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CARITAS INTERNATIONAL

Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social service organisations working to build a better world, especially for the poor and oppressed, in over 200 countries and territories.

http://www.caritas.org/jumpNews.asp?idLang=ENG&idChannel=35&idUser=0&idNews=5527

CARITAS SIGNS WOMEN & DEVELOPMENT PLEDGE

16.04.2008 - Caritas International Secretary General Lesley-Anne Knight has signed up to a pledge with other dignitaries from around the world aimed at ending poverty among women.

The Caritas Secretary General was attending a meeting of the Women, Faith, and Development Alliance in Washington, 13 April and signed up to the pledge on behalf of the 162 national Catholic charities she represents.

United Nations statistics show that women account for 70 percent of the world's poor; that women are owners of just one percent of the world's titled land; and that two-thirds of the world's illiterate people are women.

The Women, Faith and Development Alliance received more than $1 billion in financial commitments. The alliance aims to boost the economic status of women and fight for the changes that will make such improvements possible.

Among those taking part in the initiative are Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Queen Noor of Jordan, former Irish President Mary Robinson, and former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell.

The Millennium Development Goals, a series on UN anti-poverty targets, address development, health and poverty issues which directly impact on women.

Caritas Secretary General Lesley-Anne Knight said, “Women and girls are at the centre of efforts to end poverty. They are the majority of the world’s poor. Caritas is fully behind efforts seeking to increase resources for the advancement of women.

“The Women, Faith and Development Alliance is bring attention and funding to addressing this problem. Hopefully we can work together to make progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals by lifting millions of women out of poverty.”

Please contact Patrick Nicholson on 0039 06 69879725 or 0039 3343590700 or nicholson@caritas.va

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