Canada's G7 Priorities

World Vision urges strong Canadian leadership to address critical global crises

TAORMINA, Italy, May 25, 2017 /CNW/ - As leaders of the world's wealthiest nations gather in Italy for the G7 summit, World Vision urges the Canadian federal government to demonstrate leadership on the international stage by prioritizing humanitarian and development commitments to deliver real change to the most vulnerable.

World Vision is calling on Canada to prioritize solutions for the following critical global issues:

• Hunger Crises: famine is a serious threat as drought and political instability have pushed more than 20M people to the brink of starvation across four countries.
• Refugee Crisis: millions of desperate refugees are embarking on dangerous journeys, more than at any point since World War II. Women and children are the most vulnerable.
• Syria Conflict: this past year has been the worst for Syrian children caught in the crossfire. Violence has become the new normal for children exposed to chemical attacks, rocket fire and school bombings. 
• Global Health: 5.9 million children and 289,000 women still die every year from preventable causes. That's unacceptable, particularly when the solutions are well known, effective and inexpensive.

The following quotes can be attributed to Martin Fischer, Director of Policy, World Vision Canada:

Hunger Crises
"G7 leaders need to respond with decisive commitments to address the hunger crises pushing more than 20 million to the brink of starvation. "Never again" was the promise we made following the 2011 famine in Somalia that killed 260,000 people. Today we need to live up to our word. We can stop another catastrophe. But the time to act is now."

"Canada has been generous in its initial response to the hunger crises. But much more needs to be done to bring millions of people back from the brink of starvation. Canada needs to show leadership by building on existing commitments with new, flexible, long-term, sustainable funding."

Refugee Crisis
"Tragedies like what we witnessed off the coast of Libya this week are a heartbreaking consequence of conflict and hunger and why Canada and its G7 partners need to address the root causes that force people to embark on dangerous journeys."

"As G7 leaders gather in Sicily, one of the transit points for millions of people on the move, they have an opportunity to make meaningful, bold commitments to children at risk. Canada needs to provide much needed moral leadership and demonstrate to G7 partners that it is in their own interest to offer a generation of refugee children a future of hope".

Syria Conflict
"G7 leaders must end six years of ineffective action to address the Syrian conflict. A sustainable political solution is the only way to end this conflict and to offer hope to a generation of children. World leaders must ensure all parties to the conflict are held accountable for human rights violations and the direct targeting of civilians must end immediately.

"Syrian children need Canada to be their champion at the G7. Canada is a generous supporter of humanitarian efforts in Syria and neighbouring countries. And we can be proud of our track record on refugee resettlement. Canada can do more by reigniting political conversations for peace and help bring conflicting parties together to end this humanitarian crisis."

Global Health
"While there has been progress in reducing maternal and child mortality, 5.9 million children and 289,000 women still die every year from preventable causes. That's unacceptable, particularly when the solutions are well known, effective and inexpensive. G7 leaders must prioritize Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health and make meaningful political and financial commitments to fill existing gaps."

"World Vision has been encouraged by the Government of Canada's recent funding announcements geared toward improving the health of women and girls in developing countries. As Canada determines how and where it will spend these newly announced funds, we urge it to a) fill existing sexual health gaps, specifically in the area of family planning; b) prioritize the most vulnerable women and girls living in the world's toughest places."  

Canada's G7 Presidency in 2018
"As Canada assumes the presidency of the G7 in 2018, our country has an opportunity to make its mark on the global stage by championing gender equality, inclusion and non-discrimination for all. Prime Minister Trudeau can advance his feminist policy-making by rallying his G7 peers to realize the health and rights of the most excluded women and girls, especially in fragile contexts."

Martin Fischer is in Italy at the G7 and is available for interviews.

World Vision is a Christian relief, development, and advocacy organization working to create lasting change in the lives of children, families, and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Inspired by our Christian values, World Vision is dedicated to working with the world's most vulnerable people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. 

SOURCE World Vision Canada