Morning Briefing

"In an age of austerity, when everyone is feeling the pinch, some question whether we should continue giving aid to poor countries," Justin Forsyth, CEO of Save the Children U.K., writes in a Telegraph opinion piece. He says "[t]he resounding answer is yes, according to a new report [.pdf], ... which for the first time presents quantifiable evidence of the impact of aid on child survival, health and education" (4/17). The joint report, by the Overseas Development Institute, Save the Children and UNICEF, "analyzes the improvements to children's lives during the past two decades in five sectors: health, nutrition, water and sanitation, education, and child protection," according to the report website (4/17). The report's "findings are inspiring," Forsyth writes, noting, "Four million fewer children aged under five died in 2010 than in 1990."