Rotary International and Global Poverty work side by side to eradicate polio

WHAT'S THE ISSUE?

The Global Poverty Project sees polio eradication as an important step in the mission to end extreme poverty by 2030 and has been involved with global polio eradication efforts for three years now. So when we heard that the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, or GPEI, were coming together to release a brand new plan – the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2014-2018 – to wipe out all polio everywhere by 2018, we put up our hands to help them raise the support and funds necessary to make that happen.

It’s the sustained efforts of the GPEI that has brought the world to the brink of stamping out polio for good. GPEI and other global initiatives have reduced polio prevalence by 99.9% since 1988.

HOW DID GLOBAL CITIZENS RESPOND?

Our grassroots efforts in cultivating support from within local communities and political advocacy pressured politicians to act and contributed to truly meaningful change. Thousands of global citizens and supporters of The End of Polio in New Zealand signed our petition.

WHAT'S THE IMPACT?

New Zealand’s The End of Polio team, William Watterson and D’arcy Lunn presented to an audience of 70 National, Green and Labour MPs, NZAID/MFAT officials and key Rotarians to ask for them to push for more New Zealand involvement in polio eradication globally. They also presented to over 30 Rotary Clubs in Australia, New Zealand, Brunei and Uganda with a particular focus on training Rotarians in Uganda to be advocates and social mobilisers for polio eradication and awareness.

Yet, while New Zealand has been a long-term supporter of polio eradication and has made financial commitments to the GPEI in the past, we are yet to see a financial commitment from the New Zealand Government to help fund the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2014-2018.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The Global Poverty Project will continue to work with Rotary and other partners to ensure polio eradication stays on the radar of NZ Goverment decision makers. The 2014 National Election will provide an excellent platform to meet with the public and government alike, and push for a financial commitment from the New Zealand Government to help fund the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2014-2018.