Development goals on course to fail most in need

Commenting in response to today’s launch at the House of Commons of the report 'Protect to Progress' by a coalition of nine leading children’s organisations, including Railway Children, Andy McCullough, National Strategy and Policy Advisor for Railway Children, said:

“On the streets and behind closed doors, millions of children worldwide endure terrible hardship, abuse and exploitation. A Millennium Development Goal of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger will not address the needs of the most vulnerable unless greater attention is paid to the neglect and discrimination faced by these children."

“Right now, the hardest to reach children have little hope of benefiting from the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. The report stresses the need for the international community to revisit its targets and redesign current plans, putting care and protection at the core of all strategies to improve the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable children and their families."

“Preventing the costly and damaging effects of child poverty on the world’s society and economy is surely the international community’s best deficit reduction policy.”