Save the Children: Poverty Kills Childhood campaign

No-one should be living in severe poverty in a rich country like the UK. Wealth should be fairly shared and rising inequality tackled. The needs of current and future generations should be met - so that all have decent options. The UK needs to develop in ways that help to reduce and then eliminate poverty around the globe. As a powerful and wealthy country the UK has a very significant role to play in both giving more and in taking less from poor countries.

Received recently from Steve Haines, Director of Campaigns and Advocacy, Save the Children UK: Dear Glenn, Save the Children UK would like to thank you for supporting our Poverty Kills Childhood campaign in the run up to the General Election. We look forward to your continued support in the first 100 days of the next Parliament. For further information on the campaign please visit our website http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/election2010 or contact us at campaigns@savethechildren.org.uk.

I'd just like here to highlight what Save the Children are asking parliamentary candidates - and in fact everyone else - to sign up to. This is from their website:


Parents across the world worry their children won’t succeed, or even survive, because poverty is killing childhood.

Strong action — not just by politicians but by every member of society — is needed now to prevent the loss of a generation.

This manifesto sets out the key actions the British government must take for the coming parliament if it is to meet its obligations to children living in poverty at home and abroad.

We’re calling on all UK parties to make five key commitments:

Tackle severe child poverty in the UK

Break the link in the UK between poverty and educational achievement

Introduce a Robin Hood Tax on financial transactions to benefit the poorest children at home and abroad

Honour existing aid commitments

Act as a global leader on child hunger