UNICEF Launches Online Campaign to Reduce Child Mortality Rates

UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake made an appeal during his panel at the 2012 Social Good Summit: He wants everyone reading to visit A Promise Renewed and pledge to support UNICEF's efforts in reducing child mortality rates around the world.

Earlier this year, the United States, India, Ethiopia and UNICEF embarked on a new initiative to keep newborns healthy throughout childhood. However, Lake said, the governments of those countries can't do it alone. That's where its new online campaign, A Promised Renewed, comes in.

"We're launching A Promise Renewed, built around governments and others signing a pledge they will do everything they can to accelerate progress" on reducing child mortality rates, said Lake. "We have 150 governments signed up, hundreds of non-governmental organizations and faith based organizations have signed up, as well. We're asking you all to sign up as well at APromiseRenewed.org.

"Sign the pledge, which will mean you're pledging to do what you can to change behavior in your communities — you'll encourage local NGOs to sign the pledge and to work harder, you'll pledge to advocate your governments to follow through on their pledges and make real progress. You can make a difference."

To spread the project's message, UNICEF is embarking on an ambitious global social media campaign including a Facebook page and Twitter hashtag, #Promise4Children. Tweets sent carrying that hashtag are automatically embedded on APromiseRenewed.org.

The social media campaign is designed to achieve two goals: generating a conversation about solutions to child mortality, and adding new signatories to the online pledge. The pledge can be signed by individuals, civil society organizations, faith-based organizations, schools, work offices and governments.

UNICEF is also encouraging supporters to submit videos about the pledge, which they're uploading in hopes they'll go viral and spread the message:

"I would say please get in touch with everybody you can on #PromiseForChildren," added Lake. "If you can go on PromiseForChange.org, everybody can then alter behavior in communities, bring in more NGOs and start advocating with their governments to live up to their commitments to do everything we can to save children from what is a moral abomination. If we don't do it, shame on us."

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Read more of Mashable's coverage of the 2012 Social Good Summit:

Day One:

• Hillary Clinton Opens the Social Good Summit [VIDEO]
• How the U.S. Chief Technology Officer Is Making Data Awesome
• Can Mobile Phones Help Fight Pediatric AIDS?
• How Is Social Media Changing Diplomacy?
• Peter Gabriel Makes Case For Internet Freedom
• ITU Secretary-General: OK to Make Profit When Helping Developing Nations
• 8-Year-Old YouTube Sensation Performs at Social Good Summit
• Social Good Summit Day 1: Highlights and Pics

Day Two:

• ShoutAbout Aims to Inspire Social Action Based on News Stories
• Tim Pool, Guerrilla Journalist of the Digital Age [VIDEO]
• U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice: Twitter Crucial to Her Mission
• How Social Media Is Empowering Women in Haiti
• How to Use Mobile Devices to Solve Global Problems
• How Forest Whitaker Is Using Technology to Spread Peace
• Social Good Summit Day 2: Highlights and Pics

Day Three:

• Napolitano: Congress 'Got Stuck' on Cybersecurity
• U.N. Foundation Challenges the World to Take Action
• Nick Kristof Takes Social Good Gaming to the Next Level
• Why Tech and New Media Can Help End Modern Slavery
• UNICEF Launches Online Campaign to Reduce Child Mortality Rates
• What It Means to Be an Advocate in the Digital Age