Following newly announced aid cuts, the UK Government is at risk of backtracking on its promise to put women and girls at the heart of its foreign policy, a group of activists, advocates and celebrities warn today.
The open letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy ahead of International Women’s Day (March 8th), acts as a call on the foreign secretary to target at least 20% of UK aid directly on achieving gender equality. The group of signatories includes the CEOs of CARE International UK and Oxfam and several Club the Madrid Members: Eight Secretary General of the United Nations Ki Moon Ban, President of Mongolia (2009-2017) Tsakhia Elbegdorj, President of Mexico (2000-2006) Vicente Fox, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea (2008-2009) and Vice President of Club de Madrid Seung-soo Han, President of Croatia (2010-2015) Ivo Josipovic, President of Sri Lanka (1994-2005) Chandrika Kumaratunga, President of Albania (1997-2002) Rexhep Meidani, President of Nigeria (1976-1979; 1999-2007) Olusegun Obasanjo, Prime Minister of Senegal (2013-2014) Aminata Touré and President of Switzerland (2010; 2017) Doris Leuthard.
The caution and call to action comes after the prime minister announced the UK’s already-reduced aid budget would be slashed further to support an increase in defence spend. Research from CARE International UK shows that last time cuts were made, the Government did not consider the impact on women and girls, and women and girls were disproportionately affected by the cuts.
“Women are already leading efforts to tackle today’s greatest challenges – from humanitarian crises to grassroots movements and international negotiations. Yet their vital work is held back by attacks on their rights and a lack of investment in their leadership,” the letter says. “We cannot wait generations for equality, prosperity, or peace.”
It comes as a survey, commissioned by CARE International UK, reveals:
- 65% of the British public thinks it’s either very or quite important that the UK government uses its aid budget to protect women and girls’ rights around the world, including more than half of all 2024 Conservative (64%), Labour (77%) and Reform (50%) voters. Only 8% of Britons think it is not important.
- 67% of the British public think taking action to support women’s and girls’ rights across the world does not come at the expense of economic growth. Only 11% of Britons think taking action to support women’s and girls’ rights across the world slows down economic growth.
The letter follows data analysis released by CARE in February which found that the previous UK Government slashed funding for women and girls worldwide, risking decades of global progress on gender equality.
The research found that UK aid spending on gender equality has fallen year on year since 2019, and now stands at almost half of what it was pre-pandemic – falling from £6.3bn in 2019 to £3.4bn in 2022. This makes 2022 the joint lowest year on record since the UK began recording its spending on gender equality in 2014 and is disproportionate to the overall fall in aid during that time.
Speaking to why the group coordinated the letter Helen McEachern, CEO of CARE International UK, said: “The prime minister has followed the path of other leaders in making the short-sighted and reactionary decision to slash the UK’s aid budget – undermining both the progress made and Britain’s standing in the world.
“Women globally are facing a rollback of their rights and are paying the price for decisions made primarily by men. Meanwhile aid is being slashed on the global stage – which evidence shows will hit those who need it most the hardest. Ignoring the vital role that women and international aid play in making the UK and our world, safer, healthier, and more sustainable for everyone is an own goal for the Government. We stand at a crossroads: what the Government decides to do now with its aid budget could shape the future for women and whole societies, for decades to come.”
