Famous Petitions That Made A Difference

We get the scepticism. 

A little doubt is healthy.

Let's examine the facts. Please note that we don't endorse these, nor do we judge them. We point out how they made a difference.

Here are some examples of petitions that had an impact on various issues:

• Better Laws Governing The Care Of Disabled Children: Valerie Wood-Harper started a petition on Change.org demanding an investigation into the death of her disabled brother Quinten, who died as a result of neglect by his father. The petition received over 200,000 signatures and led to the arrest and conviction of the father, as well as the enactment of the Quinten Douglas Wood Act of 2014, which improved the protection of disabled children in Oklahoma¹.
• The Right To Vote For Women In The UK: In 1866, a group of women led by Emily Davies and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson presented a petition to Parliament asking for the right to vote for women. The petition had 1,499 signatures and was the first mass petition of its kind in British history. Although the petition was rejected, it sparked a debate and a movement that eventually resulted in the Representation of the People Act of 1918, which granted some women the right to vote².
• The End Of Apartheid In South Africa: In 1955, the African National Congress (ANC) launched the Freedom Charter, a document that outlined the vision and demands of the anti-apartheid movement. The charter was based on a petition that collected over 50,000 signatures from people across South Africa, expressing their grievances and aspirations. The petition and the charter became the basis of the ANC’s struggle against the racist regime, which ended in 1994 with the first democratic elections in the country.

These are just some of the many examples of petitions that made a difference in history. Petitions can be a powerful tool to raise awareness, mobilize support, and pressure authorities to take action on important issues. 🙌

As you begin to see the impact of petitions you might start to see that there are more examples of petitions that made a difference. Here are some more that I found from my web search:

• The Right To Marry For Same-Sex Couples In The US: In 2012, Jamie McGonnigal and Sean Carlson started a petition on Change.org asking President Obama to publicly support marriage equality for same-sex couples. The petition gathered over 250,000 signatures and was delivered to the White House. A few months later, Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage, becoming the first sitting president to do so¹. This was a historic moment for the LGBTQ+ community and a boost for the movement that eventually led to the Supreme Court ruling in 2015 that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide².
• The Release Of The West Memphis Three: In 1994, three teenagers were convicted of murdering three young boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, based on dubious evidence and coerced confessions. The case attracted widespread attention and controversy, as many people believed the teens were innocent and victims of a miscarriage of justice. A petition on Change.org, started by the mother of one of the convicted teens, called for their release and a new trial. The petition received over 150,000 signatures and was supported by celebrities like Johnny Depp and Eddie Vedder. In 2011, after 18 years in prison, the West Memphis Three were released as part of a plea deal that allowed them to maintain their innocence³⁴.
• The Ban Of Shark Finning In The EU: In 2011, a group of conservationists and celebrities launched a petition on Avaaz.org to ban shark finning in the European Union. Shark finning is the practice of cutting off the fins of sharks and throwing them back into the ocean, often still alive, to be used for shark fin soup. The petition argued that shark finning was cruel, wasteful, and unsustainable, as it threatened the survival of many shark species. The petition collected over 1.1 million signatures and was delivered to the European Parliament. In 2013, the EU passed a regulation that prohibited shark finning and required all sharks to be landed with their fins naturally attached .

These are some more examples of petitions that made a difference in the world. Petitions can be a way to express your voice, show your solidarity, and demand change on issues that matter to you.

Related Resources: 

https://nhppa.org/active-campaigns/