What do you want for Christmas?

This is an email I received from a friend of mine who does some great volunteer work with World Vision. What he has to say is important and timely. Give it a read and don't be afraid to get involved or to comment.

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What do you want for Christmas?

It’s getting close to Christmas and you can bet that children all over the world are busy preparing their Christmas wish lists for Santa. Even as adults we’re often asked, “So, what do you want for Christmas?” And for some, that’s not an easy question to answer. In fact, it seems the older we get (not that I’m old), the harder it is to find things to put on our Christmas lists.

Well in case you’re stuck for ideas, I have some suggestions to offer – eight, in fact. And you can feel free to ask Santa (or anyone else that will listen) for any or all of these items.

1. cut poverty and hunger in half
2. achieve universal primary education
3. realize gender equality
4. cut the mortality rate for children under five years of age by two thirds
5. cut the mortality rate for mothers by three quarters
6. halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS and malaria
7. ensure environmental sustainability
8. create a global partnership for development

Now you’re probably thinking this is a rather strange list of things to want for Christmas … and, I guess you’d be right. These are, in truth, the eight goals established at the United Nations Millennium Assembly in 2000 and unanimously agreed to by all 191 United Nations member states – Canada being one. These goals are now referred to as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the UN has pledged to reach them all by the year 2015.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a problem with these admirable goals – cash. When it comes right down to it, we are five years into the MDGs and the UN is not even close to being on track to achieve the targets. Why? It’s certainly not because the targets are unrealistic. Rather it’s because the same countries who pledged to work together to achieve the goals are not supporting them with the funds necessary to actually make them happen.

It was Canada’s own Lester B. Pearson, who in 1969 chaired an international commission which produced a now famed report titled “Partners in Development”. The report, widely embraced by various development organizations – including the UN, concluded that rich nations need only contribute a mere 0.7% of their Gross National Income (GNI) to foreign development assistance to achieve sustainable economic development in the third world.

Some 30 years later at the Millennium Assembly in 2000, the UN member states (very few of whom had reached the targets set out by Mr. Pearson’s committee in 1969) agreed that if they could at least set appropriate timeframes to get their respective countries to the 0.7% target, the MDGs would all be realized.

Okay – it’s now the end of 2005. Canada, and other nations, have had 35 years to reach the level of foreign aid contributions that would achieve sustainable development in the third world. But sadly, under our current government’s policies, Canada’s contribution to international aid has sunk to a paltry 0.29% of GNI. And to make things worse, when asked, Mr. Martin won’t even commit to a timeframe for getting Canada to 0.7% - the world target set by a Canadian. It’s down right embarrassing. There are several countries that are exceeding the target. And don’t even get me started on what we count as “financial” aid in the 0.29% we do contribute.

But before I make this into a partisan political rant against the Canadian Liberal government (if it’s not too late already), I should point out that we are not the only UN member state that raised one hand to pledge support for the MDGs, but is keeping the other hand securely in their pocket when asked to pay for the goals. It’s all very discouraging. Here we have some realistically achievable targets that would save millions and millions of lives, improve life for millions and millions more; targets that every single UN member state agrees are the right things to do to make this world a better place – and yet those who can afford to make the goals a reality; those who are surrounded by wealth and live in comfort – avoid their responsibility and remain non-committal year after year after year.

Okay. Enough. You’ve probably got the whole ugly picture by now. But before you throw up your hands in disgust or despair, I’m here to tell you there is hope. Faced with the enormity and distance of the situation in the developing world, it is understandable for us as individuals to think there is nothing we can do. But that would be just as wrong as the sins our government commits. At the end of the day, we as individuals do have the power to make a difference – I’ve seen it happen time and time again.

My proposal is simply this, that each one of us step up to Mr. Pearson’s forward-thinking target on a personal level. That is to say, we contribute 0.7% of our gross personal income (“GPI”) to foreign aid.

To honor this commitment, a family making $50,000 a year, would end up donating $350 to foreign aid - which, interestingly enough, equates roughly to the cost of sponsoring one child through an international aid organization like World Vision. Donations to World Vision are pooled together and travel overseas where they are multiplied by local effort and accomplish things like ensuring people have access to nutritional meals; providing clean water and improved sanitation; building schools and medical clinics; funding doctors, nurses and teachers; promoting the rights of marginalized peoples; and much, much more. In short, your donations support the realization of the MDGs - they save lives.

Right now in Africa, I have friends who are dying because they cannot afford access to life-saving drugs; I have friends who are sick because there are no medical clinics or doctors for them; I have friends who are malnourished because they have no food; I know children who would love to go to school but can’t because they can’t afford to. But I also have friends who are working hard to change all that; I have friends who are living better lives because of World Vision’s child sponsorship program.

Please, this Christmas, help make the wish of one special child and millions of people come true – add the MDGs to your Christmas list and make 2006 the year you contribute 0.7% of your GPI to foreign aid and development. Simply reply to this e-mail and let me know you’d like to sponsor a child. Pass this e-mail on to your family and friends and encourage them to sponsor a child. There is no better time than right now.


Oh yes. In case you’re looking for something else to put on your Christmas list, try asking Santa for a book or two. I recommend Jeffery Sachs’ recent book – The End of Poverty - an interesting and compelling read that presents a very real plan for ending extreme poverty by the year 2025; and Stephen Lewis’ new book – Race Against Time – an awe inspiring account of his efforts to change the world’s thinking on the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa.


Merry Christmas,
Doug Currie

E-mail: transform@ns.sympatico.ca
Website: http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/transform