In an article for the Parliament Magazine, published on World Health Day,  Françoise Castex argues that G8 leaders must not forget the victims of the developing world's perpetual health crisis.

In 1948 world leaders adopted the universal declaration of human rights. This landmark event in mankind's development took place in Paris, proudly hosted by the French government, with a much-fêted French jurist as its main architect. Article 25 of the act declares that "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family." But over 60 years later, how much of a priority is global health for the world's leaders?

The French government is proud of the importance that our country has long accorded to human rights, from the enlightenment until the present day. But since we were at the heart of developing the declaration in 1948, how often have we found ourselves in the position to use this self-proclaimed status of philanthropic champion to influence the course of history positively? Not often, until now.

In the developing world over 20 million people die prematurely of curable and preventable problems each year; almost twice the population of Belgium. Denied the human right to medical care and health supplies that the developed world has taken for granted for decades, these afflictions are slashing life expectancy and productivity across Africa, Asia and beyond. Problems such as malnutrition, dirty drinking water, malaria, tuberculosis, HIV Aids and complications related to pregnancy are decimating populations, stifling their development and creating the breeding grounds for social upheaval. Problems which are completely preventable and for which we have the solutions, but for which we lack the political will.

In human terms the impact of these problems is far greater than what any financial crisis could ever bring about. And yet the price tag to set about eliminating them is smaller than for rebuilding the global financial system. But as statistics released by the OECD yesterday show, Western governments are still far behind the goal they agreed of pledging 0.7 per cent of their GNI to their development budget by 2015. The EU as a whole has missed its collective interim target of reaching 0.56 per cent by 2010. Our governments are therefore continuing to make the world's poorest foot the bill for the folly and greed of the world’s richest.

Next month France will play host to the world's leaders, as the G8 summit rolls into Deauville. In November it will move on to Nice, where the same heads of government will be joined by their 12 remaining counterparts from the world's other G20 economies. At the heart of our presidency's priorities for the two, lies a reform of the global financial system. This will hopefully give rise to a more ethical banking system that will protect citizens' rights and strengthen the social dimension of globalisation. Development also features, at the bottom of the list.

Our president would clearly like to profile himself as the protector of his, and the world's, citizens in testing times. But if this is his goal for our presidency of the G8 and G20, then please let us be remembered as the country that persuaded G8 and G20 leaders to do something that will protect not only the rights of their own citizens, but of all the world's citizens.

The financial crisis has had a lasting impact on the developed world and indeed caused hardship for many. But for millions of people in the developing world every day is a crisis. Money spent on resolving the financial crisis will restore comfort in the western world. In the developing world it will save lives.