If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend reading our new Annual Report, which highlights our activities and successes between July 2019 and June 2020. I’d also like to draw your attention to our new video on our fantastic evolution as an organisation over the last few years. On this Giving Tuesday, if you feel as inspired by what we have achieved together as I do, please consider joining us as a member and support our work from just £2.50 per month (see Take Action below). The UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s announcement of a cut in the UK’s overseas aid budget from 0.7% of total GNI to 0.5% rightly drew strong criticism from many quarters. Former Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt articulated the dismay, “To cut our aid budget by a third in a year when millions more fall into extreme poverty will make not just them poorer but us poorer in the eyes of the world.” His colleague, Andrew Mitchell, who headed up what was once the Department for International Development, (itself cut earlier in the year and merged into the Foreign Office), warned that the decision, “will be the cause of 100,000 preventable deaths.” Liz Sugg, Minister for Sustainable Development, whom PM met earlier in the year in London and Nairobi, resigned in protest. Compared to other high-income countries, the proportion of UK overseas aid dedicated to family planning and contraceptive needs has been significant, although still only standing at around 3% of that 0.7%. Yet these relatively small sums made and make a big difference: the UN has calculated that every $1 spent on family planning in developing countries delivers a return of $120 in increased economic benefit. Here in the UK, £1 spent on family planning saves the NHS £12.50. Whether at home or abroad, supporting access to and provision of family planning makes great sense and represents real value for money. The cuts are short-sighted, irrational and ultimately will harm not just the UK Government’s standing in the world, but through the linked consequences of economic regression, greater inequality, and social unrest, will impact upon all of us – not least those 270 million women who do not have their contraceptive needs met. Read our full statement below.
- Robin Maynard, Director, Population Matters
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