adequate international climate finance to meet the needs of the most vulnerable countries of the Global South to cover the costs of climate mitigation, adaptation and loss/ damages. GRAN will be sending the letter to Minister Guilbeault with a copy to Prime Minister Trudeau.
And some encouraging news… A recently released UN Climate Change report reveals that climate policies around the world are becoming increasingly gender-responsive. Read more here.
Education
A New School of Thought on School Feeding Programs for Food-Systems Transformation (International Development Research Centre 2024) reports that a quarter of sub-Saharan children in Africa are deprived of nutritious food, and malnutrition is a critical problem. The article suggests that the expansion of school feeding programs would benefit not only the children, but the whole community. However, the quality of current school meals is inadequate. There are nutrient-rich, “climate-smart” foods available, but they are under-utilized in existing school meal programs. A better understanding by policy makers about the relationship between school feeding, agriculture, and climate resilience is needed. “Policies must link agriculture and climate to ensure farmers know what to produce, and under what climatic conditions for healthy meals in schools.” Furthermore, school feeding programs can be improved by helping women take charge of food production and preparing the meals. We encourage you to check out the full article for yourself.
Health
Good news! This past September marked 30 years since the Americas, both North and South, were declared polio-free. However, polio is re-emerging in some parts of the world. On September 23, 2024, Canada announced a contribution of $151 million over 3 years to support the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) as a step forward to eradicating polio.
GRAN Cathy Thompson recently spoke to new volunteer recruits with Results Canada on intergenerational views of vaccines. A great discussion and exchange of ideas ensued. The Health Watch Group will take the lead in working with a coalition with GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, Results Canada, and other Canadian NGOs, asking the government for $720 million in the next few months to #ReachEveryChild with essential vaccines. GAVI, along with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, has recently spearheaded the creation of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator, and Canada announced $85M to support this new facility back in June. Read more here.
Mpox was declared a public health emergency by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. This infectious disease began in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has spread to other African countries. Vaccine access is limited at present. 10 million doses will be needed to curb the epidemic. Doctors Without Borders/Médecins sans frontières (MSF) supports the World Health Organization’s request for an increase in vaccine donations by countries that are currently hoarding it. On August 19, 2024, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, announced that Canada is donating $1 million to help stem Mpox in Africa.
Ending Violence Against Women
The EVAW Watch Group is delighted to welcome Joy as a new member. (Now we can call ourselves a “group” again!) We met over Zoom at the end of September to discuss how we would work together to support the Orange Campaign as well as the new all-of-GRAN Campaign on Child Hunger. The EVAW Watch Group once again proposes that GRANs across the country commemorate the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence November 25 – December 10, also known as the Orange Campaign. Visit the Orange Campaign page on the GRAN website for resources and ideas for your November-December actions.
Mining Justice
Anne Young attended The CNCA (Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability) online meeting. Here are the three goals that they are working towards:
1.
Public commitment to passing mandatory human rights environmental due diligence legislation.
Public commitment to passing mandatory human rights environmental due diligence legislation.2.Public commitment to strengthening and providing greater resources for CORE (Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise).
Public commitment to strengthening and providing greater resources for CORE (Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise).3.Public commitment to supporting a global treaty for human rights and business.
Public commitment to supporting a global treaty for human rights and business.
