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Canada invests in maternal/child health

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$3.5 Billion for Improving Maternal & Child Health

Canadian Foodgrains Bank is pleased Canada is continuing its global leadership in improving maternal, newborn and child health with the generous announcement of $3.5 billion in spending between 2015 and 2020.

The new funding announcement was made yesterday as part of the Canadian government’s Saving Every Woman Every Child: Within Arm’s Reach Summit in Toronto. It builds on the G8 Muskoka Initiative, Canada’s previous commitment to improve maternal and child health, which was launched in 2010.

“Canadian Foodgrains Bank welcomes this deepening commitment to women and children around the world,” says Foodgrains Bank Executive Director Jim Cornelius.

In particular, Foodgrains Bank is pleased that nutrition has been named as one of the key program priority areas for the new funding.

Foodgrains Bank shares Canada’s deep concern for children not receiving enough high quality food to be properly nourished.

This announcement follows Canada’s commitment last year at the Nutrition for Growth meeting of $145 million in new nutrition programming. Of this funding, $40 million will support nutrition-sensitive agriculture to increase access to nutritious food in lower-income countries.

Every year, 3 million children die because they are not well-nourished enough to fight off disease. As well, children who receive proper nutrition are more likely to stay in school and reach their full potential.

Combined with Canada’s commitment to food security, including helping small-scale farmers grow more and better food, the Foodgrains Bank believes this commitment to nutrition has the opportunity to create lasting change for some of the world’s most vulnerable people.

—Amanda Thorsteinsson, communications officer for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank

Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of 15 churches and church agencies working together to end global hunger. In the 2013-14 budget year, the Foodgrains Bank provided $42 million of assistance for 1.2 million people in 42 countries. Canadian Foodgrains Bank projects are undertaken with matching support from the Government of Canada.

 

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