Our response to the Global Britain and Development report by the One Nation Caucus of Conservative MPs.
Responding to the Global Britain and Development report by the One Nation Caucus of Conservative MPs, Isabelle Younane, Senior Advocacy Manager at ActionAid UK says:
"We welcome the support for the 0.7% aid budget and the adherence to the OECD DAC rules, recognising that post-Brexit, the UK has an opportunity to cement its position as a leader on the global stage. However, poverty eradication and supporting those who are most in need – including marginalised women and girls – must be the primary objective of all UK aid spending, in line with the UK’s own international development legislation. This is particularly critical in light of the fall-out of the pandemic; Covid-19 risks hard-won gains in women’s rights and gender equality being rolled back, particularly in the poorest countries where ActionAid works.
"We also welcome the report’s recommendation that tackling gender-based violence should be a policy priority for the new FCDO. The UK has positioned itself as a global leader on preventing and addressing violence against women and girls. With the UK’s co-leadership of the UN Action Coalition on gender-based violence, and the dramatic increase in calls to domestic helplines that have emerged globally since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, tackling this should continue to be a UK priority.
"We have long been calling for the maintenance of ICAI and the establishment of a cross-departmental parliamentary select committee, which has the power to scrutinise aid wherever it is spent. This is crucial for ensuring that UK aid reaches those most in need, and is an important pillar of our parliamentary democracy. We welcome that this is supported by the co-authors of this report."
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