ActionAid's response to the cuts to the Official Development Assistance funding.
Hannah Bond, co-CEO of ActionAid UK, said: “We are profoundly shocked and disappointed that the government has made the reckless decision to raid the already diminished ODA budget—reducing it to less than half of our legal obligation. That it has done so to increase military spending only adds insult to injury.
There is no justification for abandoning the world’s most marginalised time and time again to navigate geopolitical developments. This is a political choice—one with devastating consequences. At a time when USAID has been gutted and development initiatives abandoned by one of the world’s largest donors, the UK government appears to be following suit rather than standing against this dangerous trend.
Cuts to UK ODA will hit those who need it most, especially women and girls. Conflicts in Gaza, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ukraine are already causing immense civilian suffering. At a time when humanitarian crises are at an all-time high, slashing ODA to a record low is indefensible.
We have already seen the devastating impact of previous aid cuts; an ActionAid project in Rwanda supporting survivors of gender-based violence was nearly forced to close due to funding shortages. The government repeatedly claims to champion women’s rights and take a ‘different approach’ to development—yet once again, it has chosen to undermine its own commitments.
Raiding the ODA budget to boost defence spending flies in the face of UN charters—commitments the UK is a signatory to—that call for a reduction in militarisation. This decision will only deepen harm to civilians caught in conflict.
We urge the government to reverse this shameful and dangerous move before it causes irreparable damage.”
Hannah Bond is available for interviews. Please contact the press office at uk.media@actionaid.org or on +44 7753 973 486 to arrange.
About ActionAid
ActionAid is an international charity that works with women and girls living in poverty. Our dedicated local staff are changing the world with women and girls. We are ending violence and fighting poverty so that all women, everywhere, can create the future they want.