Possibly the smallest contribution to the Earth Summit is 'Visions for a Healthier Planet', a collection of women's hopes for the future. Women's Environmental Network is giving it to summit delegates to dip into to steel their nerve when negotiations get tough.

WEN collected the visions from women around the UK over the last few months. Major themes to emerge were a desire for clean air; respect for the earth and all forms of life; a desire for safe, healthy, organic and locally grown food and, most crucially; recognition that all things are inter-connected.

In the introduction, WEN calls on delegates to listen to and honour the participants' visions.
"Everyone who shared her vision with us took the exercise seriously and was sincere in the hope she expressed," it tells delegates. "We ask you to take them just as seriously."

It asks them to put the environment and human health first and "stand firm in the face of self-interested lobbying and attempts to water down agreements."

The most urgent measures the summit should support are ones to make world trade rules fairer, to apply the precautionary principle to environmental threats such as risky chemicals, and to restore democratic control of environmental decision-making.

ENDS
For further information please contact:
Val Nobbs/Gloira Miqueles, on 020 7481 9004 or Helen Lynn, Health Co-ordinator, at the Summit on 07957 408303

Notes to editors
1. A copy of 'Visions for a Healthier Planet: Messages for the World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002' is enclosed.
2. WEN is a national charity and membership organisation which campaigns on environmental and health issues from a women's perspective. It educates, informs and empowers women and men who care about the environment.
3. The visions were collected from women - and a few men and children - at community events around the UK and via e-mail between March and August 2002, as part of WEN's health project, Women Taking Action for a Healthier Planet. The three year project is funded by the Community Fund to set up a network of local groups and empower women to take action on links between the environment and health.
4. The visions were written on rice paper doves. WEN hopes to arrange a photocall at the summit to let the doves 'fly'.
5. WEN is joint organiser of a Women's Health Day on Wednesday 28 August, 12-6pm in the Women's Tent, Global Forum Nasrec, Johannesburg. More details will be available from www.wedo.org/sus_dev/tent.htm

Click here to view the visions booklet on screen (241k pdf).
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