There are mothers missing in the world. Women who should be here, who probably would be here, if they had not died in pregnancy or childbirth -- at a rate of 1,000 a day worldwide, 360,000 a year.
Nearly 90 percent of those deaths are preventable, according to the charity Every Mother Counts, and each leaves a child left without a mother. To shine a light on the missing, the organization is asking healthy, present mothers everywhere to "disappear" this Mother's Day.
Every Mother Counts, founded by Christy Turlington Burns, wants mothers to stop answering the phone, sending emails, replying to texts, posting on Facebook and even accepting Mother's Day gifts, to show what the world might feel like if we weren't here.
"Our silence will speak loudest, for all mothers," says the "No Mothers Day" short film directed by Burns' husband, the filmmaker Ed Burns. It features women between the ages of 24 and 80, many of whom you will recognize (Christy Turlington Burns, Jennifer Connelly, Ann Curry, Blythe Danner, Debra Messing) pledging their absence rather than their presence.
You can see the film below. Then use the comments to pledge support for the cause and tell us if you will participate and actually disappear this May 13.
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I agree with the other posters that there are many other ways to support this cause rather than confuse children everywhere.
I would rather support something more realistic to reduce maternal death rates, like nutritional programs, mobile health vans that provide transportation to prenatal care providers, donating money to community health organizations that offer prenatal health education classes, partnerships between companies that package and distribute items like prenatal vitamins and clean/bottled water, and maternal support groups.
I get the idea, but am not feeling this campaign.
But, what about some ACTUAL solutions...concrete steps to reduce and ultimately eliminate the problem to the best of mankind's ability...?
Also, I dont think it's a bad idea for people to practice gratitude. Thanking Mom (and next month Dad) for the pivotal role they have in our lives seems like a worthy thing to do as well.
Finally, leave it to a mother to take martyrdom one step farther and turn a pleasant celebration into something we must do for others. I completely agree that a focus on reducing maternal mortality would be good for the world - I just don't think this is a great way to do it.