On Wednesday March 20th, the UK Government finally kept to its 43 year old promise and announced it will be spending 0.7% of national income on aid.
The UK is now the first G8 (forum for the eight world’s wealthiest countries) country to meet this promise and the 6th country of the original 22 who met way back in 1970.
This is fantastic news because effective aid can have a huge impact on people’s lives. The UK’s aid pledge will mean – 16 million children in school, provide over 80 million with vaccines against life-threatening diseases, ensure 6 million births take place in a safe environment, provide 600,000 with life-saving treatment for HIV and ensure better nutrition for 9.6 million people.
The campaign to hold the UK to its 0.7% aid promise is part of the IF campaign. Enough food for everyone IF, is a huge coalition of organisations committed to campaigning for a world where everyone has enough to eat. Here in Wales, Oxfam Cymru has been working hard within a coalition of over 20 organisations to bring about justice around the issues of aid, tax and land.
And 2013 is a crucial year because the UK holds the presidency of the G8 and in June the eight Government Heads will meet here in the UK at Lough Erne in Northern Ireland.
This is where you come in….
We are asking the people of Wales to join the BIG IF event in Hyde Park, London on June 8th or the IF event in Belfast on June 15th.
Register here now. Information on travel from Wales will then be emailed to you.
Together we can make a huge difference.