Save Lives: Inspire Inclusion

The Poets for Avoidable Deaths campaign aims to raise awareness about the critical issue of preventable deaths caused by disasters and hazards in Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions. By leveraging the power of spoken word poetry, we seek to elevate youth voices and foster greater understanding of the prevalence of avoidable deaths. The campaign focuses on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to poverty reduction, sustainable development, and climate action, with the ultimate goal of reducing avoidable disaster deaths globally.

In partnership with the Avoidable Deaths Network and University of Leicester, the campaign theme for 2024 is Do One Thing.

GET INVOLVED

We are launching our first campaign on International Women’s Day to inspire action by sharing our spoken word campaign on maternal mortality. This is especially important for marginalized women who struggle to access the basic healthcare they need to prevent maternal mortality deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.

COMMITTING TO PREVENT MATERNAL DEATHS

When preventable deaths occur, we must ask: “What can we do to stop this?”
When communities are at risk, we must advocate for better policies and resources.
When lives are unnecessarily lost, we must take action.
And we must do this each time, every time.

EVERYONE EVERYWHERE CAN PREVENT AVOIDABLE DEATHS IMPACTING WOMEN

Organizations, groups, and individuals worldwide can all play a part – in the community, at work, at home, and beyond.

To truly save lives, we must openly embrace diversity and ensure that women and girls from all backgrounds have access to essential health services, disaster preparedness, and risk reduction measures.

On an individual basis, it’s important to understand, value, and advocate for the inclusion of women and girls in health and disaster resilience initiatives. Additionally, sharing this knowledge, support, and encouragement with others is key.

On an organizational or group basis, there are many ways to ensure the needs, interests, and aspirations of women and girls are prioritized in efforts to prevent avoidable deaths. Organizations and groups can #DoOneThing through action in areas such as:

investing in women’s health and reproductive rights
strengthening health systems and emergency care in underserved areas
supporting women’s leadership in disaster risk reduction and resilience-building
designing and building infrastructure that meets the needs of women and girls
helping women and girls access information and resources to protect their health and safety
involving women and girls in sustainable development initiatives that reduce vulnerability
providing women and girls with access to quality education and training on health and disaster preparedness
elevating women and girls’ participation in decision-making on policies that impact their lives and communities
addressing further areas supporting the advancement of women’s health, rights, and resilience

SHARE CAMPAIGN VIDEO AND ENGAGE WITH THE CONTENT

Are you in? Will you take action to prevent avoidable deaths?

Share our campaign video, tag us for reshares
Share any of our campaign banners and tag us for reshares to show solidarity. When we truly value every life, action comes from the heart.
Inspire others to help prevent avoidable deaths by sharing your banner across social media using the following hashtags:

#avoidabledeathsday

#Poets4avoidabledeaths

#Poets4AD

#DoOneThing