Parisian children weigh up the life they might have had - from drought (secheresse) to living in poverty (sol pauvre) - if they had been born in the developing world rather than Western Europe
Charity lobbying the G20 Summit
World Vision lobbies G20 leaders for a commitment on child nutrition
As international leaders gather in Cannes for the first day of the G20, key staff from World Vision – which is based in 17 of the G20 countries - challenge the French President over his actions to help malnourished children in the developing world.
Earlier in the week, Dr Jayakumar Christian, National Director of World Vision India, met privately with President Sarkozy and other aid agency bosses to discuss critical issues at this year’s summit.
As heads of the world’s major economies prepared to meet in Cannes, southern France, Dr Christian asked the President what his legacy would be to children who experience malnutrition every day and are permanently affected by stunting, poor education, and unemployment.
Dr Christian said: “The G20 should be ashamed that there are 200 million malnourished children around the world every day. There have been significant improvements for children over the past decade, but we cannot stop now.
“It is not enough for the G20 to include the words 'food security and nutrition' in its statements. Its members must intentionally focus on the situation of children who are so deeply impacted by food insecurity and poor nutrition."
In Paris, other World Vision workers set up a ‘Game of Life’ in the French capital to raise awareness about malnutrition and its impact on children around the world. Passers-by in Paris were able to spin a wheel to see what kind of life they might have had if they were born in countries like former French colony Chad, where one in six children die before their fifth birthday.
President Sarkozy assured World Vision that he is personally committed to addressing food security, particularly through investments in agricultural production.
Dr Christian added: “This kind of opportunity is so important for organisations like World Vision because we are able to bring the lives and stories of children we work with directly to some of the most powerful leaders in the world. The decisions made by President Sarkozy and other G20 leaders will have a direct impact on the children we work with in almost 100 countries around the world.”
3 November 2011