G7: Blah, Blah, Bust. The world needs more Canada. Too much talk, not enough action from G7 leaders, says World Vision

A South Sudanese child refugee at the Imvepi reception center in Uganda. An average of 2200 refugees are crossing into Uganda every single day to escape conflict and instability. World Vision provides hot meals to refugees in the centre. Photo/World Vision. (CNW Group/World Vision Canada)

TAORMINA, Italy, May 27, 2017 /CNW/ - This year's G7 summit has ended without substantial commitments to help the world's most vulnerable, according to humanitarian and development organization World Vision Canada. Instead of meaningfully addressing the world's most pressing problems, more attention was paid to handshakes. Unless Canada steps up in 2018, the days of the G7 as a forum for real visionary change may well be numbered.

G7 Fails:

• No real commitment to address the needs of 20 million people on the brink of starvation in 4 countries
• No tangible solutions for at least 3.7 million Syrian children who have known nothing but war
• No fresh climate change policy to address the disproportionate suffering in developing countries
• No remedy for 5 million children dying before their 5th birthday from preventable, treatable diseases
• No action to protect millions of child labourers making products governments & consumers buy each day

Silver linings?

• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, host of G7 2018, has a true opportunity to leverage his global popularity to inspire new political and financial commitments from his peers to address the world's worst crises and promote lasting change for the world's most vulnerable people, especially women and children

Quotes:
"This year's G7 was a disappointment – this new group of leaders failed to provide meaningful solutions to the world's most pressing problems. The world needs more Canada. At last year's G7, Prime Minister Trudeau was the newcomer, this year he was the third most senior leader, next year he will host leaders in Charlevoix. He will have a unique opportunity to turn sunny ways into meaningful action for the world's most vulnerable."
Martin Fischer, Director of Policy, World Vision Canada

"Prime Minister Trudeau keeps saying the right things. As the world looks to Canada's G7 Presidency in 2018, it's time to create a game-changing legacy on the global stage. Canada has an opportunity to rally global leaders around to champion the rights of children, gender equality, inclusion and non-discrimination. It's time Canada's feminist prime minister rallies his peers to realize the rights and drive lasting change for the most excluded women and girls, especially in the world's toughest places."
Martin Fischer, Director of Policy, World Vision Canada

World Vision is a Christian relief, development, and advocacy organization working to create lasting change in the lives of children, families, and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Inspired by our Christian values, World Vision is dedicated to working with the world's most vulnerable people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. 

SOURCE World Vision Canada

Brett Tarver, World Vision Canada, [phone] or [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.worldvision.ca