By: Laika Intungane (Results Fellow)
Children are at the core of a better future, if we fail them we fail the whole world. In 2022, the world celebrated a historic low child mortality rate proving that investing can bring tremendous progress.
Despite that undeniable milestone, we know that 4.9 million children still die every year from causes that can be prevented. The 21st replenishment of the IDA (World’s bank international development association) this year offers Canada, as the sixth largest donor, an opportunity to step up and support human capital investments.
The low income countries that would benefit from it are crippling under unsustainable debt. The UN reports that 3.3 billion people spend more on debt payments than in health, education and infrastructure. Therefore, the investment they would get is gonna allow them to provide life saving resources to their citizens.
Human capital investments are a must for an educated and healthy population, which is very critical for a country’s long-term development. Therefore, we urge Canada to maintain its support for IDA and use its influence to ensure IDA21 prioritizes ambitious goals and strong indicators for investments in critical human capital areas, particularly nutrition, education, and health.
Thus, Canada can make a lasting difference for millions, especially children, in the world's most vulnerable nations. #IDA21 #REACHEVERYCHILD
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