New campaign tackles global hunger

Jan 23 2013

Almost one billion children will be trapped in poverty by hunger and malnutrition by 2025 unless action is taken, a new campaign has warned.

A coalition of charities, faith groups and high profile supporters want the UK to take a lead role in tackling starvation in the world's poorest countries.

The Enough Food For Everyone If campaign brings together more than 100 organisations and is launched in Glasgow, with similar events held in London, Cardiff and Belfast.

Organisers said it is the largest mass mobilisation campaign since Make Poverty History and it has the backing of Ewan McGregor, Bill Gates and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Kathy Galloway, a spokeswoman for the campaign, said: "In a world where there is enough food for everyone, the fact that not everyone has enough to eat is nothing short of a scandal.

"Great strides have been made in reducing poverty and 14,000 fewer children are dying each day than in 1990. But hunger is threatening to reverse these achievements.

"We want Scotland to play its part in building a world where no child has to go hungry. We need a concerted effort from governments, civil society and philanthropists to tackle the root causes of this problem."

A report published to coincide with the launch said hunger and malnutrition could trap almost one billion children in poverty over the next 12 years, and warned that aid and health costs will soar to £78 billion if it is not tackled now.

The campaign group is calling on governments to maintain aid promises and close loopholes to stop big companies avoiding tax in poor countries in order to fund recovery.

It is also calling for Scotland to play its part by building on commitments to international development, promoting fair and ethical trading and investing in global citizenship education for young people.