World Vision to G20: More Influence Must Equal More Responsibility Toward Global Poor

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The move to make the G20 the world's leading economic body holds potential for broader coordination in the global fight against poverty and hunger, though it may also pose risks for achieving promises made by G8 leaders at previous summits, say aid policy experts at humanitarian agency World Vision.


The Group of Twenty's shift to prominence as a top global forum raises questions for the international development agenda and accountability for meeting goals, says World Vision, a relief and development organization working in 100 countries including most G20 nations. While a more-empowered G20 could become a stronger voice for the poor, aid policy experts note that the group's failure to prioritize the needs of the poor during this week's summit is concerning.


At the same time that the G20 affirmed a commitment to achieving Millennium Development Goals, it is crucial for the Group of Eight to also remain committed to past promises addressing poverty, the Christian humanitarian agency says. G20 leaders must make more room on the agenda to tackle development-related issues.


"There is some peril, as the two groups sort out priorities between focusing on economic issues and security, that implementing targeted global assistance for the world's poorest and most vulnerable could fall through the cracks," said Robert Zachritz, World Vision's director for advocacy and government relations in the United States.


"Global poverty clearly was not a main focus of the G20 leaders in Pittsburgh this week, and that has consequences for the 1.4 billion people living in extreme poverty, including citizens these leaders represent," said Zachritz.


G20 nations together represent two thirds of the world's population and as much as 90 percent of its economic output. As such, this group of leaders has a responsibility to fuel action against the poverty-related problems of preventable disease, child and maternal deaths, malnutrition and hunger, which economic crises magnify.


While the leaders' final statement recognized the importance of food security, education and closing the development gap for the world's most vulnerable, the communique lacked urgency and a clear, specific plan of action. Meantime, one of six people in the world go to bed hungry each night, and malnutrition underlies a third of the 8.8 million preventable child deaths annually. Some 1.4 billion people are living on less than $1.25 a day.


World Vision calls on developing and industrialized countries alike to tackle the causes of extreme poverty and hunger, and boost progress in reducing child and maternal deaths. As emerging countries become more influential through the rising pace and weight of G20 summits, they must be held responsible for efforts to both meet their own country's needs and the needs of others. As World Vision has seen from its work in communities in dozens of developing countries, each nation's government and communities bear primary responsibility for addressing the rights and needs of their citizens.


Success in achieving goals to reduce hunger, preventable deaths and extreme poverty depends on countries meeting their existing aid commitments, making themselves accountable for action, and developing specific strategies and timelines for executing plans. We urge leaders to adopt these priorities as they prepare for their joint "transition" summit to be held in Canada in June 2010, as announced today


World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Visit worldvision.org/press.