Question marks over the G8 2013’s progress for children

World Vision response to the G8 2013:

• Focus on tax and transparency could see real progress
• Failed to give its strongest possible commitment to nutrition
• Points the finger on transparency, despite its own patchy record

“You don’t give good marks for good intentions alone, you must deliver the assignment. G8 had good intentions on several issues that affect children, but clearly couldn't get the assignment done.”

As G8 2013 wraps up and leaders head home, World Vision says this year’s Summit has been a mixed bag.

“Reducing the preventable deaths of children under the age of five is a marathon, and after last week’s Nutrition for Growth Summit, we were nearing the end of the first mile. Today, we’re running on the spot, which is disappointing. The G8 has failed to throw its full weight behind recent pledges, putting us in danger of going backwards,” says World Vision spokesperson David Thomson in London.

G8 recent history on delivering for children:

• At Camp David in 2012, the G8 set up the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, which has ignored nutrition until this year. This change in focus is a positive sign. World Vision’s grade: C
• The G8 failed vulnerable children down at Deauville in 2011. World Vision’s grade: F
• In Muskoka in 2010, the G8 made an exciting US$5 billion pledge to the UN’s women and children’s health movement, which they are on track to deliver. World Vision’s grade: B
• In L’Aquila in 2009, the G8 promised to US$22 billion over three years to food security, with real potential to save millions of lives. Four years later, this commitment has not been fulfilled (only $16.5 billion has been disbursed). World Vision’s grade: C

“Promises made by governments, corporations and aid agencies at the Nutrition for Growth Summit ten days ago will save the lives of millions of children but only if they are followed through on. The G8 had a chance at this Summit to throw its collective weight behind those pledges, and has neglected to do so.”

“We are very disappointed that this agenda was not taken up and endorsed by the G8 itself. Given the importance of nutrition, we need to see leaders from eight of the most powerful and wealthy countries renew commitments they have made in the past, and that some of them made last week.”

“Leaders have talked a lot this week about transparency for companies and individuals, when their own record on this issue is patchy. Today, they have issued the Lough Erne Declaration that has potential, but is full of ‘shoulds’ where there need to be ‘musts’. They effectively mark their own homework and give themselves an A when their record and progress deserves, at most, a B–.

“In order for today’s commitments to truly benefit children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, among others, who have the most to gain from greater transparency and whose futures are currently being extracted along with their mineral wealth, we need to see these ideas made real,” says Aimee Manimani from World Vision DRC.

“While mining can bring in important tax revenue for governments to fund health and education, corruption and a lack of governance can mean the benefits of this aren’t felt by the communities most affected. A lot more work needs to be done with governments of developing countries, to see this change. And, most importantly, citizens must be enabled to hold their governments to account,” adds Manimani.

“At the end of the day, it is particularly disappointing that the G8 didn’t use this opportunity to fully endorse the outcomes of the Nutrition for Growth event, and its goals. David Cameron is at risk of making nutrition everybody’s business and nobody’s responsibility.

“Ultimately, the legacy of G8 2013 will be measured by its impact on the health and survival of the world’s most vulnerable children – the only true test of success.”