Jackson Free Press

When most of us hear the word "lobbyist," we might conjure up images of back-room dealings with high paid lobbyists and legislators who put big business over people.

But more than 800 women and men from around the world attended the 2010 National CARE conference May 10 through 12 in Washington, D.C., to lobby for bills that would take a proactive approach to global poverty and improve the quality of life for those in developing countries.

CARE invited me to attend this conference and watch as volunteers received a crash course in lobbying. Two Mississippi women, Brittany Hickman and Sital Sanjanwal, are both representing our state and met with representatives from Mississippi Republican Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker ‘s office as well as U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper, a Republican from Mississippi's third Congressional district.

The conference focused on the following three policy initiatives:
•Fighting global hunger
•Protecting and empowering girls by preventing child marriage
•Protecting mothers and children from senseless deaths resulting from lack of access to health care

The highlights of the conference included: an inspiring speech by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, a presentation and screening of the documentary "No Woman No Cry," a film about maternal care by model Christy Turlington Burns, and a panel on Africa with Maria da Luz Guebuza, first lady of Mozambique; Sia Nyama Koroma, first lady of Sierria Leone; and Ida Odinga, wife of the prime minister of Kenya.

I was impressed by the abundance of strong women (and men!) advocating to end global poverty and improve the status of women and children everywhere. I have lots of ideas rolling around in my head. Stay tuned for information about the issues and young women who represented our state.

And thank you to CARE for making this trip possible.