Leading NGO co-produces child poverty documentary
July 15th, 2007 by Zsofia
In a half-hour documentary called “Running on Empty”, a leading NGO raises awareness about child poverty around the world, and campaigns for a change in aid culture.
The film was produced as part of a Save the Children UK project in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Myanmar, and is due to be broadcast on BBC World this autumn.
Through individual stories, the film draws attention to the hard facts about malnutrition, poverty and hunger around the world.
In her Reuters blog, Jasmine Whitbread, chief executive at Save the Children UK, suggests that instead of food supplies, donor countries should be urging low-income nations to channel cash to families in need. “People want cash because it gives them freedom to choose. It allows families to make their own decisions about what to buy now and what to save for the future.”
“Putting cash directly into people’s hands may seem an unusual way of tackling hunger in developing countries, but it is an efficient, effective way of helping those who need it the most. A similar system has been operating in Britain for years - here we call it child support benefit, social security or a pension,” she writes.
Save the Children UK also calls on donors governments to deliver on their pledge to channel 0.7 percent of gross national income (GNI) to international aid, which few countries have so far reached.
The film was co-produced by Save the Children UK and the Television Trust for the Environment. Watch the trailer here.
