Argentina
On 3 August, 6,000 people said Yes for Children in the town of Castelli in the Chaco Province. Thousands more pledged support for the campaign at the country’s annual telethon “Un Sol para los Chicos” on 12 August, hosted by UNICEF National Ambassador Julian Weich. Some 600,000 pledges were sent to schools throughout Buenos Aires.

Belize
Prime Minister Said Musa encouraged the country to Say Yes at the campaign’s launch on 27 April, which coincided with a Children’s Forum being held at the Capital’s House of Assembly in Belmopan.
Say Yes was widely promoted in Belize, including a video featuring the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, among others, pledging support with children. Thousands of pledge forms were distributed. Several workshops and media talk shows saw children and young people coming together to discuss the issues behind the campaign, including two workshops for young people in rural villages put on by local NGO Youth Enhancement Services.

Brazil
Following the launch of Say Yes on 26 April via the Internet, thousands of Brazilians from all walks of life pledged support for Say Yes, creating a re-energized social movement for children. Several well-known and respected figures in Brazil – including writer Jorge Amado, national UNICEF Ambassadors Renata Aragão, Daniela Mercury, and renowned photographer Sebastião Salgado – were among the first to sign pledges. They were joined by famous singers, actors and artists, Ministers and Mayors and Vice-President Marcos Maciel. Over 60,000 citizens said Yes at sign-up events in shopping centers, classrooms, seminars and various other venues. In a remarkable display of support, public station “TV Cultura” prepared a month-long campaign on Say Yes.

Chile
On 26 April, at a historic event for Chile, President Richard Lagos launched the “National Policy and Integrated Plan of Action for Children and Adolescents” for 2000-2001, in the framework of the Say Yes campaign. The campaign has built and strengthened partnerships across sectors and involved children and young people themselves in taking Say Yes countrywide. Say Yes was promoted at the Children’s Books Trade Show, in schools and municipal offices, with child-focussed NGOs and other affiliated organizations.

Colombia
The Book and Literary Fair, an event held in Bogota, continued its traditional marquee for Infant and Juvenile Literature with the distribution of an interactive Say Yes kit, allowing visitors of all ages to reflect on each of the 10 points of the pledge. Organizers of the Hispano-American spelling contest supported Say Yes by hosting educational discussions on the 10 points and encouraging pledges from participants and visitors. Distributed nationwide, the contest’s brochures and information sheets included information on the campaign and pledge forms, while participants wrote essays on the 10 points.

Dominican Republic
A coalition of 42 NGOs supporting the Global Movement for Children and the Say Yes for Children campaign came together to work on renewing commitments to children in the Dominican Republic. Among other Say Yes activities, the coalition organized reading workshops with children, a National Assembly of young people, debates on HIV/AIDS prevention in sugar cane fields and the dissemination of information on child rights to households.

Ecuador
Say Yes was launched on 30 May at a press conference organized by UNICEF, PLAN International, World Vision, Action Aid and the National Forum for Childhood and Adolescence – the key partners in the campaign. Young people and NGOs participated actively in distributing and collecting pledges in various venues. On June 1, festivals, cultural events and official ceremonies were staged to celebrate Children’s Day and promote the GMC and Say Yes. During a lively weekend at the end of July marking the national public campaign, parks, squares, churches, malls and streets were covered by young volunteers in main cities, inviting the public to pledge.

El Salvador
Say Yes was launched on 8 May, at an event presided over by First Lady Ms. Lourdes de Flores. Activities since included a mobilisation event to spread the message and purpose of the campaign, organized with McDonalds and with the participation of young people from the Defenders Office for Children’s Rights. TELECOM and La Prensa Gráfica newspaper were among the media helping to promote the campaign. TELECOM granted free access to Say Yes voters visiting local Internet stands. La Prensa Gráfica published a special series of leaflets titled “Children for a Better World”, which includes the Say Yes pledge form.

Guyana
President Bhrrat Jagdeo launched Say Yes on 10 August. Volunteers working in youth groups have since collected pledges through children’s rallies, TV announcements, community-based marches, walkathons and other events. In September, Say Yes was the focus of Education Month and the Amerindian Heritage Month. Children were invited to participate in poetry and painting competitions on the 10 points. Debates and discussions in schools and assemblies focused on raising awareness and called for commitments by all to the protection of children’s rights.

Haiti
Say Yes took off on 26 April with government representatives, NGO representatives and thousands of children listening keenly to President Aristide at the Presidential Palace. He emphasized the need to protect children from violence and abuse, promised to attend the Special Session on Children and renewed the State’s commitment to ensure education for all by 2004. Children spoke spontaneously, making their own plea for their rights to be respected, and echoed Haiti’s leader in asking the country to help put violence against children to an end.
Activities were organized nationwide by the government, UNICEF and NGOs to celebrate Haiti’s Day for Children on 10 June, under the slogan Say Yes for Children. In a special initiative in July, journalists in each province participated in information and training sessions on the Global Movement for Children, the Say Yes campaign and reportage on children’s issues. Another training programme in July involved groups of children from across Haiti in mobilising support for Say Yes.

Honduras
Say Yes was launched through the national media on 26 April, to help build anticipation and interest for the official launch on 3 May in Tegucigalpa.The campaign thereafter launched in eight cities, with a variety of events and promotions and the active participation of children and young people. Honduran President Carlos Roberto Flores pledged his active support for Say Yes. A national alliance - composed of 15 NGOs and 3 governmental institutions – has been vital in working to rally Hondurans around commitment and action for children. The national football team demonstrated their full support for the campaign by wearing Say Yes T-shirts during their international matches. Young people from the student governments collected pledges across Honduras, outstanding support came from the media, and the campaign was pushed in electoral campaigns. A nationwide vigil/sign-up on 31 August, coordinated in collaboration with the Youth Movement, the Christian Youth Association and representatives of different religions in Honduras, called for all Hondurans to assume greater responsibilities for the protection of children’s rights.

Jamaica
Prime Minister Patterson launched Say Yes on 1 May in a nationwide radio and television broadcast to kick off Jamaica’s National Child Month. The drive for pledges began 18-21 May at the popular Children’s Expo, the major event held during the annual celebration of National Child Month. Thirty “Youth Advocates” - an arm of the Jamaica Coalition on the Rights of the Child - manned UNICEF’s booth and guided all visitors through the campaign and the pledging process, both online and on paper. In July, Say Yes travelled to the northern coast of Jamaica for a tie-in with “Teen Fest 2001”, an annual festival attended by thousands of young people – this year focusing on safe sex, HIV/AIDS awareness, drug abuse and the importance of education. As part of the country’s Independence celebrations in early August, Say Yes was taken to an annual Agricultural and Industrial show, popular among rural and urban Jamaicans alike. Children and adults attending the three-day fair made hundreds of pledges. Prominent supporters who visited the booth and made pledges included the Minister of Agriculture and Ambassador Marjorie Taylor, Jamaica’s Special Envoy for Children.

Mexico
Children, young people and adults from all walks of society came together on 25 April to set Say Yes in motion at the largest children’s museum in Mexico City. The campaign got off to a momentous start with children voicing the ten points of the Say Yes pledge, and several notable Mexicans making the country’s first set of pledges. A special Say Yes stand was set up at the Papaolote Children’s Museum to inform all visitors about the campaign and gather pledges. “Grupo Televisia”, the largest media company in Mexico,has lent tremendous support to the campaign, their efforts including widespread media and online promotion. Other supporters involved in the push for pledges included the Federal Electoral Institute, which organizes elections in Mexico, Comercial Mexicana, a large department store chain, and the Association of Mexican Pharmacies, comprised of 500 pharmacies throughout the country.

Nicaragua
A special and promising move by national media marked the launch of Say Yes for Children in Nicaragua, at an important meeting of media’s top decision-makers on 17 August. Following the first commitment by the nation’s most-watched TV station to broadcast live coverage of the Special Session of the Children, several media houses pledged their support to promote Say Yes and to provide coverage of activities related to the Special Session. Further discussions established the basis for Nicaraguan media to begin playing what can be a pivotal role in expanding debate and building new partnerships around the agenda for children in the coming decade.

Panama
In a special initiative, UNICEF Panama recently signed an agreement by which the government's technology department will help to urge and ensure thousands of Internet pledges are made for the Say Yes campaign over a two-month period. The Department of Technology runs 19 Internet centers in various municipalities.

Paraguay
The national launch of Say Yes for Children took place on 5 July at a press conference organized by UNICEF, representatives of PLAN International, the local NGO Global Infancia and the National Coordinating Office for the Rights of the Child. Between 7-22 July, during the Mariano Roque Alonso National Exhibition, over 5,000 people voted at Internet pledge stations. To help raise awareness, a UNICEF exhibition on child rights was presented at the Rural Association’s Fair, a local event that gathers tremendous public support.

Peru
Say Yes in Peru has been driven by 30 private and public institutions that form the National Commission, which integrates with 17 local commissions nationwide working for the rights of children and adolescents. Say Yes organizers, together with the National Office for the Election Process and the Ministry of Education, organized a unique mini-election in connection with the Say Yes campaign. On 25 August, on the heels of the real presidential election in early June, over 800,000 children in 18 of 24 provinces used their specially prepared voting sheets and voter IDs to voice their concerns on issues affecting Peruvian children. A national team of educators and specialists explained the campaign and guided children through the voting process.

United States of America
Numerous celebrites and noted personalities have promoted Say Yes in the United States, including legendary boxer Muhammad Ali and actor Susan Sarandon. Many national organizations, including service organizations, libraries, youth membership organizations and those with religious affiliations, have partnered with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF by carrying Say Yes out to their members and in their communities. They have helped in the distribution of pledge forms at various events and venues and in promoting the campaign.

Uruguay
On 31 May, Say Yes was launched at the closing of the Preparatory Seminar for the Participation of Uruguay in the Special Session on Children, which brought together 50 children, government representatives, NGOs and others, to decide on the country’s input towards the important outcome document of the Special Session. Children and young people made a theatrical presentation, and distributed pledge forms to everyone attending.

Venezuela
In 12 states across the country, Say Yes had the support of 30 institutions, including NGOs, government offices, private sector companies and the media. In an agreement with the Caracas City Council, pledge forms were distributed to some 2,000 schools in the Greater Caracas area. Leading Venezuelan newspapers published pledge forms on their websites, which brought in high numbers of pledges via the Internet.