Millions Missing protests

From MEpedia, a crowd-sourced encyclopedia of ME and CFS science and history
(Redirected from MillionsMissing)
The Millions Missing logo

The Millions Missing protests are a campaign for health equality for myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), which is sometimes referred to as ME/CFS.[1] The first MillionsMissing protests were started early 2016 by The MEAction Network, and further protests have being held at least yearly since.[1]

Millions Missing protesters outside Birmingham Cathedral, UK. Photo by Richard Lewis.

The protests originally took the form of an on-site physical protest where protestors placed empty pairs of shoes outside prominent government buildings, representing the millions of patients around the world, though some locations branched out from this format. Protest also occurred online so that homebound and bedridden patients could also participate.[2]

May 2020 protests[edit | edit source]

The Coronavirus disease 19 pandemic lead to protests and campaigning online or at a distance instead of meeting in groups.

May 2019 protests[edit | edit source]

May 2018 protests[edit | edit source]

The Millions Missing protests were renewed for a third year running in May 2018, to coincide with ME Awareness Week. On this occasion, the number of protests were much larger, with actions in over 100 cities scheduled beforehand[2] and over 300 visibility actions recorded worldwide[3]. Press coverage of the protests has become increasingly extensive, possibly in part due to the critical success of the Unrest documentary. Among the demands made by protesters was a significant increase in funding into the illness by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).[4]

United States[edit | edit source]

South America[edit | edit source]

Canada[edit | edit source]

United Kingdom[edit | edit source]

Europe[edit | edit source]

Asia[edit | edit source]

Africa[edit | edit source]

Australia/New Zealand[edit | edit source]

Other[edit | edit source]

May 2017 Protests[edit | edit source]

The May 2017 Millions Missing protests were again arranged to coincide with ME Awareness Week. Protestors took to the streets in 18 cities in seven countries to demand change. The protestors asked for increased government funding for research, clinical trials, medical education and public awareness.

United Kingdom[edit | edit source]

Europe[edit | edit source]

Australia[edit | edit source]

September 2016 protests[edit | edit source]

On September 27th 2016, protests occurred in 24 cities around the world.

United States[edit | edit source]

Canada[edit | edit source]

United Kingdom[edit | edit source]

Europe[edit | edit source]

Australia[edit | edit source]

May 2016 protests[edit | edit source]

Millions Missing protest at the US Department of Health and Human Services in Washington DC on 25th May 2016

The protests took place simultaneously on 25th May 2016 in 12 locations all over the world[5], with the Belfast (Northern Ireland) protest taking place on 16th June.

The protestors made specific demands including increased research funding and clinical trials.[6]

United States[edit | edit source]

Canada[edit | edit source]

Europe[edit | edit source]

Australia[edit | edit source]

Other[edit | edit source]

Online presence[edit | edit source]

Learn more[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 "History of #MILLIONSMISSING". #MillionsMissing. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "#MillionsMissing September 2022". #MillionsMissing. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  3. "Can you see ME now?". campaign-archive.com. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  4. #MEAction (May 1, 2018). "Why we're Targeting the NIH for #MillionsMissing". #MEAction Network. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  5. http://www.meaction.net/2016/05/26/millionsmissing-protest-in-twelve-locations-all-over-the-world/
  6. http://millionsmissing.meaction.net/protest-demands/