Nick Bryer, Oxfam's Head of UK Policy, Programmes and Campaigns writes today:
Inspired, proud, downright ecstatic - we're experiencing the whole lot right now. Because today, after decades of tireless campaigning, parliament passed a law guaranteeing the UK will spend 0.7% of national income on life-saving aid.
This is huge. The historic new law has the power to change millions of lives worldwide. We want to thank all of you who helped make it happen.
....
The new law means guaranteed, long-term support for poorer countries - so they can invest in life-saving healthcare, education and jobs. It means the UK can continue to lead the way in responding to disasters like Ebola.
Following pledges in all three main political parties' manifestos at the 2010 general election, in 2013 the UK became the first of the G7 countries to achieve the UN target of 0.7% of Gross National Income.
The actual amount was £11.4 billion (@US$18 billion at the then current exchange rates) or 0.72% of GNI.
The Guardian reports:
The UK’s international development secretary, Justine Greening, said: “Britain is the first major economy to meet the UN’s target on aid spending and I am proud that parliament has now passed this bill, which cements Britain’s global leadership in creating a world that is healthier, more stable and increasingly prosperous.
“Tackling poverty overseas is about addressing the root causes of global challenges such as disease, migration, terrorism and climate change, all of which are the right things to do and firmly in Britain’s own national interest.”
The Bill has passed its final stages in Parliament and will receive Royal Assent to become law in June. Despite Greening's statement, some of her fellow Conservatives in the Commons attempted a rearguard action to derail the bill last year. It should also be noted that, despite pressure, it was not included in the Queen's Speech last year. This is the list of bills the Government will bring forward in the following parliamentary year. Instead it was up to a backbench member, the Liberal Democrat MP Michael Moore to introduce it as a "Private Member's Bill" in September 2014.
Now the fight to enshrine the commitment to the 0.7% has been won, the battle moves on to ensure the effectiveness of the aid. The Guardian continues:
As well as committing to spending 7p out of every £10 of taxpayers’ money on aid, the law calls for continuous independent evaluation and monitoring of aid spending.
A lot of the lobbying behind this Act was co-ordinated by
Bond, an umbrella organization for aid groups including Oxfam.
Also this Friday the BBC's biennial "Red Nose Day" for Comic Relief is due to pass £1 billion raised since its inception. The money aids projects in the UK and abroad. This year NBC will be holding Red Nose Day USA in May.
In the U.K., Red Nose Day has been going for 25 years and is an inspiring cultural phenomenon that unites people from all walks of life in the interest of saving and changing lives across the globe. With superstar presenters and comedians, original sketch comedy, hilarious film parodies, one-off sitcom reunions and amazing musical performances, it’s no wonder that this program has been the one of the BBC’s highest-rated Friday night shows for many years. Best of all, it’s raised more than $1 billion in donations so far, and shows no signs of slowing down.
Created by writer-director Richard Curtis in 1985, the idea of Red Nose Day was built upon the foundation that mass media and celebrities can help raise money and awareness of poverty to save and change millions of lives. Curtis will serve as an executive producer for the NBC telecast.
Through personal donations and corporate partners, the live NBC benefit will raise money for poverty-focused charities working both in the United States and around the world. Televised in front of a live audience, like its BBC counterpart the NBC telecast will include individual stand-up performances, sketch comedy, parodies, live music and short films about the cause.
In the UK various big supermarket chains and other stores and manufacturers assist in the fund raising by selling the noses, special clothing and other specially branded items. There is also a charity single for download featuring John Legend joining Sam Smith in a special version of his hit "Lay Me Down".
Red Nose Day has provided important awareness of poverty and how it can be alleviated. It helped create a climate in which meeting the UN 0.7% target became a matter of political consensus and was achieved despite the financial crisis. (As a matter of interest, a similar percentage of the USA's GNI in 2013 would have been about US$119 billion. The actual amount was $31.55 billion or 0.19% of GNI.