Malnutrition kills 10 children every minute, says UN

[Karmadillo]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/article361575.ece

Ten children die every minute as a result of malnutrition, more than a quarter of children in developing countries are underweight and suffer disease because of their poor diet, and in some areas almost half of all under-fives are malnourished, a new United Nations report says.

Unicef warns that the slow progress on reducing nutritional problems among children means that several key Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets may now be missed. Ann Veneman, executive director of Unicef, said: "The lack of progress to combat malnutrition is damaging children and nations. Few things have more impact than nutrition on a child's ability to survive, learn effectively and escape a life of poverty."

The first MDG, agreed by the world's leaders, pledged to halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger by 2015. Ms Veneman said: "We still have time to achieve this goal, but only if the international community acts now to deliver the commitments and resources it has promised."

The Unicef report found that 146 million children under five in the developing world are suffering from insufficient food intake, repeated infectious diseases, muscle wastage and vitamin deficiencies. While some countries, notably China and Latin American nations, have made progress in reducing undernutrition among children, the overall fall in rates is much slower than the 2.8 per cent annual reduction needed to hit the MDG.

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[Gregorian]

1. And we dare to talk about gas prices.

And immigration. Or anything else, for that matter. Does anything really matter, as long as people are suffering severely? And dying? And afraid for their lives? In Darfur, the citizens are fleeing as the gunships straiffe them to death. I know this is off topic. I know the post is about malnutrition. But I would like to see the world get things into perspective. And I also know that until we eliminate this vermin of an administration, nothing but greed will take place in American foreign policy. Sorry. I just have to rant. I don't give a god damn if illegal Mexicans are climbing in through my bathroom window as I type this. I don't care if gas is fifteen dollars per gallon. I don't care if a crowd assembles outside of my house and sings the Star Spangled banner in Klingon.

We have the resources to eliminate hunger. End of subject.

[The2ndWheel]

5. "nothing but greed will take place in American foreign policy."

Which year in the last century was that not true?

We have 6.5 billion people on this planet, and counting, and we're not going to get rid of suffering. That's not how this thing we call civilization works. There is no agency that will evenly divide food so that it gets to every mouth. Poverty won't disappear.

I'm not saying it doesn't break my heart that kids are dying of hunger. But that's the problem with globalization. Everyone can't have everything, but we think everyone can. So we're building this monster of a machine, and we try and mold nature to fit our needs as we go.

I'm not saying that I wouldn't sacrifice some of what I may have, or could potentially have, for someone else to live a little easier. But I do exactly that, and this system keeps screwing millions(or maybe billions). We have no control over it. Humans have been replaced in the decision making process by giant global entities, and we see what happens.

I know exactly how you feel. But it won't change as long as we continue on this road.

[Gregorian]

9. I'm glad you're here.

Just want to say hi and welcome. And I agree with you. It's a shame. It's hard when you care, or have vision. Oh well... All we can do is not self-destruct as individuals.

[WindRavenX]

2. it's 2006

:(

[dipsydoodle]

3. Do you have the UK TV advert

where a lot of famous film and pop stars are discussing this matter ?

Each one speaking click's their fingers every 6 seconds. It finishes with a blank screen and one more click to show that yet another child has died. It is the most powerful advert of its type. Made me well up the first time I saw it.

Clean water is what those children need the most. How many pumps would the aggregate cost of the war have bought as a better alternative use of the money ?

[Karmadillo]

6. Thanks for posting. Here's a link to the ad.

Link to video is at the end of the article.

http://www.makepovertyhistory.ca/e/video.html

Sarah McLachlan, Bono, Brad Pitt and other international celebrities star in Make Poverty History video

OTTAWA — In a provocative video ad campaign launched by the Make Poverty History campaign today, singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan and other international celebrities are urging action to address the crisis of global poverty.

A child dies every three seconds as a result of extreme poverty. More than 10 million children are dying each year of hunger and preventable diseases.

The video ad teams McLachlan with a number of instantly recognizable celebrities — from Bono and Brad Pitt to Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx, Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Penelope Cruz, Liam Neeson, and Bob Geldof, to name a few.

The ad uses a dramatic click of the finger every three seconds to mark the death of a child as a result of abject poverty. Every day, poverty kills 50,000 people world-wide, including 30,000 children.

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[dipsydoodle]

7. EVERYONE WATCH THE LINK ABOVE

which was kindly posted by Karmadillo. Sure does convey the message especially if you've never seen it.

[MellowOne]

4. In a world with so much wealth

There has to be a solution such as all of us pulling together to save starving children. One thing that has bothered me is why birth control is not strongly emphasized in countries where population is out of control. It is so easy to give the six-month shot to the women until malnutrition and starvation can be brought under control.

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Yes, and here we are spending $billions fighting about the fate of the

unborn! I often ask the 'pro-lifers' just what it is that they do to prevent some of those 30,000 born children from dying. I usually get either blank stares or 'my church is working on that'.

[Karmadillo]

10. Kick

nt