At Family for Every Child, we believe that shifting the global economic and social imbalance is key to achieving change for children.
A more just world is possible, but requires a commitment from those who hold power to focus on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable.
With this in mind, we believe that the merger of the standalone UK body for international aid – the Department for International Development (DFID) – with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) will damage the ability of the UK to provide aid that is truly led by humanitarian needs alone.
Combining these to create one new body will bring competing interests under one roof, risking that decisions will be driven first and foremost by the UK’s economic interest and national politics.
We urge the UK Government to reconsider this decision, which runs counter to their recent assertions that Black Lives Matter. In order to create a more just world, it is vital that those in charge of international aid are able to operate as a separate body to those in charge of our national diplomatic strategy.