Leading humanitarian agency World Vision International at UN week, MDG
Summit: Advisory

World Vision urges action on child and maternal health at 2010 United Nations General Assembly in New York

NEW YORK, Sept. 16 /CNW/ - As world leaders gather for the 65th United Nations General Assembly they will review progress made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), an ambitious initiative aimed at halving extreme poverty by 2015. Leading humanitarian agency World Vision, whose projects reach more than 100 million people in nearly 100 countries, will be present to push for further concrete action on child and maternal health.

Although many of the targets are on track, MDGs 4 and 5-aimed at cutting child and maternal deaths-are the farthest behind. From September 20 to 22, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will assemble the MDG Summit to chart the progress to date and announce new strategies to ensure achievement by the 2015 deadline.

World Vision leaders, including Dave Toycen, president and CEO of World Vision Canada, and other expert spokespeople will engage in high-level meetings and discussions this week, including the following:

THE MISSING LINK: Saving children's lives through family and community care

    
    WHEN:     Friday, September 17
    WHAT:     World Vision is releasing a report focusing on the critical
              role of family and community care as the 'missing link'
              necessary to achieve MDGs 4 & 5 and offers recommendations for
              scaling it up.
    

STAND UP NYC - Global Call to Action against Poverty

    
    WHEN:     Sunday, September 19, Noon - 4 p.m.
    WHERE:    Josie Robertson Plaza, Lincoln Center
    WHAT:     Millions of people at events across the globe this weekend will
              'Stand Up, Take Action' and demand that world leaders end
              poverty and achieve the MDGs set in 2000. See more at:
              http://www.standupnyc.org/speakers
    WHO:      Sue Mbaya, Director of Advocacy & Justice for Children in
              Africa, World Vision Int'l, will speak at 2 p.m.
    

FIVE YEARS FOR CHILDREN - World Vision, UNICEF, Save the Children, Plan Int'l

    
    WHEN:     Tuesday, September 21, 9 -10 a.m.
    WHERE:    UNICEF House (3 United Nations Plaza), Labouisse Hall
    WHAT:     Leaders of the world's top child-focused NGOs will host a panel
              discussion breakfast event titled, "Five Years for Children:
              partnering with communities to achieve the MDGs with equity,"
              to highlight the challenges in reaching vulnerable and excluded
              children and identify the actions needed to strengthen results
              for all children.
    WHO:      Panelists: Kevin Jenkins, CEO of World Vision Int'l; Nigel
              Chapman, CEO of Plan Int'l; and Jasmine Whitbread, CEO of Save
              the Children Int'l. Media RSVP required.
    

UN PRIVATE SECTOR FORUM 2010

    
    WHEN:     Wednesday, September 22, Noon - 2 p.m.
    WHERE:    United Nations Headquarters
    WHAT:     Chaired by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the event will
              convene some 300 heads of state, chief executive officers and
              civil society leaders during the UN Summit on the MDGs to
              discuss actions needed to achieve these by 2015.
    WHO:      Kevin Jenkins, CEO of World Vision Int'l, will participate as
              Chair of the roundtable discussions on Maternal and Child
              Health and HIV/AIDS. The UN organizing partners for this theme
              are UNAIDS, UNICEF and UNFPA.
              See more at:
             
http://www.unglobalcompact.org/Issues/Business_Partnerships/Private_Sector_Forum_2010.html
    

SAVING 16 MILLION LIVES: The Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health

    
    WHEN:     Wednesday, September 22, 1 - 2 p.m.
    WHERE:    UN Week Digital Media Lounge, 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington
              Avenue
    WHAT:     This panel discussion will set the context for the UN's
              groundbreaking new strategy to be launched by the Secretary-
              General directly following this briefing. These experts and
              leaders will take on the big issues and challenges faced by
              women and children worldwide.
    WHO:      Sue Mbaya, Director of Advocacy & Justice for Children in
              Africa, World Vision Int'l
    

EVERY WOMAN, EVERY CHILD: UN Special Event

    
    DATE:     Wednesday, September 22, 2:30 - 4 p.m.
    WHERE:    United Nations, North Lawn Building
    WHAT:     UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will launch the Global
              Strategy for Women's and Children's Health and new commitments
              to help save the lives of millions, a concrete step toward
              delivering on the most-lagging MDGs.
    WHO:      Kevin Jenkins, CEO of World Vision Int'l, will represent the
              NGO community's progress and continued efforts in the work of
              saving women's and children's lives from preventable deaths.
    

World Vision senior leadership will also participate in various other events, such as the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting and the Blouin Creative Leadership Summit.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

    
    -   Interviews, b-roll and multimedia resources available.
    -   About World Vision: World Vision is a Christian relief, development
        and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children,
        families and communities worldwide to overcome poverty and injustice.
        World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race,
        ethnicity or gender. To learn more, see www.wvi.org
    -   About Child Health Now: To learn more about World Vision's campaign,
        see www.childhealthnow.org
    

For further information: MEDIA CONTACTS: Geraldine Ryerson-Cruz at [email protected] or +1.202.615.2608; Tiffany Baggetta at [email protected] or +1.416.305.9612