Post-2015 poverty goals proposed at UN today open door for Canadian leadership

OTTAWA, May 30, 2013 /CNW/ - Today in New York the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda presented its recommendations to the Secretary General of the United Nations. After 10 months of deliberations and consultations across the world that included more than 70 countries and hundreds of thousands of people, the prime minister of the UK, along with the presidents of Liberia and Indonesia, officially delivered their recommendations as to how the world should address global poverty and development once the MDGs expire in 2015.

Harry Kits, World Vision Canada's senior policy advisor for economic justice:

"The high-level panel has set out strong recommendations that can move us forward from the MDGs to end extreme poverty. Between now and 2014, there will be considerable debate on these goals and this is a critical opportunity for Canada to sustain its global leadership on child and maternal health and nutrition and to emphasize the needs of the most vulnerable in fragile states."

"The target to end preventable child deaths is the clearest signpost of the international community's ability to stay the course. It's within reach, but the last mile will be the hardest because deaths are concentrated in the hard-to-reach places, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan."

"This report clearly shows an understanding that 50 per cent of people living in extreme poverty are in fragile and violent contexts, but these goals fail to emphasize the solutions for these places. What we see in this report is insufficient to reach the world's most vulnerable and remote families and without a special focus, we'll never reach zero preventable child deaths."

"In the coming weeks, Canada will have the opportunity to take its place on the global stage at the Nutrition for Growth event and the G8 Summit and press for the needs of the most vulnerable."

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Visit our News Centre at worldvision.ca

SOURCE: World Vision Canada

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