I’ve cut back on shopping so I really thought a sweater set would be nice this Mother’s Day; but I saw some great tips posted on Facebook, and have changed my mind.  I want more – much more – and so does my mom.  Starting with the thorn in our American sides removed:  I want the United States to ratify the Women’s Treaty, known as CEDAW (the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women).  CEDAW helps women and girls to go to school, to own and inherit property, to take part in public life, and to fight violence globally. We need Senate action on the CEDAW Treaty to give the U.S. greater clout to help women worldwide win these basic rights.  Out of 193 member countries, only seven  have not ratified the Women’s Treaty:   Sudan, Somalia, Iran, the United States, Nauru, Palau, and Tonga.  Please click here to ask your Senators to celebrate Mother’s Day by showing their support for the Women’s Treaty.  To get more facts, click here.

I got other Mother’s Day suggestions from my Facebook group for Growing Up Global, like:

• Global Giving’s Mom Knows Best campaign, Show mom you turned out o.k. by supporting a mom-approved project, and share a lesson you learned from her.  #momknows
• Buy beautiful or delicious Fair Trade items, like those offered by Ten Thousand Villages and members of the Fair Trade Federation featured here.
• Celebrate mom with the Global Fund for Women which promotes women’s economic security, health, education and leadership around the world.  Or hone in on a small charity for motherless children like Tanzania’s Boona Banna.
• Send a Mother’s Day e-card through the Tahirih Justice Center to support the protection of an immigrant woman or girl from violence through the Center’s holistic services.

This is just a small sampling of meaningful, life-changing efforts worth making for Mother’s Day.  What else do you like?