Child Survival and Development Initiative

From "Morning Round Up" 01/22/08 MidnightPoutine

UNICEF has praised Canada's participation in innovative child programs . Canada partly finances the Accelerated Child Survival and Development Initiative, which provides help to around 17 million people in several African countries. Between 2002 and 2006, studies showed that the program helped reduce child mortality rates by 20 percent in the communities that had access to it. According to UNICEF, child mortality rates have greatly declined; in 2006, 9,7 million children died as compared to almost 13 million in 1990. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has promised to double Canada's aid to Africa, where 27,000 children aged 5 and under die preventable deaths every day.