When Eleanor Roosevelt walked across United Nations Plaza and made a surprise visit to the offices of the American Association for the United Nations in 1953, she did so for a reason. As a principal architect of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, she knew U.S. grassroots support would be key to the success of the UN. She put title and prestige aside, joined the staff of the organization that would later become UNA-USA, and […]

Women in the U.S. and around the world lost an unwavering champion back in June. Today, the United Nations Foundation and Planned Parenthood Federation of America are honoring the life and legacy of the late Senator Frank Lautenberg with the third annual International Family Planning Hero Award.   The myriad victories from his 30 years in Congress include fighting to maintain funding for UNFPA, which provides health care and services to women in 150 countries;

Growing up, my parents worried that I would tumble and break my arm or suffocate when I fell asleep in my mashed potatoes (true story); they never had to worry that I would contract measles because we had easy access to vaccines. Many children around the world aren’t as lucky, and as a recent measles outbreak in Texas reminds us, this disease is still very much a threat in the world. Here are six reasons

My friends often laugh at me when I tell them about my job and the “celebrities” I get to meet. While many of them get star struck meeting celebrities like Lady Gaga or James Marsden, I’m giddy around world leaders and pioneers in international development. Yesterday, I got to meet a legend in the vaccine world – Dr. Samuel Katz. You probably don’t recognize his name, but he’s the reason you (and millions of others)

The buzz next week: international cooperation. World leaders will gather in New York to discuss pressing global issues at the United Nations General Assembly.  At the same time, civil society representatives, UN officials, CEOs, entrepreneurs, development experts, and individuals will come together to discuss how we can work together on challenges including poverty, disease, and environmental degradation. While the conversations may start in New York, they’ll be happening everywhere as citizens gather around kitchen tables