USGLC

With mounting challenges overseas– from the world’s worst humanitarian crisis since World War II, to devastating famines, to tension with North Korea – this year has shown us that American global leadership is more important now than ever before. And as the year draws to a close, we’ve rounded up our top ten blogs of 2017 – the inspiring stories of U.S. foreign assistance, it’s impact around the world and here at home.

In Gieta, a town in Northwest Tanzania, Bi Mariam Masasi Willison and her husband recently celebrated their healthy daughter Elizabeth’s first birthday — a time of joy, but also relief for the new parents. A few years ago, Mariam gave birth to a child who fell ill shortly after birth and passed away. Luckily, this time around, things went differently — with some help from Pact and USAID.

The latest episode of the Brookings Cafeteria podcast delves into the current challenges facing U.S. foreign assistance— including how Americans perceive foreign aid, the role the United States plays in a complex and turbulent world, and a deep dive into the current consensus around restructuring and reforming the State Department and USAID.

As we mark this World Teacher Day, we are reminded of the partnerships around the world that help to provide quality education in challenging times. Now is the time to double down on efforts to equip educators around the world with the resources and training needed to do their jobs— because an effective teacher can make a world of difference.

It’s vital for our nation and the world continue the fight against famine in some of the world’s most dangerous places.

For many people living in developing countries without strictly enforced medical hygiene and safety standards, a simple injection can sometimes lead to potentially life-threatening diseases like hepatitis and HIV. In honor of World Hepatitis Day, we acknowledge the great impact that public-private partnerships have had on tackling hepatitis across the globe.

To mark World Immunization Week, we celebrate the extraordinary progress that has already been made in global immunization coverage— while recognizing that there is still more work to be done. With the help of organizations like Gavi, its implementing partners, and the U.S. government, children around the world who dream of becoming astronauts, soccer stars, doctors, and fire fighters will one day have a better shot.

$10 billion—that’s the estimated amount of money terrorist organizations profit from illegal wildlife trade every year. It may come as a surprise, but illegal wildlife trading on the black market is a major source of revenue for terrorist and rebel networks around the world. Animals like elephants, rhinos, tigers, turtles, and pangolins are being poached at alarming rates and sold to buyers as high-end novelty items, medicine, and pets.

As the U.S. begins to implement the End Modern Slavery Initiative Act, recently enacted legislation championed by SFRC co-chairs Senator Corker and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), the committee sought insight from a surprising guest: Ashton Kutcher. Though Kutcher is famous for his acting, he testified on behalf of Thorn, a nonprofit he co-founded to fight human trafficking and slavery around the world.

Over 100 leading business and NGOs voices more than 40 diverse organizations such as Lockheed Martin, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), Chemonics, and Save the Children joined together this week on Capitol Hill with one mission: secure and protect $60 billion for the International Affairs Budget in FY18. Under the banner of “Leading Globally Matters Locally,” the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) and Hill Day advocates held close to 80 meetings on both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate.