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<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:</span></strong></div>
<div>CONTACT: Stephanie Küng, MADRE (212) 627-0444, <a href="mailto:media@madre.org">media@madre.org</a></div>
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<div align="center"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>MADRE Demands a Women's Human Rights Agenda for the G8<br /></strong></span></div>
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<div><em>May 16, 2012—New York, NY—</em>This weekend, the leaders of the world’s eight largest economies will meet, hosted by US President Obama. MADRE asserts that their decisions will affect all of us, no matter where we live. In preparation for the G8 summit, MADRE has drafted a women’s human rights agenda, demanding an end to policies that benefit the richest at the expense of women, the poor, our health and our environment.</div>
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<div>This year’s G8 summit comes at a time of economic collapse and unprecedented worldwide protest. According to MADRE's agenda, the current crisis demands recognition of the ways that G8 policies exacerbate inequality, exploit women’s labor, and perpetuate discrimination and violence against women. It also demands the kinds of solutions put forward in MADRE’s agenda.</div>
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<div>This agenda also addresses global issues such as poverty and economic justice, food sovereignty, health, peace and the environment.</div>
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<div>In addition, the agenda presents policies proposed by MADRE and its partner organizations worldwide, including recognizing women’s work, investing in sustainable agriculture, protecting the right to health and confronting violence against women.</div>
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<div>To read MADRE’s agenda in full, <a href="http://www.madre.org/index/press-room-4/news/a-womens-human-rights-agenda-for-the-g8-787.html">click here</a>.</div>
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<div>To sign a petition calling on G8 leaders to endorse a women's human rights agenda for the G8, <a href="http://www.madre.org/index/get-involved-3/current-campaigns-9/take-action-endorse-a-womens-rights-agenda-for-the-g8-336.html">click here</a>.</div>
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<div><em>Available for interview:</em></div>
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<div><strong>Diana Duarte </strong>(MADRE) is the Communications Director of MADRE, an international women's human rights organization.</div>
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<div><em>Address postal inquiries to:</em></div>
<div>MADRE</div>
<div>121 W 27TH St Ste 301</div>
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New York,
NY
10001-6299
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