G20 must deliver for the most vulnerable, says World Vision

World leaders must look beyond GDP growth numbers to the human impact of their economic reform commitments, international aid and development organization World Vision said today (14 November).  In the countdown to the Brisbane G20 Leaders Summit, World Vision Australia CEO Tim Costello said global policymakers should ensure those at risk of being excluded from the benefits of growth are not left behind. 

Costello – who is also chair of the official civil society G20 engagement group, the C20 – said one of the key levers available to the leaders of the world’s largest economies is their governments’ massive purchasing power.  World Vision’s report on child labour exploitation Creating markets for child-friendly growth – released earlier this year – provides a road map for the G20 to address the abuse and loss of childhood which is the reality for the world’s 168 million child labourers.

The report urges the G20 to protect the world’s children from the economic exploitation often concealed within global value chains.  “While recognizing the EU’s desire to ensure the Brisbane summit will be another step towards a sustainable recovery of the global economy, European leaders should not overlook the growing inequality – both within and between nations – which is a brake on economic growth,” said World Vision Brussels Director Marius Wanders.“This is particularly important given its impact on the world’s most vulnerable, especially children.”

World Vision International Global Policy Director Kirsty Nowlan said G20 nations represent 85% of global GDP, and are ideally placed to challenge the economic drivers which encourage child labour exploitation.  “Economies which turn a blind eye to the exploitation of children are condemning individuals, families and communities to a bleak future,” Nowlan said. “They are bypassing opportunities to improve job prospects for older youth and adults, depressing adult wages and standing by while tens of millions of children are excluded from developing to their potential.”

“Today’s reality is that the goods purchased by governments and individual consumers alike are increasingly ‘made in the world’ via long and complex global value chains. Persistent pressures to create products at the lowest possible price and the fragmentation of production processes means that child labour can be hidden at virtually any stage of production.

“In the world today, one in 10 children over five labour to the detriment of their health and development – working instead of going to school, and in many cases, in hazardous and intolerable conditions – and 44% of them are between five and 11 years old,” Nowlan added.

Wanders added that new and innovative approaches to problem-solving are needed and EU leaders must reflect on the complexity, scale and global nature of current challenges.  A stronger and more strategic vision should be articulated in respect to cross-sector partnerships – between government, business and civil society – which World Vision Brussels believes is key to effective responses to issues as diverse as child labour, climate change and the Ebola epidemic.  World Vision is also calling on the G20 to include developing nations in the formulation and rollout of economic reforms which boost inclusive growth.  A strong commitment to global tax reform which would improve the ability of developing nation governments to provide basic services for their citizens is also crucial to underpin sustainable growth, and allow greater investment in the health and education of hundreds of millions of people.

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