Save The Children - 'Dashed hopes and squandered opportunities'

The Global Call to Action Against Poverty (the worldwide campaign of which the UK's Make Poverty History is part) have spoken out against the failure of the international community to make a significant breakthrough against poverty in the World Summit.

"Leaders have dashed hopes and squandered opportunities, and empty promises cost lives," said Kumi Naidoo from the campaign. "Instead of taking an historic opportunity to take clear steps in the fight against poverty and insecurity, for the large part, leaders have instead simply reiterated promises already made."

In the year 2000, world leaders promised in the Millennium declaration to 'spare no effort to free our fellow man, women, and children from the abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty.'

To achieve this all 191 member countries of the United Nations pledged to meet the Millennium Development Goals - a list of eight targets covering such measures as ensuring all children receive an education, reducing child mortality and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, by the year 2015.

Last week’s UN world Summit was originally intended to monitor progress towards these goals. However, as Martin Kirk, Save the Children’s Public Affairs Advisor wrote in his Summit diary, "That idea was long since left in the dust. There was no mention in the final text of exactly how well we are - or are not, as the case may be - progressing towards the Goals."

What was needed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and what was delivered?

Accountability
140 million campaigners demanded...
that Governments clearly account for their failure to progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals, including the first goal due in 2005- getting girls into school.

World leaders delivered...
...nothing. Governments failed to account for lack of progress in reaching the MDGs, and there was no recognition that the first education goal will not be met.

Aid
140 million campaigners demanded..:
...that all developed countries meet their 35 year old promise made at the UN in 1970 to spend 0.7% of their income on aid.

World leaders delivered...
...no collective agreement on a timetable for when the 0.7% target will be met. Instead there was 'an aspiration' that rich country aid may reach 0.35% of their income by 2010. Half as much as they promised, forty years too late.

Debt
140 million campaigners demanded..:
... every poor country that needs their debt cancelled in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals should receive it.

World leaders delivered...
...a recycled G8 proposal to grant partial debt cancellation to just 18 countries.

Trade
140 million campaigners demanded..:
...that the current trade system must stop forcing poor countries to open their markets at any cost and guarantee their right to determine their own trade policies and development priorities.

World leaders delivered...
...vague 'statements of principle' that sell trade liberalisation as the only option and provide no guidance on how to achieve trade justice to enable countries to overcome poverty.


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