A Renewed Sense of Commitment; Aid Agency Says It is Time to Assert the Rights of the World’s Children

(New York City, NY; September 25, 2008) Today's UN High-Level Event on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - assessing progress at the halfway point to 2015 -- concluded with a renewed sense of purpose among world leaders of governments, private enterprises and civil society. Within the United Nations and at many of the more than 60 related events taking place today, Save the Children called for greater commitment and more investment among all stakeholders to end the scourge of extreme poverty.

The event galvanized renewed interest in the Millennium Development Goals and rekindled a sense of urgency. Save the Children believes it will no longer be the case that governments neglect monitoring progress on the MDGs and focus their investments therein. In asserting every child's right to survive, go to school, and grow up healthy, well-fed and strong, Save the Children will continue to speak on behalf of the millions of children who are suffering and dying every year.

Major funding commitments of more than $7.6 billion USD (for example, from UK, France, Norwegian and Australian governments, the World Bank, foundations, and private individuals) were announced. But funding gaps exist - $10.2B is required annually to save six million mothers and children, and $12B annually to ensure all children go to school. There is a shared sense among all actors that the global economy valued in the trillions can and should prioritize these investments in poverty reduction, hunger alleviation, health and education as both a moral obligation and for a safer, more stable world.

Government, civil society and private sector representatives defining new ways of working together as partners, have announced specific contributions towards the MDGs. Millions of the world's poorest, marginalized children will benefit - but we need to accelerate that collaboration. It's a matter of taking responsibility, investing resources and demonstrating results.

Charlotte Petri-Gornitzka, The International Save the Children Alliance's Secretary General, commented from New York "The Millennium Development Goals are ambitious but feasible. To improve children's health and access to education, we must increase resources and develop strategies that better target children who have not yet been reached - the youngest and poorest children, and children affected by conflict or humanitarian emergencies. We have the solutions; we know how to save children. There are many examples of progress being made and there must be many more."

She stated "We will continue in the weeks leading up to the Doha Review Conference in November, to advocate at all levels for an unprecedented level of commitment to achieve the MDGs. We endorse the UN's stated intention to make its Member States accountable to the Millennium Declaration promises, at a world summit meeting in 2010, announced today by the Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon."

Notes to Editors

At the current rate of progress MDG 4, which aims to cut child mortality by two thirds by 2015, will only be met by 2045. MDG 5, which aims to reduce maternal mortality by 75% by 2015, has made the least progress of all the development goals and is the least likely to be achieved.
To meet MDG 4, Save the Children asks governments to design health care programs to better target the poorest and most marginalized mothers and children; to deliver a package of maternal, newborn and child health care through a continuum that links communities, local health facilities and hospitals; and to increase government support for proven solutions that address the biggest killers of young children.