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Give the World's Poor a Stronger Voice in Washington
Washington, DC (Wednesday November 7, 2007) -- Save the Children is calling on the next President and Congress to consider major reform of international development assistance including creating a cabinet-level position that directly addresses the needs of the world's poorest people including its children.
"We strongly support the creation of a cabinet-level post for global development because it would help ensure that the world's poorest families and their children have a voice at the highest levels of the administration," said Save the Children President and CEO Charles MacCormack.
MacCormack noted that the proposal is one of a series of "smart" recommendations made this week in a new report (www.csis.org/smartpower) by the CSIS Commission on Smart Power, reflecting the views of many prominent Americans, both from the private sector and Congress. "The report makes an important contribution to our national dialogue about America's international role," MacCormack said.
"Creating this new position within the cabinet would help unify our development programs. We need to see a stronger emphasis on working with local civil society and private sector actors," MacCormack said. "In our globalized world, investing in development is as important for Americans as it is for the world's more vulnerable and poor."
Save the Children also welcomed Commissioner and Congresswoman Betty McCollum's recommendation this week that the next Administration put special emphasis on addressing global health challenges, in particular women and children.
"Save the Children shares Congresswoman McCollum's passionate commitment to improving maternal and child health. None of us should stand idle when almost 10 million children die each year of preventable and treatable causes," said MacCormack. "We know how to save these children. The interventions are proven and low cost. The United States and other governments must recommit their leadership to this essential cause."
