As the first international, high-level and public meeting of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) takes place today, Save the Children, the UK's leading international children's charity, is calling on governments and company leaders to seize the opportunity to increase financial transparency, in order to alleviate the corruption and conflict afflicting more than 700 million poor children in mineral-rich countries. With the spiralling situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo providing a tragic example, Save the Children's new report, 'Lifting the Resource Curse: Extractive industry, children and governance', highlights the increased likelihood of private armies, corruption, poor economic growth and child poverty in developing countries with large, lucrative mineral reserves. Congo - with a vast cache of minerals including gold, coltan, silver, zinc, uranium, diamonds and oil - has seen over 3 million people die since 1998. More than 4 out of 10 children die before they reach their first birthday. For copies of the report, call 00 44 (0) 020 7716 2280, or download an electronic copy from the Save the Children website: www.scfuk.org.uk. For more information, contact: Sheila Boswell, Media Unit Save the Children UK 17 Grove Lane, London SE5 8RD, UK Tel: 00 44 (0) 20 7716 2214; Email: s.boswell@scfuk.org.uk