A campaign to tackle worldwide hunger has received backing from a Greater Manchester MP.
Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell is supoprting the Enough Food For Everyone IF initiative which aims to press the UK Government to keep its promise to provide 0.7% of national income for aid.
With Britain hosting a Hunger Summit in June to coincide with the G8 conference, the Communities and Local Government Minister has pledged his support.
“I’m delighted to be backing the Enough Food for Everyone IF campaign,” he said.
“We really do have the opportunity to make 2013 an historic year by showing global leadership and delivering clear plans to tackle hunger and its root causes at the G8 and beyond.
“It is simply not acceptable that in a world where there is enough food for everyone, children are still growing up hungry – it must be stopped.”
This year’s summit follows a similar meeting Prime Minister David Cameron hosted at Downing Street on the final day of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
In the time between now and the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics it is hoped a major push will dramatically reduce under-nutrition.
Hunger is cited as a major threat to achievements made in respect of child welfare over the last 20 years, with food prices on the increase and the need for foods banks on the up.
Ben Jackson, chair of the campaign, is calling for more to be done to tackle global poverty.
“We should be proud of the great progress we are making as a world to reduce poverty,” he said.
“However, it is still the reality that in a world where there is enough food for everyone 1 in 8 people go hungry every day. This is nothing short of a scandal.
“We need a concerted effort from governments, civil society and philanthropists to tackle the root causes of this problem and together to ensure that no child has to go hungry.”
It is estimated by 2025 1000 million children and young people will have their life chances permanently damaged by the impact of child hunger and malnutrition.
A crackdown on tax dodgers depriving poor countries of resources and pressing world leaders to fulfil commitments about supplying aid to developing countries are two issues the campaign highlights.
Other priorities include small-scale farmers keeping hold of their land and steps taken towards a global agreement on new sources of climate finance.
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Picture courtesy of World Economic Forum, with thanks
