Weekly Update: New World Bank leader needed, $826M pledged for Education Cannot Wait, smallholder farmers still at risk.
I highlight several noteworthy moments from the previous week in global development, including Education Cannot Wait's successful High-Level Financing Conference which raised $826M+.
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Happy President's Day to those celebrating in the US, and a very happy World Social Justice Day to all around the globe! My friend, Gilbert Houngbo, the head of the International Labour Organization (ILO), is using this occasion to call for “a strong and sustained dose of social justice.”
I had the chance to visit the ILO HQ in Geneva last week and it was truly eye-opening to learn firsthand the incredible history of this movement. Can you believe that the ILO was established even before the UN? That's right, it was actually included in the Paris Peace Treaty after World War 1 because people realized that social justice was crucial to achieving lasting peace. The ILO's corridors are filled with some pretty powerful symbols that serve as a constant reminder of this. Learn more and amplify their message here.
Continue reading for a few noteworthy moments from the previous week. If you find this content interesting, don't hesitate to subscribe and share it.
The Urgent Need For A New World Bank Leader Dedicated To Climate Action And Eradicating Poverty
The current World Bank President, David Malpass, announced this week that he would be stepping down in June. This will hopefully open the door for more ambitious and timely reforms to support all countries in need and greater support for climate response funding.
This weekend, I published this article highlighting how the Biden Administration has a crucial opportunity to turn the World Bank into a more effective tool for climate action and eradicating poverty. The next World Bank leader should have a proven record of advocating for increased funding for all developing countries and a strong dedication to urgently implementing the bold recommendations of the Bridgetown Initiative to make the Bank better suited for tackling the challenges of the 21st century.
Spearheaded by Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados and philanthropic leaders like the Rockefeller Foundation’s Raj Shah, the Bridgetown Initiative aims to promote financial fairness for developing countries, regardless of their economic status. It includes recommendations to improve institutions like the World Bank so they can better serve poor and climate-vulnerable countries. Check out the full article here.
$826,360,000 PLEDGED FOR EDUCATION CANNOT WAIT
Education Cannot Wait convened governments, philanthropists, activists, and civil society in Geneva, for a moment that has long been in the making – the High-Level Financing Conference. The event was co-hosted alongside Switzerland, with Colombia, Germany, Niger, Norway, and South Sudan serving as co-conveners of the pledging event. Together, a total of 17 pledges were made, with three from first-time countries, mobilizing an outstanding $826M+ – more than half of the $1.5BN target set for the 2023 - 2026 period to reach 20 million children with education.
The conference marked only the beginning of the journey, and we must work collectively over the next four years to gather as many commitments as possible, to make as many dreams as possible come true. $1.5BN may seem like an ambitious target. But, to put things into perspective, in 2022, for the first time, the world’s collective military expenditure passed $2 TRILLION for the first time. This $1.5BN represents less than 1% of this amount, and will reap a lifetime of benefits for a generation of children. Check out my opening statement at the pledging conference here, Global Citizen’s reaction statement here, and make sure you keep an eye on Global Citizen’s website for more way to take action in support of ECW’s #222MillionDreams campaign. I look forward to seeing more commitments over the coming months!
5 Questions With …
Global Citizen recently sat down with Yasmine Sherif, head of Education Cannot Wait, and Helen Grant, UK Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Girls’ Education to record a short “5 Questions With” video, answering all the pressing questions from sharing inspiring messages to youth worldwide to the secret of their success. Check these out on Global Citizen’s Twitter, here and here!
Prime Minister Mia Mottley Urges Action To Address Hunger Crisis And Food Insecurity
In another Forbes.com piece last week, I discuss the need for a drastic overhaul of global financial systems to support smallholder farmers and tackle the deadly hunger crisis. During the previous week, the Governing Council meetings of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) took place, showcasing the impact of IFAD-financed initiatives. These projects contribute to rural transformation and reinforce food security through partnerships with small-scale farmers and food producers, supporting over 1000 programs and uplifting more than 483 million individuals residing in rural areas.
In her opening address to the Governing Council, Prime Minister Mottley highlighted how her Bridgetown Initiative‘s reforms, if delivered upon, would address the growing hunger and food insecurity crisis.
Give the full piece a read, and check out this Twitter thread here.
What Exactly Is IFAD and How Why Are Smallholder Farmers So Critical to Global Food Production?
This is a question I get a lot. In this interview for Sky News Australia, I break down what IFAD actually does, why investing in farmers is so critical, and how Australia in particular can leverage its role as an agricultural superpower to support food security worldwide.
If you have time, check out this interview I also did last week with ABC Radio National regarding the significance of food security. According to the latest projections, due to the impact of climate change, a drought could affect over 75% of the world's population by the year 2050.
“Hope is the antidote to climate anxiety, but what happens when staying positive about the state of the climate and its pathway (or lack thereof) to a regenerated world starts to become too hard?”
This was the question posed to me by a writer in the past few weeks who asked me along with 4 other advocates what communities are feeling right now. Check out our answers here.
If you missed it, I also recommend checking out this previous post on how conversations can give people both agency and action and is one of the most powerful things we can do to address apathy and disillusionment.
Global Citizen is Hiring - Come Work With them!
Are you or someone you know passionate about our mission, and want to join what will most certainly be another impactful year of action? If so, come work with Global Citizen! GC is currently hiring for Senior Director of Global Philanthropy, and for a UK Advocacy/Campaigns Consultant.
If either of these sounds up your street, please throw your name in the hat! Or if you know someone who might be a good fit, do share across your networks.
My (Long) Weekend Reading List
World risks descending into a climate ‘doom loop’, warn thinktanks
My Organization Empowers Girls Through Education — By Running Underground Schools in Afghanistan
Custodians of Knowledge: 5 Reasons Indigenous Peoples Hold the Key to Our Planet’s Future
Team pic in Geneva - great to meet Ruben (far left), who’s based in Geneva, in person for the first time, after working remotely together for the last three years!
Finally, as always, if you’re enjoying the weekly newsletter format, and want even more, you can subscribe to my Substack here where I publish reviews, lists and articles on a regular basis.
All best,
Mick