Foreign aid must reach the world’s poor
Guest post from The Global Poverty Project‘s Michael Sheldrick:
Like many Australians, I am proud of our Government’s long-standing bipartisan policy of increasing foreign aid to fight extreme poverty around the world. That’s why it came as a complete shock and a disappointment to discover that it now intends to “divert” AU$375 million (US$390m) in funding from the foreign aid budget to pay for the processing of asylum seekers.
Lets be clear, the siphoning of hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid to pay for the Government’s own domestic budget is not on. The purpose of Australia’s foreign aid is to kick-start international development and improve the lives of the world’s poorest people.
Around the world more than 20,000 children still die each day due to simple causes that can be easily prevented, like diarrhoea. Millions of people live on less than $2 a day in our neighbouring countries like East Timor, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Australia’s foreign aid must reach those in need overseas.
The Australian Government currently only gives 35 cents in every $100 to assist those in poverty around the world. But what we do give makes a big difference and saves lives. Australian aid dollars have helped eradicate polio in the Western Pacific, put more than half a million children into school and is set to help immunise 7.7 million children over the next 4 years.
The vast majority of Australians support increasing foreign aid, but we also want to know that the money is reaching those who need it most in the poorest countries around the world.
Foreign aid should be putting children in schools around the world, not putting them in Australian detention centres. Millions of Australians, young and old, expect the funds to reach the world’s poor. And millions more of those living in poverty are depending on it.
Australia made the promise, on the global stage, to increase aid for the world’s poor; and we have been recognised by the UN as a world leader in fighting global poverty. This is a question of whether Australia can be trusted to keep its word.
Tweet the Treasurer Wayne Swan and Foreign Minister Bob Carr urging them to keep foreign aid focused on global poverty around the world and to not cut aid from overseas poverty programs:
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About the Blog
The International ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, with guest contributions from ONE volunteers, members and allies.
The content of each post and each comment represents the views of that author and does not necessarily reflect the views of ONE. ONE does not support or oppose any candidate for elected office, and any post expressing support or opposition for a candidate is not endorsed by ONE.
22/12/2012 at 9:43 am
Come on guys! Really! We need to support each other! We have more than enough! Come on! You are meant to be listening to us!! Australians want to be humane! LISTEN!
27/12/2012 at 6:45 am
Being born poor is not your fault but dying poor is definitely your call. This simply means even though the odds are not fair, everybody has a chance to change their destiny-their lives. It’s just a “yes” or “no” for “change.”