In 2000 at the United Nations Millennium Summit, Canada joined 189 world governments in the commitment to achieve the MDGs, a set of 8 goals aimed at improving the lives of the world’s poorest by 2015.

The Target

Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate.

The Facts

Every year, more than 10 million children die of preventable causes – 30 000 per day. Immunizations in developing countries had levelled off at about 75% of children in 1990. In recent years, immunizations have fallen below 50% in sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa, ravaged by HIV/AIDS, saw life expectancy reverse in the 1990s from already low levels.

The Opportunity

Canada has played a leading role in helping achieve the reduction in child mortality rates through its work in vaccination and nutrition, and in addressing communicable diseases. 

In 2007 Canada led the multilateral Catalytic Initiative to Save a Million Lives. The initiative strengthens health systems by delivering life-saving health and nutritional services to disadvantaged children and pregnant women to dramatically reduce child and maternal mortality.

Our Focus

Consistent with a 10 year plan to increase Canadian ODA to achieve the 0.7% aid target, Canada should deepen the commitment to the global initiative by supporting a broader range of lifesaving newborn and maternal interventions, with a focus on community managed care, including training of local health workers and supporting publicly funded health systems.