In the fight against extreme poverty, it can often be hard to convey the incredible progress that is being made.

But right now our generation is faced with an opportunity to do just that.

We stand on the brink of eradicating the second human disease in history. Polio – a disease that pulls vulnerable children deeper into poverty – has been reduced by 99% over the past thirty years. Incredible global efforts have immunised more than 2 billion children against polio, and saved more than 5 million children from life-long paralysis or death.

We stand on the brink of eradicating polio entirely. But a global funding shortfall is limiting crucial vaccination efforts, and risking this monumental opportunity.

That’s why the Global Poverty Project, together with the WHO, Rotary and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is calling on World Leaders to commit to fully fund the work of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Such investment in polio eradication is crucial not only because it removes a significant threat to the future of vulnerable children, but also because it can write a story of success that will reinvigorate public support for the life-changing impact of foreign aid programs. In tough economic times, there’s no better way to demonstrate the importance of aid budgets than supporting a tangible and measurable goal like polio eradication.

With a quarter of the world’s leaders travelling to Australia for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting this October, Australians have a unique opportunity to focus international spotlight on this issue.

Make Poverty History encourage all supporters to add their voice to the call to realise the end of polio.

Join the call for world leaders to commit to polio eradication at www.theendofpolio.com/mph, and your signature will be matched with a polio vaccination through the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.