Trick or Treat for Unicef...

[avendesora]

We've done Trick or Treat for Unicef for a few years, as an alternative to having my (young and still ignorant of what they're missing) kids get candy. This year, when they sent me the packet, I finally took note of the fact that one of the things they do is give kids vaccines. I hadn't really thought much about that until now.

Would you not give to a charity that included vaccines as part of their program? It's pretty easy to choose to not vax here, where sanitation is plentiful. How do you feel about children in third world countries getting vaccines? I'd rather a charity focus their efforts towards clean drinking water and successful agriculture. But maybe vaccines are better than nothing for their situation.

Thoughts?

Aven

[alegna]

I won't protest against them, but I won't fundraise for them or donate to them either.

-Angela

[alllyssa]

It's my understanding that UNICEF works in 3rd world countries. Vaccines in that situation are very different than in here in the US, IMHO. But I still don't think I want my kids begging door to door on Halloween soliciting money for anything. That's generally not what people are expecting when they open their front doors. I think it's kind of rude.

[nwmamas]

I definitely don't go in for any organization that decides who is at risk for certain diseases and mounts a mass campaign to vax them over doling out appropriate info so that families/towns can determine their own needs insofar as eradicating major health threats. It's a problematic and racist view of the developing world, imo, that ends up taking autonomy and power away from these "patients."

Bah humbug.

[mamajjr]

I do not support UNICEF because of the Pampers/UNICEF connection (we cloth diaper but use sposies at night). I don't go out of my way to tell people about the connection or offer a public boycott. They provide Tetanus shots to pregnant women. One of the side effects of the Tetanus shot during pregnancy is a miscarriage. I realize that this is in third world countires that do not have the sanitation level that we do, but it just seems that they could assist financially in providing a more sterile delivery and training (ie a clean razor blade to cut the cord, which is cheaper than a vaccine). It upset me that during my SIL's visit, UNICEF was able to provide 3 vaccines by her purchasing Pampers.