Send Him A Letter Like Ours
Download PDFSeptember 1, 2014
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States of America
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
As leaders of U.S. organizations that work to support children and families both in the United States and abroad, we strongly urge you to send the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) to the U.S. Senate this year.
This is the 25th anniversary of the CRC, the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. Since its adoption in 1989, the CRC has proven a powerful tool to improve laws and policies for children and families around the world. Although the Clinton Administration signed the CRC in 1995, the treaty has never been submitted to the Senate for consideration.
Americans care deeply about the well-being of all children, and believe in the power of family. Our Nation's failure to join almost every other nation in the world as a party to the CRC tarnishes our global reputation as a defender of children and family. As you once noted, it is "embarrassing" to be in the same company as Somalia as a CRC holdout, and you pledged to review the CRC to reinforce U.S. global leadership in human rights.
Here at home, as you know, our own children face unprecedented exposure to adversity, poverty, violence, abuse, and exclusion. As it has all over the world, the CRC would provide us with a comprehensive framework to analyze, document, and report on conditions for children, including how government agencies consider the views of parents and youth. It would help officials at all levels of government develop policies and programs that better meet the needs of children and families.
Twenty-five years after the CRC came into force, and 19 years since the United States signed it, it is time to take the next step toward ratification.
We urge you to ensure that the CRC is submitted to the U.S. Senate this year. Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Jin In Founder 4Girls Global Leadership (4GGL)
Karen Hanscom Executive Director Advocates for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (ASTT)
Aniedi Okure, OP Executive Director Africa Faith & Justice Network (AFJN)
Dr. James M. Perrin, MD, FAAP President American Academy of Pediatrics
Dr. Lorretta Johnson Secretary-Treasurer American Federation of Teachers
Zainab Al-Suwaij Executive Director American Islamic Congress
Dr. Bernard Bauer Interim Executive Director, Development and Communications Amref Health Africa
Abraham Foxman National Director Anti-Defamation League
Diane Whitehead Executive Director Association for Childhood Education International
Emily Arnold-Fernandez Executive Director Asylum Access
Anthony Vance Director of Public Affairs Baha'is of the United States
Raimundo Barreto Director of Division on Freedom and Justice Baptist World Alliance
John Gillies Co-Chair Basic Education Coalition
Peter Yeo Executive Director Better World Campaign
David Diggs Executive Director Beyond Borders
Professor Gertrud Lenzer Founding Director, Children's Studies Center for Research, Policy and Public Service Brooklyn College, The City University of New York
George Srour Founder/Chief Dreamer Building Tomorrow
Jody Kent Levy Director & National Coordinator Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth
Katherine Kaufka Walts, J.D. Director Center for Human Rights of Children, Loyola University Chicago
Ruth Rosenbaum, TC, Ph.D. Executive Director Center for Reflection, Education and Action (CREA)
Curt Goering Executive Director Center for Victims of Torture
Reid Maki Coordinator Child Labor Coalition
Christine James Brown President & CEO Child Welfare League of America
Anne Lynam Goddard President & CEO ChildFund International
Marian Wright Edelman President Children's Defense Fund
Rev. Dr. Sharon Stanley Director, Refugee & Immigration Ministries Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rev. John L. McCullough President & CEO Church World Service
Scott Wright Director Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach
John Straw Executive Director Concern America
Michael Schreiber President Concern Worldwide (US)
John Surr Member, Steering Committee Concerned Educators Allied for a Safe Environment (CEASE)
Kevin Ryan President & CEO Covenant House
Susan Henderson Executive Director Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
Carol Smolenski Executive Director ECPAT-USA
Sarah Andrews Executive Director Edge of Seven
Rev. Stephen Bouman Executive, Congressional and Synodical Mission Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla Executive, Global Mission Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Bruce Lesley President First Focus
Patrick Carolan Executive Director Franciscan Action Network
Maurice Middleberg Director Free the Slaves
Diane Randall Executive Secretary Friends Committee on National Legislation
Ed Gragert Executive Director Global Campaign for Education, US
Evie Hantzopoulos Executive Director Global Kids Inc.
Don Kraus President & CEO GlobalSolutions.org
Nina Smith Founding Executive Director GoodWeave
Dr. Margaret E. Greene, Ph.D. President GreeneWorks Global, LLC
Elizabeth MacNairn Executive Director Handicap International US
Kathy Spahn President & CEO Helen Keller International
Donna Cordner CEO HelpAge USA
Kenneth Roth Executive Director Human Rights Watch
Samuel A. Worthington President & CEO InterAction
Dr. Sarah Degnan Kambou, Ph.D. President International Center for Research on Women (ICRW)
Judy Gearhart Executive Director International Labor Rights Fund
Nancy A. Aossey President & CEO International Medical Corps
David Milliband President and CEO International Rescue Committee
Julie Rosicky Executive Director International Social Service-US Branch
Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed National Director of Interfaith & Community Alliances Islamic Society of North America
Armando Borja National Director Jesuit Refugee Service/USA
Lori Weinstein CEO/Executive Director Jewish Women International
Tom Defilipo President & CEO Joint Council on International Children's Services
Robert Schwartz, Esq. Executive Director Juvenile Law Center
Mary Allan Sochet Co-Chair Kids Meeting Kids Can Make a Difference
Janet Mock, CSJ Executive Director Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Gerry G. Lee Director Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Len Morris Editorial Director Media Voices for Children
Professor Susan H. Bitensky Director, Lori E. Talsky Center for Human Rights of Women and Children Michigan State University College of Law
Lawrence Couch Director National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
Rhian Evans Allvin Executive Director National Association for the Education of Young Children
Sally Greenberg Executive Director National Consumer League
Jim Winkler President & General Secretary National Council of Churches, USA
Dennis Van Roekel President National Education Association
Jean Simpson President OMEP-USA
Mark Viso President & CEO Pact
Sister Patricia Chappell Executive Director Pax Christi USA
George Guimaraes CEO PCI
Donna McKay Executive Director Physicians for Human Rights
Ester Neltrup President Planet Aid
John W. Townsend, Ph.D. Vice President and Director, Reproductive Health Population Council
Rev. Gradye Parsons Stated Clerk of the General Assembly Presbyterian Church (USA)
Dr. Gary Barker, Ph.D. International Director Promundo-US
Dr. Madeleine Y. Gomez, Ph.D. President PsycHealth, Ltd.
Joanne Carter Executive Director RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund
Kerry Kennedy President Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights
E. Wayne Holden President & CEO RTI International
Carolyn S. Miles President & CEO Save the Children
Wendy Schaetzel Lesko Coordinator School Girls Unite
Jean Stokan Director Sisters of Mercy of the Americas' Institute Justice Team
Shawna Bader-Blau Executive Director Solidarity Center
Lynn Croneberger CEO SOS Children's Villages - USA, Inc.
Dr. Timothy Shriver, Ph.D. Chairman Special Olympics
Serra Sippel President The Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE)
John Coonrod Executive Vice President The Hunger Project
Bob Baskin President The Peace Alliance
Commissioner David Jeffrey National Commander The Salvation Army USA
Sally Kaplan Coordinator The Student Peace Alliance
Susan T. Henry-Crowe, MDiv.DD General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society The United Methodist Church
Dr. George W. Holden, Ph.D. President U.S. Alliance to End the Hitting of Children
Caryl M. Stern President & CEO U.S. Fund for UNICEF
Mollie Vickery Executive Secretary for Children, Youth & Family Advocacy United Methodist Women
Paula Boland Executive Director United Nations Association of the National Capital Area
Chris Whatley Executive Director United Nations Association of the United States of America
Lynn Malooly Chief Administrative Officer Water for South Sudan, Inc.
Rodney Ferguson President & CEO Winrock International
Dayle Haddon Founder WomenOne
Sarah Costa Executive Director Women's Refugee Commission
Rick Leach President & CEO World Food Program USA
Bonnie Neugebauer Co-Founder & Director of Development World Forum Foundation
Donald Steinberg President & CEO World Learning
Richard Stearns President World Vision U.S.