UK foreign aid cuts ahead of G7 summit – ActionAid response
In response to Monday's ruling that the proposed amendment to stop the UK aid cut was out of scope of the ARIA bill, Frances Longley, Chief Executive of ActionAid UK, says:
“We are bitterly disappointed that MPs didn’t have the opportunity to vote on the UK aid cuts today. The Government should live up to its manifesto promise and stop cuts to the aid budget urgently.
“As host of the G7, all eyes are on the UK. Currently, the UK is the only G7 country reducing its aid budget, while France, Germany and others are stepping up. ActionAid is deeply concerned this failure to protect spending on gender equality and women’s rights will undermine the UK’s credibility – in addition to putting women and girls’ lives at risk.
“ActionAid is now seeing cuts to vital programmes that support women and girls to leave violent situations, access services and build better lives. Programmes that focus on the rights of women and girls, support their leadership, and address their priorities are already being severely affected by funding cuts. Women and girls will suffer most from continued reductions in funding. An estimated 20 million women and girls will be left behind by this.
“The pandemic has rolled back women’s rights by a generation so for the UK Government to make substantial cuts now is unacceptable.”
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Notes to editors
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.