VSO
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VSO'S REACTION TO UN SUMMIT

Sara Cottingham, VSO’s Deputy Director of Policy, gives her opinion on the outcome of the UN summit: 

 “ World leaders have broken their promises. Again. With just five years to the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals, how many more people need to die unnecessarily before world leaders commit to ending poverty? 

Clegg should be commended. The UK government did set the gold standard at this year’s UN Summit by keeping their commitment to spend 0.7% of their national income on aid by 2013 and doubling aid to stop death in childbirth.   However their example and pleas fell on deaf ears as other world leaders failed to make a stand.

The UK government must continue to fight for people living in developing countries. There is so much more to be done.  And with just five years to go until the Millennium Development Goals deadline Clegg and Cameron must push their peers to follow their lead. “

What next?

The UN summit was disappointing but VSO will be working harder than ever to ensure we hit the Millennium Development Goals.   Over the next five years we will be working hard to:

· Encourage world leaders to address a shortfall of 3.5 million health workers
· Ensure that UN Women has significant resources and clout to make a difference
· Reinstate DFID’s commitment to disburse £1 billion per year to education between now and 2015

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