A new survey published this week tells us that eight out of ten among the middle-class in cities across India underestimate the levels of child mortality. But does it actually matter what the middle classes think?
Last month, in Cambodia, I met about 50 colleagues from across Asia intrested in communicating about children’s issues to the outside world. Among other things, I had to think about what to say to a room full of professionals, that would help them inspire the world to do more for Asian kids. I opted for football…
It’s only a week since the World Cup ended, though it seems longer since the vuvuzelas fell silent and the world became a little more ordinary again. One of the upsides of coming home is that I was finally able to upload my last few vidblogs for the 1GOAL campaign.
On Tuesday 6 July I got changed into my suit at a petrol station near the airport and headed straight into meetings with President Zuma’s office. Tuesday 6 July
On Thursday I got the chance to go to Winnie Ngwekazi Primary School in Soweto and had a kickabout with Shaka Hislop, John Barnes and a group of 9-year-olds (this is work, honest). Thursday 8 July
On Sunday we finally got to the big education summit… here’s how it went: Final Day
And if you want to see all of 12-year-old Nthabiseng Tshabalala’s challenge to world leaders at the summit, here it is: Nthabiseng’s speech
The campaign goes on, with lots to do before the UN Millennium Development Goals summit in September. Keep up to date here.
Johannesburg, Sunday 11th July. 5.30 alarm call as I’m on the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) ‘Weekend Live” at breakfast time to talk about the leaders’ summit later today, focused on getting an education for every child as a legacy of the World Cup. It’s the big moment for the 1GOAL campaign.
It’s the World Cup Final on Sunday, but I’m not thinking about that. I’m thinking about the vast, pitiless void that’s waiting immediately after the final whistle.
I can’t believe it’s almost over. Never mind goal-line technology, top of Sepp Blatter’s priority list should be extending the World Cup by at least a fortnight, especially given how much effort I put into watching the thing.
Exactly five years ago, about 10am on 2 July, 2005, I was standing in the Meadows in the centre of Edinburgh. The greyish sky had an uncertain look – like it could go either way – that matched my mood. For months we’d been urging people to assemble on this spot on this day for a mass rally that would be the climax of the Make Poverty History campaign, a few days ahead of the G8 summit of world leaders due to take place in Gleneagles. I walked around the field, watching marquees being erected and volunteers arrive in hi-vis vests. We had done our planning. Everything was ready. But would anyone come?
The G8 summit has now drawn to a close and the Deerhurst resort in Muskoka will be getting back to normal. The world leaders flew back to Toronto by helicopter with Obama and Cameron flying together to start their bilateral meeting. Apparently Cameron and Merkel will be watching the England v Germany World Cup match together tomorrow and the press are invited can’t imagine he’ll look anything other than awkward!
Just got this note from my colleague David Morley, who heads Save the Children in Canada and played a leading role in the movement to get the G8 focused on saving mothers’ and children’s lives at their summit last weekend in Muskoka. Hats off to David. I wanted to share his reflections.
30,000 Save the Children supporters want the new government to take urgent action on severe child poverty in the UK, and to stop children and mothers dying from entirely preventable causes in the world’s poorest countries.
What happened to Isaac brought home how fragile life can be. But I still find it impossible to imagine the kind of grief a parent who loses a child must go through – watching the life of their baby slip away, knowing there’s nothing they can do to save them.
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