UNFPA Special Ambassador Waris Dirie Goes To Washington
	Face to Face Television Programming Update
	Face To Face Testimonies At UNGASS
	UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador Geri Halliwell Visits The Philippines
	Campaign Management Ideas

On May 19, Waris Dirie, UNFPA Special Ambassador for the Elimination of FGM, carried her message to the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C. Waris spoke out against the practice of female genital mutilation at a press conference to support congressional legislation to re-establish congressional financing of the United Nations Population Fund. Waris emphasized the work of the United Nations Population Fund with NGOs in developing countries to eradicate female genital mutilation. She also described her personal experience as a survivor of FGM.

Waris was joined by Senator Jim Jeffords and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. The Senator and the Congresswoman each spoke of their belief that one answer to combating FGM lies in reinstating the United States contribution to the United Nations Population Fund, unwisely revoked by Congress in 1997. Senator Henry Reid, who was also at the press conference, was the sponsor of legislation in 1996 banning the practice of FGM in the United States.

Waris was introduced to House Speaker Richard Armey by Representative John Cooksey. She took the opportunity to hand Speaker Armey a copy of her book, Desert Flower. The Speaker praised Waris's courage. Several representatives asked the Speaker for help in passing the pending legislation and he responded, "However I can help you, I will. You're doing God's work."

Abubakar Dungus of UNFPA and Walter Coddington joined Waris after the press conference for a House/Senate briefing of 30 congressional aides.

Reader's Digest, the largest circulation magazine in the world, features Waris Dirie on the cover of its June 1999 issue. Her "remarkable battle against the maiming of children" and her personal history, beginning in the desert of Somalia and ending with her appointment as a UN Population Fund Special Ambassador, are all excerpted from Desert Flower, Waris's autobiography.

Finland

Mikko Kuustonen, UN Population Fund Goodwill Ambassador and Face to Face Campaign Spokesperson for Finland, just returned from Thailand where he and his crew continued to capture on film the stories of women for his television series, 10 Women: Face to Face.

Since January, Mikko has traveled to El Salvador, Mexico, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Thailand and Bangladesh, with forays into neighboring countries such as India and Cambodia. Mikko travels with his own crew of two cameramen who are in charge of sound and directing as well. Sometimes Mikko uses the services of researchers and translators whose names are provided to him by UNFPA and local NGOs. UNFPA and V?est?liitto provided Mikko with NGO contacts in developing countries. Vaestoliitto and Mikko meet regularly to discuss the television project.

To date, Mikko has compiled 30 interviews which he is now editing and translating. He will soon select the 10 best stories to be aired on Finnish television starting in mid-October. Mikko will also compose and record with his band the soundtrack music for each of the series segments. Mikko filmed and recorded local musicians in his travels, and some of their music will be incorporated into Mikko's own for the television series. A sampling of Mikko's interviews includes the mother of two small children dying from AIDS, a teenage FGM victim and survivor, a prostitute, and a woman homeless because of Hurricane Mitch.

Mikko has found that, in the midst of deprivation and suffering, women can find something positive in their lives. For example, a 54-year-old woman in El Salvador lost her home and its contents in the floods. She was living in a hut made for animals. Mikko asked her what was valuable to her. With tears, she showed him three ragged pieces of clothing that had draped her mother's body, dead now for 9 years. This was all that had survived the flood, her most valuable possession. " If it's not hope, then it's something close to it."-- Mikko

FINNIDA, the local Finnish development agency, is co-funding production of the series.

France

Equilibres et Populations (E&P) has proposed a Face to Face Campaign television program based on the theme of its award- winning campaign poster, "24 Hours in the Life of Fatou and Julie." The lives of a Senegalese teenager and a French teenager would be portrayed. According to Sandra Batlle, E&P will work with an NGO active in reproductive health services in Dakar, Senegal willing to help select a young girl to be "Fatou."

Belgium

Goedele Liekens, UN Population Fund Goodwill Ambassador and Face to Face Campaign Spokesperson for Belgium, producer Chris Cockmartin, Dirk Pyck, Director of CGSO Trefpunt, and Walter Coddington, Face to Face Campaign Manager, met on April 28 with Dr. Reginald Moreels, The Belgian State Secretary for Development Co- operation, and his attache, Wouter Vermeulen, to discuss co-funding of Goedele's Face to Face television production.

Goedele has a popular TV program on the Belgium commercial TV station, VTM. VTM has agreed to air Goedele's Face to Face program as well as provide production support. The VTM commitment was of particular interest to the Belgian Development Agency as it would mark the first time they funded a development communication program on a commercial TV station.

The Face to Face Feature TV Movie

By now, most Face to Face Campaign partners and other interested parties know that we have reallocated within the Campaign funds originally set aside for the Dreyfuss/James production of the Face to Face two-hour television movie. These monies are now being used to co-fund an increasing number of local TV and other Campaign partner projects. However, Judith James of Dreyfuss/James Productions has graciously volunteered to continue with her efforts to cast, finance and get distribution for the ambitious Face to Face two-hour movie project. Judith's offer is greatly appreciated and we are honored by her genuine commitment to the goals of the Face to Face Campaign.

By the way, Judith James and Director Lynne Littman recently produced a very successful and highly rated ABC television movie, "Having Our Say, " the true story of two, elderly Afro-American sisters who have lived together through all of the 20th century. Hillary Clinton hosted a private reception and screening for the movie in Washington, D.C. on April 18.

At the Special Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations scheduled for June 29 - July 2, 1999 in New York City, there will be the third in a series of UNFPA/IPPF Face to Face Testimonies. The Testimonies are a series of one-hour panel sessions with speakers from developing countries discussing their work experiences in population, development and reproductive health care.

This time around, the format of the Testimonies will be different. Each of the four one hour panels will focus on one of four issues: FGM, safe motherhood, AIDS and refugee camps. Each panel will feature a well-known celebrity involved with the issue (to attract media coverage), a technical expert on the subject and a victim.

Corrie Shanahan, UNFPA, New York, Walter Coddington, Face to Face Campaign Manager, and representatives of Marie Stopes International (MSI) will accompany Geri Halliwell, UN Population Fund Goodwill Ambassador and Face to Face Campaign Spokesperson for the United Kingdom, on her first official field trip for UNFPA and the Face to Face Campaign.

Working with Satesh Mehra, UNFPA, Manila, Philippines, and representatives of local Population Services Pilipinas, Inc., Tony Kerridge of MSI has arranged a two-and-one-half day tour of Philippine NGO facilities, reproductive health care clinics, and small communities outside Manila. Geri will meet with staff and clients of the clinics, particularly teenagers and young mothers. Geri will visit a college in Manila and interact with college students in a discussion group on sex education issues. On the evening of June 14, UNFPA will host a large reception for Geri to which some 100 Philippine dignitaries, officials and NGOs have been invited.

Shortly after visiting the Philippines, Geri will hold a press conference in New York on July 1 at which she will publicly announce a specific Face to Face Campaign initiative that she will champion over the coming years.

For the next 10 months, this column will be devoted to ideas for managing the Face to Face campaign. The issues will range from using campaign volunteers and developing positive relationships with the media to budgeting. The information in this column is based on the Guide to Campaign Management by Coddington Management issued to campaign partners in June, 1998.

Support Groups

Eliciting help from like-minded groups allows the broadening of public involvement in the campaign. It also makes for a stronger, more effective campaign.

Begin by identifying potential support groups whose issues, values and objectives are compatible with those of your organization and the campaign. Consider the kind of assistance these groups can provide the campaign: formal endorsements, volunteers, speaking opportunities, media attention, and financial support, among others. Find out who are the key members of the groups. Then gain access to these support groups by making your case to the leadership. Appeal to the leadership on the basis of issues and then directly ask for some commitment from that group. Always seek to make the collaboration a win/win situation. Make sure you are offering them something in return for their support.

Consider establishing separate support groups within the campaign such as "Citizens for..." or special appeal groups like "Teachers for..." where each group focuses on an important segment of the public. Choose effective, well-known people to lead these support groups as their presence will generate both publicity and prestige for the campaign.