The charity Oxfam has attacked a recent wave of criticism regarding international aid, warning that financially-stretched governments could use it as an excuse to cut international commitments. The charity conceded in a report that international aid 'has its faults' but said that on the whole it boosts economic growth by improving health services, giving millions more children an education and supporting poor people’s livelihoods.
The report comes in reply to critics who suggest international aid might prolong wars and who say it often falls into the wrong hands. The sceptics include Dutch journalist Linda Polman and Zambian economist Dambisa Moyo. In her recent book, War Games: the Story of Aid and War in Modern Times, Polman claims that humanitarianism is now big business and, alongside the world media, forms an unhealthy union with warmongers. Moyo argues that aid is the cause of, rather than the solution to, problems in the developing world.
Oxfam counters the criticisms with what it believes is strong evidence of aid's positive effects. It argues international aid has helped reduce the number of children who die before their fifth birthday by four million since 1990, put 33 million more children in the classroom and increased tenfold the number of people receiving HIV medication.
Responding to the report, Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, 'Aid has transformed the lives of millions of people around the world, giving them access to life-saving healthcare and their children a chance to attend school. Aid critics who ignore the benefits aid brings are at best misguided and at worst putting ideology ahead of real improvements in the lives of poor men, women and children.'
Oxfam acknowledges that some aid money is misspent but argues that this is a reason to improve aid, not reduce it. It is worried that in the current economic climate, governments may use sweeping criticisms as cover for not delivering promised aid increases.
Phil Bloomer, Oxfam campaigns and policy director, said, 'Thoughtful criticism continues to play a vital part in improving aid and addressing its weaknesses but too many of the recent attacks have been ill-informed, ideological and ultimately irresponsible. We need a grown-up debate that recognizes the many successes of aid as well as the isolated and high-profile failures.'
Quellenangabe: "Oxfam defends overseas aid from wave of criticism" by Katie Allen
aus: The Guardian
Schicken wir also noch n bisschen Kohle nach Afganistan. Das sorgt für ne Bombenstimmung, gell?
