Leave No One Behind: Save the Children Celebrates International Development Week

February 6, 2017…From February 5 to 11, 2017, Canada celebrates International Development Week (IDW) to recognize the country’s contributions to poverty reduction and sustainable development around the world. Since its inception in 1991, IDW has become an annual tradition that engages the public on how Canada is involved in international development, with an opportunity to shed light on current development issues and a call for active participation for Canadians to become involved.

This year’s IDW theme is “Leave no one behind: Canada contributes to global goals!”, with a clear focus on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders in 2015 as part to the UN’s Agenda 2030 to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. As Save the Children celebrates IDW, it recommits to contribute to the realization of each and every SDG, creating a better future for all children.

With support from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Save the Children is working towards the goals of the SDGs every day for millions of children and their families all around the world. In Afghanistan, Save the Children focuses on SDG #3 of Good Health and Well-Being through its “Improving Nutrition for Mothers, Newborns and Children” program. We are meeting basic health needs such as nutrition-related goods and services to reduce the vulnerability of women and girls. In Colombia, we are operating a project called “Vive la Educaión” to reach SDG #4, Quality Education. Save the Children expects to reach 680,000 girls, boys, and youth by the program’s end in providing inclusive and quality education to children who have been affected by armed conflict. Furthermore, as a charity that is proud to position gender equality as an organizational priority, we are very proud of our “Born on Time” consortium project with World Vision and Plan International Canada, which works towards SDG #5, Gender Equality.  Focused on the prevention of pre term birth, this initiative works with women to, among other things, create increased opportunities and ability for them to access health care services in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Mali. Finally, from February 7 to 10, Save the Children will participate in an event at Humber College in Toronto called “Developing The World’s Youth Exhibition” from 10am-5pm. With speakers, panel discussions, and workshops, the exhibit invites its attendees to see the developing world through the eyes of today’s youth. It will showcase Save the Children’s Youth in Action program, a current project that aims to improve the socio-economic status of boys and girls through education and skills training in five African countries.

“If we are serious about doing our part to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, we need everyone’s collective efforts,” said Patricia Erb, President and CEO of Save the Children Canada. “This International Development Week, I am grateful for and encouraged by so many generous Canadians and its government coming together to better the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children.”

Throughout IDW, Save the Children Canada will showcase pictures and stories on social media of Global Affairs Canada-funded projects supporting the work to achieve SDGs. The organization encourages the public to join them in the conversation.

ENDS