Canada making a difference in the world: Park View Education Centre April 6,2006

Canada making a difference in the world:

Park View Education CentreApril 6,2006

• An Atlantic Canadian`s take (SML)• “A Developing World” map• What is sustainable development?• International development works• But challenges remain…• How is Canada involved?• CIDA and the MDGs• How you can help achieve the

MDGs

The Developing World map, text and graphics are

© Canadian Geographic Enterprises 2004.

• More than 6.3 billion people live on our planet.

• Almost 1/3 of the world's population today is under 15.

• Most live in developing countries, with uncertain access to education, medical care, and jobs.

• More than 13 million of these young people have lost one or bothparents to AIDS.

A snapshot

The Developing World map, text and graphics are© Canadian Geographic Enterprises 2004.

What is sustainable development?

• Meets the most basic human needs — food, clean water, good health, shelter.

• Provides the chance to earn a living in a society where human rights are respected and where women, as well as men, can participate in the life of their communities.

• Builds an infrastructure that provides essential services for all and must be in place to support economic growth.• Supports an economy that encourages innovation and is in harmony with the environment.

International development works

With assistance from countries like Canada, developingcountries have made real progress over the past 40

years:

• Life expectancy in developing countries increased by almost 20 years, from 46 to 63.

• Child mortality rates have been cut in half.

• Average incomes have doubled, despite increased population growth.

• Today, 82% of the world's people can read and write— the highest % in history.

But challenges remain…• More than 1 billion people still struggle to

survive on less than $1 a day.

• More than 852 million people go to bed hungry every night.

• HIV/AIDS is wiping out an entire generation in some parts of Africa.

• Around 104 million children,2/3 of them girls, are not in school.

• More than 1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water.

How is Canada involved?• Through the Canadian International Development

Agency (CIDA), a part of the federal governmentOur mandate: to support sustainable development in the

world’spoorest countries. That means we help people get the toolsthey need to achieve the kind of life they want to live.

• CIDA supports the social and economic development programs of its partner countries and organizations. These include governments, non-governmental organizations and institutions, community groups, businesses, and international bodies, such as the World Bank and UNICEF.

• Through Atlantic organisations like Nova Scotia Gambia Association, Coady International Institute, Dalhousie, NSAC, …

• Through individuals like each of us

CIDA and the MDGsThe Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set

outthe following agenda:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.

2. Achieve universal primary education.

3. Promote gender equality and empower women.

4. Reduce child mortality.

5. Improve maternal health.

6.Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases.

7. Ensure environmental sustainability.

8. Develop a global partnership for development.The Developing World map, text and graphics are


Today, almost one in five people (over 1.1 billion)live in extreme poverty on less than a dollar a day.

People living on less than $1 a day


But, overall, poverty is decreasing.

• In 2000, at least 137 million fewer people lived in extreme poverty than in 1990.

• If this continues, 363 million more people will avert extreme poverty by 2015.

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger


Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

• More than 20 million people have died as a result of AIDS.

• Another 39.4 million, including 2.2 million children, are living with HIV/AIDS.

• Almost 70% of these people are in sub-Saharan Africa, where twice as many young women as men are reported to be HIV-positive.


Adults (age 15-49) living with HIV/AIDS

The Developing World map, text and graphics are


What Canada/CIDA is doing

Canada is leading the fight against HIV/AIDS:

• Canada is the first country to put significant financial support behind the World Health Organization's "3 by 5" initiative. This initiative will give 3 million people with HIV/AIDS access to treatment by the end of 2005.

• Canada is the first country to take action on the World Trade Organization's decision to make safe, effective, less-expensive medicines available to developing countries facing public health challenges.

Health - Reduce child mortality

• In 1975, less than 5% of the world's children were immunized against major childhood diseases. Today, more than 70% are covered.

But it's not enough. Every year, more than 10 million children in developing countries die of preventable causes.


Achieve universal primary education

• More than 84% of the world's children attend school.

• More adults are literate than ever before.

But we still have a long way to go: • Around 800 million adults still can’t read and

write. Two thirds are women.• Around 104 million children have never seen the

inside of a school. Most are girls.• The quality of education is a huge concern in

many countries. Teachers are poorly trained. Curricula are irrelevant. Rote learning and rigid discipline are often the norm.


Ensure environmental

sustainability • Over 5 billion people now have access to clean

water. This is an increase of more than 800 million between 1990 and 2000.

• But more than 1 billion people still do not have access to safe drinking water, and 2.6 billion are without adequate sanitation facilities.

• In Africa, women and girls can spend up to three hours a day fetching clean water.


How you can help achieve the MDGs

• Get to know the problems that most of the world’s people face each and every day.

• Learn and talk about international development.

• Volunteer with an organization that supports international development.

• Make the right choices as a citizen and consumer.

• Join butterfly 208.

• Work overseas as a youth intern.

• Become a youth speaker or a global youth ambassador.

Butterfly 208 Youth Contest www.bp208.ca

• Annual art, writing and multimedia contest for 14-18 year olds

• Top prize – trip to a developing country• Themes:

• HIV/AIDS• Child protection• Basic education• Environment • Health and nutrition• Governance

• Individual and group categories• Deadline: April 25, 2006

• CIDA website: www.cida.gc.ca

• Youth Zone: www.cida.gc.ca/youthzone

• butterfly 208: www.bp208.ca

• A Developing World map:www.canadiangeographic.ca/worldmap

• IYIP: www.cida.gc.ca/internships

• Global Classroom Initiative: www.cida.gc.ca/gci

• Canada Fund for Africa: www.cida.gc.ca/canadafundforafrica

Get the information. Get connected. Make a difference!

http://www.cida.gc.ca/





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Canada making a difference in the world: Park View Education Centre April 6,2006