TABITHA HORSLEY, of Micah Challenge Australia, takes a look at what the Federal budget means for the world’s poor…
The Micah Challenge coalition has welcomed the Federal Government’s continued commitment to overseas development assistance in the 2009-10 aid budget announced on Tuesday.
BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS: Thousands of people live in overcrowded conditions without basic services such as water, sewers or electricity in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. PICTURE: Luis Brito (www.sxc.hu).
“This budget shows a strong commitment to addressing the reality that Millennium Development Goals four and five (related to child and maternal health) are lagging badly behind. As our world groans under the weight of a financial crisis, we must remember that it’s the poorest of the poor who will be hit hardest.”
While the government’s commitment to reaching 0.5 per cent holds firm, the previously announced timetable for reaching that figure has slipped. This is going to make it increasingly difficult for the government to meet their commitments in subsequent budgets, and even more difficult for them to reach the 0.7 per cent that Australia needs. We committed as a nation to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), to halve world poverty by 2015. But as this date looms closer, Australia is yet to contribute its fair share.
Particularly pleasing in this year’s aid budget was the renewed attention for maternal and child health, with funding of $370 million dollars. This is good news for Micah Challenge supporters who have been campaigning tirelessly for more aid spending on health.
Initiatives such as training of skilled birth attendants will have a very real impact on the lives of women living in poverty, and will go a long way towards rectifying the appalling child and maternal mortality rates in our region. But more needs to be done to make significant progress on these important goals.
This budget shows a strong commitment to addressing the reality that Millennium Development Goals four and five (related to child and maternal health) are lagging badly behind. As our world groans under the weight of a financial crisis, we must remember that it’s the poorest of the poor who will be hit hardest.
A further 46 million people are expected to slip into absolute poverty as a result. The World Bank now estimates that 200,000 to 400,000 more children will die each year if the global financial crisis continues. The Bible calls us to challenge unjust structures which keep people in poverty, and Australian Christians must continue to call on our leaders to ‘act justly and love mercy’.
Micah Challenge is asking supporters to respond to the budget by emailing the Treasurer, Wayne Swan, thanking him for the increases in aid spending, and asking the government to announce a timetabled commitment to increase aid to the internationally-agreed aid target of 0.7 per cent of gross national income by 2015. (Visit www.micahchallenge.org.au/news for suggested text for the email).
John Beckett, national coordinator of Micah Challenge, is calling on the government to show leadership in this area. “The commitment of $3.8 billion – or 0.34 per cent of GNI – in 2009-10 still represents less than half of what we are asking the government to commit to.”
Meanwhile, Tim Costello, co-chair of Make Poverty History and part of the Micah Coalition, has warned that in tough economic times “it is easy to lose sight of the original vision of the Millennium Development Goals” which involves a commitment by developed nations to provide 0.7 per cent of gross national income for overseas aid.
“As economic stability and prosperity returns in coming years, we hope this promise to the poor will not be forgotten.”
Micah Challenge is a global movement of Christians which aims to deepen engagement with the poor by integrating social justice as an essential aspect of faith. We want to encourage the leaders of all nations to fulfil their commitments to the Millennium development Goals, to halve absolute poverty by 2015. We believe that we have made a promise to the poor and are capable of upholding our commitment. If every Christian chooses to act with justice and kindness, walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8), imagine the impact we can have. For more information, visit www.micahchallenge.org.au.
Tabitha Horsley is communications coordinator for Micah Challenge Australia.
