Global Outsourcing Events

How You Can Help

Sometimes it might feel like there's not much you can do about a genocide occurring a world away. In fact, you have the power to help end the genocide. The world's leaders need support and pressure from you in order to act - below are ten ways you can take action right now and have a hand in stopping genocide.

1. Join the Genocide Intervention Network because you care deeply about protecting civilians from genocide, and GI-Net can help you translate that caring into effective action. GI-Net is not just a handful of lobbyists pleading with leaders, but rather a movement of concerned citizens whose actions and electoral influence matter: we are building the first-ever permanent anti-genocide constituency!
2. Support the African Union peacekeepers in Darfur by contributing to the Genocide Intervention Network. More than half of your donation to the fund will go directly to supporting the peacekeepers. Less than 15 percent will go toward administrative costs within the Genocide Intervention Network. The remaining amount will fund the programs, advocacy and membership support of the network. Your single dollar will be turned into many more dollars as it is used to pressure the United States to appropriate funds to the peacekeepers, to sign up more GI-Net members and to give those members the tools for effective fundraising and advocacy.
3. Sign up for action alerts to get up-to-date information on how you can most effectively advocate for civilian protection and an end to the genocide. Learn about key legislation in Congress, actions taken by the president, and the many ways you can pressure elected officials to take substantive action, from calling your member of Congress to writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to organizing community members to sign a petition.
4. Investigate the actions of your members of Congress to stop the genocide in Darfur - thanking those who have stood against genocide, and urging those who have not taken action to do so - with GI-Net's Darfur scorecard. The first such scorecard of its kind, it demonstrates that despite Congress's 2004 declaration of genocide, many legislators have failed to take concrete steps to end the genocide.
5. If you are a student or otherwise connected to a college/university or high school, start a STAND chapter. Students Taking Action Now: Darfur is the student arm of the Genocide Intervention Network, with 500 chapters at schools around the U.S. and a growing number of international chapters. Even if you are unable to start a chapter, sign up on the website for STAND news, advocacy talking points, and more. If you're connected to a faith community, check out Save Darfur's excellent Faith Action Packet on how you can get your congregation involved.
6. Host a fundraiser and donate the proceeds to your favorite Darfur organization - the Genocide Intervention Network, Save Darfur, STAND, Africa Action, UNICEF, the Darfur Rehabilitation Project or others. We have a complete guide available with lots of ideas - hosting a "Dinner for Darfur," for instance, or selling anti-genocide t-shirts or green wristbands to raise awareness.
7. Consider starting a push for divestment from Sudan in your city, state, or college/university. You can end the genocide tax and make sure your money isn't being used to kill innocent civilians!
8. Tell the television news networks to Be A Witness and fully cover the genocide - because you can't stop a genocide if you don't know about it. Then stay up-to-date with the weekly Darfur News Briefs. One example of on-the-ground reporting is the photo essay by retired U.S. Marine Brian Steidle, "In Darfur, My Camera Was Not Nearly Enough," available from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's Committee of Conscience.
9. Endorse the Hope for Darfur campaign, calling on the United States to appoint a prominent envoy to reenergize the diplomatic process in the Darfur. A prominent envoy appointed with the support of the United Nations, in cooperation with the United States and other key countries, is crucial to bringing peace to the region. Tell President Bush to appoint an envoy today.
10. Convince your local municipality to approve a proclamation condemning the genocide and calling on the United States to get involved - Save Darfur even has a sample proclamation for you to use.